From: 00mjstum@leo.bsuvc.bsu.edu (Matthew J. Stum)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Too Light Blows (was Re: Face-thrust force/Picts)
Date: 16 Dec 92 14:05:35 GMT
Distribution: world, na, usa, local
Organization: Widget Enterprises

kuijt@umiacs.umd.edu (David Kuijt) writes:
> Greetings to the rialto from Dafydd ap Gwystl,
> 
> Carolus Malvoix writes concerning his...
> 
>>... current peeve, which is people who are taking my
>>*garbage* shots as good. They are not good. I know, I threw
>>the shot, and it would not cleave denim, let alone chain,
>>but they want to take it because it was "clean"...This may be
>>even worse than the Rhinos who wouldn't take your blow if you
>>were wielding live steel.
>>
>>Carolus Malvoix
>>Montengarde, An Tir
> 
> This is the first time I've seen someone who seemed angry
> about others taking light.  Why do you think it might be
> worse than Rhinos?  I'm inclined to believe this is hyperbole,
> as I can't imagine how Fragiles (to coin a term) could cause
> any of the negative affects that Rhinos do in our combat game.
> 
> 	Dafydd ap Gwystl			David Kuijt
> 	Barony of Storvik			kuijt@umiacs.umd.edu
> 	Kingdom of Atlantia			(MD,DC,VA,NC,SC)

I must agree.  Our Shire in particular delivers and accepts some of the
lightest blows in the Midrealm.  When we face fighters from other parts of
the World it causes some of our fighters great distress at the apparent (if
not actual) Rhinoing.

I've come to look at it like this:  I get much more satisfaction when I
kill someone knowing how easy it is to kill me.  I get the same
satisfaction when I deliver, oh, three or four killing blows to someone
(who doesn't accept them) before they can kill me.  (And it's _so_ nice to
capture these moments on video... <grin>)

Conversely, if I accept a blow as good that my opponent feels was too light
I'd _like_ to be told that instead of them just letting it go.  I see it as
the same duty to inform someone that you hit them with the flat and to
continue fighting.  Sadly, of those that I have fought (which, admittedly,
isn't a _great_ number), only those from the House Darkmoon have been
chivalrous enough to insist on killing me with a respectible blow.  To me
this means that they aren't out after the easy kill at whatever cost (i.e.
Rhinoing or taking advantage of Fragiles).  This doesn't mean that they hit
overly hard (although some in our group think so)... they just want it to
be clean and solid. I try to do the same... when I hit someone with "junk"
and they take it, I stop them and tell 'em that it was no good (for whatever
reason it happened to be "junk") and we continue fighting.

To me, SCA combat is truly _tournament_ combat... not _war_ combat.  _War_
combat would also need to include the dirtiest of fighting tactics...
kicking, shield bashing, grappling, deadly face-thrusts, etc.  While some
may cringe at this next reference, take a look at the combat in the latest
Hamlet movie (with Mel Gibson).  Notice how all they had to do was land a
clean blow? They weren't out to kill the other guy... they weren't out to
lop the other guy's head off.  All they had to show was that they _could_
kill the other if they followed through.  Very chivalrous.  Very sporting. 
Besides... if you killed your opponents, who would come and play with you
tomorrow?  :-)

A newbie's views,
Gwydion

-- 
Matt Stum                    Gwydion ap Myrddin       Ball State University
00mjstum@leo.bsuvc.bsu.edu   Shire of Afonlyn, MK     Muncie, IN  USA
From: Tim@f4229.n124.z1.fidonet.org (Tim)
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