[Ansteorra-missile] Steppes Fighter/Melee Practice - 05-15-2005

[Mike]

Heilsa,

I apologized if you received more than one copy of this short report of 
the Steppes Fighter/Melee practice that occurred this past Sunday. I 
hope that each of you would enjoy hearing about the training for both 
tournament and war that occurred at the Steppes regular Fighter 
practice. I also hope that if you are able to attend one of the schedule 
War practices that are coming up, please do so. I realized that the 1st 
War practice is the 1st weekend right after Steppes Warlord and the 2nd 
is July 3rd and a good many gentles will have other plans.
 
At the bottom of this message is additional information on these war 
practices, the links for directions for both sites. Plus information 
concerning combat archery on the July 3rd date.

This past Sunday was an excellent day to be out and about, the day was 
bright with sunshine, with some clouds in the sky. The wind was from the 
north with a bit of a chill to it, although windy and gusting, it was 
still a beautiful day to be in armor and training to "kill" your friends. :)

A visitor from the Western Region, Dirk the Dead, stopped by and got 
into some fighting at all levels that were available this past Sunday. 
Dirk took part in the tournament training, the melee practices, and 
received instructions in Combat Archery shooting at the reference point 
with a 30 lb., recurve at 20 feet.

People fighting this day:  20
Children:  5
Total in attendance: 39
Tournament style or individual fights noted: 54

Weapons used this day:
Sword
Rattan Spear
Fiberglass spear
Great Sword

Shields:
Rectangle shield
Heater
Round
Buckler
Kite

Type of training that took place:
Tournament style of fighting

Melee/war practice
Spear training scenarios:
2 on 1
3 on 2
4 on 3 - open field scenarios. Combat Archery training was involved in 
the Melee/war practice with all archers being NON-CONTACT for this 
scenario, including myself; plus a stationary reference point. A good 
method of introduction to combat archery, rather than just shooting at a 
stationary reference point.

Eight tournament squares were established to aid all who wish to train 
for fighting in the future tournaments, with the next event being 
Warlord XXXII.  For those who have never fought in a tournament, the 
skill level of each individual is quickly determined by entering each 
square and facing off with an opponent. The winner advances and the 
loser does not, it is just that simple.

And if you are wondering, it is always a good idea that if you are able 
to attend an event, enter the tournament at that event, regardless of 
your skill level.

Each of the tournament squares is 25 feet in area. Thanks to Lord 
CinaedOHosey for the material in establishing the squares.

The format of this was design to allow for fighters to enter and have a 
continuous series of fights going on. A pair of fighters enter, the 
winner advances to the next square, while the loser of the previous 
fight waits for the next fighter to enter the square. Thus, continuing 
round of fighting is being offered here. The results being determined by 
this type of training.

One - the level of skill that each fighter brings to practice is - for 
the better fighters will advanced to the next level of skill, and the 
those who do not advanced will remain and continue to learn at their level.

The skill level of fighting will shake it's self out so that there will 
be at a minimum of three levels:
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced

actually there will be additional levels of skill being displayed as 
well, for there will be individuals who will move up and down the above 
levels on various days of practice. Thus, those whose skill is somewhere 
in between will get exposure to the better fighters at these various 
levels. This is with the hope that over time with constant attendance, 
additional advice, and practice each will advance into the next skill 
level, thus advancing and improving the quality and quantity of 
fighting, not only at the Steppes practice, but at other tournaments, 
plus War events.

If anyone wish to post to another list, please do so.


This is the short report, to see the complete report go to one the 
following e-mail list:
Mailman on the Ansteorra web site and look under "Steppes"

The complete report continues the attendance by individual name, the 
listing of each of the tournament or one-on-one fights that I witness, 
and the the fighters in each of the melee scenarios and this contains 
the following information:

The names of the opponents,
type of shields being employed,
and the type of weapon being used by both opponents.

What it does that contain is who won or lost.


YIS,

Lord Michael Fray
  Combat Archer for the Condottieri
  King's Archer
  Steppes Deputy Knight Marshal
  Steppes Deputy Hospitaler
   Missile Combat Marshal

Commercial begins:

There will be combat archery on July 3rd at the Steppes fighter 
location, currently it is unknown at this time if we will be able to 
have combat archery at Elfsea's location at this time. For those combat 
archers who wish to attend, please reply back to me privately prior to 
the July 3rd at:

meggiddo at netzero.net

so that I can work with Steppes Knight Marshal, Lord Hrafn, and the 
Central Knight Marshal, Centurion Morgan, in establishing scenarios in 
advance.

In less than three weeks time, another Joint War Practice have been 
scheduled with the baronies of Elfsea and Steppes on the first Sunday of 
June - June 5th, 2005 at 2 PM.

The location will be Elfsea's normal fighting practice field - Veteran's 
Park in Arlington, street address: 3600 W Arkansas Ln., Arlington, TX 
76016-5835.

This is the link for Elfsea's fighter practice information.

http://www.elfsea.net/Events/fighter_practices.htm

In the 1st sentence on the above web page, is another link for a yahoo 
map, click on the word "Veteran's Park", and a map should appear.

Or could just go to the main Elfsea web site and follow the links:

http://www.elfsea.net/

The below is a list of dates and locations for the next two months of 
Summer:
June 5th, 2005 - Veteran's Park, Arlington - Elfsea
July 3rd, 2005 - Mary Heads Carter, Carrollton - Steppes
   Combat Archery will be involved on July 3rd.

Link below is the map to Steppes fighter practice:

http://www.steppes.org/graphics/maps/mhc_p.gif