[Steppes] Joint War Practice of Steppes and Elfsea: 1-02-2005

[Mike]

Heilsa,

The next Joint War Practice will be held at Veterans Park in Arlington 
on February 6th, 2005 at 2 PM.  There will be NO combat archery at this 
park.

The last Joint War practice will be held on March 6th, 2005 at Mary 
Heads Carter park in Carrollton at 2 PM. This is the last opportunity 
for a War Practice prior for those leaving for Gulf Wars. There will be 
Combat Archery at this practice.

A request - Would someone please forward to the Elfsea list and/or 
others lists as needed. Thank You in advance.

The rain was a tad early or at least per the weather cast from Saturday 
Night - by about 12 hours or so. Some could say that weatherman spoke 
with "fork"cast tongue on this one. The rain started in the early 
morning hours before the sky lightened enough to see that it was pewter 
like. The rain had stopped by 1:20 PM or so, with the water that was 
standing in the low places to drain away. By 2 PM and people had started 
to arrive. And by the time both of their Excellencies had arrive, the 
sun had even poke through some rays to welcome for the 3rd Official 
Joint War Practice  being held in Steppes at Mary Heads Carter Park in 
Carrollton. Then the clouds closed in again, but the rain held off until 
we were completely done with the practice and even had finished packing 
our armor in our vehicles to leave.

As usual, many of us went to a local buffet for dinner and hold a post 
briefing of the day's events.

People in attendance:

Sir Baron Qadi 'Abd al-Mahdi Jamal ibn Hakim - Baron of Steppes
Baron Armand Dragonetti - Baron of Elfsea

Centurion Tomas Niallagain and his lady HL Rixende de Rouen (Seneschal 
of Elfsea) - Tomas is a squire of Sir Duncan. Lady Rixende fighting rapier.

Centurion Morgan Buchanan - a huge Thank You for coming out and 
Marshaling this practice.

Hrafn Olafsson - Steppes Knight Marshal
Daire da Haya - Elfsea Knight Marsh
Lord Dirk the Just - Elfsea Rapier Marshal

Lady Chiara Francecsa Arianna d'Onofrio
Lord CinaedOHosey and his children - Tori, Jon, and Nikko
Lord Roc the Bold and his lady  - Lady Icia - Roc is man-at-arms to Sir 
Mahdi
Lord Seamus - a Thank You to Lord Seamus for coming over from the rapier 
practice to assist Centurion Morgan in marshaling the restricted 
field/hill scenarios.
Lord Alvin and his lady - Lady Maili Donnel MacGregor - the Deputy Earl 
Marshal for Youth Combat, and their children - Emily and Richard Nine 
Fingers

Elizabeta di Valore della Rosa
Josh
Mike and his son Mikey
Chris from Dragon Fire Tor - believe SCA name is Allonge(sp?)
Louie
Randy
Gerard
and myself - Lord Michael Fray

There four separate styles of fighting were practiced today and enjoyed 
by both the participates and the by-standers:
Heavy fighters:
Sir Mahdi, Baron Armand, Centurion Tomas, Hosey, Roc, Hrafn, Daire, 
Josh,  Louie, Randy, Chiara, Chris, Mike, and Randy

Rapier fighters - 4
Hl Rixende, Dirk the Just, Gerald,  and Seamus

Youth fighter - 1
Richard Nine Fingers

Combat Archery - 1
Michael Fray

Total number of  fighters: 20
Total number of children:  6
Total attendance:  29

A warm-up series of one-on-one fighting and even a bear pit was held 
prior to choosing sides for the Joint War Practice. These one-on-one and 
bear pit fights will be at the end of this report in regard to what type 
of weapon and shield being used and who fought who. I did record 58 
separate fights this day. And I know that I missed several due to 
getting into my armor and making ready for the War practice.

Louie instructing Richard Nine Fingers in Youth Boffer fighting - the 
mechanics of footwork, shield, and how to throw a shot. This included 
both offense and defense means of fighting, how to conduct a fighting 
advance and more importantly how to conduct a fighting withdraw.

Randy, who recently had knee surgery, came and got into armor from the 
waist up. Both Daire and CinaedOHosey provided instruction in fighting 
to the extend possible for Randy for training purposes, i.e., upper body 
movements only, no maneuvering involved. CinaedOHosey working with Randy 
with buckler and sword. Daire taking his turn to work with Randy with 
shield and sword.

All the experienced fighters provided instruction to lesser experienced 
fighters as they fought prior to the War Practice later in the day.

Centurion Morgan arrived and assume the Marshal In Charge position for 
these War scenarios. Later Seamus came off from the rapier portion of 
the practice and assisted Morgan when we went to the top of the earth 
berm for the restricted filed/hill battles. The out of boundary area was 
the bottom of the berm or hill.

Despite the weather and the ground was in fair condition, enough so that 
even I took the field with my bad knee for all battles this day.  I 
walked the field prior to getting into armor and deemed firm enough for 
me to get into armor. And during the course of the various scenarios, I 
even to evade (running backwards away) any opposing shieldmen that 
decided to run me down and kill this combat archery. Yes, there was some 
slippery areas and when an area became too slippery, then we just moved 
to another section of the park and started another battle.


 From my count or at least what I recall, the scenarios broke down into:
15 open field battles
12 restricted and/or hill battles

all of these battles had Combat Archery involved in them.

The sides were chosen by the two Barons from each barony - Steppes and 
Elfsea.
Sir Mahdi and Baron Armand

Sir Mahdi's side - Hosey, Roc, Louie, Hrafn, Mike, Michael Fray

Baron Armand's side - Centurion Tomas, Daire, Josh, Matt, Alvin, Chris

I will recall the list of individual fights that happen prior to the War 
practice, the bear pit and individual fighting were happening at the 
same time:

Centurion Tomas with sword and great ax vs. Hrafn with round shield and 
sword
Hrafn with round shield and sword vs Louie with shield and sword
Alvin with kite shield and sword vs Hrafn with round and sword
Alvin with kite shield and sword vs Chris with shield and sword
Chris with shield and sword vs Tomas with sword and great ax
Hrafn with round and sword vs Chris with shield and sword
Sir Mahdi with kite shield and sword vs Louie with shield and sword
Sir Mahdi with kite shield and sword vs Alvin with kite shield and sword
Alvin with kite shield and sword vs Hrafn with round shield and sword
Louie with shield and sword vs Alvin with kite shield and sword
CinaedOHosey with buckler and sword vs Sir Mahdi with kite shield and sword
CinaedOHosey with buckler and sword vs Alvin with kite shield and sword
CinaedOHosey with buckler and sword vs Josh with great sword
Josh with great sword vs Alvin with kite shield and sword
Sir Mahdi with kite shield and sword va Chris with shield and sword
Mike with oblong round and sword vs Baron Armand with shield and sword
Centurion Tomas with sword and great ax vs Roc with shield and sword
Baron Armand with shield and sword vs Hrafn with round shield and sword
CinaedOHosey with buckler and sword vs Alvin with kite shield and sword
Tomas with sword and great ax vs Sir Mahdi with kite shield and sword
Hrafn with round and sword vs Chris with shield and sword
CinaedOHosey with buckler and sword vs Louie with shield and sword
Mike with oblong round shield and sword vs Chris with shield and sword
Tomas with sword and great ax vs Mike with oblong round shield and sword
Tomas with sword and great ax vs Roc with buckler and sword
Roc with buckler and sword vs Hrafn with round shield and sword
Alvin with kite shield and sword vs Baron Armand with shield and sword
Chris with shield and sword vs Mike with oblong round shield and sword
Sir Mahdi with kite shield and sword vs Alvin with kite shield and sword
Roc with buckler and sword vs Hrafn with round and sword
Baron Armand with shield and sword vs Mike with oblong shield and sword
Tomas with sword and great ax vs Alvin with kite shield and sword
Baron Armand with shield and sword vs  Roc with shield and sword
Alvin with kite shield and sword vs Hrafn with round and sword
Hrafn with round and sword vs Mike with oblong shield and sword
Sir Mahdi with kite shield and sword vs Baron Armand with shield and sword
Chris with shield and sword vs Matt with shield and sword
Baron Armand with shield and sword vs Hrafn with round and sword
Roc with buckler and sword vs Matt with shield and sword
Sir Mahdi with kite shield and sword vs Mike with oblong shield and sword
Hrafn with round shield and sword vs Mike with oblong shield and sword
Baron Armand with shield and sword vs Mike with oblong shield and sword
Josh fighting floretine vs Tomas with sword and great ax
Josh fighting floretine vs Sir Mahdi with kite shield and sword
Mike with oblong shield and sword vs Roc with buckler and sword
Sir Mahdi with kite shield and sword vs Hrafn with round and sword
Roc with buckler and ax vs Tomas with sword and great ax
Baron Armand with shield and sword vs Matt with shield and sword
Matt with shield and sword vs Hrafn with round and sword
Sir Mahdi with kite shield and sword vs Josh fighting floretine
Sir Mahdi with kite shield and sword vs Roc with buckler and ax
Tomas with sword and great ax vs Josh fighting floretine
Tomas with sword and great ax vs Mike with oblong round shield and sword
Chris with shield and sword vs Sir Mahdi with kite shield and sword
Hrafn with round shield and sword vs Baron Armand with shield and sword
Sir Mahdi with kite shield and sword vs Matt with shield and sword.