[Steppes] Steppes Fighter Practice - 01-09-2005

[Mike]

Heilsa,

The sky was bright and the sun was shinning for all to see, the wind was 
from the south with a cloud or two in the sky. A weather perfect for 
January to be outside and share the bounty of such a day with friends. 
Friends who think that it is far better to lay some stick upon thy 
friend than sit upon a couch or in a bar somewhere and watch playoffs, 
drinking a beverage of choice. After all that is what various kinds of 
recording equipment is for.

Remember and marked your calendars for the last 2 Joint War Practices 
which up coming on:
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.

In attendance this day:

Sir Baron Qadi 'Abd al-Mahdi Jamal ibn Hakim - Baron of Steppes
Centurion Morgan Buchanan and his lady Ciannait Chaimbuel - Centurion 
Morgan is squire to Sir Duncan and now the Central Regional Knight 
Marshal. Congratulations Morgan.

Lady Elizabeta di Valore della Rosa, she received her AoA from the 
Steppes Baron and Baroness: Sir Baron Qadi 'Abd al-Mahdi Jamal ibn Hakim 
and Contessa Valeria Richila Navarro during their court at Steppes 12th 
Night.
Lord Hrafn Olafsson - Steppes Knight Marshal, now Lord Hrafn Olafsson 
who received his AoA from HRM's Quintus Aurelius Dracontius and Sibri de 
Aldebourne at Steppes 12th night.

Lord CinaedOHosey and his children - Tori, Jon, and Nikko
Lady Icia and Lord Roc - Roc is man-at-arms to Sir Mahdi

Melissa
Neal
Mike and his son - Mikey
Matt and his lady - Nicole
Seamus (another one, not the one from Elfsea)
Josh
Joe - a newcomer who was also at 12th Night as well. He came out, got 
into armor and fought for the first time in the SCA.
Linda and her son - Levi arrived late toward sun down.
and myself - Michael Fray

Fighters in armor this day: 10

Children in attendance: 5

Total attendance this day: 23

Instruction was provided by the more experience and season fighters, 
this is always the course. This is instruction is true training, with 
insight in to how to improve one's technique on the field.

The instruction was provided by Sir Mahdi, Centurion Morgan, Hrafn, 
Hosey, and Roc. Ranging from proper shield and sword position to how to 
assist in a team effort.

The number of one-on-one contests, as well as two-on-one combinations 
were well over 80 separate encounters. I lost count about then, did 
manage to record 71 of them, plus with what type of weapon and shield 
combination. The number on each line represents the fight in the order 
that they occurred.

Weapons used:
Sword
Ax
Short spear (5 ft)
Mass Weapon - Club
Short Ax
Great Sword

Shields:
Shield
Rectangle Shield
War Shield
Buckler
Round Shield
Oblong Shield
Birch Shield

The day of practice started with one-on-one bouts:

1. Roc with club vs Hrafn with round shield and short spear
2. Roc with club vs Melissa with rectangle shield and sword
3. Roc with club vs Hrafn with round shield and short spear
4. Roc with club vs Melissa with rectangle shield and sword
5. Roc with club vs Mike oblong shield and sword
6. Hrafn with round shield and short spear vs Roc with club
7. Hrafn with round shield and short spear vs Mike with oblong shield 
and sword
8. Matt with sword and a birch shield vs Mike with oblong shield and sword
9. Matt with sword and a birch shield vs Roc with club
10. Roc with club vs Melissa with shield and sword
11. Roc with club vs Hrafn with round shield and short spear
12. Hrafn with round shield and short spear vs Mike with oblong shield 
and sword
13. Hrafn with round shield and short spear vs Matt with sword and a 
birch shield
14. Matt with sword and a birch shield vs Melissa with rectangle shield 
and sword
15. Melissa won the bout and retired from field.
16. Roc with club vs Josh with great sword
17. Josh with great sword vs Hosey with buckler and sword
18. Josh with great sword vs Matt with sword and a birch shield
19. Matt with sword and a birch shield vs Roc with club
20. Hosey with buckler and sword vs Roc with club
21. Hosey with buckler and sword vs Josh with great sword
22. Re-fought:  Hosey with buckler and sword vs Josh with great sword
23. Hosey with buckler and sword vs Matt with sword and a birch shield
24. Sir Mahdi with round shield and sword vs Roc with club
25. Sir Mahdi with round shield and sword vs Mike with oblong shield and 
sword
26. Sir Mahdi with round shield and sword vs Josh with great sword
27. Roc with great sword vs Mike with oblong shield and sword
28. Hrafn with round shield and sword vs Mike with oblong shield and sword
29. Sir Mahdi with round shield and sword vs Hrafn with round shield and 
sword
30. Josh with club vs Roc with great sword
31. Josh with great sword vs Matt with shield and sword
32. Hrafn with round sword vs Mike with oblong shield and sword
33. Matt with great sword vs Roc with club
34. Roc with club vs Matt with shield and sword
35. Hrafn with round shield and sword vs Sir Mahdi with round shield and 
sword
36. Matt with shield and sword vs Mike with oblong shield and sword
37. Sir Mahdi with round shield and sword vs Roc with club
38. Roc with club vs Hrafn with round shield and sword
39. Matt with shield and sword vs Melissa with rectangle shield and sword
40. Sir Mahdi with round shield and sword vs Hrafn with round shield and 
sword
41. Sir Mahdi with round shield and sword vs Matt shield and sword.

A break with called for. The fighters removed their helms and got water. 
Sir Mahdi proceeded to provide instructions in the use of great weapons.

42. Josh with great sword vs Melissa with rectangle shield and sword.

Start of two-on-one scenarios, with a new fighter stepping in and one of 
the original stepping out:

43. Josh with great sword vs Melissa with rectangle shield and sword and 
Hrafn with round shield and sword
44. Sir Mahdi with round shield and sword vs Hrafn with round shield and 
sword and Mike with club
45. Hrafn with round shield and sword vs Roc with round shield and short 
spear and Mike with club
46. Mike with club vs Roc with round shield and short spear and Sir 
Mahdi with round shield and sword
47. Roc with round shield and short spear vs Sir Mahdi with round shield 
and sword and Matt with shield and sword
48. Sir Mahdi with round shield and sword vs Matt with shield and sword 
and Hosey with buckler and sword
49. Sir Mahdi with round shield and sword vs Hosey with buckler and 
sword and Hrafn with round shield and sword
50. Hrafn with round shield and sword vs Hosey with buckler and sword 
and Mike with oblong shield and sword
52. Hrafn floretine vs Melissa with round shield and  short spear and 
Hosey with buckler and sword
51. Hosey  vs Melissa with round shield and short spear and Matt with 
shield and sword
52. Melissa with round shield and short spear vs Roc with round shield 
and sword and Sir Mahdi with club
53. Sir Mahdi with club vs Roc with great sword and Melissa with spear
54. Sir Mahdi with club vs Roc with shield and short ax and Hrafn with 
round shield and sword
55. Hrafn with round shield and sword vs Sir Mahdi with club and Matt 
with shield and sword
56. Matt with shield and sword vs Sir Mahdi with club and Mike with 
oblong shield and sword
57. Sir Mahdi with club vs Roc with round shield and sword and Mike with 
oblong shield and sword
58. Roc with round shield and sword vs Mike with oblong shield and sword 
and Hosey with war shield and sword
59. Mike with oblong shield and sword vs Hosey with war shield and sword 
and Matt with shield and sword
60. Roc with war shield and sword vs Hrafn with round shield and sword 
and Matt with shield and sword
61. Hrafn with round shield and sword vs Sir Mahdi with club and Matt 
with shield and sword
62. Sir Mahdi with club vs Matt with shield and sword and Josh with 
great sword
63. Sir Mahdi with club vs Josh with shield and sword and Hosey with war 
shield and sword
64. Sir Mahdi with club vs Hosey with war shield and sword and Hrafn 
with round shield and sword
65.  Hrafn with round shield and sword vs Hosey with war shield and 
sword and Melissa with round shield and sword
66. Mike with oblong shield and sword vs Roc with round shield and short 
ax and Matt with shield and sword
67. Sir Mahdi with club vs Roc with round shield and short ax and Hosey 
with war shield and sword
68. Hosey with war shield and sword vs Roc with round shield and short 
ax and Matt with shield and sword

Hrafn providing the basic set of instructions to newcomer Joe.  Slowly 
set-up until Joe understood the basic and then several fighters come 
over   spar with Joe.
Witness the following bouts:
Mike with oblong round shield and sword vs Joe with buckler and sword
Hosey vs Josh both with single swords
Joe with club vs Josh with great sword.

There were additional bouts being fought, but did not record who did 
what, busy talking with a couple of mundanes who expressed and 
interested in the SCA. Centurion Morgan as well was speaking with a 
number of people on the sidelines who were attracted to the practice and 
wanted information about what was happening. This was supplied to one 
and all, just as we who attend practice have doing since we have been 
playing.


Michael Fray