[Steppes] Steppes Fighter Practice - 5-21-2005
Mike
meggiddo at netzero.net
Tue May 24 18:26:25 PDT 2005
Heilsa,
The fighter practice official starts at 2 PM and runs until 6 PM. It can
run later, depends upon who is in armor and wish to continue to
practice. Sometimes it will only stop when the sun sets. I had two types
of shade up and available for one and all. Thanks to all of you who
assisted in getting the shade up and the tear down. I will continue to
bring out the two different types for the rest of the summer. If others
wish to bring out a shade pavilion, then please do so.
Number of people fighting: 20
Number of children: 7
Total attendance: 43
The park this day was overflowing, what with our group on the north end,
a boy scout troop on the east end and on the south end under the city's
pavilion was a hugh church group that had gather for a BBQ, plus the
normal group of people who are always enjoying the park on a Sunday
afternoon. As always, a nice gathering of people, who were drawn to
watch the fighting and of course, questions and information was provided
to them both in verbal response and giving out of web sites.
The day was clear and still, there was some breeze which at times were
more of a tease to things that had come before. Individuals were calling
for the falling of records but not the temperature. It was 99 degrees,
while it seem to be 110. By 5 or 6 PM later that day, it actually felt
cooler or did we just melt away? :-)
Everyone paced themselves and were drinking fluids and sharing them as
well. Yes, the heat and humidity were brutal - this is tournament
season here in this kingdom, so there is no escape - the heat will
always be present and this is Texas. I can not stress the important of
drinking water prior to coming out and DOES NOT mean the morning of
practice. Each of you need to be increasing your water intake starting
on Thursday, right through Sunday.
Items to support yourself the day of practice, each of you need to think
along the lines of 2 gallons of water - especially if you are fighting,
in addition to other types of liquid, such as Gatorade and snacks - such
as pickles, fruit, etc... There are two water fountains in the park as
well. I may get "hit" for this, there are ice cream trucks that come
through the park and you could get something ice cold from them as
well. If you have chairs, bring them or you can go out to one of the
more modern merchants and purchase one or two or whatever is your needs.
These same chairs can also be used at events.
Duchess Larissa suggested about waterbearing for the fighters and others
at the regular practices. This would be an excellent opportunity for
training to anyone who might wish to be a waterbearer at events - for
example: Gothic Wars, Elfsea Defender, 3 Kings, Autumn Melees, Crown
Tournament, Gulf Wars, etc... Some of these events, have points to
determine who the winner is of the over all War, other than just
fighting and being a waterbearer is a service and it has points that
could be earned. It would also endure each one of you who does waterbear
to the fighters. One or two other individuals suggested that they would
start bring some additional water, still each one who does come out to
practice it is up to you to supply your own water and/or drinks.
I listed the attendance of all who comes out to the practice, not just
the fighters, this is to recognize your efforts in just attending. The
wonderful support that is being shown by each of you to the fighters in
just watching the practice is outstanding. - Thank You for coming out
and for Your wonderfully support!
To get the maximum amount of practice/training, would suggest arriving
as close to start time (2 PM) as possible. If possible come early, there
are usual people in the park by 1 PM or so. We all recognized that this
is a game and no one gets paid for playing, and there are some people
who manage to come out on Sunday afternoons after getting off of work
and there are others will leave practice and go to work later that
night. Please come out and play with us no matter what time you can make
it out.
The future plans for the regular practice continuing with one-on-one or
tournament training at the beginning of each practice for about 90
minutes and/or 2 hours, then get some melee training. And yes, the plan
calls for combat archery to be involved in the melee training as well.
The future calls for having a War practice the 1st Sunday of each month.
Although some people do NOT have their own armor at this time and so
must wait until the loaner armor arrives before suiting up. One of the
side benefits by arriving early is that there is time to discuss, ask
and answers questions and concerns, without cutting into actually
practice time. We all want the same thing here, that is for each and
everyone of you in armor and on the field everytime that you come out.
In fact, invite your friends and we will get them into armor as well.
There are a number of people who are present at practice, who will
assist in answering questions, there are various patterns for armor
available as well or the necessary information on where to locate them
on the web, where to acquire either the raw materials (leather and
plastic) and/or whom one should be seeking out to purchase these items,
in some cases, tools are available and the necessary advice on how to
properly use them or where to acquire them. The major item that we all
require is the helm and does take some major commitment ($$ dollars),
just a fact of playing this game and there are "Good" resources for
acquiring this item, need to ask before you buy. This also applies to
armor in general as well, you can buy an entire set of armor from the
web, again Please ask one of us before you buy, this to insure that you
will be getting "good" quality armor that meets SCA standards.
Centurion Morgan, who is one of the regular attendees along with his
lady - Lady Ciannait Chaimbuel, has a supply of rattan that is
available for those who wish to start making their swords, glaives,
etc..., shields can be made from plywood and there are locations in
which one can purchase metal for shields. Once again, all you have to
do is ask and someone will only be to happy to answer.
Lady Chiara stopped by to work on her personal armor, she has an
excellent piece of upper body armor that was design for a woman, would
suggest that all of our lady fighters contact her and see if the design
would be of benefit. Then she had to leave for a birthday party, if I
recall it was for her daughter.
I learned that HL Mary Elisabeth, wife of Lord Richard of Durnsford
(Squire to Sir Earl Duncan) was in the hospital over the weekend and
believe that she may have been release by now. Reason for the hospital
was due to a spider bite. Wishing both of you and family well.
The tournament squares of 25 feet each were laid with care by
CinaedOHosey and his kids - Tori, Jon, and Nikko with the hope that they
would be filled to overflowing later that afternoon. The bear pit within
the squares will continue - the fighters will fight and the loser will
remain while the winner will advanced to the next skill level.
One-on-one training and instruction as always was provided for by the
more advanced fighters to one and all.
If I recall correctly, Centurion Morgan, as the Central Region Knight
Marshal, authorized another fighter this day, Zach. For those of you who
do not know Centurion Morgan, I would suggest that you speak with him.
He is one of the people who will answer questions on a wide range of
subjects, especially armor and whom to purchase said items from. Plus,
he is the one who will need to authorized you as a heavy fighter.
On the subject of authorizations - if you have been authorized as a
heavy fighter, there is still an additional authorization if you wish to
use a fiberglass spear. In fact, would recommend that each of you do
become familiar in the proper use of such. There are 2 fiberglass
spears, plus a rattan spear that I bring to each practice which can be
used for training purposes. And I have placed an order for 2 more
fiberglass poles for Lord Damon and lady Rose, which should be here
sometime in June, which will have to be built into spears to meet SCA
standards. Lord Hrafn and Till recently received the fiberglass poles
and they just need to build them into spears to meet SCA standards.
Josh, fiancee of lady Melanie, attended fighter practice for the 1st
time this day and this was his 1st time in armor. Lord Hrafn, Steppes
Knight Marshal, started the basic steps of training him in the arts of
being a heavy fighter.
Spear training conducted by Lord CinaedOHosey:
Rose with fiberglass spear vs Lord Damon with fiberglass spear.
A word on spear training, the type of training being taught by Lord
CinaedOHosey will increase one's upper body strength, plus your
endurance and would allow someone to get on the SCA battlefield while
having fun in the least amount of time. Spear is one of the easier forms
of SCA fighting that one could learn and achieve a proficiency in, with
the least amount of time as compared to the other forms, i.e., sword and
shield, combat archery, etc...
Sideline activities:
Sandy, member of Clann Ross, was working on new garb for Lincoln while
Duchess Larissa provided advice.
HL Katheryn Cunningghame - Steppes Hospitaler and of House Porto - was
doing some sewing.
Lady Icia, brought out the new SCA signs for the barony, just in time
for Warlord.
L. Rose of Naareth, brought some favors, not sure what they were.
Akiama of the Long Roads, sews and took requests for summer garb. At
least one fighter, Lord Damon in need of garb, step up and got measured
in between fights. If other people who sew and would like to assist both
the fighters and the latest arrivals to this game that we all enjoy, who
do not sew in getting garb for them, please come out and meet, let them
know that you are willing to assist them in. I do sew after a fashion,
just look at my quiver that should give an idea of my level of
experience or rather lack of. :-)
And the usual social gathering in the shade.
This can not be stated enough - I will stated based upon the attendance
todate, the interest by each and everyone of the fighters to come and
fight, plus those who are attending to support the fighters - is
outstanding. To best of my knowledge - Steppes has one of the largest
attended heavy fighter practices in this entire Kingdom. The reason for
this, each one of you have made the effort to come out and to keep
coming. I wish to thank each and everyone of you for making this effort!
As always, a number of us gather after a practice for dinner and discuss
the fighting that was experienced earlier and other subjects. Sir
Duncan and Don Robert (Squire to Sir Duncan) joined those of us who
went to dinner after the practice. Sir Duncan was back from Austin and
Don Robert just back from Gleann Abhann Crown List at Camp Couchdale,
Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Next weekend is Steppes Warlord. Some plan on being there the entire
weekend, others will day tripping one day or other, others will not and
will be in the park Sunday afternoon same time as regular practice time.
There will be no loaner armor available.
In attendance this day:
Clan Ross:
Duchess Larissa Alwynn Clarewoode of Aquitaine
and with their children:
son - Murdoch MacDuncan
daughter - Tressa
Centurion Morgan Buchanan (Squire to Sir Earl Duncan) - Central Region
Knight Marshal
and his lady, Lady Ciannait Chaimbuel
Lord Richard of Durnsford (Squire to Sir Earl Duncan)
Lady Icia
Lord Hrafn Olafsson (Squire to Sir Earl Duncan) - Steppes Knight Marshal
and his lady,
Lady Elizabeta di Valore della Rosa (Apprentice to Duchess Larissa)
Lincoln
and his lady, Sandy,
Eric and his lady, Stephanie
and their children: Katherin, Michael, and Brandon
Condottieri:
Lord CinaedOHosey and children
Tori, Jon, and Nikko
Lord Michael Fray
Fray:
Milo
Thomas
and their friend - Zach
House Porto:
HL Katheryn Cunningghame - Steppes Hospitaler
Lady Chiara Francecsa Arianna d'Onofrio - Captain of the Steppes
Baronial Guard.
Lady Honour du Bois
Lord Damon Xanthns
Kaneki no Ryuto Akimitsu,
and his lady, Hilliary
Matthew,
and his lady, L. Rose of Naareth
Josh,
and his lady, Melanie
Demosthaese
Ashley
Akiama of the Long Roads
Rose
Byorn inn Svarti
Cuhlwch
Doc
Weapons used this day:
Sword
Fiberglass spear
Rattan spear
Shields used this day:
Heater
Round
Buckler
Rectangle Shield
Fights that I witness this day:
Lord Richard with round and sword vs Lord Damon with round and sword
Lord Richard with round and sword vs Lord Hrafn with round and sword
Lincoln with heater and sword vs Milo with heater and sword
Lord Richard with round and sword vs Eric with heater and sword
Morgan with heater and sword vs Zach with round and sword
Lord Richard with round and sword vs Lincoln with heater and sword
Centurion Morgan with heater and sword vs Zach with round and sword
Murdoch MacDuncan with heater and sword vs Eric with heater and sword
Lord CinaedOHosey with buckler and sword vs Lord Hrafn with round and sword
Doc with heater and sword vs Centurion Morgan with heater and sword
Lord Damon with buckler and sword vs Lord Richard with round and sword
Lord Richard with round and sword vs Thomas with round and sword
Lord Hrafn with round and sword vs Lord Damon with buckler and sword
Lord Damon with buckler and sword vs Centurion Morgan with heater and sword
Doc with heater and sword vs Milo with heater and sword
Lincoln with heater and sword vs Doc with heater and sword
Eric with heater and sword vs Lord CinaedOHosey with buckler and sword
Centurion Morgan with heater and sword vs Lord Hrafn with round and sword
Lord CinaedOHosey with buckler and sword vs Lord Damon with buckler and
sword
Lord CinaedOHosey with buckler and sword vs Lord Hrafn with round and sword
Byorn with heater and sword vs Lord Damon with heater and sword
Murdoch MacDuncan with heater and sword vs Eric with heater and sword
Melanie with round and sword vs Matthew with buckler and sword
Centurion Morgan with heater and sword vs Cuhlwch with round and sword
Lady Honour with buckler and sword vs Lord CinaedOHosey with buckler and
sword
Centurion with heater and sword vs Cuhlwch with round and sword
Matthew with heater and sword vs Eric with heater and sword
Doc with heater and sword vs Lord Damon with heater and sword
Lord Hrafn with round sword vs Josh with round and sword
Demosthaese with round sword vs Lord Richard with round and sword
YIS,
Lord Michael Fray
Combat Archer for the Condottieri
King's Archer
Steppes Deputy Knight Marshal
Steppes Deputy Hospitaler
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