SCA fighters?

**DinosaurKnight** · Posted On: 5/11/2006 1:42am

I don't have much interest in SCA geekiness, but I'm somewhat intrigued by their fighting. I've never met any SCA fighters, and I've never seen them in action. But based on the fact that I've never worn full plate armor and I don't think I could move in it at all, I'm pretty sure they would pwn my ass.

It seems like a different and interesting approach to competitive combat. Does anyone know anything about it?

**Emevas** · Posted On: 5/11/2006 1:46am

SCA combat rules plain suck and have nothing to do with combat applicability. There are however folks in the SCA who are also members of ARMA, and could kick the **** out of people with a sword/mace/what have you. But there are alos folks in the SCA that would be slaughtered by most folks.

**DubhGhaill** · Posted On: 5/11/2006 1:46am

It looks really dorky, but at least they're hitting each other.

**Matt Anderson** · Posted On: 5/11/2006 5:06am

Originally Posted by DinosaurKnight

I don't have much interest in SCA geekiness, but I'm somewhat intrigued by their fighting. I've never met any SCA fighters, and I've never seen them in action. But based on the fact that I've never worn full plate armor and I don't think I could move in it at all, I'm pretty sure they would pwn my ass.

It seems like a different and interesting approach to competitive combat. Does anyone know anything about it?

SCA "combat" is more of a game than a martial art. They assume "personas" and pretend to be knights, etc. Some of the players take it very seriously, train hard and are very good at it within the context of their game, but the rule set and role playing aspects make it rather lame IMO. But yes, at least they actually hit each other, which is more than some folks who claim to be doing historical European martial arts can claim.

**Matt Anderson** · Posted On: 5/11/2006 5:10am

Originally Posted by Emevas

There are however folks in the SCA who are also members of ARMA

Really? I don't know any. There a some ARMA members who used to be in the SCA, but I'm not aware of anyone who is active in both groups.

***JohnnyCache*** · Posted On: 5/11/2006 5:34am

ARMA seems like a better ruleset

and when I checked out the local SCA, no one in it could fight and the judging of hits was rather subjective. I also don't care for the injury system they use to represent being hit in the leg or arm or whatever.

That said, the rules TECHNICALLY allow you to hit quite hard and I've been told there are SCA groups that take it pretty serious.

Here is the old thread where I describe it all in detail.

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/show...ord#post624207

**DdlR** · Posted On: 5/11/2006 5:43am

Echoing Matt, I'd suggest ARMA or one of the other more serious WMA groups. SCA fighting is OK but it's much more of a combat sport/game than a martial art; their rules disallow throwing and grappling, which was a major aspect of the historical European MAs, and SCA combat does not typically take advantage of all the research that has been done into authentic HEMA styles over the past ten years or so.

**bad credit** · Posted On: 5/11/2006 5:47am

I used to hang out with a group when I was in my teens. It's where I practiced Western Combat Fencing with rapiers and main gauche. I wasn't 18, so I couldn't sign a waiver and put on the armor and play wack a mole with the heavy weapons. The rules are lame, too. No 360 degree strikes (in other words, no spinning your weapon) because they generate too much power. No physical contact beyond the weapon (no grappling, unarmed striking, or disarms with the hand.) This means no kicking, but you can kick a guy's shield, which I always thought was weird. You can disarm with a weapon against a weapon, but you can't grab the other guy's weapon or him. Totally unrealistic. Before you're allowed to use thrusts instead of just chops and slashes, you also have to be "trained" to be safe doing it, and you have to have padding over the tip of the weapon. The bottom, too, if you want to buttstrike. Before you can spar with any sort of weapon or combination thereof, you have to be trained in the rules and certified. Lame.

**MMA_Phil** · Posted On: 5/11/2006 5:51am

ARMA - as in the Association of Residential Managing Agents? Wouldn't want to mess with those fuckers.

**Matt Anderson** · Posted On: 5/11/2006 5:53am

Originally Posted by DdlR

Echoing Matt, I'd suggest ARMA or one of the other more serious WMA groups. SCA fighting is OK but it's much more of a combat sport/game than a martial art; their rules disallow throwing and grappling, which was a major aspect of the historical European MAs, and SCA combat does not typically take advantage of all the research that has been done into authentic HEMA styles over the past ten years or so.

Yep, and most of the regional study groups have a really open door policy. Anyone who is interested is welcome to just show up and try it out. train with us, spar, etc., no strings attached. If anyone's in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, drop me an email and I'll give you training locations, times, etc.