The thrill of combat lives in the Society!
Rattan weapon, full armor fighting and loads of fun! Instruction can be given. Loaner equipment may be available.
WINTER ARMOR WORKSHOPS
Starting Sunday, January 21, 2024
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
204 Autumn Drive, Magnolia, DE
Join us for a series of workshops during the winter months to prepare for the upcoming fighting & fencing season. The Baroness has offered her heated garage and sewing workshop to make repairs, create new pieces, and also to pattern, fit, and fabricate all of those quilted pieces that go under your hard shells. Learn to make gorgets, two types of coifs, gauntlets, gambesons, surcoats, gorgets, chausses, and more. These are great projects for armor on a tight budget.
Lord Malcolm and Baroness Laurena
FAIR WEATHER FIGHTER PRACTICE
Every Sunday afternoon (April-ish through October-ish), numbers and weather permitting, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Glasgow Regional Park, 2275 Pulaski Highway, Newark, DE 19702 at the old stone wall running parallel to Pulaski Highway/Route 40 at the park’s East Entrance near Pavilion #3. If the ground is soggy, we might practice on the cement pad of the pavilion.
(Google Maps or PDF site map).
—Not Yourself? Please stay home and do not attend if you are feeling ill. Strongly consider your own health and safety and that of others before attending.
—Food & Beverage. It’s best to bring your own.
Water coolers may be available, though attendees should plan ahead and bring their own drink containers and water/beverage. With Delaware’s heat and humidity during the warm months, we suggest you bring water to practice and take breaks in the shade.
QUESTIONS
Contact the Shire’s Knight Marshal
Updates & Cancellations
As life and weather are always happening, be sure to check our Facebook page for activity updates (for purpose, date, time or location changes) and cancellations.
Armored Combat
One of the most well-known and widely-enjoyed activities in the SCA is armored combat. Our warriors participate in tournaments for individuals and teams, tactical melees involving dozens of combatants, and even large-scale wars with thousands of participants! Unlike reenactments of battles from history, our combat activities are not choreographed and the outcome is entirely based on the skill and training of the combatants involved. I really love armored combat because I want to feel the sting of battle, the threat of my enemy, and the sweet taste of victory. — Sir Tanaka Raiko
Combat in the Society is based on a system of honor and chivalry. Because the combat is full speed and unchoreographed, the combatants themselves determine if the attacks they receive were successful based on the angle, location, and force of the strike. Safety officers, known as marshals, are always on hand to ensure that the combat is performed safely and to ensure that all equipment used meets established safety standards.
Weapons and Armor
The weapons used in our armored combat activities are largely made out of rattan, a grass that looks and feels very much like bamboo but has a solid core. Rattan is a safe alternative to wood for our recreated weapons because if a weapon breaks, it shears along the grass instead of splintering. We also have other types of weapons such as axes and maces that use rubber and foam to create a safe replica of the weapon that looks like the original but is much safer to use.
Our armor is designed to provide covered to important joints and organs so that our combat activities can be both thrilling and safe. Both the Society and the individual kingdoms have a set of minimum standards for this armor, but as a general rule, armored combatants must have sufficient protection for their head and neck, their joints (wrists, elbows, shoulders, and knees), their hands, and their kidneys and groin. Armor can be customized to reflect the period of combat the individual prefers to study, from full suits of armor made of plate metal to shirts of chain mail links to scales and belts of hardened leather. We also use shields made from wood or metal that help to protected.