More interesting Headblow?

[Stuart]

I disagree with the last comment.
The impetus to remove all forms of weapons from public circulation in the UK is an on-going matter of government policy. It stated with firearms, certain martial arts weapons and now extends to swords and small kubatons. Thre is also a gradual move to criminalise the actual act of self-defence ( armed or otherwise ).
I have been personally involved in law cases where the UK police brought criminal charges so as to obtain a binding prohibition against a weapon type.
You will appreciate this is a huge civil liberties issue and somewhat off-topic for this list.
I am aware that the British Home Office does send inspectors around the annual War & Peace show in Maidstone and they photograph any injuries and report on weapons issues. The UK has an unwelcome snoop culture.
The Home Office does not like "private armies running around with weapons". I suspect that the only reason why re-enactment has survived is that it is part of the heritage industry and makes money from tourism.

To return to New Zealand ( or civilisation ! )..
A spun helm is unlikely to offer effective protection. Only 12mm of padding is far too little. If you can dent the finish helm with a hammer or pommel blow, then it is too thin and extra welded sections are essential.
...After all, it`s your head. In spite of my warnings about headblows I am far from a stranger to the concept. All my old group used to run a "hammer test" on each others helmets before taking the field in a heavy combat armour show.

BTW, has anyone thought about pole-weapons and head-shots ?

[Scott]

[Victorius]

Yes Stuart and Scott, I asked that earlier:

[Stuart]

I do have issues with the expecation that we should be forced to wear helmets with mesh, bars etc. I for one don`t like the idea of having to look like Darth Vader on the field. This is supposed to be battle re-enactment, not WMA.. Whatever next - fencing masks ?

[Scott]

[Inigo]

I'll take it. Especially if the alternative is non-head blow where people crab around, with their head and neck sticking above their tower shields, while they all try to scythe each others feet off like some kind of medieval lawn mower.

Besides, you can make medieval helmets where the mesh is practically invisible. Paint it black and put it behind whatever face protection the helm for that period had.

It helps of course if you do a period that had face protection.

[Víkarr]

[Nathan]

The difference between raising a spear and that of a longsword mainly in the lenghs. It takes more time to move a spear tip than a swords (even if only a fraction of a second) and this delay could be the difference between a bruise and a serious injury.

That being said, I still think that it is possible for headblows with poll weapons in single combat.

[Stuart]

It`s not practical to expect someone to place a spear ( or halbard ) over the opponent`s head and then withdraw it, making a strike on the way back. What will happen in the heat of battle is that some half-trained twit will go direct to the head with a spear/pole point. Do we really want that ?

[Victorius]

Probably not. But then, it brings us back to full-face helmets. Eenough of us do periods where it is possible without mesh being too obtrusive: Gjermendu helmets for the Norse (sorry 'bout the spelling) with aventails won't show mesh, Gladiator faceplates with 9mm eyeholes for the Romans, Greathelms, Sallets with Bevors, Dog-faced Bascinets, Armets for anyone who goes that late etc...possibly Norman Conquest era people will feel left out, but then again, most periods our groups do will be catered for without compromising appearance too much.
I know you don't like the idea of full-face stuff Stuart, but I think the legislators, ACC and OSH Government types would be a lot happier with us if we showed we took extra precautions in this area. They tend not to over-regulate if the groups they have their eye on can show they are willing to self-regulate with as much possible care. Better do to it that way, and allow someone with the occasional Norman nasal with no other protection onto the field of combat from time to time at their own risk, than have them force it upon us.

[Stuart]

Victorius,

-There is another logical solution that does not require anyone to re-train or re-armour. That solution is not to allow head-shots with anything bigger than a sax.

[Inigo]

[Stuart]

I think you have misunderstood the last thread. We were talking about pole weapons and specifically the difficulties they cause for head-row.
As for my fighting, I will take the field when my new gear is finished and I have proper helm, armour & gloves.
At the present time I am fully comitted to training several individuals in combat archery.
My interest is re-enactment. I would not like to see re-enactment turn itself into a WMA contest. Hence my comments about fencing masks.

[Scott]

I do wonder why people care about having hand crafted shoe laces and bodkin warmers (or whatever) and then have a go at people about the fighting techniques they use.

It seems hypocritical to me to be hung up on equipment but not care about technique. Although having said that, I understand that we all get different things out of the hobby: some people like the technique, some people like the equipment, some even like both (sounds like hard work to me).

That's fine, the issue is when person A cherry picks what they want from the hobby and then has a go at person B, who is cherry picking different things.

But that's a whole new topic...

[Inigo]

The very first time I tried combat archery was about 10 years ago in Christchurch. My wife and I took the field with meshed up helmets and at the end of the day when I looked at her helmet there were two dents in the mesh on her helm, one over each eye. If my wife had not had mesh, one of those arrows would have blinded her or possibly killed her.

Since then, I've lost count of how many battles I've been in with combat archery. 20? 30? 50? Enough to know that you will get arrows hitting you everywhere.

It surprises me that people somehow think doing combat archery without mesh is safe. Arrows are freaking dangerous. Once you shoot one, you can't pull it back.