Richter, I've given this a lot of thought, and...

[Richter]

Dick Cheney and the FBI were both concerned about that fact.  

What?   Nooooooooooooooooooooo!  That's TOO funny!   

Oh YES.  They have files.  We know this because SCA people worked with both, and told the rest of us.

[Suu]

Yes. Dick Cheney is scared SHITLESS of the SCA. You should have seen the fucking Apache's that circled Pennsic! The government is all over us like white on rice.

(Actually, they say they use Pennsic for drills since we set it up like a really real army encampment.)

[Suu]

I gots a vid too.

[Telarus]

The only reason the swordfight group here in Portland escapes that type of attention is because we don't train in group tactics.

This reminds me of an SCA story from the Left Coast here. The Canadian Mounties were training in anti-protest tactics here a few years ago, and one of the officers had some friends in the SCA. So they invited out a handful of the heavy fighters out to some remote intersection to help train the anti-riot squad. The SCA blokes show up with their training gear to a group of mounties in full head-gear and body armor with batons that outnumbered them at least 2-1.

Most of the SCA guys towered over the crowd of mounties, and the mounties started looking nervous as they got out helms and rattan swords, and started strapping on their own armor. Then the heavy fighters started getting out their shields when the officer in charge walks up to them. He tells them that they can't use their shields because the exercise wants to recreate a "street disturbance". He wants to stay "realistic" and while he can OK the armor for protective purposes, and the rattan swords can stand in for bats or planks of wood, he can't rationalize a 'random crowd' with ready access to shields. The heavy fighters start to nod when the line of mounties starts unloading full-body plexiglass shields.

Realizing what they're now up against, some of the SCA dudes want to go home. The biggest of them interjects and says, No, I've got something to even the odds.

Both groups of fighters watch as he strolls over to the intersection, grabs the Stop sign with both hands and with 3 violent diagonal jerks, rips it out of the ground along with a good chunk of the cement anchor.

He swings it a few times, then walks over to the Mountie commander, the stop-sign pole-arm nicely counterweighted by the chunk of cement and says Is this Real enough for you?


Well, the SCA got to use their shields that day...... and I'm sure it was much more fun for everyone involved.

[Captain Utopia]

I've never been interested in anything SCA related until just now. Awesome story Telarus!

[Suu]

The only reason the swordfight group here in Portland escapes that type of attention is because we don't train in group tactics.

This reminds me of an SCA story from the Left Coast here. The Canadian Mounties were training in anti-protest tactics here a few years ago, and one of the officers had some friends in the SCA. So they invited out a handful of the heavy fighters out to some remote intersection to help train the anti-riot squad. The SCA blokes show up with their training gear to a group of mounties in full head-gear and body armor with batons that outnumbered them at least 2-1.

Most of the SCA guys towered over the crowd of mounties, and the mounties started looking nervous as they got out helms and rattan swords, and started strapping on their own armor. Then the heavy fighters started getting out their shields when the officer in charge walks up to them. He tells them that they can't use their shields because the exercise wants to recreate a "street disturbance". He wants to stay "realistic" and while he can OK the armor for protective purposes, and the rattan swords can stand in for bats or planks of wood, he can't rationalize a 'random crowd' with ready access to shields. The heavy fighters start to nod when the line of mounties starts unloading full-body plexiglass shields.

Realizing what they're now up against, some of the SCA dudes want to go home. The biggest of them interjects and says, No, I've got something to even the odds.

Both groups of fighters watch as he strolls over to the intersection, grabs the Stop sign with both hands and with 3 violent diagonal jerks, rips it out of the ground along with a good chunk of the cement anchor.

He swings it a few times, then walks over to the Mountie commander, the stop-sign pole-arm nicely counterweighted by the chunk of cement and says Is this Real enough for you?


Well, the SCA got to use their shields that day...... and I'm sure it was much more fun for everyone involved.

Crazy ass An Tir fighters!

[The Good Reverend Roger]

We have several hundred Landskeneckts (sp?) here, and they drill next to a children's playground.

This is viewed as responsible behavior by Tucson standards.

[Suu]

I'd rather let my kids play next to a band of armored men in brightly colored codpieces than any other street gang....but my point of view is skewed, considering our household (Free Companie of the Golden Tygre) is based on Landsknecht ideals, sans puff n' slash. Though we're thinking of all doing coordinating black and yellow puff n' slash eventually.

[Richter]

Fun aside, people HAVE already loaded their rattan with rebar.

The first occurrence was a  guy who lost his sword at Pennsic, and grabbed another from the loaner / unclaimed lost pile.  The balance was WAY different, and un taping it revealed the rebar.

The other incident was a small house using such swords, and spears capped with steel pipe caps.  They got RUN our of Pennsic.  LITERALLY run out the front gate by an angry mob.

[Suu]

Sounds like the Tuchux would do something like that.

[Richter]

Nah, wasn't the Chucks.

One fellow who I'll only call "Lou" had a greatsword where the handle was tapped and filled with lead.  It gave it REALLY interesting balance, and it was NASTY quick on snap cuts.  He used it for years, and it survived his house burning down, until he finally broke it over a Duke's head.

[Richter]

The only reason the swordfight group here in Portland escapes that type of attention is because we don't train in group tactics.

This reminds me of an SCA story from the Left Coast here. The Canadian Mounties were training in anti-protest tactics here a few years ago, and one of the officers had some friends in the SCA. So they invited out a handful of the heavy fighters out to some remote intersection to help train the anti-riot squad. The SCA blokes show up with their training gear to a group of mounties in full head-gear and body armor with batons that outnumbered them at least 2-1.

Most of the SCA guys towered over the crowd of mounties, and the mounties started looking nervous as they got out helms and rattan swords, and started strapping on their own armor. Then the heavy fighters started getting out their shields when the officer in charge walks up to them. He tells them that they can't use their shields because the exercise wants to recreate a "street disturbance". He wants to stay "realistic" and while he can OK the armor for protective purposes, and the rattan swords can stand in for bats or planks of wood, he can't rationalize a 'random crowd' with ready access to shields. The heavy fighters start to nod when the line of mounties starts unloading full-body plexiglass shields.

Realizing what they're now up against, some of the SCA dudes want to go home. The biggest of them interjects and says, No, I've got something to even the odds.

Both groups of fighters watch as he strolls over to the intersection, grabs the Stop sign with both hands and with 3 violent diagonal jerks, rips it out of the ground along with a good chunk of the cement anchor.

He swings it a few times, then walks over to the Mountie commander, the stop-sign pole-arm nicely counterweighted by the chunk of cement and says Is this Real enough for you?


Well, the SCA got to use their shields that day...... and I'm sure it was much more fun for everyone involved.

I've heard similar stories!  Mostly riot police drilling with / agaisnt SCA heavy fighters for developing better line - holding and unit tactics. 

Also: those cops should have realized:  train to fight a mob with shields and tactics, and a mob WITHOUT them will look like child's play.  After you're used to taking out shieldmen, everyone else just looks like a big open target. 

[Richter]

...you should put real steel in your SCA weapon.  Just kind of wrap some rebar in padding, instead of rittan.  Don't tell anyone until it's too late.

On this note, my rattan and armor is holding up decently, and my fencing kit is OK, so I'm getting VERY tempted to drop cash for a long sword for live steel cut + thrust play.  The kind of piece that goes from practice to deadly after half an hour with a bastard file.