Tourney / Martial Class Descriptions

Wednesday, August 1

Fweolan's Fighting Fiesta: A single sword tournament, designed to get the blood flowing for the days ahead. No shields or alternate weapons allowed. The format will be determined on the day of competition.

Friday, August 3

Saturday, August 4

Syr Bear the Wallsbane 60th Birthday Challenge

Syr Bear challenges 60 members of the Chivalry to meet him on the field in combat over Saturday and Sunday, to celebrate his upcoming 60th birthday.

Coursing of the Hounds

Hound coursing is the recreation of the period art of hunting with hounds. In period, these animals would have been "slipped", or released, from a special collar and would have chased a lure or the game they’d been sent after.

The 11th annual Storming of La Rochelle

Heavy Rapier and Rubber Band Gun Melee at the fort. RBG cannon permitted once inspected and demonstrated to the MIC. Defenders have limited resurrection, attackers unlimited. The battle will run at least twice and time permitting we will invite the Known World's terminal rapier award holders (Bronze Ring, White Scarf, etc.) to defend the fort against everyone else

Known World Novice Tourney

Run on behalf of the late Count Sarnac Ba'adur, who originated the tourney.

This is a tourney for Novice fighters. The format will be a Shark Pool style: small groups fighting round robin - previous years were groups of 8 so every fighter has a minimum of 7 fights. Some of the top fighters moving on to further rounds. Details will be determined on the day of the Tourney depending on the number of fighters that show up.

For the purposes of this tourney, Novice is classified as:

Any authorized fighter whose PRIMARY RATTAN authorization date falls within two years to the day of the Tourney, INCLUDING time spent authorized in Youth Rattan Combat.
is not a member of the Chivalry
is not a Peer by right of Arms by their own hand

Tourney victories or positions held on Pennsic teams has NO bearing on qualifying for this event.

Help needed:

Members of the Chivalry to help run/constable the list fields

Fighters (can't happen without you!)

Fighter cheering squads and support

Ladies of the Rose to publicly recognize (and grant tokens) to favorite combatants

My Mom Can Beat Up Your Mom

This is a fun tourney for moms only. Heavy combatants must be biological, adoptive or foster moms. The purpose is to provide a tourney for women fighters who have time contraints due to being parents.

Oh Yeah? My Dad can beat up your Dad!

A tournament for Dads inspired by their child(ren) to earn renown upon the field. This will be a Round Robin Tournament, but if many gentles show up then it will be a double elimination format.

Requirements: All Dads (combatants) must be presented to the list table by their child(ren) under the age of 16 (combat age at Pennsic) to participate. Children do not need to remain for the tournament but it is encouraged. This tournament is open to all Dads who wish to participate. There are no restrictions in terms of rank (Kings and Princes may fight), weapons form or appearance.

At least two prizes will be given: overall winner and best presentation. This can mean more than just armour, it can include how your entourage presents themselves, etc. It is how you impress the crowd.

The Tourney is being organized by Baron Richard Larmer, if you have any questions please seek him out in the De Taahe encampment in W02.

Be Sinister: the 4th Left-Handed Tourney

Once again, the field is open for left-handed fighting. All are welcome, but the tourney will be left-handed sword and shield only. The format will be a round-robin style, providing plenty of fighting.

Greybeard Tournament

Open to all heavy weapons fighters 50 years old or older. Beards, grey or otherwise, are optional. The format will be either double-elimination or round robin depending on the number of participants.

Tarl's Little Pole-arm Tourney

This annual tournament is fought in a bearpit style with two 45-minute rounds and a halftime show. Weapon and armor standards per Pennsic rules. Any skill level welcome. Bring your sense of fun and adventure, as many pole arms as you can carry, and come play with fellow devotees of The One True Weapon Form!

Spear Bear Pit Tourney

Come fight for the honor of being best spear duo and best individual spear fighter! First, we will have two-spear teams in the bear pit then switch over to single spearfighters holding the bear pit. The bear pit will be two 9x9 foot boxes; step outside and you are dead. We will have prizes for the team and individual with the highest number of wins.

Kamikaze Battle

3 hour unlimited resurrection battle run similar to the traditional "Lost Boys" style. No war points, no prizes, just fighting.

Sunday, August 5

Syr Bear the Wallsbane 60th Birthday Challenge: Syr Bear challenges 60 members of the Chivalry to meet him on the field in combat over Saturday and Sunday, to celebrate his upcoming 60th birthday.
Bellatrix System - Great Weapons: The class teaches the Bellatrix system for the use of Greatsword and Glaive, focusing on the close-in techniques against other great-weapons, and against sword & shield, and to modify these techniques for different physical capabilities. It will also cover fighting at medium and long range.; The class can be taught armored, unarmored, or with helms and gauntlets. Participation in the exercises will vary, depending. At a minimum, students must have gloves and a greatsword, long bastard sword, or pole weapon. Some students should bring swords and shields for use in training.; Training in the Bellatrix system of power generation and movement, including both sword and shield techniques. Please come unarmored, and bring a sword and a shield.
Combat of the Thirty: This is a 30 versus 30 deed of arms inspired by the original Combat of the Thirty between French and English forces that occurred in 1351. Combat standards are a modified counted blows scenario that employs rules for capturing opponents and ransoming of captured parties. Participants must be acceptable to the captains of the French and English forces. The captains are Earl Nigel MacFarlane for the French and Count Stephen du Bois for the English. Armour must be a reasonable attempt at a complete 14th c harness and weapons are restricted to ones that closely resemble their medieval counterparts. Final say on weapons and appropriate harness will be at the sole discretion of the captains.; Requirements: All participants must wear a 14th c kit. Greaves are required and all are encouraged to wear chausses and braies. All weapons must closely resemble their medieval counterpart and are restricted to bastard swords, polearms of period design (axes, hammers, etc.), spears under 7', daggers and single handed swords. All participants should be prepared to pay a ransom that they feel is appropriate to their station in the event that they are "captured" during this deed of arms. Rules of combat will be explained to all combatants before the CotT begins.

Monday, August 6

Essential Elements of Armored Combat

This class teaches fundamental and advanced techniques of the Bellatrix system of armored sword and shield fighting. It is appropriate for all levels of proficiency. Technique is one of the main pillars of successful fighting. No matter what your level of proficiency, efficient and effective technique will help you to improve your game, and avoid injurythrough faulty bio-mechanics.

The class is taught unarmored. Students will need a sword and preferably a shield, or something similar. Neither need to be SCA legal, but must be safe.

Dwarves vs Giants Tourney

A small "battle"--typically a total of ten to thirty people. It takes the form of a series of melees and single combats.

One side is limited to fighters five and a half feet and shorter, the other to fighters six and a quarter feet and taller.

Known World Baronial Armored Champions Tournament

A tournament displaying the finest displays of chivalry, pageantry, and knowledge between baronial champions for the entertainment of Their Excellencies and the gallery. Participants must be the current heavy weapons champion of their barony.

10 Man Melee Tournament

presented by the Order of the Sergeants of Saint Aiden, of the Kingdom of Atlantia

Teams must be sponsored by a Kingdom. One Team Per Kingdom.
Teams are permitted TEN members and FIVE alternates, all of which may be present at the tournament. If the captain of the team could have the list of members & alternates handy at the beginning of the tournament along with their SCA Membership #s (if any) that would be awfully handy. Or at least contact me with a team name ahead of time.
Tournament format will be determined by the number of teams entering.
One slight change: Teams must be sponsored by a Kingdom but since there are Kingdoms that historically do not bring enough people to form a team (mostly kingdoms on the Left Coast, Drachenwald, Lochac) the sponsors are willing to allow Kingdoms without a team to sponsor a team upon mutual agreement between the team and the Kingdom in question. IE, if the two parties can agree, there is no requirement that the team be comprised of members of the actual kingdom sponsoring the team.
Unbelted teams wishing to enter via rule 5 are expected to do all their own legwork; the Sergeants of Saint Aiden will simply verify the information. Have the Royalty in question email THL Jonathan Blackbow at jonnyb70a(AT)yahoo.com with their contact info and the name of the person captaining the unbelted team.
Non-Chivalric Peers (Laurels, Pelicans, Royals) are welcome to enter on an unbelted team. This prohibits only Knights and Masters-At-Arms. Contact Jonathan Blackbow (jonnyb70a(AT)yahoo.com) with any questions about this whole process.
Rules subject to change. YMMV. Standard Disclaimers Apply.

Staff Weapons Techniques from Paulus Hector Mair

Class taught by Duke Vissevald Selkirksson

Tuesday, August 7

Bellatrix System - Two Sword: The class teaches the techniques and strategy of the Bellatrix system of fighting with the two-sword style. The class is appropriate for authorized fighters at all levels of proficiency.; The class is taught unarmored. Students must bring two swords, and preferably a shield.
Knowne World Squires Tourney: Unbelted fighters in fealty to a Member of the Order of the Chivalry of the SCA are invited to test their skills against their peers in this double elimination tourney.; Knights do not need to sign in their squires although Knights are encouraged to come and sign the scroll the winner will take home.; There are no limits on the number of squires per Knight.
Tuchux Charity Tournament: A random-draw weapons tournament. There is a $5 entry fee - all proceeds go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Research.
Staff Weapons Techniques from Paulus Hector Mair: (see above)
Iron Rose Tournament: The All-Women Tourney is back! We will choose a format to fit the number of combatants (round robin or Atlantian speed style) then hold a novice and an open bear pit for all who wish to keep fighting. Come support women in armor!
Mooselodge Open Tournament: Remember when we used to have regular SCA style tourneys at Pennsic? This year we will again! This tournament will be open to all armored fighters and fought Atlantian Speed Style, Double Elimination under the Atlantian Conventions of Combat.
Pas des Arms: To celebrate the knighting of Tymm Colbert le Gard, the Kingdom of Trimaris is sponsoring a Pas des Arms in which the candidate along with other chosen fighters will be taking on all comers in armored combat.

Wednesday, August 8

Bellatrix System - Great Weapons

The class teaches the Bellatrix system for the use of Greatsword and Glaive, focusing on the close-in techniques against other great-weapons, and against sword & shield, and to modify these techniques for different physical capabilities. It will also cover fighting at medium and long range.

The class can be taught armored, unarmored, or with helms and gauntlets. Participation in the exercises will vary, depending. At a minimum, students must have gloves and a greatsword, long bastard sword, or pole weapon. Some students should bring swords and shields for use in training.

Æthelmearc Youth/Adult Tag Team Tourney

Everyone must enter as a team: 1 authorized youth fighter and 1 authorized adult fighter. Youths fight youths, adults fight adults, NO EXCEPTIONS.

Round robin within youth combat divisions; kids get 3 points for a win and 1 point for a loss, adults get 1 point for a win and zero for a loss. Total points accumulated wins.

Put up your Dukes II

Tournament for former members of Royalty. Any currently authorized Duke, Duchess, Count, Countess, Vicount, Vicountess is welcome to compete! Current members of Royalty are also welcome.

Mercenary Battle The Last Valley

This is a limited resurrection offensive battle scenario. There will be twin villages, with multiple huts and one stronghold each, separated by a single bridge. The villages shall be sieged by a large Free Company/Mercenary force, each. There shall be village defenders/ villagers that must be contended with, prior to the eventual clash of both mercenary forces. Victory scenario is complete ownership of both villages and utter decimation of all opposing forces, and all village populace and defenders are dead.

Each village shall consist of 3 -4 huts including a stronghold. The stronghold must have 2 entrances on facing walls. The stronghold must also be the furthest hut away from the bridge. Several villagers/ defenders shall randomly occupy each village.

The bridge shall be a crossing equally in the middle of the villages. The bridge shall be 21' wide by 75' long. No long weapon fighting will be allowed from land to bridge, however, long weapon shall be allowed from bridge to land.

Each aggressing force shall start at the farthest end of the village from the bridge. The opposing force must enter the village and contend/ kill all defenders. No force shall be allowed to progress to the bridge/ or cross the river until ALL defenders in that village are dead. The army may begin to muster at the beginning of the bridge while any smaller pockets of resistance are wiped out but may not move on to the bridge. Any merc killed by a defender shall be placed in holding, on the sideline at a place to be determined, as potential future re-enforcements. Once all defenders are dead, that force can move to cross the bridge if not opposed. If opposed, a bridge battle shall ensue. Any combatant killed on the bridge shall be held as possible future reinforcement at friendly stronghold. Neither force shall be allowed to retreat from the bridge. Should one force breakthrough to the opposing side of the bridge, that force shall be reinforced by ALL reserve forces. A force breaking through the opposing side shall also stop any resurrecting forces that have not entered the stronghold from doing so and being eliminated from play. This action shall also eliminate the sideline reserves of the defending force. The battle shall then move to the stronghold where waiting reserve forces shall be laid upon to the last man. Should one force decimate the village defenders before the opposing forces, they shall be allowed to enter and cross the bridge, creating a three way battle, opposing Free Companies and the Village defenders... basically a three way melee. Once an opposing force has crossed the bridge successfully, the battle shall remain on that side of the river until a clear winner of the 3 forces has been determined. No defending force not in the stronghold shall be allowed to enter whether alive or killed. The reserves in the defending stronghold are not allowed to leave the stronghold as reserves. If the defending force holds out and survives all attacks, that force shall be allowed to cross the bridge and claim the enemy village.

Bellatrix System - Teardrop Return

The class teaches the Teardrop Return, one of the essential and most powerful offensive techniques of the Bellatrix method of fighting with sword and shield. It provides the fighter with the ability to use very rapid combinations of full-force strikes. The class is appropriate for authorized fighters at all levels of proficiency.

The class is taught unarmored. Students must bring a sword and a shield.

7th Annual Pennsic Warriors of History Tournament

Hosted by the Cataphracts and Chivalry of Duchy Von Drachenklaue

An unbelted tournament for kits that meet the standards of the Fedoratii of the VDK: Order of the Cataphract to encourage and inspire excellence of kit on the field.

This year’s weapon choice: Iconic weapons of your persona. Please bring to the field that form which best represents your period.

Participants MUST appear in armour that inspires others to excellence having no glaringly un-documentable aspects beyond those required for safety - ie: baskethilts, bargrills, cops, gauntlets, etc. (Rule of thumb: if you can document it you can have it -- to include kits based on period works of art. If you cannot document it, you must make a reasonable attempt to hide it)

Guaranteed rejections:

Exposed modern footwear. Period footwear is preferred. All effort must be made to make modern footwear appear as period as possible.
Street Hockey Gloves UNLESS covered / colored to look like real Gauntlets/gloves
Exposed plastic to include plastic lamellar
"Casserole" armour. Casserole: any mis-mash of time periods. e.g. Churburg brestplate with a Dura helm and Wisby gauntlets and etc... (all these are documentable by themselves, but centuries apart).
Inappropriate persona/arms combination: (Viking with a heater, great-swording Roman, madu, etc)
A t-tunic over football pads or similar look.
Armour in poor condition or disrepair, undyed leather, etc.

Two Winners will be selected. (We ask that entrants or friends of competitors donate prizes for the winners cache.)

The Tournament Winner (martial prowess) will receive the title "Fedoratii Primus Pilus"
The second winner will be chosen from amongst the participants as "best kit in show" and receive the title "Fedoratii Signifer".
Both will be inducted into the VDK "Order of the Fedoratii".

Battle of Hastings

The year 1066 was a turning point in history, and for the last two years at the Pennsic Hastings Battle, the Saxons managed to turn the tides of history back upon themselves, defending the Saxon lands from the Norman invaders! This year, the Normans have a chance to turn things back 'round again, and win the day. The valor and skill of the warriors on each side will determine the outcome.

Choose a side - defend the Saxons, or join attacking Norman forces - and use your strength of arms to help decide the day. This is a special rules melee. We've attempted to make this event a time for fighters to showcase their beautiful mid-period kits in an atmosphere recreating the feel of battles in the 11th century.

Rules:

A combatant may count the first strike they receive against mail armor as light.
In general, any form of armor that is documentable to the Battle of Hastings period and region is acceptable. If you have specific questions, please ask via the Armour Archive forums (see below).
General rules: no exposed plastic (plastic gauntlets OK), no exposed duct tape, no exposed modern sports gear, no exposed modern logos, no blatantly modern footwear.
Helms: spangen or conical construction preferred. No closed faced helms of any type, and no blatantly 12th century+ helms.
Torso: anything documentable to the period. Mail has an advantage, but a padded or even plain tunic is documentable as well.
Limb armor: greaves and vambraces may be exposed, all other limb armor should be hidden. Spaulders must be covered if worn.
Gauntlets: any are acceptable (even plastic); this is a safety factor which supersedes historical practice.
Shields: round or kite only. No later period designs (heater, etc.).
Weapons: Primary weapons should be spear, axe, great axe, sword, seax. Thrown weapons OK. Combat archery OK. No weapons that are undocumentable to the place and time.
Force commanders require one extra mortal wound to kill.
Tape is not used as a marker for sides; fighters will use battle cries to tell friend from foe.
Engagement is 360 degrees once "lay on" is called.

Victory Conditions: Best three of five battles. Victory is achieved either by destroying the enemy force, or by killing the enemy leader (routing the force he commands).

Participants are asked to bring some small token as "loot"; the side losing three of five battles will give someone on the other side their "loot" token. This should not be an expensive item, but rather a token of victory on the field that day appropriate to your station.

Please stop by the Armor Archive (http://www.armourarchive.org/) for more information or discussion of the event, to declare for a side, or to ask any specific questions about armor requirements. This is a chance for students of the period to explore in more depth the history of this important battle, and have fun re-creating the field - by deciding the outcome for themselves!

Staff Weapons Techniques from Paulus Hector Mair

(see above)

Crusaders vs. Saracens

God Wills it! Scenarios to re-enact battles from the time of the Crusades. Participants are required to only use arms and armor documentable to the time period of 1096-1291.

Allowed Weapons: Any documentable to 1096-1291, subject to approval. (Swords, Maces, Axes, Dagger, Spear, Thrown weapons, Archery, Siege, etc.)

Allowed Shields: Round, Kites, & Heaters. (and any other documentable style from the period)

Armor and Helms from the period are required. Bring your banners for pageantry. Properly attired support people are most welcome!

Thursday, August 9

Bellatrix System - Single Hip Return: The class teaches the Single-Hip Return, one of the essential and most powerful offensive techniques of the Bellatrix method of fighting with sword and shield. It allows the fighter to use combinations, with full-force strikes on each count, instead of every other count. The class is appropriate for authorized fighters at all levels of proficiency.; The class is taught unarmored. Students must bring a sword and a shield.
Children's Water Battle: The annual childrens water battle at the Fort. Wear clothes that can get wet. Please bring your own water blasters or squirt guns. Help cleaning up at the end of the battle is greatly appreciated.
Staff Weapons Techniques from Paulus Hector Mair: (see above)

Friday, August 10

Knighting Ceremony: The King of Trimaris will dub Tymm Colbert le Gard on the Pennsic Battlefield following his Thursday night vigil.
Bellatrix System - Essentials of Armored Combat: This class teaches fundamental and advanced techniques of the Bellatrix system of armored sword and shield fighting. It is appropriate for all levels of proficiency. Technique is one of the main pillars of successful fighting. No matter what your level of proficiency, efficient and effective technique will help you to improve your game, and avoid injurythrough faulty bio-mechanics. The class is taught unarmored. Students will need a sword and preferably a shield, or something similar. Neither need to be SCA legal, but must be safe.
Staff Weapons Techniques from Paulus Hector Mair: (see above)