So I fought some Scotsmen today

[higgins]

Edit: I upgraded the linked image. Click to see the detail on how bent some of the cuisse splints were.

[EinBein]

And afterwards you have rested your feet on a pile of junk?

[Forknife]

Oh dear, there isn't much left of them is there?

[higgins]

And afterwards you have rested your feet on a pile of junk?

Junk!? That's my (very broken) armor!

Oh dear, there isn't much left of them is there?

Luckily we all ended up pretty much unscathed.

In a completely random turn of events, two Scotsmen participated in a local tourney here and the one I fought had pretty much the same experience level than I did. As such, the fight was very even and I just barely managed to come on top. I'll post pics if and when I get them.

Also, I just realized that "I fought a Scotsman called Guillermo" would make an awesome title for a folk ballad.

[higgins]

The first pic is here!

P.S.
I also upgraded the image quality in the first post.

[Agamemnon]

Oh dear, there isn't much left of them is there?

That reaction amused me more than it had any right to.

Higgins, we need to make a 14th century-specific game at some point just so we can use all your tourney stuff as book art.

[higgins]

Higgins, we need to make a 14th century-specific game at some point just so we can use all your tourney stuff as book art.

Clearly!

[Marras]

Sounds like fun!

That piece of armor at the top picture (at the right side) looks familiar from a riddle.

[higgins]

That piece of armor at the top picture (at the right side) looks familiar from a riddle.

It sure does! And yes, it was fun indeed. I still keep putting some Scottish accent on in my mind when reading news and such from the web, ha!

[higgins]

Found some images of my non-scotsman match! The Angry Helm rears it's ugly head again!



I fought a guy from the capital. His armor was a beautiful Italian full set.

Ten times prettier than mine. He made it himself, no less!



Looking at the images, I realized that this tall bucket helm telegraphs like hell. I never realized I had to tilt the head that much to see from the waist down. Hopefully it'll remain my last tourney in that thing.



Some furious pounding followed. He was more experienced and had better technique.



I believe this is the part where I tried to hit his right knee and he gave me a beautiful slip.



Again some fighting in a clinch. I had the mass advantage here and should have pressed, but chose to conserve myself. Basically, I underestimated my opponent.



Counteroffensive! Grr!



I kind of like this dynamic standoff image.



Here's one more shot that displays that magnificent Italian armor in better detail.



Don't know the point score yet, but in the end I lost. Wasn't overwhelming like the last time, but... yeah. He ended up as second in the tourney.

[Marras]

Great pics, Higgins! Looks like it was a good contest. Maybe my favorite picture was where your opponent has his shield high protecting his head.

BTW, does Raudliiga mean Iron League? I always try to decipher Estonian texts but I often fail

[higgins]

BTW, does Raudliiga mean Iron League? I always try to decipher Estonian texts but I often fail

It sure does! Iron League is our local profight format that's quite hardcore, freely allowing shield strikes to the head, grappling and deliberate takedowns. One of the Iron League matches last weekend ended with a TKO. We've had one actual KO as well, delivered by a Finn, no less.

I don't have the stamina to last three two-minute rounds of full-contract fighting so, I fought in the slightly lighter contact duel category, although it's still considered full-contact by IMCF (International Medieval Combat Federation) as well as HMBIA (Historical Medieval Battle International Association) which are the two competing organizations here, pretty much equivalent to what the ACL (Armored Combat League) does in the USA, contact-wise.

[Marras]

BTW, does Raudliiga mean Iron League? I always try to decipher Estonian texts but I often fail

It sure does! Iron League is our local profight format that's quite hardcore, freely allowing shield strikes to the head, grappling and deliberate takedowns. One of the Iron League matches last weekend ended with a TKO. We've had one actual KO as well, delivered by a Finn, no less.

That guess was an easy one as it is Rautaliiga in Finnish

Go Finland! That sounds quite hard core to have a KO even in a sport like that.

[higgins]

Yeah, go Finland indeed!

The link I gave has a video of that particular match.

[Marras]

Yes, I watched that video clip. Man, that was brutal! The video ended when he was leaning on the corner of the ring clearly unable to defend himself.

I have never seen a match like that before so I had to notice the referee in the ring and his gear