SCA Culture Question

[B. Patricius]

Back to the original topic 

it appears that SCA "Stick Jocks" as we are affectionately known, are 14th century period 

from theRomance of Alexander, 1338-44. French, with a Flemish illustrator.
fol. 91r

[Sir William]

moved to AC thread

[Lord Ciaran]

Patricus,
My persona is a 14th century Scot in service to a French noble, so I dress like 100 years war French man-at -arms. I like the 14th century, it has a lot of variation from 1300-1400. I think it has more variation than any other period before it. That said , the "14th century Mafia" is quite big.

[B. Patricius]

To each their own Lord Ciaran, 
I'm a proud member of the chain-gang if you can even call me that.  I don't regularly practice, let alone war, in the SCA.  Not even a full member.  I do like 14th century transitional armour though, I like the splints and studs, adds a nice variation. 

For me, the periods armour is a far second to the period's history, and I'm biased as I said since I've been a fan of Robin Hood since pre-school.

[Lord Ciaran]

Patricus,
I certainly didn't mean to imply it was the best period. It is the best period for me, but maybe not someone else. Again it is a very flexable structure and offers something for almost everyone. The earlier crusader period is cool too.

I belong to a viking group as well, so I am in mail and a spangenhelm with them. It's nice to play when and where you want. I also have a Mac Bible style helm for my earlier kit. So I can appreciate the whole mail thing.

[Sir Wolf]

 i can't decide who i wanna be. so i'm all of them. just not at once

[Lord Dane]

Sometimes it is nice to know what era you want to set constraints to especially when you have a medieval spending problem. ** No comments Sir James ** lol

[Sir Edward]

i can't decide who i wanna be. so i'm all of them. just not at once

All at once? Wow, that would be a sight to see. Hmm.... Photoshop....

[B. Patricius]

i can't decide who i wanna be. so i'm all of them. * at once*

pics or ban!!

Lord Ciaran,
I believe we're arguing the same point mate.  I didn't mean anything negative by it, just a "to each their own" and why I chose my period.  Realistically, I will be getting into 14c transitional at some point, the group I work with does some crazy rebated steel combat, grappling and all... so yeah, the more armour the better.  I'll have to change from a Knights Templar though, right now I'm looking into "Spanish" kits for a 14th and 15th persona.  Basically from Aragon or Castile fighting in the Reconquista.  I just feel 100 years war gets too much attention, is it worth it?  Yes.  But I like to be different

and yes, Lord Dane, it definitely helps to have at least some type of time period nailed down, or some other form of checklist.  I've seen far too many go the "oooh! that's sweet" route and never finish a project.

[Hrolfr]

Why are certain cultures more prevenlent on the SCA heavy list?

Drawing from my personal experience, it is a combination of several things.

The DIYer-  Alot of people I know get a certain feeling of accomplishment by making their own harness.  Lamillar is simpler to make than a black and white suit.

Kingdom culture- A dear friend of mine won the Middle Crown a while back, and everyone (it seems) went to a Norman kit, because of his persona.   Also falling into this is a doubt in some people's mind on whether a blow was well struck or not, relying on sound because
of the protection rather than felling the blow

Cost- Enough said

fwiw, I 'usually' portray a Norseman circa 1000.
I am assembling a mid 14th C rig (circa Visby) for times when I want to 'dress up' 

[Lord Dane]

Is it Wisby or Visby??? Because I see both in different references. 

[Sir Edward]

Is it Wisby or Visby??? Because I see both in different references. 

Both. They're just alternate spellings for the same thing. It's pronounced like "Visby" though.

[B. Patricius]

I've seen it both ways too.  I think it has to do with our lettered language back then wasn't as cut and dry as it is now.  Chaucer spelled the same word three different ways in his "Cantebury Tales."  I can try to find the word too, I just remember that from junior year English.

Hrolfr, and Thorstein as well, and any other SCAdians

I have a question in regards to the SCA culture and their

Also falling into this is a doubt in some people's mind on whether a blow was well struck or not, relying on sound because
of the protection rather than felling the blow

I had a TON of people tell me I can't do a Samurai kit, not because it's Samurai but because it's so armoured  My response was "that's my point."  I'm very competitive when I choose to be, and the SCA isn't one of those situations.  Basically for me, if a hit hits, I call it.  It doesn't matter if it hit me like a ton of bricks, or was a light tap like rapier's draw cut.  But, maybe it's this very concept of me taking light hits that may have made me become a kind of outcast.  My samurai kit is because in the Western United States, the SCA is by far the best place to have the opportunity to wear all that cool gear and fight in it.

I'm just wondering about the SCA and its "hits" as a whole.  I used to run a WMA club for a short bit, and we prided ourselves on the ability to move exceptionally quick, and stop before even coming in contact with the other person.  We spent 45 minutes a day practicing that drill to "attain control."  Then, in my time in the SCA, most everyone agreed I was fast, but "not aggressive enough, and not hard enough."  I'm just kind of wondering where this came from?

[Ian]

I had a TON of people tell me I can't do a Samurai kit, not because it's Samurai but because it's so armoured  My response was "that's my point."  I'm very competitive when I choose to be, and the SCA isn't one of those situations.  Basically for me, if a hit hits, I call it.  It doesn't matter if it hit me like a ton of bricks, or was a light tap like rapier's draw cut.  But, maybe it's this very concept of me taking light hits that may have made me become a kind of outcast.  My samurai kit is because in the Western United States, the SCA is by far the best place to have the opportunity to wear all that cool gear and fight in it.

Here's Nissan from the AA's sweet SCA heavy samurai kit:

[Sir William]

Nissan's kit is bananas!