Armoured and Dangerous video.

[Thorsteinn]

http://player.vimeo.com/video/68792682

  Some of my friends are on this and me & Andre are in the same SCA war unit.

[Sir James A]

Everything about that was awesome ... until the last 5 seconds of the video.

No need to insult jousters. Rod Walker on a horse with a solid lance would own 99% (maybe 100%) of those guys on the ground. Ripper Moore probably would too. There's a reason mounted knights dominated the battlefield until firearms and pike walls became prevalent, and neither of those are in BOTN.

[Ian]

Awesome stuff, and like James, I didn't need the pompous BS at the end.  No need to be a dick about someone else's sport to promote your own.  Chivalry anyone?

[Grand Master Garland]

Awesome "sport".  They could use a well equipped Hospitaller unit on the sideline.

[Thorsteinn]

Awesome "sport".  They could use a well equipped Hospitaller unit on the sideline.

They do, thus why no ones died yet. 

This vids about these guys: http://usaknights.org/

See the overall site here: http://battleofthenations.ua/

[Sir Edward]

Something that comes to mind when they talk about how the rules are based around getting the other guy onto the ground--- my thought is, why use swords at all? Grab a shield and body-check everyone.

[Sir Brian]

Something that comes to mind when they talk about how the rules are based around getting the other guy onto the ground--- my thought is, why use swords at all? Grab a shield and body-check everyone.

My thoughts as well. There is no doubt this is becoming the supreme in extreme sports and it is certainly as impressive as it is dangerous but the primary aspect of this extreme sport seems to have an utter disregard for historical technique. It is obviously more important to knock someone on their ass than to rediscover the actual combat techniques used in the day. I'm not saying it wasn't ever an armored brawl but I would be interested to see if they change up their tactics and techniques when engaged in single combat for I have yet to see any real attempts to utilize much of the techniques shown in the historic manuscripts and I have only recently begun delving into them.

[SirNathanQ]

Thrusts are illegal in BOTN HMB. Already everything historic to use against armoured folk goes right out the window.

In BOTN I wouldn't bother with a sword. I would take a Poleax/Bec de Courbain (butchered spelling alert) into it. Impact, leverage, and hooing potential.

It looks really fun and kinda awesome, but the mentality seems extremely elitist, which I really hate in an activity.

[Lord Dane]

Ancient Greeks and Romans trained in martial techniques for upclose combat in their days with much emphasis on individual prowess being needed to enhance the group or unit cohesion. Also, I agree with Sir Nathan. Any polearm in armoured combat is of more advantage than sword. Versatile weapons with a skilled combatant increases likelihood of a good kill. Brutality doesn't always coincide with sensibility. It is whatever works best in combat.

[Sir William]

Most impromptu fights end up on the ground- I'd not be surprised if it became evident that getting your opponent down to the ground and a dirk or dagger thru his eyeslit became something of the norm.  I'm just saying I could see it happening.

[Ian]

This just came off very Knights of Mayhem'ish...

[Sir Brian]

This just came off very Knights of Mayhem'ish...

Precisely and unnecessarily so! What very few other documentary/interview style videos I’ve seen with other participants of BOTN members of a different nationality didn’t seem to project that buffoonish bravado as it seems to be an unpleasant and intrinsic American fault.