It's hard not to feel a very warm welcome with all these replies ^^
I'll be heading more in a mid 14th cent direction though, found a few effigies I really like from that period.
http://effigiesandbrasses.com/1104/2579/http://effigiesandbrasses.com/646/852/I'll be starting with the soft kit and move from the inside out, the plate armour I'll be making myself as my main interest is still armour construction, so at least some money to save there.
I'll proberbly be making stuff from several different periods though at some point.
And I know full well what it takes to put together a kit, spent 3-4 years on my 21st century SAS kit...it's alot of work but very satisfying when you get it done.
I must admit though that at times I envy you from the US...the problem with living in a very small country is that alot of things isn't available.
I wanted to get into the SCA but the closest group is in Stockholm which is still to far from me sadly, and as mentioned, most living history here is viking age.
I did find a HEMA group here in Copenhagen who even train at the Copenhagen National Museeum...but I have to be honest and say that unarmoured swordfighting dosn't really interest me that much.
But who knows, maybe I can convert some of my fellow LARP'ers to the glorious world of history ^^