WOW

[Sir Wolf]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLCLljsihzk[/youtube]

[Sir Patrick]

UFC medieval style!  Do they call their shots, or just go at it until the other guy can no longer continue? I'd pay to see that--though judging by the shot of that broken blade at about 1:45 in, even the spectators would do well to armour up!

[Sir Wolf]

haha. i've done steel fighting before but it has all been pulled blows or acted moves. i think these guys are hard core and go all the way. i know of one story about a Polish guy that was a great fighter that got beaned in the head and was now all but a vegetable. when asked his friends in the group were all sad but said he should have blocked better. now take that with a grain or salt or no, it's still hard core hehehe.

it looks fun, but i bet Das Bill shutters at the lack of weapon control and technique used

[Sir Edward]

I'm just marveling at all the great armor in one place.

[Sir Wolf]

ya. but it kills  me that it's all over the place. from slavic 8th century to 16th century heheh

[Das Bill]

but i bet Das Bill shutters at the lack of weapon control and technique used

That's an understatement.

Lack of control, technique, common sense, safety, skill, and historical accuracy. But hey, different strokes for different folks.

[Sir Patrick]

I don't think I could bring myself to to subject my kit (what there is of it) to that.  I just know I'm going to end up like that guy with a cherry classic car who spends all his time babying the thing, but never actually DRIVES it!

[Sir Brian]

It looked more like Slam Dancing in armor! 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moshing

[Sir Ulrich]

I'd sure as hell need more armor than what I currently got to survive that. My armor would prolly get all beaten up too and old looking. Shame they aint got this in the USA, apart from the SCA fighting, which really doesnt do it for me as it's way too sportslike and not living history...

[Sir Wolf]

there are steel groups here in the USA. VikingsNA or other various norse groups. Lord Greys does some, Markland and Midgard are other steel groups like the SCA.

[Sir William]

Wow, that was awesome!  Sir Wolf, you wouldn't happen to have links to these live steel groups?  I am not sure I could go all the time with something like this, but I'd like to experience it just once.  Besides, if I survive it, it'd make for a helluva fireside tale, no?

In a few years, I'll only be able to dream about such things, as I'm not getting any younger.  lol

[Sir Edward]

Markland Medieval Mercenary Militia
http://www.markland.org/

This group has been pretty active in the MD area for a long time, but has evolved a lot. I have no idea what they do these days, but when I was in college, I knew some folks who used to do padded-weapon combat with them. They'd get into whatever gear they could (hockey equipment, for instance), and use home-made padded weapons and just battle it out.

Sir Barchan, one of the jousters at MDRF, was one of the founding members, but their areas of interest diverged if I'm not mistaken.

EDIT: It looks like they still do padded combat in addition to steel, but they're paying more attention to armor these days: http://www.mdmedieval.bravehost.com/frat.html

If you're more interested in learning sword techniques rather than doing a grand melee sort of thing, there's of course the Virginia Academy of Fencing, and I believe there is a MASHS group somewhere in the area as well.

[Sir William]

I've already got Das Bill's name written on my list of things to do/see as I'm very interested in the historical swordsmanship classes he teaches; time, money and opportunity have yet to present themselves altogether at once so I can go forward.

I'm interested in all of it, not necessarily participating unless the bug bites me...but at the very least, that was entertaining as hell and they looked like they had a lot of fun.