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Author Topic: Let's Discuss Honor, Pt 2 (Real Tourney Example).  (Read 13345 times)

Lord Chagatai

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Re: Let's Discuss Honor, Pt 2 (Real Tourney Example).
« Reply #15 on: 2014-06-22, 03:59:02 »
I totally agree do not give up an advantage earned...and I have seen fighters in SCA tournaments give up the earned advantage by matching their opponent and then that same fighter not doing it in a crown tourney because it was more important....be consistent if you do it in one tournament do it in all tournaments.


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Sir Patrick

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Re: Let's Discuss Honor, Pt 2 (Real Tourney Example).
« Reply #16 on: 2014-06-22, 17:24:10 »
Arthur didn't give up his advantage after dismembering the Black Knight, so neither would I ;)
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Sir Nate

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Re: Let's Discuss Honor, Pt 2 (Real Tourney Example).
« Reply #17 on: 2014-06-22, 21:51:40 »
I think it is Good to give someone a winning chance still.
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Sir Martyn

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Re: Let's Discuss Honor, Pt 2 (Real Tourney Example).
« Reply #18 on: 2014-06-24, 02:56:48 »
As I said I don't see any problem in making a gesture, if prudent.  Just as you earned the right to that advantage to wield should you see fit (and rightly so), in my view you also have the right to give it up, should you so choose, to "keep it a fair fight."   For example, if one fighter loses a shield, and the other choses to drop his as well.

Required?  Perhaps not.  Chivalrous, perhaps even honorable? 

It seems I may be in the minority here - and therefore shorter lived on the field :P - but I like entertaining the option.
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Eva de Carduus Weald

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Re: Let's Discuss Honor, Pt 2 (Real Tourney Example).
« Reply #19 on: 2014-08-14, 16:27:52 »
Okay so, for me this isn't an honor question, for me it comes down to basics. What are you doing? If the answer is fighting, then fight. Nobody ever got better fighting those who were constantly less skilled than they, nobody improved if their opponents were always nerfed. "Fair play" is all well and good but we are talking combat. Let's take a look at what the word means, it means the art of fighting, war, death, dismemberment, destruction of your opponent so that they don't destroy you. In no war or duel that I have ever heard of in history did one fighter stab another in the leg and say, "Oh sorry mate, let me hop around on just my own leg so it's fair." When you "take off" another dude's leg then keep fighting to win, that is what a competition is. There is a winner and a loser. You don't have to be rude about it, you can congratulate your opponent after for doing as well as they did, give advice if needed, and just all around appreciate the fun of competition but this whole dumbing down your own skill to match another fighter kind of kills the whole point of what you are doing in the first place.

Always strive to improve, always respect your opponent, and always remember that there is always someone out there who is better than you. That is what my thoughts on this are anyway, I invite respectful debate. :)

Sir Rodney

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Re: Let's Discuss Honor, Pt 2 (Real Tourney Example).
« Reply #20 on: 2014-08-15, 04:19:14 »
Open field melee is my absolute favorite SCA combat activity and my motto is ā€œleg ā€˜em and leave ā€˜emā€.  Stick with your unit and let someone else mop up the folks missing limbs.

That being said, Iā€™ll assume your question pertains only to a one-on-one tournament situation.

Iā€™ve entered & witnessed countless SCA tournaments over 20+ years and never understood giving up an earned advantage.  If I take an opponentā€™s shield arm, Iā€™m sure as heck not dropping my shield too!  Maybe itā€™s the (weekend) Mercenary in me, but I just donā€™t get it.
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Sir Rodney

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Re: Let's Discuss Honor, Pt 2 (Real Tourney Example).
« Reply #21 on: 2014-08-15, 04:35:15 »
I just had a frightening revelation upon checking my math above.  Rattan has been swung viciously in my direction for at least 20 years, potentially approaching 25.  I canā€™t remember the exact year of my ā€œsword and boardā€ authorization.  I can remember the gym, the opponent (I still see him around Court from time to time), the ill-fitting plastic pickle barrel armour, the knot in my stomach, and the relief when it was over.

 Iā€™ll have to check with my equally senile SCA Mercenary Company members.

Crap, Iā€™m getting old!   :o
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