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Joel Lombard





Joined: 11 Jul 2018

Posts: 42

PostPosted: Sun 15 Jul, 2018 4:27 pm    Post subject: What to expect from reenactment?         Reply with quote

What to expect from reenactment i am not near a reenactment but if i do one time! What can you expect?
Injuries are there a lot?

Or do you need to train allot for passing in?
Do they check equipment and all that?

I read this https://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2015/03/31/hundreds-raped-and-murdered-as-viking-reenactment-goes-horribly-wrong/

Eek!
Is blunt trauma any risk?
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Dan D'Silva





Joined: 28 Apr 2007

Posts: 313

PostPosted: Mon 16 Jul, 2018 4:32 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I'm not sure from your post whether you know this, but Waterford Whispers News is a joke news site a la The Onion.

The answers to your questions largely depend on the groups you join or who organize the events you attend. I mostly hang out with the Amphictyonic League and am friends with members of their associate groups like the Hoplite Association. They consider safety paramount and put a lot of thought into it. I rarely hear of significant injuries at their events. Bruising happens; safety swords and arrows still hurt if they land on unarmored skin. But serious blunt trauma injury should never happen if everyone involved knows what they're doing -- you wouldn't hit someone with a real metal mace, for instance, any more than you would swing a sharpened sword at them.

Bottom line: You should not expect serious injuries as a matter of course. Accidents happen and you should be ready for them, but you don't want to be at an event where people take stupid risks and whoever's in charge lets them slide. If you yourself try hard to keep everyone around you safe, you don't deserve to be surrounded by people who fail to return the favor. And, of course, it's even more important if this is an event that's open to the public.

If you're a registered member of a group that does military reenactment and is serious about it, you'll almost certainly be expected to do some training regularly, though how much and how often, again, depends on the particular group. I have heard, for example, of groups that practice on a monthly basis. As an independent reenactor, I practice desultorily, but I can get by because I mostly know what I'm doing.

Equipment standards will also vary. Legio XX in the U.S., for example, is very particular about what items they do and don't allow. If you're an independent reenactor and request or are invited to attend an event, you should anticipate that the event's organizers will hold your kit to certain standards, and try to find out about them ahead of time.
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Baard H




Location: Norway
Joined: 13 Mar 2013

Posts: 102

PostPosted: Mon 16 Jul, 2018 8:06 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

What period are you interested in, where (roughly) do you live and do you have any particular combat style in mind? There's going to be a huge difference in damage potential between "Western Style" reenactment combat and Battle of the Nations bashing for example Wink


Whatever you're interested in, you may need to be prepared to exchange a relaxing night in with hours of research into historical minutia (those perfect belt buckles won't find themselves!), be prepared to radically change your holiday destinations (if you ever see the sun again it will be in your face while advancing on enemy positions) and say adieu to the blissful days of watching historically inspired movies and TV series without seeing everything they did wrong.


Short answer: It's awesome Wink

At kveldi skal dag leyfa,
konu, er brennd er,
mæki, er reyndr er,
mey, er gefin er,
ís, er yfir kemr,
öl, er drukkit er.
-Hávamál, vísa 81
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Joel Lombard





Joined: 11 Jul 2018

Posts: 42

PostPosted: Mon 16 Jul, 2018 8:19 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Oh thank god is was a joke site i thought no you get raped and you get blunt trauma for someone hitting you in the head and you helmet fail. Eek! And on night you they steal your stuff.

I am interested in viking period. I live in sweden a small village!
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Joel Lombard





Joined: 11 Jul 2018

Posts: 42

PostPosted: Mon 16 Jul, 2018 4:17 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Just when i see reenacment Viking reenacment there are most commonly with sword,spear and Dane axe?
But few could not afford sword in history.

Why is not shorter axes and one hands axes not used? Is it to dangerous?
In this era we could make light weapons whit different material.
Or even rubber throwing axes Happy
Or arrows with paint balls?
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Baard H




Location: Norway
Joined: 13 Mar 2013

Posts: 102

PostPosted: Mon 16 Jul, 2018 4:59 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Ah, a Swede! Well, then you're in luck as there's quite a lot of reenactment combat groups around with good people in them. I'm a bit fuzzy on details of if there are any in your area (I'm from Norway myself), but if you contact Västgöta Hird (https://www.facebook.com/groups/4550833971/) I'm sure they know someone who may know something.


Be advised that in any combat activity, accidents can and will happen. We're talking about people running around and trying to hit each other with varying lengths of blunt metal objects. However this is also true - the accident part that is - in football, jogging and tennis and the frequency and seriousness of injuries sustained in Western Style is no worse than "normal" sports. You will probably have a fair few bruises on an almost permanent basis though, especially for the first half year of training until you learn to avoid getting hit in the same place a lot Wink


Most practicioners in Scandinavia tend to run around with practically no protection at all bar gloves, groin protector and mouth guard, so that give you an idea of how few incidents that occur.
If you're really worried about getting hurt you're free to get hold of armour to mitigate that risk, both historical stuff but also modern protection that can be hidden under your clothes. Historical armour (steel helmet and maille coat for the most part in Scandinavian Viking Age) also have the added benefit of looking really cool and on certain events giving you extra "hit points", so that's also a bonus.


Training wise, I'm a bit unsure of exactly how they do it in your neck of the woods, but you usually have to pass an introductory course (In Norway it's usually one training a week for six consecutive weeks), where you learn safety, control of the weapon, some basic moves, safety, and some basic tactical principles, (did I mention safety?) and then it's expected you train reasonably regularly to maintain your control and being a safe fighter, if you also become a more efficient fighter that's good, but being a safe fighter is paramount. Fighter events usually requires you to write down the name of the group you're from in the application, this both for administrative purposes but also to keep sure all attendants actually know how to fight, there's nothing as dangerous on the field than someone who've got no idea what they're doing…


If you find a group you like and works for you and you get in on the crazyness that is viking reenactment, you can expect the opportunity to join a lot of fighter events all over Scandinavia and beyond, ranging from fighting in front of audiences on markets (with anywhere from less than ten participants to really big battles with around 500 fighters) to training weekends and other non-spectator events. There's also a great social element so you'll be constantly at risk of having your circle of friends expanded both in numbers as well as geographically. It's weird how beating each other in epic ways during the day and then talking about it in the evening bring people together Wink

At kveldi skal dag leyfa,
konu, er brennd er,
mæki, er reyndr er,
mey, er gefin er,
ís, er yfir kemr,
öl, er drukkit er.
-Hávamál, vísa 81
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Baard H




Location: Norway
Joined: 13 Mar 2013

Posts: 102

PostPosted: Mon 16 Jul, 2018 5:08 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

No, axes aren't too dangerous, just less flashy so people like to get their picture taken wielding swords Wink
When you start reenacting you usually learn to use sword or one handed axe, both with a shield. Later, when you're a bit more proficient you'll be able to learn spears of both one and two-handed kind or dane-axes. Throwing axes we haven't really found a way to do safe yet, but rubber tipped arrows and javelins are in use, however you don't generally see them at events where there's an audience that the projectiles can hit by accident. On other fighter events they're a very interesting (and by many hated Wink ) tactical element.

At kveldi skal dag leyfa,
konu, er brennd er,
mæki, er reyndr er,
mey, er gefin er,
ís, er yfir kemr,
öl, er drukkit er.
-Hávamál, vísa 81
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Joel Lombard





Joined: 11 Jul 2018

Posts: 42

PostPosted: Tue 17 Jul, 2018 1:14 pm    Post subject: R         Reply with quote

Baard H wrote:
No, axes aren't too dangerous, just less flashy so people like to get their picture taken wielding swords Wink
When you start reenacting you usually learn to use sword or one handed axe, both with a shield. Later, when you're a bit more proficient you'll be able to learn spears of both one and two-handed kind or dane-axes. Throwing axes we haven't really found a way to do safe yet, but rubber tipped arrows and javelins are in use, however you don't generally see them at events where there's an audience that the projectiles can hit by accident. On other fighter events they're a very interesting (and by many hated Wink ) tactical element.


Serious really the axes is front heavy and just a small blow get high impact Eek!
I ordered from SPQR a axe head that is developed for reenactment!
And put it one a stave short.
http://spqr.se/product/yxhuvud-wp004/
Don't know what would happen if i hit bone it got also sharp corners!

Do this viking axe weapon line can be used in reenactment?
https://www.gdfb.co.uk/viking-weapons-45-c.asp
Sorry they have mixed sharp weapons with blunt
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Baard H




Location: Norway
Joined: 13 Mar 2013

Posts: 102

PostPosted: Tue 17 Jul, 2018 5:46 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Most axes sold mass produced by places like SPQR, Battlemerchant etc. are either too heavy or otherwise are unsuitable for reenactment. The first one you showed would not have been allowed in my group unless the pointy bits had been grinded down for example. The best axeheads come from individual blacksmiths, some you may meet at markets, some are themselves active fighters even and know exactly how to make optimal axeheads through trial and error. They're also able to get the weight down real low, sometimes in the range of 100-200 grammes, at such light weights, even at the end of a meter long stick you can't do a lot of damage even if you tried.

I'll attach a picture of two of my own one-handed axes. Both are made by a professional welder in my group, so not terribly historical in creation, but works very well as simulators for reenactment combat.


If you intend to join a group and start fighting here's a further tip: DO NOT BUY ANYTHING YET! Wait until you've talked to them and got tips. Even though webpages say they have exactly what you need, often they're wrong. It's much cheaper to wait a little and borrow something from the group the first few trainings, maybe try a couple of different options to see what works best for you before you throw money at something that may or may not work for you or even be legal on the field.



The picture attached show my two one handed axes with my sword (an Albion "Wallingford") as a comparison in size. Both are legal and usable in reenactment combat. The reason is that they're really thin, so there's not an ounce more metal weight on them than absolutely necessary. If not, the big one would need to be two-handed only. The length of the Sword is about 90 cm. The short axe around 100 cm and the big one is 120 cm.



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At kveldi skal dag leyfa,
konu, er brennd er,
mæki, er reyndr er,
mey, er gefin er,
ís, er yfir kemr,
öl, er drukkit er.
-Hávamál, vísa 81
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Joel Lombard





Joined: 11 Jul 2018

Posts: 42

PostPosted: Wed 18 Jul, 2018 7:57 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Oh god thanks you! Your weapon looks really nice! Especially the two handed axe.
I noticed there is some fishy here because i looked on Youtube when i watched reenactment they have small axes or thinner.

While the shops say this axe is battle ready?

Why dont they do axe head from aluminium or light material?

I posting how that axe from SPQR looks even the staff is thick a dont know the weight?
What should i do with it grind the pointy bit down and recheap the staff?



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Baard H




Location: Norway
Joined: 13 Mar 2013

Posts: 102

PostPosted: Wed 18 Jul, 2018 9:11 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Thanks, but both of those axes in my picture are for one-handed use.

In reenactment there's a strive to only use materials that was available during the period reenacted, so all weapons will need to be constructed by steel. The only exeption to this rule is arrows and javelins who need to be rubber tipped for safety.
Likewise maille coats of aluminum is banned in most groups and markets, cotton clothing is a no-go (linen, wool and hemp is the way to go).

Never trust a guy who wants to sell you something, especially if it's a cheap webpage who says "battle ready". I've seen different shops call anything from blunt lumps of steel to highly sharpened weapons "battle ready" so that's a really bad thing to base purchases on. As I said, talk to your local group about what to get and where.

Yes, grinding down the pointy/sharp bits and taking away the excess wood and steel is the way to go. I would tell you exactly what and where, but I'd need to hold the axe in my own hands to determine it, so bring it along when you meet a group and ask in person if any of them have any tips.

At kveldi skal dag leyfa,
konu, er brennd er,
mæki, er reyndr er,
mey, er gefin er,
ís, er yfir kemr,
öl, er drukkit er.
-Hávamál, vísa 81
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Joel Lombard





Joined: 11 Jul 2018

Posts: 42

PostPosted: Wed 18 Jul, 2018 11:21 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Yes i just got this axe and it is sharp from a reacment store! Eek! I hadent time to cansel the order. But i dont going to order from them agian

But that is not good to not have maille coats of aluminum there both cheaper and lighter better for newbie that not got the straight and money! perhaps say the maille coats of aluminum need to be painted so they not stand out.

I am also into traditional archery. But there gorups of reacments i dont live so good!
I going to go to viking festival some day! Dont know any groups Västgöta hird is in skåne
Really thanks for the advice!



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Baard H




Location: Norway
Joined: 13 Mar 2013

Posts: 102

PostPosted: Wed 18 Jul, 2018 5:08 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Painting the aluminum will probably make it look worse. For newbies it's usually best to fight without armour at all anyway, in time you'll have gained strength and skill enough to add a maille coat without it being too bad, and then you can train with it until it doesn't bother you at all. One key thing to remember is that this is not LARPing, it's not enough that things just looks "sorta-kinda" correct. In reenactment it's supposed to be correct.

Yes, I know Västgöta hird is far away from you, but did you ask them if they know of anyone near you?

At kveldi skal dag leyfa,
konu, er brennd er,
mæki, er reyndr er,
mey, er gefin er,
ís, er yfir kemr,
öl, er drukkit er.
-Hávamál, vísa 81
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Joel Lombard





Joined: 11 Jul 2018

Posts: 42

PostPosted: Thu 19 Jul, 2018 12:06 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Yes don't know how aluminum look when it corrodes and painted it dont look good.
Yeah did contact them and they say it thin around in to the country it¨s most around skåne. I will go to viking festivals markets o so the have a viking festival in gotland visby.
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Joel Lombard





Joined: 11 Jul 2018

Posts: 42

PostPosted: Sun 16 Sep, 2018 8:34 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hi all axes is lighter than the sword and grinded down no sharp edges
Is it safe to use?



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