He ain't heavy.....

Well, maybe I am. I think my armour and me are too heavy for my bad knee actually. I have patellofemoral pain syndrome in my left knee, which means the knee hurts and there is no clear reason why. According to the doc and the PT, more than likely due to nerve damage and muscle weakness in that leg. So I wear a knee support when I fight and all is good. 

Now, I've gained weight since retiring from active duty and I didn't notice any real effects while I was fighting. Until I changed from my light weight kit. Really just enough to keep me out of the hospital armour (street hockey pants, leather knees, body bracelet, steel elbows, soccer shin guard vambraces, helm gorget) to my older heavier Hun armour  (leather scale hauberk, splinted legs, steel knees, splinted vambraces along with the same helm and gorget). 

I fought at a Friday practice then a Saturday event. Man my knee has been killin' me since! I plan on switching out the hauberk for the body bracelet, the scale is easily the heaviest part of my kit. I did also make some plastic splinted cuisses to go with the leather knees, but I'm not happy with how they move and gap. 

Moral of the story: Don't get old and fat.

The Dilemma or Too Many Things Are Too Damn Cool

One of the advantages of such a long layoff from SCA fighting is that I can almost start from scratch, armour kit wise, using the research and information I’ve picked up over the years.  The problem is I have research ADD.  I will be cruising along, digging Post-Roman Britain in all its Misty Avalonian goodness and then I’ll see a special on William Marshal. Next thing you know I’m all surcote and troubadours.  Then I go to a Viking festival and I want a round shield.  Focus, I has none.  Not a big deal to many people, but I believe a cohesive appearance, on the field and off is part of being an exemplary SCA combatant.

Still, I think if I do a little self-assessment, I come down on the side of the surcote, at least for tourney gear.  When I think of the medieval fighting man, I see someone in a surcote with a heater shield.  Banners snapping in the wind, parti-coloured arming tents. One of my favourite weapon styles back when I was a semi-badass was bastard sword, which is sorta the iconic High Middle Ages weapon. Many armour sins can be hidden by a surcote.  Of course, this means I have to get off my duff and register some heraldry!  

Progress report 1

It's been five months since we moved back to the good ole US of A.  Culture shock in areas of life, no doubt about it.  This is a SCA fighter blog, so let's stick to the SCA-centric.  The first shock was holy cow these guys hit hard!  My armour, optimized for speed against young Army guys, is not up to the task. Especially the street hockey leg armour.  Luckily, my armour boxes arrived with our partial household goods shipment, so my reliable heavy leg armour can be pressed back into service.  A little black paint and they will be squared away.
The second shock was not really cultural, but an awareness of how much my skills have fallen off.  I am still confident against less experienced fighters and do well enough.  However, against the higher end fighters, I'm all at sea.  However, that's not really a bad thing per se, because you can't learn if you aren't challenged.  Believe you me, I'm going to be challenged!