Since we have some new faces in the fold, some of whom have never experienced live combat, I wonder if we might set up a combat practice session here in Auckland, preferably before Chimera.
It’d be nice to have a range of weapons available for use/fighting against as well as the opportunity for people who use magic to try that too.
Would others be keen? Dunno where you guys usually do combat practice - somewhere like Cornwell Park on a weekend day?
I’d be keen. I think Gaffy has often been involved in organizing these? Cornwall has tended to be the traditional location, by the archery range carpark.
Ok, awesome.
Oh Gaaaaaaaaafffyyyyyyyyyyyyyy 
Would be nice if we could contact the new players who attended the Great Ex to let them know about this (when it’s organised). On the understanding it’s not a game, doesn’t require dressing up and is just a practice session/opportunity for people to see and play with weapons.
I might not go to Chimera, but I’d definately want to practice live combat!
Also, I believe it might be useful to take with you certain pieces of clothing, which could obstruct you in combat (The Cloak I have in my case (for Teonn))
This is an extremely good idea. Some costumes are a pain to adventure in!
So, uuhm, is there a set style of boffer weapon combat? or multiple styles, are they loaned from actual existing styles? if so, which?
It’s generally a mixed bag of weapons, so you’ll find all sorts.
At a practice people will usually bring an assortment of gear so you can try your hand at sword, or sword and shield, or frying pan or chainsaw (if they’re on hand)…
I’ve found larp combat quite different from anything else I’ve done (which, granted, is very little) or seen, due to the weapons’ lack of mass, the limitation of hit zones, and the avoidance of contact with other combatants (except via weapons).
My (very little) training comes courtesy of aikido, where sword strikes come in two varieties a) split head open, and b) slice from shoulder to opposite hip. Neither of which make a good fit for LARP. Thus, I’ve so far generally avoided swords (so I don’t accidentally react & slice at someone’s head) until I have more larp combat programming in my muscles , and tend to force my self to fight with a pair of daggers as a challenge. This is hard, and nigh impossible against people with shields, but fun if you’re crew and will respawn 
Reach and a big shield tend to be king, and of course footwork, balance and mobility. Best way to take down someone with a shield? Bring friends …
I’d suggest starting with hit zones, technique, swings and realism. IE where to hit people (shoulder down, not in the groin/breast/head) how to hit people, swing/slash, not poke, prod or stab.
Swinging, 2hand requiring more movement as far as belivability goes, realism being large weapons would be heavy, shields used for blocking, staves used with a wide hand grip and wide stance, or like a sword from one end with long reach.
Also team fighting, 2-3 sheilds vs 4-5 dual wielding or 2 handers, get someone to bring bow & arrows or throwing weapons.
I know its hard for dual weilders to take on sheilded fighters, or those with long 2 handers. But speed and agility can sometimes win outright. The scout camp has a lot of wooded area, so perhaps also find somewhere that resembles that. So people can practice safe combat in forest / on paths etc. Although its training, having a set number of hitpoints can help people react accordingly.
/finishrandomrambling
We’ve generally done one on one sparring for a while, interspersed with some narrated demonstrations from more experienced practitioners, before breaking off into teams and experimenting with different weapon mixes and scenarios (three way fights get very messy, very fast :-). We usually have no hp for sparring, but team fighting is usually 3 hp, and 1 hp damage per hit regardless of weapon, to keep things simple. After all, the focus is on technique, not game mechanics.
I understand getting Technique sorted, as it helps a lot. We do the same for our paintball practice. I still think that putting what you’ve learnt into effect after doing various teaching / learning. I just find myself, that being given instruction, followed up with practice and ending with actual situations tends to make it easier to remember, rather than just whacking each other for a few hours
There’s a mixture. I import a lot of sabre technique from having done fencing at university, at least when using a single sword. Some larpers have training in medieval martial arts, from combat groups like the Auckland Sword & Shield club, or have fought in the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA). Those people tend to do pretty well in larp combat - a number of larpers have attended such groups specifically to improve their larp fighting, and it works. Any martial arts training gives you a sense of movement, distance, etc. which are somewhat translatable. Overall though, I’d say most larpers just pick it up by having a go, and learn from occasional instruction from people with more formal swordfighting training.
The quirks of larp combat in our parts are that you can’t strike the head, that you shouldn’t strike at full force, the weapons are light and fast, and you’re trying to hit the opponent as many times as possible while being hit yourself as few times as you can - that’s different to fencing where the first touch wins (if you have priority, but let’s not go there it’s worse than offside rules), or SCA in which a big whack to the head can win immediately.
There is a school of thought (mostly in the UK, maybe somewhat in Europe) that larp combat should be “cinematic”, and asks players to slow down their fighting as if the weapons were heavy and to act as if the blows are painful and debilitating. Whether you want to fight this way is up to you in these parts.
Is this weekend to soon?
I’ve orginised two of these in the past and by orginise I mean I posted here and then showed up on the day.
Possibly get some gear from the nzlarps library? (bags not orginising that)
Well, my fighting technique at the moment probably sucks, as it consists of a stance, and quicklogic (which doesn’t turn out well most of the time =3).
The stance was inspired by an asian sword-fighting technique, where my weight is on the left leg, which is positioned close to my main body, bend a bit. And where the right leg is somewhat in front, foot pointing at the enemy. It seems to give great stability, but I don’t know how it’ll fare in an actual fight =3.
As for what I plan to fight with, Just one, onehanded, 80CM long sword in my right hand =3. (as my character in Teonn won’t be a soldier (no shield), specialist fighter (duel wield) or two handed warrior (speaks for itself).)
Anyway, whatever the case, it’ll be interresting to find out how I’ll fare =3, and to improve. Also, I’ve got the entire… two weeks I think, free, so I can go anywere from next weekend, to the one after that, and anything in between probably.
I can do Sunday. Saturday I’m out all day.
@Kamica, if you have a starting point, you’re doing better than me. I’ve been doing this larp thing for 4-5 years now and I still suck at the fighting. Which doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy it, I do, but oh man.
And crew at the Multiverse day game coming up as well
[quote=“amphigori”]Would be nice if we could contact the new players who attended the Great Ex to let them know about this (when it’s organised).[/quote]I’m definitely keen to learn!
[quote=“Ignifluous”]My (very little) training comes courtesy of aikido[/quote]My only experience in martial arts was from when I did my training as a security guard, and I had to take a “Street Survival Training Unit”, which went over several months of practical lessons in the “mixed martial arts” style as taught by Kancho Jack Sims. This was back in 2006 now, so I probably won’t remember much of it anyway. But most of it was about avoiding contact, sidestepping, etc. This is the method of battle that I hope to employ with my Teonn character, particularly with the “blink” Elemental race ability, if the GMs grant it. This battle style would also suit a BattleMage character that uses mostly magic, reinforced with some form of non-standard weapon, such as a scythe / sickle.
However, I am keen to learn more traditional forms of LARP warmongering, including sword and shield work, as I would like to participate in other LARPs other than Teonn as well. And I definitely want some practice with the War Magic spells, as used in Teonn.
[quote=“TazzyD”] I just find myself, that being given instruction, followed up with practice and ending with actual situations tends to make it easier to remember…[/quote]I second this! 
Hey gaffy? do you need my help again?
someone called
was looking at doing another of these
2nd or 3rd weekend august I can do.
yes david your help will be most welcolm aswell as any others keen to show people
ways to fight and defend in larp combats
Question is where
cornwall park, akl domain, or else where?
has this already happened or is it still on the cards,happy to lend my ferocity/expertise/big 2handed larpy long axiness if im free