Time for a new punch, need advice

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Time for a new punch, need advice

Postby Tails » Wed Dec 15, 2010 1:46 am

I think it's time for me to get a new punch.

I was wondering if anyone has a suggestions about the shape I should pick.

I'm trying to keep two things in consideration:

something that promotes better fighting
something that's not very cumbersome
I owe Kraken for that javy block, I wanna block some shots for my buddies in the line.

Some of this is pretty obvious, Just wanna hear your experiences and comments.
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Re: Time for a new punch, need advice

Postby Slagar » Wed Dec 15, 2010 7:24 am

Go with a centergrip round, between 24 and 28 inches. The reasons why it's the best type and will make you a better fighter are the same as for straps.

Fair warning: You will die more until you learn how to use it, if you're switching from a larger shield. If you've been using a big * rectangle or teardrop, and switch to a round, you're going to have to start learning how to do a lot of what the shield was doing for you. This will make you die until you do, but at the end of it all your footwork, sword-guard, and shot selection will be immeasurably improved.

Good luck, Tails!
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Re: Time for a new punch, need advice

Postby Dane » Wed Dec 15, 2010 1:23 pm

As the lefty said, round for overall improvement, but for field effectiveness, hit up the teardrop. It offers great coverage to your legs, and its rounded edges allow you better shot angles and more options for showing bait.
Graavish wrote:it's not the weight of the weapon that makes for a solid hit, it's how much i don't like you when i'm swinging.

If they don't take it, then it wasn't sufficient.
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Re: Time for a new punch, need advice

Postby Slagar » Wed Dec 15, 2010 1:34 pm

Eh. It's extremely field effective, for sure, but it'll cripple your footwork pretty badly if you start leaning on it early.

If I were really into using punch shields, I'd ideally keep the teardrop in my closet for event fields and tourneys, and use the round for the bulk of my improvement-oriented fighting. I prefer straps anyway, and strap teardops just feel wonky to me. Meh.
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Re: Time for a new punch, need advice

Postby Dane » Wed Dec 15, 2010 2:07 pm

Dane wrote:As the lefty said, round for overall improvement,but for field effectiveness, hit up the teardrop

Slagar wrote:Eh. It's extremely field effective, for sure, but it'll cripple your footwork pretty badly if you start leaning on it early.


Did you really follow-up post to agree with my agreeing with you? Seriously?

Slagar wrote:I prefer straps anyway, and strap teardops just feel wonky to me. Meh.

The thread's about punches! I know grad school's tough, but geez, man...
Graavish wrote:it's not the weight of the weapon that makes for a solid hit, it's how much i don't like you when i'm swinging.

If they don't take it, then it wasn't sufficient.
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Re: Time for a new punch, need advice

Postby kree » Wed Dec 15, 2010 3:46 pm

Make whatever you want to make, and have fun with it.
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Re: Time for a new punch, need advice

Postby Slagar » Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:00 pm

I'm emphasizing a distinction for the sake of clarity, jackass.

And adding color commentary. Shut up.
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Re: Time for a new punch, need advice

Postby Peanut of Loderia » Wed Dec 15, 2010 10:49 pm

He's just being a Brogue.
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Re: Time for a new punch, need advice

Postby Arrakis » Sat Dec 25, 2010 11:11 am

I like my 27.5" round punch.

I like my goofy little 18x24" heater punch.

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Re: Time for a new punch, need advice

Postby The Great Gigsby » Sat Dec 25, 2010 7:27 pm

I like Michael's approach to shield size for a punch. It pretty much jives with what I've observed in Bel. This is what he had to say about switching from a 24" punch to a 28 to 30" punch (medium).
Michael wrote:Note, I refer to them as center grip sheilds because in Amtgard I cant punch you with mine. In Belegarth, I love to punch an opponent with my shield.

You gain substantial versatility without giving up much. First the negatives: You do lose a little bit of speed working in space and it becomes a little easier for your opponent to gain an advantage by feinting your shield into a position where it blocks your own shots or vision.

Now the positives
The versatility of a larger shield allows you to work with the shield closer to your body some of the time. This substanially improves your ability to close. You can use a meduim center grip in all the same ways you can use any medium sheild. Even against poles, the advantage of a strap over a medium center grip is marginal since you can brace the grip sheild against your body. The ability of the medium grip sheild to work closer to the body is also of great advantage fighting multiple opponents or facing missiles. Even in the realm of your opponent being able to fake your sheild out of positition, which is one of the weaknesses of a grip sheild in general, medium grips fare as well as small grips. As mentioned above its slightly easier for an opponent to use your board to impede your shots or vision. It is, however, harder for him to open you on pure positioning because you have a bigger obstacle. So even there, the medium grip sheild is likely ahead of the small overall.

In short, going from a small grip to a medium, you give up a small amount of speed for an excellent improvement in versatility. I reccomend it.

In short, you give up a little speed
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