What should I expect?

[newbiefourtyseven]

After two or three months (my start time's an estimate), I've yet to get my first bruise. I'm not a hard *, and it's been years since I've done anything that would toughen me up against bruises, if that's even something that's possible.

Is something very....very wrong here?

I guess, what i'm wondering is, when I signed up, I was told it was a 'full contact' recreation of combat in the medieval time period. Now, what I've experienced is, some occasional pushing and shoving, some wrestling which i'd consider light contact, and hits with weapons that....lets say its rare I feel any sorta pain, ever. Every now and then, someone gets me in a soft spot, but, its rare. A large amount of shots dont even make an audable noise, yet I'm expected to take them as 'sufficient force', to use the terminology, when I'd argue there wasnt an ounce of force in the shot.

I'm under the impression that outside of my group, people call light on shots that wouldnt hurt even to the nose (but, not to the nose. To be absolutely clear, there is no head hitting problem, using that as a measurement of force, not about where the shots are landing), but, my group doesnt seem to believe that's honorable.

Now, I know there's people here, on this forum, with collectively more experience in bele, than the entirety of the group, put together. Your opinions might convince them to change things, but sure as hell, 3 months in, I'm not convincing them.

So, here's the crux of question. Is it a good thing, to force everyone to take any hit that can be felt bare skinned, or is it better that people call light on those, for the sake of game play?

[Steele]

I am also fairly new to the sport, and the Realm I fight in has a lot of hard hitting fighters. In my opinion, I would keep on taking light hits and working on honor. When you go to events, you will notice different people fighting different ways and at that point you should decide on what you feel is necessary.

[newbiefourtyseven]

I wish I could trade relms with you. I'm already the hardest hitting guy here. I wish we had hard hitting people.

[Steele]

It all comes down to one question...do they have the potential to hit harder? If they are hitting very light and can easily hit harder than it's probably time to sit down and talk to them about how you feel. Not everyone who has fought longer than you is better than you. Just remember that pretty soon, you will be teaching others how to fight and doing things your own way. If the others don't listen than I suggest.... A. moving to a different close-by realm, or B. calling light on light shots. This is all personal opinion, as I said, I fight with hard-hitting veterans.

[newbiefourtyseven]

I dont really like it, but I'm going to have to move to another group. They didnt listen, and I'm forbidden from calling light now, because I did it too much. I keep getting told its a matter of honor to take every hit, even if it was the kinda hit, that to the *, wouldnt hurt. its driving me nuts. I keep telling other people not to take my shots, when they are weak or grazes, but, they consider it honor. Honor * me off.

[Steele]

It's best to think...if it was an actual sword, would this hit kill them or take off a limb? Whereabouts are you from? Is there other realms close by?

[newbiefourtyseven]

Some of these shots wouldnt delimb someone with a light saber. Its insanely weak, I just want them to accept that there is such thing as too light. I tried explaining, that even with a razor, we're talking cuts to the skin, maybe light muscle damage, but not taking anyone outta the game.

I'd be going to dag, if I switched, its the only bele group around. The dag groups seem just fine, other than that poem stuff, lolz, but, they are a considerable drive away.

[Steele]

If it is too much of an issue to drive, grab some friends and start up a new realm of your own. In this case everyone would be hitting hard.

[Sir Guts]

newbie, where is your realm? there is typically more experienced fighters to be found that can both better educate you a well as your realm. This will lead to better fighting as well as less shell shock when you finally attend a national event. Also in case you haven't heard, national events are the ****. They really are what the sport is all about and I can't encourage you and your group enough to get out to as many as you can.

[Tiberius Claudius]

Remember also that the weapons are padded so the people don't have to be - its why armor is not required in our game. You shouldn't really be getting bruises from normal hits. I've been playing for 4 years now and I only rarely ever get a bruise even from the greatest of hits.

You should absolutely be calling light if its light. The gauge usually used is that if a shot is clean and lighter than weapons checking "medium"/"light" depending on the calibration of what "light" is then it's no good at all. If it's partially/mostly blocked and hits you under that thresh hold it's also no good. Conversely, if it is partially blocked but hits at or above that thresh hold then the shot is valid. This is not a tap game. The only weapons that do not require sufficient force are projectiles in flight - rocks, arrows, and javelins; they only have to touch to count.

If your whole realm is for light hitting, then it sounds like they need a trip to an event or a visit by another realm / travelling vet. It would be counter-productive for you alone to stand up and say, "hey, this is how we're supposed to play", especially with only a few months under your belt if they're 'older' than you. Now, if they're open to reason, tell them to log on to the boards and read these responses. This is a hard hitting game and you should be getting pummeled on a regular basis.

Best of luck out there.

[Forkbeard]

If you want to call out the people in your realm for hitting too light and forcing you to take it, you need to name names. What realm? Where in the hell are you geographically?
I feel that if they are doing the things you say, you are absolulety in the right. Unless they have specific, written house rules against only taking shots with sufficent force. That is the right of any realm, but it has to be offical house rules, not their very, very wrong interpritation of the BoW.
Until we know who they are and hear their side of the story, you need to do what the heralds tell you on the field. Never talk back to the herald.
FB

[Hakan]

Accursed of Fenrir: Independence, MO.

[newbiefourtyseven]

I fixed my problem, I practice with multiple teams, now, so I have my local practice, which is down the road, and I can socialize, practice new techniques, whatnot, and then further away, I can get my fix for hard hitting, real feeling, combat, and learn those techniques. I'd rather not even try to reason with certain people, the motto seems to be 'hit hard, take light', which, I am completely for, but, just wish people would take the 'hit hard', part a bit more seriously, and get off my * for calling light on butterknifing and draw cuts, and worst of all, these silly wrist swings, that use entirely only the wrist, no arm involved, not talking about wraps and whatnot, just.....the most feminine way of moving a sword imaginable. Its like they dont even listen, when I try to say what I mean. I'm not expecting every shot to knock the wind outta people, just to be kinda like "FAP!" when it hits. A good noise, a bit of shock, some slap.

Another issue I have, is some of the older weapons, are assembled in such a way, that when they dont hit flat on, the foam sorta flexes outwards, separating the layers. The guy holding the sword feels the impact from the blade stopping, but, on my end, I'm feeling almost no hit, more just pressure, because the blade's absorbing all the force when the layers separate. Its hard to explain, but, just imagine a sword that passes on not having too muc
h tape on the striking surfaces, yet is held together with nothing other than single sided duct tape.

[Forkbeard]

I have not heard anything good about this group. They are one of a small number of realms around the country who seem to think that nerking combat and using **** weapons make it "fun" for their members. It seems to me they mean sucking at fighting is "fun" for them.
You did right in simply finding another group to fight with. Be adamant in you resolve. These tools are not doing ti right.
FB