BAT practice

So I got into armor at BAT today, first time I've actually practiced in about two months. Oscad, Gui and I were the only fighters there, and it was very hot. I was out of practice, Gui even more so, and Oscad was really burnt out having fought in the heat at SRWC the day before.

Whine whine whine!

Actually it was fun and a really good practice. Oscad is so on his game and good right now that he is a really tough fight, and Gui is always a challenge.

My first two fights with Oscad I was warming up. I didn't even swing a blow the first fight. I dont' recall who won the second. Then we got into it and I was fighting pretty well. the best thing I did to him was the second time I took his leg. I have this thrust I sometimes use where I lock my arm in what is basically an engarde position, either high or in the A-frame guard, move the tip forward and then lean in to complete the thrust. It is kind of hard to describe, but the important thing about it is that I don't move my arm once the point is locked on. I'ts basically a short lunge with my arm bent, but It's more of a roll forward than a lunge. So I through this at Oscad and he blocked it, but his whole helm disappeared behind the corner of his shield and I said "ah-ha!" I did the same thing and took his leg. I use a thrust/leg shot all the time, but normally when someone does that they are changing the direction of travel of their hand. In this case my arm is still locked in an engarde postion as the thrust travels forward, so the cut comes faster and harder.

Against Gui I had some good moments. He was using old school Belatrix offense starting behind his head, so I used an old school belatrix attack and hit him with a wavy rising snap. I got in right behind his shield. As usual I did best against him when I focused my offense forward and attacked out of time. I am mostly trying to be patient and defend right now, attacking when an opening appears. Against Gui that is a recipe for disaster, and he ate my lunch.

A good, if hot, day.

West An Tir War 2010

I wasn't going to come to West/An Tir this year, but my dad died right after I got home from my car trip and I went back to Cali (I've now been here for a couple of weeks). As I was working on the memorial and getting his estate in order I was getting really depressed, so my sister insisted that I get up to the war.

This was the 20th anniversary of my knighting, so it was a big deal. It was also, by coincidence, being held in the town where I was born, Gold Beach, Oregon. As such I issued a challenge on Saturday morning to all comers throughout the day: I would fight twenty one single combats-- twenty for my years as a knight, and one for my dad.

I don't remember all of them specifically. I do know that the only person who totally owned me was the King of CAID, a mutant originally from An Tir who is just awesome on the field.

Graf Barak von Langenthal, who had lost his father a couple of years earlier, asked that he fight the challenge in honor of my dad. He's a really good leftie who's been around sine An Tir was a principality. I took his leg and then hid my sword behind my foot, and killed him with a belly thrust. I was really honored by his gesture.

I killed Geofry Scott with, of all things, a double pump wrap.

I won my first fight by patterning the guy, stepping off line to the right, and hitting him with a straight snap.

I killed several people with a hook/thrust.

I even killed one gut with Radnor's version of the butterfly, and another (who was on his knees) with Fast Eddie's version.

I probably won one or two more than I lost.

I was also fighting really well in the war. I certainly killed more people than I normally do when using sword and shield. I was using my bunny round the whole day, but I was in a lot of presses where my legs weren't really in danger anyway. The best thing was the pulse charge we were doing against the castle gate. I lead a couple of those and got pretty deep before dying, and killed guys too.

I also fought in the challenge the Bellatrixes were holding for Duchess Carol's memorial. Carol was someone I really liked, especially when she was living in Sacramento and I was hanging out with Steve. I fought all four of them and lost to the two dukes. Against steve we just traded shots, moving around, till he beat with a straight snap.

Paul was fighting florentine and I tried the A-Frame defense, even though it's not what I usually use against him and my shield was really too short. Big mistake. After one or two passes he faked with his left hand and threw a rising snap. Yes, that's right, Paul killed me with a rising snap.

Brion I killed on our first pass with a hook/thrust.

Christopher, Stephen's son, I killed with a wavy-rising snap. Paul said he appreciated the irony in that.