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Re: CHANGE FOR THE BETTER




Poster: Razmus the Innocent <azrael@access.digex.net>

Jessica S. Rechtschaffer wrote:
> I agree.  Since we are trying to re-create medieval tournaments why on
> earth are we "fighting to the death?"  Tournaments "a pleasance" (of
> peace/pleasure) were fought with the intent to subdue one's opponent, not
> to kill because a dead noble is worth as much as a dead peasant which was
> nothing!    Not even in tournaments "a outrance" (with weapons of war)
> were fights to the death.  The only time when two combantants went into a
> list with the sure intent of killing each other was a judicial duel.
> Contrary to popular belief, judicial combat was a rare occurance.
> Personally, I feel pretty stupid falling down "dead" on the field.  I'd
> rather kneel to my victor and yield in proper medieval fashion when I
> receive a "defeating" shot.

*nod*  But falling down in the quickest way to get people to stop
hitting you.
I've played both sides of this. - If you hit your opponent with what you
thought
was a killing blow, and stop throwing blows, you are likely to get
killed for your
effort.  Logical responce, continue throwing blows until your opponent
yells good
or falls down....
   ... Hmmm... but many fighters can not even hear "HOLD" inside their
helm during
battle unless a large group of fighters yells it at the same time. 
*shrug*  If you
plan to yell hold, plan to get hit a few more times.  (Been there, done
that.  Most
of the time, the person continuing to throw blows feels bad about
hitting your an
extra number of times.)  
   ... kneeling might seem like a pretty good idea, but it tells me that
you lost
your leg, not that you are dead.  Then again, I might just be a little
denser than
most.

   The only times I've asked for, and gotten a fighter to yield was
during a practice
melee at a demo - on uneven ground, when he had slipped and fallen flat
on his back.
His position was being overrun at the time, and obviously we couldn't
hit this fighter
while defenseless.  I can put my sword on his body and ask him to yield.
   The only other times (and I've been on both ends of this as well),
have been when 
two or three shieldmen surround a spearman - at "up close and personal"
range.  

   *Thinking*  But I suppose if both opponents are expecting to see
folks yeild, and 
have a visual clue... it might actually work.  Just make sure I know
what you are 
doing - I feel bad when I hit an opponent who has already surrendered.

Razmus, (who is slowly working his way through the 1300 messages in
Atlantia-l since
the last time he was on-line. *sigh*)

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