Weapon styles/safety

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In terms of larp fighting there are a few major forms of fighting. This is not an exclusive list but it does cover the majority.

General safety advice

There are some universal things that put either you or your opponent in more danger than is needed.

• Don't duck or go for extended lunges until you you how to do them properly
• Don't swing your weapon behind you unless you have looked first
• Don't thrust to the upper chest (if allowed to thrust)
• Be carful trying to strike over the top of shields
• Try to block weapons down instead of upwards

Single sword

The first thing to know about fighting with only one weapon is that it is pretty hard. You don't have a shield or off hand weapon to defend yourself and you don't have the reach of long weapon. Even more so than other weapon combinations footwork will be your best friend. You need to be able to control the fight. Many people will adopt a 'fencer stance' and turn side on while presenting the sword forward. This can work but as many systems ban or restrict your ability to thrust with weapons it also limits you in other ways.

Sword and shield

Also known as sword and board. It is probably the most effective fighting style and very easy to learn. The shield closes off so many lines of attack that if held correctly only a few targets can be hit. This also applies to using an axe and shield or other combination.

Some players will use a smaller shield called a buckler, this uses similar principles but needs to move around more. There are also some remaining historical texts about using bucklers such as the I.33 manuscript.

2 weapons

This is often called dual wielding and is disproportionally favoured by newer players. It can be very effective when done well but a lot of players end up flailing and try to get as many attacks in as fast as possible. There is also a tendency to try and get behind opponents and hit them in the back.

There are several ways to use two weapons in a controlled manner, in my opinion the best ways to do so are defensively. You don't get hit and you get to wear down the opposition, allowing you to keep on fighting. However this is partially due to my background in historical fighting and understanding that LARP rules have a lot of exploits that can occur.

I made a quick video showing me using 2 weapons.

Long weapons

The major advantage of long weapons is reach, obviously. However each type of weapon will be used differently. Two handed swords, dane axes, pole hammers, halberds and spears are all different in how they are used. The main factor is that you need to control distance from your opponent. If your opponent gets inside your effective fighting range you are in serious trouble.

Generally long weapons are best used in line fights where people with shields can defend you, however a longsword or long axe can be an effective weapon in a skirmish fight.

For the Spring quest event at Swordcraft I was using a naginata in the final battle, you can see the footage here.

Archer

Quite a staple of the fantasy genre archery can be devastating on the battlefield. While I am only an poor to average shot with a bow my main advice is to not neglect learning how to fight with a sword or other weapon. I have lost track of the number of times I have seen an archer run down and give up when someone starts attacking them with a sword.

LARP arrows have a very different trajectory to normal arrows and drop off suddenly over distance. To be accurate with long range shots you must know how your bow and arrows perform at distance.

Bandguns

For games that allow bandguns it is important to get used to using them before you get onto the field. Treating them like real guns is a good place to start. Only have your finger on the trigger when you are aiming at someone and don't wave it around are the absolute basics. My advice is that the bandgun should only be facing in 3 directions. To the sky, to the ground or at an opponent. It is also very important to know how to load and unload the gun safely.

You can see some footage of me using a bandgun at Swordcraft by following this link here.

Where to get better

As LARPers we are lucky that there are many opportunities to train in sword fighting techniques that were not as readily available previously. Some of the main options are as follows (will vary by area)

• HEMA club - Historical martial arts. Good all round blend of techniques
• SCA - Society of Creative Anachronism. This will vary widely by region but they also practice full power fighting with rattan weapons.
• HMB - Historical Medieval Battle. Most of the techniques will not translate very well to LARP but can be an entry point. Many fighters also train in HEMA systems.
• Sport fencing - Provides good footwork and reaction training but will need to be adjusted for LARP

If you are lucky enough to be in Melbourne there is a full time HEMA training hall called The Melbourne Salle.