The SCA has three codes of combat:

1) Armoured Tournament Combat (Heavy Combat)
2) The Art of Defence (Rapier Combat or Fencing)
3) Archery - Target Archery and Combat Archery

Armoured Tournament Combat (Heavy Combat)

Heavy fighting is based on tournaments held in medieval times. The purpose of these tournaments was to display the technique and skill of fighters, but not to kill opponents. In period the 'swords' were made of whale bone, wood or blunt swords. In the SCA the swords are made of rattan. Heavy fighting in the SCA is based around sword and shield combat, but other weapons such as the mace, axe, glaive and pole arm are also used.

Lord Rauf le Brewere and Lord Gabriel Kalothetos

Heavy combat is also fought on a larger scale - WAR!

The Art of Defence (Rapier Combat or Fencing)

Different to Olympic fencing in that you can fight in a circle, and use more than one weapon, or use a buckler, glove or cloak for defence.

Target Archery

Target archery consists of target shoots with longbow, recurve or crossbow (not compound) at a series of standard ranges. Points are accumulated to determine a victor.

Combat Archery

Mixed combat consists of heavy fighters, armed with traditional SCA weaponry such as sword and shield, and combat archers (previously known as lights), who are armed with bow and arrows. There are strict restrictions on the bow and arrows that can be used in combat archery.

If you are interested in SCA combat, please check our fighter training page for details on how you can get started

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