Combat in the Adrian Empire
Adrian combat includes introductory shinai combat for new fighters, rapier, synthetic, cut and thrust, and fully armored steel combat (all detailed below)
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Members can earn a combat knighthood by participating in combat tournaments, attending demonstrations, and winning tournaments. There are three levels of knighthood: Bachelor, Banneret, and Champion. New fighters start on the sergeant's list and, after gaining experience and winning at least one tournament against other sergeant's list fighters, move into the knight's list. Knight Bachelor requires a knight's list win while both Banneret and Champion require knight's list steel wins.
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Adrian combat relies on the concept of "martial intent" where our goal is not to overpower or knock an opponent down but rather to land a clean strike to a valid target area. This allows a broader range of combatants to participate competitively. In addition to an emphasis on technique over raw power, each type of combat has a minimum armor requirement for safety.
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Armor requirements specific to each combat style is available below. There are some general requirements across the board including personal protection (requiring a rigid athletic cup for men and strongly recommending semi rigid chest protection for women). Bare skin should be covered to avoid scratches or cuts and shoes must have an enclosed toe and heel.
Shinai
( 12 years and up )
Shinai is our introductory level of combat and, generally, only sergeant's list fighters are allowed to participate in shinai tournaments. At this level we teach the basics of martial combat including how to control power, how to throw strikes with martial intent and how to defend.
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The primary weapon is the shinai which is a slatted bamboo training sword utilized in some Japanese Martial arts. While not a traditional European Martial arts weapon it is a safe alternative for beginning fighters before moving on to metal weapons.
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Shinai combat includes techniques for sword and shield fighting, pole weapons, and various two handed and one handed styles. There is also a short "dagger" version but as thrusting is not permitted in this style of combat the dagger is not particularly effective.
Rapier
( 14 Years and Older)
A schlager or rapier is in the style of a Renaissance dueling weapon which would not be found on the battlefield (although we do conduct "war scenarios" for rapier combat).
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Rapier is a precise and difficult style requiring the combatants to learn how to control the tip of the blade in particular as we now include thrusting attacks as legal strikes.
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In addition to rapiers of various lengths, this style includes the main gauche or dagger as well as bucklers, and a variety of off hand defensive items which can include a cloak, gauntlet, mug, or even a severed "head".
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There are several known styles of rapier fighting drawn from historic texts that have been translated for modern use.
Synthetic Wasters
( 16 Years and Older )
We have recently incorporated the use of synthetic plastic/poly weapons designed for heavy use in training as a way to train and compete utilizing armored combat techniques without the necessity of a full suit of armor.
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This essentially allows for additional participation and more opportunities to train. As a newer style, it is not as common but we are working to include it more often in our tournaments.
Cut and Thrust
( 16 Years and Older )
While less common, the cut and thrust style is focused on early to middle renaissance swordplay with steel swords and often a buckler. The armor requirements are close to, but slightly lighter than Armored Steel because the weapons are slightly lighter.
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A good period example of this type of combat comes from a German fencing manual dated from the 1320s referenced commonly a MS I.33.
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Cut and Thrust can be seen as a hybrid between the fast, precise rapier combat and the heavier armored steel where the wider variety includes heavier, slower weapons.
Steel
( 16 Years and older)
This is the heaviest form of Adrian combat where the combatants wear plate armor and fight with the broadest variety of weapons.
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In armored combat you might see greatswords, a myriad of axes, pole weapons, ten foot spears, and maces. The variety of weapons means an similarly broad set of techniques varying from weapon to weapon. Even the armor itself can be a weapon as anybody who had been punched by a steel gauntlet can attest.
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There are a number of historic texts which address various types of armored combat which provide the foundation for steel combat.
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While slower than some of our other styles of combat, a well fit suit of armor still allows a great deal of mobility although the weight, even distributed across the body, will quickly wear out even conditioned fighters.