Joined: Aug 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 403 Location: Stratford upon Avon Karma: 0
Re: Swords!! « Reply #2 on Jul 8, 2009, 8:05am »
This question was asked on the Beertent forum by someone,and the answer given was: Parades, drill displays, marches, sword schools, cameos, living history, basically anywhere that the pike aren't going to get involved in pushing. I assume that means you could wear one when fighting at point as well,but could be wrong! You need to take a sword test to wear it on the field.
Joined: Feb 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 938 Location: Gosport, Hants Karma: 3
Re: Swords!! « Reply #3 on Jul 8, 2009, 8:49am »
It is my understanding that during the civil war Pikemen were issued with a simple, cheap, short-bladed sword. You often see them referred to as a Pikeman’s Tuck, and their main use appears to have been chopping up firewood. Pikemen would not have had those long bladed swords with the fancy hilts that the traders’ sell :} Those would almost certainly been the preserve of officers and cavalry.
The SK rules on swords - You must have passed a sword test before you can carry a sword at an SK event, that is not just an ‘on the battle field’ requirement but (as far as I am aware) covers all formal SK events. I know people are often lax about it away from combat zones - but that doesn’t mean it is ‘The Rule’.
If I remember correctly - even practice sword fights between non sword tested members should be overseen but someone who has passed their sword test. That is one of the reasons I am so particular about who can practice and how, when I am responsible for sword or fighting schools.
Swords in a pike push are a big no-no. The sword hangs low, and can gets tangled up in a pikeman’s feet and then the pike block falls over. So swords are banned from pushes on safety grounds. I have even chucked some quite senior officers out of a block for wearing a sword. If you look at the officers who push regularly, such as Stuart from Glenhams, they never wear a sword on the field. In that same way, I don’t wear my sword onto the field, because that would mean that I could not ‘fall on the back of the block’ when you guys need it.
Technically, you can wear a sword at point. However, when you consider how close Point combats get to pushes now-a-days, it is not a good idea - for the same reasons given earlier. Therefore pikemen with swords are a no-no in just about every combat environment.
You can wear a sword on a march or a drill display, but note that you should have passed your sword test first and, if you want to look authentic, you should have a plain pikeman’s tuck rather than a fancy rapier or mortuary sword.
Please note however, that there is nothing to stop any member of the regiment from learning any combat arm and taking part in demostrations with it. Indeed it has been the regiment's policy for a number of years to encourage members to develop skills in all of the arms that the regiment uses
It is also good to have a second string to your bow - for example at small LH type events when I don't have a block to boss around, I often run fighting schools for members of the regiment and kids, or talk to people about the SK and Rivers ...
So a pikeman who doesn't carry a sword on the field, but who gets involved with Sword demos at the living history session is more than acceptable
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