Crazy Medieval Combat Sports in Modern Times

Music: The Walwrath (Escape From Hell Mix) by Dhruva Aliman https://dhruvaaliman.bandcamp.com/album/road-of-fortunes http://www.dhruvaaliman.com/ ... Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/5XiFCr9iBKE6Cupltgnlet - The Wild World of Armored Combat League - You know those Renaissance fairs, where European history buffs and World of  Warcraft nerds dress in wizard’s robes, drink mead, and talk with “ye olde” accents? This is not that. The Armored Combat League is part of an international sport with members in more than 20 countries that prides itself on full contact, real steel, and unbridled wrath. The USA Knights – roughly 200 participants from nine regions across the country – train year-round to compete for top spots on the team and a chance to fight in the International Medieval Combat Federation’s world championships, held in Europe. “This is dangerous,” says Andre Sinou, a 48-year-old Marine Corps reservist and USA Knights captain. “Guys will buy cheap armor just so they can play, and they end up in the hospital.”

The rules for ACL fighting are simple. Some compete in individual contests, in which the winner is determined by the number of blows landed. Then there are “melees” – five on five or 16 versus 16, bashing each other in what looks like a metal-plated mosh pit; the last team standing in the fenced-in arena roughly a third of the size of a football field wins. If any three body parts touch the ground at once (feet included), you’re out. Surrender is also an option and often a wise one. (“If you have a guy in the corner getting blasted by a poleax,” Sinou says, “he may put his hand up and say, ‘I’ve had enough.’ ”) Hits to the back of the knee are illegal, as is thrusting. All weapons must have rounded or blunted edges and meet weight requirements, ensuring no one will get a limb hacked off or a skull crushed. Otherwise, nearly anything goes. Punching, kicking, leg sweeping, bull-rushing, and targeting exposed flesh are essential tactics. Bigger players who prefer close combat favor swords and hand axes; pole arms up to seven feet long are ideal for smaller speedsters who might strike at a distance or sneak up with a hockey-style cross-checking blow. Shields are used more for punishment than defense.

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