I taught a short class on spear tonight at Stormhold Heavy training using boffer training spears. The system I taught is not particularly historical but could lead to further historical study quite well – I hope. The aim was to teach something that would be useful quickly and appropriate for using in SCA armoured combat war scenarios.

Class notes below:

Spear Class

Purpose of the class; what this system is and what it is not. Further reading for those interested (Fiore, Mair)

Footwork

Simple step; advance, retreat

Increase; aka demilunge

Pass – passare, tornare

Gathering step

Lines:

· Inside/outside

· Low/high



Attacks

boars thrust – spear low and rising

greek thrust – spear chest high, hands in 4th

sliding thrust – pool cue, both hands stay on, rotating the hands

Imbroccata (aka swiss) – spear above the shoulders, rear hand in 1st, front hand in 4th

Distance drill (done for each thrust individually)

1. A& P moving

2. When either thinks they are in range call thrust, caller is A

3. P freezes, A thrusts with control

4. Check whether it would have landed

Defences

inside parry – point in

outside parry – turn the body aka face the weapon

high parry – window guard aka imbroccata thrust

low parry – squat beating the opponents spear downwards