On a field in Aigues-Mortes, France, armies from 22 nations are clashing. Armed and armored in medieval style, the combatants are vying for the title in this years' Battle of the Nations western martial arts championship. The entire thing is being streamed live on YouTube. This isn't a contest of foam on foam or even blunted wooden swords—the weapons and armor are period-accurate, and the risk of injury is real.

The event runs from May 9 to May 12, and it includes "mass combat" with teams of 21 "knights" per squad. The armies assault each other in what to the uninitiated looks like an armored hockey fight without skates and ice. The US team is also streaming the event from its website and posting the replay from each day's activities. In two mass combat heats today, the US routed Team Italy in a little more than a minute without taking any "casualties" (when three body parts touch the ground, you're out). Later on, the Americans lost a hard-fought battle with Ukraine.

There are three other battle formats scheduled for the event, including 1-on-1 and 5-on-5. The "all against all" battles are still to come; in these matches participants are pulled into two armies and the side that includes the last man standing claims victory.