“In the spirit of the stage gladiators”
News and Updates
Current Rankings for 2009
Here are the current competitive rankings for 2009. A few points to remember:
- Regardless of where you stand on this list, you must have fought 5 bouts in 2009 to qualify for the McBane, or 20 for the Gormon.
- Fencers who have officially retired from competition are not listed.
- I am listed because I'm still competing, but I have withdrawn from championship eligibility for this year.
1 Kuchavik, Adam 26
2 Halpin, Simon 25.5
3 Thompson, Christopher Scott 25.42
4 White-Lowther, Justin 23.5
5 Angiulo, Joe 22.6
6 Lawson, Kirk 22.5
7 Collins, Douglas 21.25
8 Charles, David L 21
8 Myers, Eric 21
9 Feher, Matt 20.5
10 Goodwin, Anna"Jack" 20
11 Rockwell, Tom 19.5
12 Park, Matt 19.42
13 Pfrenger, Ken 19
13 Lowry, Richard 19
14 Badillo, Tom 18.5
14 Jarvis, Simon 18.5
15 Okowita, Alex 18
15 Dickinson, Tierney 18
16 Daigle, Jordon 16
17 Ganser, Adam 13
17 Lowry, Nathan 13
Lopsided Bouts
To all fencers of the Broadsword League-
The Broadsword League Database has been updated and is available here:
http://www.cateransociety.com/broadswordleague.html
Although it's still relatively early in the 2009 competitive season, we've had a rash of extremely lopsided bouts.
A bout like this can be expected to happen from time to time, due to a variety of factors such as a great disparity in training or experience, or if one of the fencers is ill or exhausted. However, the purpose of the League is to hold bouts between broadsword fencers of broadly equivalent skills who wish to test their abilities against each other in friendly competition. Fencers of any level are free to compete, but extremely lopsided bouts should be a rare event and up until now they have been.
In the 268 bouts fought in 2007, there were only three bouts in which one fencer scored 10 touches or more while receiving 1 or less. There were also 2 bouts where one fencer scored 10 touches or more while receiving 2 or 3 touches.
In the 225 bouts fought in 2008, there was only one bout in which 1 fencer scored 10 touches or more while receiving 1 or less, and none in which one fencer scored 10 touches or more while receiving 2 or 3 touches.
In the first three months of 2009, we have received reports of 19 bouts in which one fencer scored 10 touches or more while receiving 1 or less, and 16 in which one fencer scored 10 touches or more while receiving 2 or 3 touches. In a number of cases the disparity was on the order of 18 or 20 touches to 0.
If a fencer is struck 18 or 20 times in a 5-minute period without offering a single strike in return, that fencer cannot be said to be adequately defending himself. To be repeatedly struck with an aluminum or wooden weapon while having no ability to defend yourself is liable to lead to an injury regardless of safety gear, and in many cases such a bout should probably have been stopped by the seconds or by the participants themselves. Given the decentralized and informal nature of the League, it is vital that bouts be fought with control and mutual respect. If one fencer is able to completely overwhelm another and strike him with impunity for five minutes, this suggests that the bout was fought at a dangerous level of intensity in the first place.
When bouts with lopsided outcomes were a rarity, there was no need to be concerned about them. However, the proportion of such bouts has jumped from 1 in 225 (in 2008) to 32 out of 65 in 2009 to date. As a result, the League is instituting a new policy effective immediately. This policy applies to all bouts from January 2009 onwards.
Any bout with a lopsided result is subject to review by League president Christopher Scott Thompson and League vice president Tom Badillo. Such bouts may be voided at our discretion. If your bout is voided, you may appeal the decision by submitting statements from both fencers and any seconds or other witnesses who can describe the bout. You may also appeal by submitting video of the bout for review.
As a competitor in the League as well as its president, I have been very reluctant to take steps of this type. However, the increase in lopsided bouts from less than half a percent to nearly fifty percent of the total leaves me no choice; something has to be done.
Because a number of my competitors' bouts will unfortunately have to be voided at this time, I am removing myself from championship competition for the 2009 season. If I finish the season with the highest average, the relevant championship title will be awarded to the competitor with the second highest average instead.
If your bout is currently listed in the Broadsword League Database, it will not be voided; all changes have already been made.
Anyone with questions or concerns may contact me at gilbride100@hotmail.com.
Current Top 10
Here are the figures so far for the current season:
1 Thompson, Christopher Scott- 26
2 White-Lowther, Justin- 23.5
3 Angiulo, Joe- 22
4 Lawson, Kirk- 22
5 Collins, Douglas- 21
6 Feher, Matt- 20.5
7 Badillo, Tom- 20.33
8 Park, Matt- 19.75
9 Charles, David L- 19.66
10 Pfrenger, Ken- 19
Broadsword League Championships 2008 and Rule Revisions for 2009
Announcing the official results of the Broadsword League Championships for 2008.
The winner of the "Gormon" (which is awarded to the fencer with the highest point average who has fought at least twenty bouts for the year) is Christopher Scott Thompson of the Cateran Society Broadsword Academy in Portland, ME, USA, with an average of 24.15 in 20 bouts.
The winner of the "McBane" (which is awarded to the fencer with the highest point average who has fought at least five bouts for the year but less than twenty) is Dirk Wolfram Neumann of the Glamorgan School of Arms in Swansea, Wales, with an average of 26.25 in 8 bouts.
There were other fencers with very good fighting averages, who might have won one of the international championships but were unable to because they didn't fight enough bouts in 2008. Thomas Arthur Jones, a Military Saber fencer from Lampeter, Wales, earned a 29-point average in 2 bouts. Jeremy Oneail, the McBane Champion for 2007, earned a 24.57 average in 7 bouts. While Jeremy fought enough bouts to qualify for the McBane, he lost this year to Dirk Wolfram Neumann. However, if he had been able to maintain the same average over twenty or more bouts, he would have won the Gormon. James Black of the Cateran Society Broadsword Academy earned a 24.46 average in 15 bouts. If James had been able to maintain the same average through just five more bouts, he also might have won the Gormon.
In light of these facts, I have made some revisions to the rules for 2009, to remove some of the barriers that may have prevented some Broadsword League fencers from fighting more often. Effective immediately, fencers may now fight each other as often as once per week. Also, if no seconds are available (a common problem in smaller schools) it is now acceptable to fence your bout on the "honor system." Please see the revised rules for more details.
The Broadsword League has a number of members with a background in classical styles of heavy saber. The standard set of Broadsword League rules is very different from a classical saber match, mandating an entirely different mindset and approach to the bout. However, our rules have always allowed for a high degree of flexibility and customization as well. I have decided to add a new type of optional bout, the "Five-Touch" match, which allows fencers to use a more traditional five-touch format while still earning points within the Broadsword League system. Again, please see the revised rules for more details.
One advantage of the optional Five-Touch bout format is that the bouts are more exciting for spectators than bouts fought according to the standard rules. An advantage to the standard rules, however, is that they mandate a very cautious approach similar to what one might expect to see in an encounter with sharps. Fencers in the Broadsword League will now have the option of deciding which of the two approaches they find most appealing on any given day. The revised rules have been extensively fight-tested in unofficial matches for the past several months, and I am confident that they will work.
Here are the complete rules as of February, 2009:
The Broadsword League
Broadsword, Backsword, Heavy Sabre and Singlestick
Rules for Conducting Challenges
(Revised February 2009)
Our goal is to use a rule system that is as simple and flexible as possible, to avoid bureaucracy and gamesmanship and maintain a martial spirit in our competitions.
1- All bouts are to be conducted in the spirit of an encounter with sharps, and the rules are not to be construed in such a way as to permit techniques that would not be possible in a fight with sharps. Manipulating the rules is specifically forbidden, and grounds for the match to be voided and a complaint to be filed with the League.
2- When a challenge has been given and accepted, the Broadsword League is to be informed of the date, time and place of the match, as well as the names and current rankings of the two principals, and the names of their seconds. No two members of the League may fight more than one official bout with each other per calendar week.
3- Each fencer is to bring one second to the match. The job of the seconds is to witness the match and verify the score. This requirement may be waived by mutual agreement if there are no seconds available, but only if the fencers agree to accept full responsibility for both the safety of the match and the results. This is called an "honor system" bout. In the event of any disagreement or dispute in an honor system bout, the match is to be considered void.
4- Fencers are to wear a minimum of a three-weapon mask, glove and jacket as protection during the bout. They may fence with any blunt broadsword or backsword, wooden, aluminum or otherwise appropriate waster, modified shinai or singlestick, but their weapons must be of the same type. Whatever type of weapon is used, the fencers must wear sufficient safety gear to avoid injury. The seconds must prevent the match if, in their judgment, the safety gear is insufficient.
5- Either second may stop the match at any time, either before or during the bout. If a second feels that the fencers are not fencing safely for any reason, it is his responsibility to call "halt." Once the safety issue has been addressed, the bout may resume. If a throw or fall occurs for any reason, or if a mask is knocked off, the bout is halted and the fencers are to return to the starting point, salute, and resume the bout. This rule applies no matter which type of bout is being fought. Seconds may also call a halt to inquire if their own or the opposing fencer was touched, however the judgement of the fencer in question is to be accepted except in egregious cases. If either second feels that the opposing fencer did not call touches accurately or otherwise observe the rules, the match is voided.
6- The fencers, through their seconds, must determine the type of bout to be fought. The following points must be determined: 1)- Will thrusts be allowed, or only cuts? 2)- Will the action of the bout stop on a touch? If the fencers agree to stop on a touch, the fencers are to re-center and resume the bout after the halt. 3)- Will grips be allowed? If grips are allowed, the fencers may grip each other in order to get a touch or a disarm, and may grip the opposing blade if they can do so in such a way that it would not cut them if the blades were sharp. If grips are allowed, the seconds are to call a halt and re-center the fencers if they get caught up in an extended clinch. In this type of bout, a disarm or a throw is to be counted as a touch. If grips are allowed, the action must stop on a touch. 4)- The fencers must determine whether the match shall be fought in an open area, on a fencing strip, or in a circle of any convenient size. If the bout is fought in a circle, stepping outside the circle with either foot is counted as a touch against.
7- The bout will begin after both fencers have saluted. A valid touch, anywhere on the body, must be acknowledged by the fencer who has been touched, and noted by his second. Each second has the responsibility of recording the touches against his own principal.
8- A valid touch is defined as a touch that, in the judgement of the affected fencer, would have drawn blood on him if the weapons had been sharp. Flat or grazing touches that would not have drawn blood are not counted, but should be acknowledged with the words "flat" or "light."
9- Bouts will continue for five minutes. At the end of the bout, the Broadsword League is to be informed of the results, along with the contact information for both principals and both seconds so the results may be confirmed. The ratings of the two fencers will be adjusted by the League according to the following method: The seconds record and report the number of touches against each fencer. Each fencer receives 25 points for participating in the bout, minus one point for every touch scored against him, plus ½ point for every touch scored against his opponent. ½ points are rounded down from the final score, and negative final scores are adjusted to zero points. Example: Fencer X and Fencer Y have a broadsword bout. Fencer X is touched 10 times and Fencer Y is touched 13 times. Fencer X receives 25 points for fencing, minus 10 points for the ten touches against him, plus 6 points for the touches he scored against Fencer Y. He receives a total of 21 points, to be added to his official ratings. Fencer Y receives 25 points for fencing, minus 13 points for the thirteen touches against him, plus 5 points for the touches he scored against Fencer X. He receives a total of 17 points, to be added to his official ratings.
10- The following types of special bout may be fought by agreement. Both types of special bout may also be combined into one. 1)- Off-Hand: Each fencer may choose a second weapon to use in his off-hand, such as a target, buckler, dagger or second sword. The off-hand weapons used by the fencers need not be identical. The seconds are not to allow the use of any unhistorical off-hand weapon. 2)- Five-Touch: This bout is scored differently than a standard Broadsword League bout, and is intended to allow for classical heavy saber matches within the Broadsword League framework. In this type of bout, the default rule is that double touches are to be disregarded. However, the fencers may voluntarily agree to fence the bout according to any mutually acceptable set of classical saber conventions. The fencer who first receives five touches has lost the bout. In a five-touch bout, Broadsword League points are earned according to a special scale. If the score is 5-0, the winner earns 26 points and the loser 16. If the score is 5-1, the winner earns 25 points and the loser 17. If the score is 5-2, the winner earns 24 points and the loser 18. If the score is 5-3, the winner earns 23 points and the loser 19. If the score is 5-4, the winner earns 22 points and the loser 20.
International, National and Regional Championships
Note: In the first year of the League's existence, the international championships were awarded on a different basis than what is described below. The Gormon was awarded to whoever earned the most points for the year, and the McBane to the holder of the best overall average. The rules described below went into effect on January 1, 2008.
To claim any Regional Championship title, you must have fought at least five bouts in that region, and you must have the highest average of points earned per bout of any fencer in that region for the previous year. The region in question can be a city, state, province or any other division of territory.
For instance, if you are a Broadsword League member in New York City, and you have fought at least five bouts in the city since you joined the League, and your average for 2007 was the highest of any League member in New York, then you can describe yourself as the Broadsword League Champion of New York City for 2007.
The same principle applies to National Championships, except that you must have fought at least ten bouts in a particular nation in order to claim to be its champion.
Regional and National Championships are not actually awarded by the League- they are simply claimed, under the conditions described above, by whichever swordsman can earn the title.
The Broadsword League awards three International trophies, along with the title of "Broadsword Champion." These trophies are the Gormon, the McBane and the Figg. These three championships are named after great Stage Gladiators of the 18th century.
The Gormon is awarded at the end of each year to the fencer with the best year-to-date average who has fought at least 20 Broadsword League bouts for the year. The McBane is awarded at the end of each year to the fencer with the best year-to-date average who has fought at least 5 but less than 20 Broadsword League bouts for the year.
If the winner of the Gormon and the winner of the McBane agree to meet for a challenge match, the fencer who earns the most points in that match will be awarded the Figg, as well as the title of "Broadsword League Grand Champion."
2008 Competition Season Completed! (January, 2009): Our second season of competition is officially completed, and despite the (hopefully temporary) demise of the monthly Open Challenge in Portland, we managed to get a lot of bouts in this year. Results of the two championship competitions will be posted soon. If there are any bouts I don't know about yet, you have one more week to get me the info before I make the results for 2008 official. -Chris T.
New Format for Broadsword League Site (December, 2008): The Broadsword League website has been moved over to ning.com (except for an intro page at the old location). This allows us to do several fun things with our site. We can now post or embed any videos of League matches directly to the site. All current videos of League matches have already been added. Members can create blogs on the site, or hold discussions in the forum. The membership lists, statistics etc have all been included on the new site. You don't have to become a member at ning.com to remain a member of the League, but please do sign up as it will allow you to use all of the features of the new site: http://broadswordleague.ning.com/
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Wales (August, 2008): Anna "Jack" Goodwin, Kit Mitchell, Jonathan Baker, Andrew Baker, Simon Halpin and Dirk Wolfram Neumann participated in the Swansea Broadsword League's Open Challenge, held at a Roman amphitheater in Carmarthen, Wales.
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed at ISMAC (August, 2008): Bruce Aller, Tom Badillo, Ben Bykhovsky, Mark Rainey and Kirk Lawson competed at the ISMAC gathering in Detroit, MI. Check the Match Archives for results. Competitors, remember that you must fight a minimum of 5 times in 2008 to be eligible for the McBane, and 20 times for the Gormon.
Broadsword League Open Challenges Cancelled in Maine (June and July, 2008): The June and July open challenges in Maine were cancelled due to the birth of Christopher Scott Thompson's new daughter Leila. We hope to be back on track for August!
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Wales (June, 2008): Anna "Jack" Goodwin, Kit Mitchell, Jonathan Baker and Dirk Wolfram Neumann participated in the Swansea Broadsword League's first official Open Challenge, hopefully the first of many to come!
New Broadsword League Officers (June, 2008): Anna "Jack" Goodwin, Kit Mitchell, and Dirk Wolfram Neumann have volunteered to function as officers of the Broadsword League, coordinating events in the Swansea, UK and surrounding areas. We look forward to working with them.
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (May, 2008): Matt Park earned an average of 23.3 points, while Melian Young earned 21, Christopher Scott Thompson earned 24 and James Black earned 25.6. Each fencer fought three bouts.
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (April, 2008): Chris Thompson was back in the game this month after recovering from his injury, earning an average of 24.3 points for the night in three bouts. Matt Park earned an average of 22.3 points, while Melian Young earned 21.3 and James Black earned a phenomenal 25.3. Each fencer fought three bouts.
Norm Morin Reaches Ninth Rank (April, 2008): Norm Morin of the Academy of Knightly Arts in Danielson, CT reached the 9th rank this month by passing 1000 points earned in competition. Congratulations, Norm!
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Connecticut (April, 2008): The Academy of Knightly Arts in Danielson, CT hosted a very successful open challenge on Saturday, April 5, attracting a number of combatants. Check the match archives for details and results.
New Broadsword League Officer: (April, 2008): Rev. Jim Tewksbury, our winner of the Gormon for 2008, is now an official officer of the Broadsword League. At the Academy of Knightly Arts in Danielson CT, he will be hosting a bimonthly open challenge starting this Saturday April 5 at noon. Dates for upcoming challenges include:
April 5th
June 7th
Aug 2nd
The address is:
Mill Complex
16 Maple Street
Danielson, CT
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (March, 2008): Our Open Challenge this month was once again a small in-house affair, partly because instructor Chris Thompson was sidelined by an injury. All three fencers earned an average of at least twenty points, improving their yearly and lifetime standings. Good job Matt Park, Melian Young and James Black!
Broadsword League Yearbook Available (February, 2008): http://www.lulu.com/content/1941649
The first annual Broadsword League yearbook, containing not only statistics and info on our 2007 competition season, but numerous exciting anecdotes and legends from the history of the broadsword- including a detailed account of the legendary Donald McBane's final duel, as well as a new transcription of Lonnergan's backsword manual of 1771, and much more.
Hardcover book $25.00
Download: $5.00
Download: 1 documents, 9900 KB
Printed: 103 pages, 8.25" x 10.75", casewrap-hardcover binding, white interior paper (50# weight), black and white interior ink, white exterior paper (100# weight), full-color exterior ink
Contents Include:
Broadsword League Officers 2007
2007 Rules for Conducting Challenges
2008 Rules for Conducting Challenges
Top Ten Broadsword League Fencers 2007
Broadsword League International Champions 2007
International, National and Regional Championships
Ranking System
Legends of the Broadsword: The Sword Players
Broadsword League Action Shots 2007
Legends of the Broadsword: McBane vs O’Brian: June 23, 1726
Broadsword League Member List 2007
Legends of the Broadsword: The Duel of the O’Connors
Legends of the Broadsword: Ronald of the Shield
Broadsword League Match Archives 2007
Legends of the Broadsword: Clergyman with a Claymore
Legends of the Broadsword: "Traitor" Colquhoun
Legends of the Broadsword: An Incident of Waterloo
Broadsword League Competitive Statistics for 2007
Legends of the Broadsword: The Butchers of Silk Buttons
Legends of the Broadsword: Two Against One
Legends of the Broadsword: Backsword vs Rapier
Legends of the Broadsword: Duel Between Ensign Basil Lee and Lt. Colin Frazer
Broadsword League News Archive 2007
Legends of the Broadsword: Duel Between Cameron of Errachd vs Murshiorlaich
Legends of the Broadsword: The Broadsword in the New World
Legends of the Broadsword: Stage Gladiators in America
Legends of the Broadsword: Jaguarina, Queen of the Sword
Broadsword League Action Shots 2007
Legends of the Broadsword: The One Man Army
Legends of the Broadsword: Charles Metcalfe MacGregor, a Highland Warrior in Asia
The Fencer’s Guide to the Backsword, by Andrew Lonnergan, 1771:
a new transcription by Christopher Scott Thompson
Appendix: The Real MacLeod?
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (February, 2008): Our Open Challenge this month was a small in-house affair, featuring several bouts with steel broadswords and a few with aluminum. The big winner on this occasion was James Black, who earned a 24.75 point average for the day. Good fighting, James!
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (January, 2008): Our first Open Challenge of the year was fought exclusively with aluminum broadswords from the Hollywood Combat Center. You'll be able to see the videos on Youtube soon, including an exciting broadsword and cutlass bout between Matt Park and Chris Thompson!
New Rules for 2008: The rules for conducting challenges have been revised for 2008. Complete details can be found on the Rules page, but here is a brief summary. The "All-In" option no longer exists, having been replaced by a new rule permitting the use of grips by agreement of the fencers. In addition, we have added two new options- Off-Hand bouts and Headhunting bouts. In an Off-Hand bout you may use a second weapon such as a target or parrying dagger, and in a Headhunting bout, only hits to the mask are counted toward the score. These special formats are completely optional. The McBane for 2008 will be awarded to the fencer with the highest average of points earned per bout among fencers who have fought at least five but fewer than twenty bouts by the end of the year. The Gormon for 2008 will be awarded to the fencer with the highest average of points earned per bout among fencers who have fought at least twenty bouts by the end of the year. Because of the new format, the top ten list will be based on the average rather than the total number of points earned. It is also possible to claim local, regional or national championships now- see the Rules for more details.
Two Fencers Earn Ninth Rank: Rev. Jim Tewksbury and Christopher Scott Thompson each earned more than 1000 points in 2007, moving up to the Ninth Rank in the Broadsword League Ranking System.
Final Results for 2007: Rev. Jim Tewksbury of the Academy of Knightly Arts has won our competition for the Gormon, with Christopher Scott Thompson of the Cateran Society Broadsword Academy in second place, followed by Norman Morin of the Academy of Knightly Arts, Matt Park of the Cateran Society Broadsword Academy, Jason Thompson of the Rillway Combative Academy, James Black of the Cateran Society Broadsword Academy, Melian Young of the Cateran Society Broadsword Academy, Joshua Tewksbury of the Academy of Knightly Arts, Dan Desilets of the Academy of Knightly Arts, and Mark Anthony who is not affiliated with a specific school. Jeremy Oneail has won our competition for the McBane, followed by Jason Thompson of the Rillway Combative Academy. Jason came in second by only .02 points! He was followed by Daniel Sorensen of the Colorado Swordsmen, Paul Wagner of the Stoccata School of Defence, Matthew Cacy of the Highland Recrudescense Guild, Christopher Scott Thompson of the Cateran Society Broadsword Academy, James Black of the Cateran Society Broadsword Academy, Mark Anthony, Gemini Asonte of De Grendelus Medieval Martial Arts and David Teague of the Highland Recrudescense Guild (both tied for ninth place) and Brian Swedis of the Academy of Knightly Arts. Congratulations to Rev. Jim Tewksbury and Jeremy Oneail, and to the Academy of Knightly Arts of which they are both members. The primary focus of the Academy is on the longsword of Fiore, but they also compete with the broadsword. Congratulations to all of our top ten competitors, and thank you to all the members who made the first year of the Broadsword League such a success.
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (December, 2007): Many of our regular competitors were not present this month, but we did have some new visitors from the Rillway Combative Academy, a school dedicated to researching the methods of the ancient Norse Berserkers. Jason Thompson, a frequent League competitor, is a member of this school. The bouts that we did have this month were unusual and interesting, wrapping up our first season of League competition.
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (November, 2007): We had so many bouts this month that we went a full two and a half hours, and there were several spectators. Al Giusto of Bo Fung Do Tactics amazed us all with a disarm followed by a sliding attack that propelled him across the floor on his knees to score a touch against Matt Park. Al's background is in the Chinese arts, including Bo Fung Do, Wing Chun and Monkey Kung Fu. Nevertheless he competed with the unfamiliar singlestick and basket-hilted broadsword, even treating us to a little of the Drunken Style in his matches. Jason Thompson of the Rillway Combative Academy had more than one bout over 25 points including one 30 point bout, but even this was eclipsed by Matt Park's final bout, where he earned 31 points against Rob Pelchat. Matt set the tone for us all with some extremely dynamic fencing, raising the intensity level for all of us. Just one month to go!
Competition for Gormon and McBane Opens Up (November, 2007): With only a few weeks left in our first season, the competition for the McBane has suddenly opened wide up, with a few dark horses appearing at the last moment for a shot at the title. Jeremy Oneail of the Academy of Knightly Arts earned an incredible average of 25 points in his first seven bouts, displacing both Paul Wagner and Daniel Sorensen. Meanwhile Thomas Jones of Wales also fought his first bout and earned 25 points, putting Oneail and Jones in a dead heat. As of 2008, a fencer will need to have fought at least five bouts to qualify for the McBane, but that rule is not yet in force. Jason Thompson is also making a strong bid for the title, and is only fractions of a point behind the leaders after several very strong bouts. In the competition for the Gormon, Rev. Tewksbury of the Academy of Knightly Arts has pulled ahead of Christopher Scott Thompson after trailing him for most of the season. The Academy of Knightly Arts stands a very good chance of capturing both titles. Their focus is on the teachings of Fiore Di Liberi.
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (October, 2007): Jason Thompson achieved an unprecedented feat at our Open Challenge this month, pulling off a clean throw against Matt Park in an all-in bout. This option will no longer be available in 2008, but it earned Jason an extra 5 points in his quest for the McBane, moving him into serious contention. Jason represents the Rillway Combative Academy of Montana.
Tight Competition for Gormon and McBane (October, 2007): Our first year as a League is already producing some very tight competition for our two international championship titles. Rev. Tewksbury, with 27 bouts and 551 points to his credit, is only 149 points behind Christopher Scott Thompson (with 700 points and 30 bouts) in the fight for the Gormon. A single Open Challenge day would be enough for Tewksbury to catch Thompson, and in fact Tewksbury was ahead for a few days in September. Starting in 2008, both championships will be determined by averages, but for the remainder of the year it's a race to accumulate points. As for the McBane (which is already determined by averages), Paul Wagner fought Daniel Sorensen in a much-discussed bout, and Sorensen pulled into first place. Wagner then fought two bouts in Alaska against David Teague and Matt Cacy, bringing his average up to within .036 of a point of Sorensen's. In the competition for the McBane, a single bout by either Wagner or Sorensen could change the standings. Thanks to our fencers for providing two such close races for the championships.
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (September, 2007): The Open Challenge in Maine this month was a very active one, with two fencers from outside our club and a total of 13 bouts in a two hour period. The action was often intense, but the fencing was conservative. At one point in the bout between James Black and Mark Anthony, a furious exchange of attacks and parries fought in the corner of the room produced the only touch of the match when Mark succeeded in breaking through James' defense. The spectators were treated to some spectacular fencing, and we're very pleased with the outcome.
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (August, 2007): We had one fencer from outside our club attend this month- Mark Anthony, who is currently in top-ten contention for both the Gormonand the McBane. James Black, of the Cateran Society Broadsword Academy, once again earned a total of 77 points in his three matches for a "better than perfect" score.
Announcing the "Gormon," the "McBane," and the "Figg"(August, 2007): As most of the League fencers already know, the Broadsword League Championship for the year is determined by the total number of points earned, with the fencer who earns the most points for the year claiming the title of Broadsword Champion for that year. The reason for this arrangement is to encourage League fencers to fight as often as possible in order to earn points for the competition. However, not all League fencers have regular access to other members of the League. Therefore it has been decided that two Championships will be awarded per year, the "Gormon" and the "McBane." The "Gormon" will be awarded to the fencer who earns the most points for the year, while the "McBane" will be awarded to the fencer with the highest average points earned per bout. So, even if you only get a chance to fence a single bout this year, you still have the opportunity to win the "McBane" and share the title of Broadsword Champion for the year with the winner of the "Gormon." Both Championships are named after great Stage Gladiators of the 18th century. In the unlikely event that a single fencer wins both Championships in the same year, he or she will be awarded the "Figg," named after the greatest of the Stage Gladiators. Good luck!
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Connecticut (August, 2007): The Academy of Knightly Arts in Danielson, CT hosted a very successful Open Challenge on August 12, which was covered in the local press and attracted a small number of spectators. Matches were fought from 10 AM till 3 PM. A total of 23 bouts were contested, nearly a third of the total number of League matches to date.
Broadsword League Open Challenge in Connecticut Scheduled for August 12 (July, 2007)- The Academy of Knightly Arts will be hosting another Open Challenge in Danielson, CT on August 12. Check out the link on our home page for more details.
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (July, 2007): We had a small, in-house Open Challenge this month, because no fencers from outside our club attended. Congratulations to James Black, who earned a total of 77 points in his three matches- a "better than perfect" score!
Video of Open Challenge Now Up on Youtube (July, 2007): We just put together a short trailer for the new Broadsword Academy location, featuring selected clips from the Open Challenge on 6/29. Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTJ1iZy92aU
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (June, 2007): The Cateran Society Broadsword Academy has a new studio at 155 Brackett St, Portland, ME, which will be the home of a Broadsword League Open Challenge on the last Friday of every month. We held our first Challenge at the new location on 6/29, and had two challengers from out of state as well as our regular Broadsword Academy fencers.
Broadsword League Open Challenges Completed in Ohio and Connecticut (June, 2007): We just had our first impromptu Open Challenge at the Cumann Bhata Recreational Violence Weekend in Ohio, and our first official Open Challenge at the Academy of Knightly Arts in Danielson, Connecticut. Thanks to Ken Pfrenger and his wife Shannon (possibly the world's greatest hostess) for making the Ohio Challenge possible, and thanks to the Rev. James Tewksbury and his household for hosting the Connecticut event. We all fought a lot of broadsword bouts and had a wonderful time.
Meet Norman Morin (June, 2007): Norman Morin, a student of the Academy of Knightly Arts in Danielson, CT, has just volunteered to be the official Statistician for the Broadsword League. He'll be preparing a variety of statistics for us- such numbers as average hits received and inflicted per bout, average points earned per bout, and that sort of thing- as well as maintaining the official ratings. Thanks to Norman, you'll soon be able to get a much better picture of what sort of opponent you're liable to face, before you send out that challenge. Welcome aboard, Norman.
New Rules and Rating System (June, 2007): After a great deal of thought, I concluded that the ELO rating system was not going to be the most effective method for us. The rules as originally written resulted in a large number of mutual hits, and a general approach to fencing that was inconsistent with the idea of simulating an encounter with sharps. While there is obviously no way to actually make a fencing bout anything like an encounter with sharps, I strongly believe that the rules should at least encourage the tactical approach that would be most likely to keep the fencer alive in such an encounter. Also, under the ELO system, a few defeats could easily put a fencer so far behind in the ratings that he would not be motivated to seek out or accept further challenges. Therefore after discussion with a number of other broadsword and heavy sabre fencers, I worked out a new system of rules and experimented with them at the Broadsword League Open Challenge Day in Danielson, CT. Under the new system, each fencer receives 25 points just for fencing, with one point deducted from his rating for every touch he receives, and ½ point added to his rating for every touch he inflicts. At the end of each year, the League will award a trophy of some kind to the fencer who has earned the most points for that year, along with the title of "Broadsword Champion". Under the new system, it cannot possibly hurt your rating to accept or make a challenge- the worst that can happen is that you will earn no points. It is in your best interest to fence as often as possible. Another feature of the new system, is that it can only help you in the long run to fence as if the weapons were sharp, and it can only hurt your competitive chances to fence recklessly or cause mutual hits. If you and your opponent simply strike each other repeatedly, you could end up with a lot of effort and very few points. On the other hand, if both you and your partner fence as if the weapons were sharp, you could both earn a large number of points for the bout even if one of you did a little bit better than the other. The point, in other words, is not to win or lose individual matches, but to fence as if you were trying to stay alive. I hope this new rating system will encourage good, clean and martially valid fencing- and that it will prove to be a lot of fun!
-Chris Thompson
Here are the current competitive rankings for 2009. A few points to remember:
- Regardless of where you stand on this list, you must have fought 5 bouts in 2009 to qualify for the McBane, or 20 for the Gormon.
- Fencers who have officially retired from competition are not listed.
- I am listed because I'm still competing, but I have withdrawn from championship eligibility for this year.
1 Kuchavik, Adam 26
2 Halpin, Simon 25.5
3 Thompson, Christopher Scott 25.42
4 White-Lowther, Justin 23.5
5 Angiulo, Joe 22.6
6 Lawson, Kirk 22.5
7 Collins, Douglas 21.25
8 Charles, David L 21
8 Myers, Eric 21
9 Feher, Matt 20.5
10 Goodwin, Anna"Jack" 20
11 Rockwell, Tom 19.5
12 Park, Matt 19.42
13 Pfrenger, Ken 19
13 Lowry, Richard 19
14 Badillo, Tom 18.5
14 Jarvis, Simon 18.5
15 Okowita, Alex 18
15 Dickinson, Tierney 18
16 Daigle, Jordon 16
17 Ganser, Adam 13
17 Lowry, Nathan 13
Lopsided Bouts
To all fencers of the Broadsword League-
The Broadsword League Database has been updated and is available here:
http://www.cateransociety.com/broadswordleague.html
Although it's still relatively early in the 2009 competitive season, we've had a rash of extremely lopsided bouts.
A bout like this can be expected to happen from time to time, due to a variety of factors such as a great disparity in training or experience, or if one of the fencers is ill or exhausted. However, the purpose of the League is to hold bouts between broadsword fencers of broadly equivalent skills who wish to test their abilities against each other in friendly competition. Fencers of any level are free to compete, but extremely lopsided bouts should be a rare event and up until now they have been.
In the 268 bouts fought in 2007, there were only three bouts in which one fencer scored 10 touches or more while receiving 1 or less. There were also 2 bouts where one fencer scored 10 touches or more while receiving 2 or 3 touches.
In the 225 bouts fought in 2008, there was only one bout in which 1 fencer scored 10 touches or more while receiving 1 or less, and none in which one fencer scored 10 touches or more while receiving 2 or 3 touches.
In the first three months of 2009, we have received reports of 19 bouts in which one fencer scored 10 touches or more while receiving 1 or less, and 16 in which one fencer scored 10 touches or more while receiving 2 or 3 touches. In a number of cases the disparity was on the order of 18 or 20 touches to 0.
If a fencer is struck 18 or 20 times in a 5-minute period without offering a single strike in return, that fencer cannot be said to be adequately defending himself. To be repeatedly struck with an aluminum or wooden weapon while having no ability to defend yourself is liable to lead to an injury regardless of safety gear, and in many cases such a bout should probably have been stopped by the seconds or by the participants themselves. Given the decentralized and informal nature of the League, it is vital that bouts be fought with control and mutual respect. If one fencer is able to completely overwhelm another and strike him with impunity for five minutes, this suggests that the bout was fought at a dangerous level of intensity in the first place.
When bouts with lopsided outcomes were a rarity, there was no need to be concerned about them. However, the proportion of such bouts has jumped from 1 in 225 (in 2008) to 32 out of 65 in 2009 to date. As a result, the League is instituting a new policy effective immediately. This policy applies to all bouts from January 2009 onwards.
Any bout with a lopsided result is subject to review by League president Christopher Scott Thompson and League vice president Tom Badillo. Such bouts may be voided at our discretion. If your bout is voided, you may appeal the decision by submitting statements from both fencers and any seconds or other witnesses who can describe the bout. You may also appeal by submitting video of the bout for review.
As a competitor in the League as well as its president, I have been very reluctant to take steps of this type. However, the increase in lopsided bouts from less than half a percent to nearly fifty percent of the total leaves me no choice; something has to be done.
Because a number of my competitors' bouts will unfortunately have to be voided at this time, I am removing myself from championship competition for the 2009 season. If I finish the season with the highest average, the relevant championship title will be awarded to the competitor with the second highest average instead.
If your bout is currently listed in the Broadsword League Database, it will not be voided; all changes have already been made.
Anyone with questions or concerns may contact me at gilbride100@hotmail.com.
Current Top 10
Here are the figures so far for the current season:
1 Thompson, Christopher Scott- 26
2 White-Lowther, Justin- 23.5
3 Angiulo, Joe- 22
4 Lawson, Kirk- 22
5 Collins, Douglas- 21
6 Feher, Matt- 20.5
7 Badillo, Tom- 20.33
8 Park, Matt- 19.75
9 Charles, David L- 19.66
10 Pfrenger, Ken- 19
Broadsword League Championships 2008 and Rule Revisions for 2009
Announcing the official results of the Broadsword League Championships for 2008.
The winner of the "Gormon" (which is awarded to the fencer with the highest point average who has fought at least twenty bouts for the year) is Christopher Scott Thompson of the Cateran Society Broadsword Academy in Portland, ME, USA, with an average of 24.15 in 20 bouts.
The winner of the "McBane" (which is awarded to the fencer with the highest point average who has fought at least five bouts for the year but less than twenty) is Dirk Wolfram Neumann of the Glamorgan School of Arms in Swansea, Wales, with an average of 26.25 in 8 bouts.
There were other fencers with very good fighting averages, who might have won one of the international championships but were unable to because they didn't fight enough bouts in 2008. Thomas Arthur Jones, a Military Saber fencer from Lampeter, Wales, earned a 29-point average in 2 bouts. Jeremy Oneail, the McBane Champion for 2007, earned a 24.57 average in 7 bouts. While Jeremy fought enough bouts to qualify for the McBane, he lost this year to Dirk Wolfram Neumann. However, if he had been able to maintain the same average over twenty or more bouts, he would have won the Gormon. James Black of the Cateran Society Broadsword Academy earned a 24.46 average in 15 bouts. If James had been able to maintain the same average through just five more bouts, he also might have won the Gormon.
In light of these facts, I have made some revisions to the rules for 2009, to remove some of the barriers that may have prevented some Broadsword League fencers from fighting more often. Effective immediately, fencers may now fight each other as often as once per week. Also, if no seconds are available (a common problem in smaller schools) it is now acceptable to fence your bout on the "honor system." Please see the revised rules for more details.
The Broadsword League has a number of members with a background in classical styles of heavy saber. The standard set of Broadsword League rules is very different from a classical saber match, mandating an entirely different mindset and approach to the bout. However, our rules have always allowed for a high degree of flexibility and customization as well. I have decided to add a new type of optional bout, the "Five-Touch" match, which allows fencers to use a more traditional five-touch format while still earning points within the Broadsword League system. Again, please see the revised rules for more details.
One advantage of the optional Five-Touch bout format is that the bouts are more exciting for spectators than bouts fought according to the standard rules. An advantage to the standard rules, however, is that they mandate a very cautious approach similar to what one might expect to see in an encounter with sharps. Fencers in the Broadsword League will now have the option of deciding which of the two approaches they find most appealing on any given day. The revised rules have been extensively fight-tested in unofficial matches for the past several months, and I am confident that they will work.
Here are the complete rules as of February, 2009:
The Broadsword League
Broadsword, Backsword, Heavy Sabre and Singlestick
Rules for Conducting Challenges
(Revised February 2009)
Our goal is to use a rule system that is as simple and flexible as possible, to avoid bureaucracy and gamesmanship and maintain a martial spirit in our competitions.
1- All bouts are to be conducted in the spirit of an encounter with sharps, and the rules are not to be construed in such a way as to permit techniques that would not be possible in a fight with sharps. Manipulating the rules is specifically forbidden, and grounds for the match to be voided and a complaint to be filed with the League.
2- When a challenge has been given and accepted, the Broadsword League is to be informed of the date, time and place of the match, as well as the names and current rankings of the two principals, and the names of their seconds. No two members of the League may fight more than one official bout with each other per calendar week.
3- Each fencer is to bring one second to the match. The job of the seconds is to witness the match and verify the score. This requirement may be waived by mutual agreement if there are no seconds available, but only if the fencers agree to accept full responsibility for both the safety of the match and the results. This is called an "honor system" bout. In the event of any disagreement or dispute in an honor system bout, the match is to be considered void.
4- Fencers are to wear a minimum of a three-weapon mask, glove and jacket as protection during the bout. They may fence with any blunt broadsword or backsword, wooden, aluminum or otherwise appropriate waster, modified shinai or singlestick, but their weapons must be of the same type. Whatever type of weapon is used, the fencers must wear sufficient safety gear to avoid injury. The seconds must prevent the match if, in their judgment, the safety gear is insufficient.
5- Either second may stop the match at any time, either before or during the bout. If a second feels that the fencers are not fencing safely for any reason, it is his responsibility to call "halt." Once the safety issue has been addressed, the bout may resume. If a throw or fall occurs for any reason, or if a mask is knocked off, the bout is halted and the fencers are to return to the starting point, salute, and resume the bout. This rule applies no matter which type of bout is being fought. Seconds may also call a halt to inquire if their own or the opposing fencer was touched, however the judgement of the fencer in question is to be accepted except in egregious cases. If either second feels that the opposing fencer did not call touches accurately or otherwise observe the rules, the match is voided.
6- The fencers, through their seconds, must determine the type of bout to be fought. The following points must be determined: 1)- Will thrusts be allowed, or only cuts? 2)- Will the action of the bout stop on a touch? If the fencers agree to stop on a touch, the fencers are to re-center and resume the bout after the halt. 3)- Will grips be allowed? If grips are allowed, the fencers may grip each other in order to get a touch or a disarm, and may grip the opposing blade if they can do so in such a way that it would not cut them if the blades were sharp. If grips are allowed, the seconds are to call a halt and re-center the fencers if they get caught up in an extended clinch. In this type of bout, a disarm or a throw is to be counted as a touch. If grips are allowed, the action must stop on a touch. 4)- The fencers must determine whether the match shall be fought in an open area, on a fencing strip, or in a circle of any convenient size. If the bout is fought in a circle, stepping outside the circle with either foot is counted as a touch against.
7- The bout will begin after both fencers have saluted. A valid touch, anywhere on the body, must be acknowledged by the fencer who has been touched, and noted by his second. Each second has the responsibility of recording the touches against his own principal.
8- A valid touch is defined as a touch that, in the judgement of the affected fencer, would have drawn blood on him if the weapons had been sharp. Flat or grazing touches that would not have drawn blood are not counted, but should be acknowledged with the words "flat" or "light."
9- Bouts will continue for five minutes. At the end of the bout, the Broadsword League is to be informed of the results, along with the contact information for both principals and both seconds so the results may be confirmed. The ratings of the two fencers will be adjusted by the League according to the following method: The seconds record and report the number of touches against each fencer. Each fencer receives 25 points for participating in the bout, minus one point for every touch scored against him, plus ½ point for every touch scored against his opponent. ½ points are rounded down from the final score, and negative final scores are adjusted to zero points. Example: Fencer X and Fencer Y have a broadsword bout. Fencer X is touched 10 times and Fencer Y is touched 13 times. Fencer X receives 25 points for fencing, minus 10 points for the ten touches against him, plus 6 points for the touches he scored against Fencer Y. He receives a total of 21 points, to be added to his official ratings. Fencer Y receives 25 points for fencing, minus 13 points for the thirteen touches against him, plus 5 points for the touches he scored against Fencer X. He receives a total of 17 points, to be added to his official ratings.
10- The following types of special bout may be fought by agreement. Both types of special bout may also be combined into one. 1)- Off-Hand: Each fencer may choose a second weapon to use in his off-hand, such as a target, buckler, dagger or second sword. The off-hand weapons used by the fencers need not be identical. The seconds are not to allow the use of any unhistorical off-hand weapon. 2)- Five-Touch: This bout is scored differently than a standard Broadsword League bout, and is intended to allow for classical heavy saber matches within the Broadsword League framework. In this type of bout, the default rule is that double touches are to be disregarded. However, the fencers may voluntarily agree to fence the bout according to any mutually acceptable set of classical saber conventions. The fencer who first receives five touches has lost the bout. In a five-touch bout, Broadsword League points are earned according to a special scale. If the score is 5-0, the winner earns 26 points and the loser 16. If the score is 5-1, the winner earns 25 points and the loser 17. If the score is 5-2, the winner earns 24 points and the loser 18. If the score is 5-3, the winner earns 23 points and the loser 19. If the score is 5-4, the winner earns 22 points and the loser 20.
International, National and Regional Championships
Note: In the first year of the League's existence, the international championships were awarded on a different basis than what is described below. The Gormon was awarded to whoever earned the most points for the year, and the McBane to the holder of the best overall average. The rules described below went into effect on January 1, 2008.
To claim any Regional Championship title, you must have fought at least five bouts in that region, and you must have the highest average of points earned per bout of any fencer in that region for the previous year. The region in question can be a city, state, province or any other division of territory.
For instance, if you are a Broadsword League member in New York City, and you have fought at least five bouts in the city since you joined the League, and your average for 2007 was the highest of any League member in New York, then you can describe yourself as the Broadsword League Champion of New York City for 2007.
The same principle applies to National Championships, except that you must have fought at least ten bouts in a particular nation in order to claim to be its champion.
Regional and National Championships are not actually awarded by the League- they are simply claimed, under the conditions described above, by whichever swordsman can earn the title.
The Broadsword League awards three International trophies, along with the title of "Broadsword Champion." These trophies are the Gormon, the McBane and the Figg. These three championships are named after great Stage Gladiators of the 18th century.
The Gormon is awarded at the end of each year to the fencer with the best year-to-date average who has fought at least 20 Broadsword League bouts for the year. The McBane is awarded at the end of each year to the fencer with the best year-to-date average who has fought at least 5 but less than 20 Broadsword League bouts for the year.
If the winner of the Gormon and the winner of the McBane agree to meet for a challenge match, the fencer who earns the most points in that match will be awarded the Figg, as well as the title of "Broadsword League Grand Champion."
2008 Competition Season Completed! (January, 2009): Our second season of competition is officially completed, and despite the (hopefully temporary) demise of the monthly Open Challenge in Portland, we managed to get a lot of bouts in this year. Results of the two championship competitions will be posted soon. If there are any bouts I don't know about yet, you have one more week to get me the info before I make the results for 2008 official. -Chris T.
New Format for Broadsword League Site (December, 2008): The Broadsword League website has been moved over to ning.com (except for an intro page at the old location). This allows us to do several fun things with our site. We can now post or embed any videos of League matches directly to the site. All current videos of League matches have already been added. Members can create blogs on the site, or hold discussions in the forum. The membership lists, statistics etc have all been included on the new site. You don't have to become a member at ning.com to remain a member of the League, but please do sign up as it will allow you to use all of the features of the new site: http://broadswordleague.ning.com/
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Wales (August, 2008): Anna "Jack" Goodwin, Kit Mitchell, Jonathan Baker, Andrew Baker, Simon Halpin and Dirk Wolfram Neumann participated in the Swansea Broadsword League's Open Challenge, held at a Roman amphitheater in Carmarthen, Wales.
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed at ISMAC (August, 2008): Bruce Aller, Tom Badillo, Ben Bykhovsky, Mark Rainey and Kirk Lawson competed at the ISMAC gathering in Detroit, MI. Check the Match Archives for results. Competitors, remember that you must fight a minimum of 5 times in 2008 to be eligible for the McBane, and 20 times for the Gormon.
Broadsword League Open Challenges Cancelled in Maine (June and July, 2008): The June and July open challenges in Maine were cancelled due to the birth of Christopher Scott Thompson's new daughter Leila. We hope to be back on track for August!
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Wales (June, 2008): Anna "Jack" Goodwin, Kit Mitchell, Jonathan Baker and Dirk Wolfram Neumann participated in the Swansea Broadsword League's first official Open Challenge, hopefully the first of many to come!
New Broadsword League Officers (June, 2008): Anna "Jack" Goodwin, Kit Mitchell, and Dirk Wolfram Neumann have volunteered to function as officers of the Broadsword League, coordinating events in the Swansea, UK and surrounding areas. We look forward to working with them.
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (May, 2008): Matt Park earned an average of 23.3 points, while Melian Young earned 21, Christopher Scott Thompson earned 24 and James Black earned 25.6. Each fencer fought three bouts.
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (April, 2008): Chris Thompson was back in the game this month after recovering from his injury, earning an average of 24.3 points for the night in three bouts. Matt Park earned an average of 22.3 points, while Melian Young earned 21.3 and James Black earned a phenomenal 25.3. Each fencer fought three bouts.
Norm Morin Reaches Ninth Rank (April, 2008): Norm Morin of the Academy of Knightly Arts in Danielson, CT reached the 9th rank this month by passing 1000 points earned in competition. Congratulations, Norm!
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Connecticut (April, 2008): The Academy of Knightly Arts in Danielson, CT hosted a very successful open challenge on Saturday, April 5, attracting a number of combatants. Check the match archives for details and results.
New Broadsword League Officer: (April, 2008): Rev. Jim Tewksbury, our winner of the Gormon for 2008, is now an official officer of the Broadsword League. At the Academy of Knightly Arts in Danielson CT, he will be hosting a bimonthly open challenge starting this Saturday April 5 at noon. Dates for upcoming challenges include:
April 5th
June 7th
Aug 2nd
The address is:
Mill Complex
16 Maple Street
Danielson, CT
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (March, 2008): Our Open Challenge this month was once again a small in-house affair, partly because instructor Chris Thompson was sidelined by an injury. All three fencers earned an average of at least twenty points, improving their yearly and lifetime standings. Good job Matt Park, Melian Young and James Black!
Broadsword League Yearbook Available (February, 2008): http://www.lulu.com/content/1941649
The first annual Broadsword League yearbook, containing not only statistics and info on our 2007 competition season, but numerous exciting anecdotes and legends from the history of the broadsword- including a detailed account of the legendary Donald McBane's final duel, as well as a new transcription of Lonnergan's backsword manual of 1771, and much more.
Hardcover book $25.00
Download: $5.00
Download: 1 documents, 9900 KB
Printed: 103 pages, 8.25" x 10.75", casewrap-hardcover binding, white interior paper (50# weight), black and white interior ink, white exterior paper (100# weight), full-color exterior ink
Contents Include:
Broadsword League Officers 2007
2007 Rules for Conducting Challenges
2008 Rules for Conducting Challenges
Top Ten Broadsword League Fencers 2007
Broadsword League International Champions 2007
International, National and Regional Championships
Ranking System
Legends of the Broadsword: The Sword Players
Broadsword League Action Shots 2007
Legends of the Broadsword: McBane vs O’Brian: June 23, 1726
Broadsword League Member List 2007
Legends of the Broadsword: The Duel of the O’Connors
Legends of the Broadsword: Ronald of the Shield
Broadsword League Match Archives 2007
Legends of the Broadsword: Clergyman with a Claymore
Legends of the Broadsword: "Traitor" Colquhoun
Legends of the Broadsword: An Incident of Waterloo
Broadsword League Competitive Statistics for 2007
Legends of the Broadsword: The Butchers of Silk Buttons
Legends of the Broadsword: Two Against One
Legends of the Broadsword: Backsword vs Rapier
Legends of the Broadsword: Duel Between Ensign Basil Lee and Lt. Colin Frazer
Broadsword League News Archive 2007
Legends of the Broadsword: Duel Between Cameron of Errachd vs Murshiorlaich
Legends of the Broadsword: The Broadsword in the New World
Legends of the Broadsword: Stage Gladiators in America
Legends of the Broadsword: Jaguarina, Queen of the Sword
Broadsword League Action Shots 2007
Legends of the Broadsword: The One Man Army
Legends of the Broadsword: Charles Metcalfe MacGregor, a Highland Warrior in Asia
The Fencer’s Guide to the Backsword, by Andrew Lonnergan, 1771:
a new transcription by Christopher Scott Thompson
Appendix: The Real MacLeod?
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (February, 2008): Our Open Challenge this month was a small in-house affair, featuring several bouts with steel broadswords and a few with aluminum. The big winner on this occasion was James Black, who earned a 24.75 point average for the day. Good fighting, James!
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (January, 2008): Our first Open Challenge of the year was fought exclusively with aluminum broadswords from the Hollywood Combat Center. You'll be able to see the videos on Youtube soon, including an exciting broadsword and cutlass bout between Matt Park and Chris Thompson!
New Rules for 2008: The rules for conducting challenges have been revised for 2008. Complete details can be found on the Rules page, but here is a brief summary. The "All-In" option no longer exists, having been replaced by a new rule permitting the use of grips by agreement of the fencers. In addition, we have added two new options- Off-Hand bouts and Headhunting bouts. In an Off-Hand bout you may use a second weapon such as a target or parrying dagger, and in a Headhunting bout, only hits to the mask are counted toward the score. These special formats are completely optional. The McBane for 2008 will be awarded to the fencer with the highest average of points earned per bout among fencers who have fought at least five but fewer than twenty bouts by the end of the year. The Gormon for 2008 will be awarded to the fencer with the highest average of points earned per bout among fencers who have fought at least twenty bouts by the end of the year. Because of the new format, the top ten list will be based on the average rather than the total number of points earned. It is also possible to claim local, regional or national championships now- see the Rules for more details.
Two Fencers Earn Ninth Rank: Rev. Jim Tewksbury and Christopher Scott Thompson each earned more than 1000 points in 2007, moving up to the Ninth Rank in the Broadsword League Ranking System.
Final Results for 2007: Rev. Jim Tewksbury of the Academy of Knightly Arts has won our competition for the Gormon, with Christopher Scott Thompson of the Cateran Society Broadsword Academy in second place, followed by Norman Morin of the Academy of Knightly Arts, Matt Park of the Cateran Society Broadsword Academy, Jason Thompson of the Rillway Combative Academy, James Black of the Cateran Society Broadsword Academy, Melian Young of the Cateran Society Broadsword Academy, Joshua Tewksbury of the Academy of Knightly Arts, Dan Desilets of the Academy of Knightly Arts, and Mark Anthony who is not affiliated with a specific school. Jeremy Oneail has won our competition for the McBane, followed by Jason Thompson of the Rillway Combative Academy. Jason came in second by only .02 points! He was followed by Daniel Sorensen of the Colorado Swordsmen, Paul Wagner of the Stoccata School of Defence, Matthew Cacy of the Highland Recrudescense Guild, Christopher Scott Thompson of the Cateran Society Broadsword Academy, James Black of the Cateran Society Broadsword Academy, Mark Anthony, Gemini Asonte of De Grendelus Medieval Martial Arts and David Teague of the Highland Recrudescense Guild (both tied for ninth place) and Brian Swedis of the Academy of Knightly Arts. Congratulations to Rev. Jim Tewksbury and Jeremy Oneail, and to the Academy of Knightly Arts of which they are both members. The primary focus of the Academy is on the longsword of Fiore, but they also compete with the broadsword. Congratulations to all of our top ten competitors, and thank you to all the members who made the first year of the Broadsword League such a success.
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (December, 2007): Many of our regular competitors were not present this month, but we did have some new visitors from the Rillway Combative Academy, a school dedicated to researching the methods of the ancient Norse Berserkers. Jason Thompson, a frequent League competitor, is a member of this school. The bouts that we did have this month were unusual and interesting, wrapping up our first season of League competition.
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (November, 2007): We had so many bouts this month that we went a full two and a half hours, and there were several spectators. Al Giusto of Bo Fung Do Tactics amazed us all with a disarm followed by a sliding attack that propelled him across the floor on his knees to score a touch against Matt Park. Al's background is in the Chinese arts, including Bo Fung Do, Wing Chun and Monkey Kung Fu. Nevertheless he competed with the unfamiliar singlestick and basket-hilted broadsword, even treating us to a little of the Drunken Style in his matches. Jason Thompson of the Rillway Combative Academy had more than one bout over 25 points including one 30 point bout, but even this was eclipsed by Matt Park's final bout, where he earned 31 points against Rob Pelchat. Matt set the tone for us all with some extremely dynamic fencing, raising the intensity level for all of us. Just one month to go!
Competition for Gormon and McBane Opens Up (November, 2007): With only a few weeks left in our first season, the competition for the McBane has suddenly opened wide up, with a few dark horses appearing at the last moment for a shot at the title. Jeremy Oneail of the Academy of Knightly Arts earned an incredible average of 25 points in his first seven bouts, displacing both Paul Wagner and Daniel Sorensen. Meanwhile Thomas Jones of Wales also fought his first bout and earned 25 points, putting Oneail and Jones in a dead heat. As of 2008, a fencer will need to have fought at least five bouts to qualify for the McBane, but that rule is not yet in force. Jason Thompson is also making a strong bid for the title, and is only fractions of a point behind the leaders after several very strong bouts. In the competition for the Gormon, Rev. Tewksbury of the Academy of Knightly Arts has pulled ahead of Christopher Scott Thompson after trailing him for most of the season. The Academy of Knightly Arts stands a very good chance of capturing both titles. Their focus is on the teachings of Fiore Di Liberi.
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (October, 2007): Jason Thompson achieved an unprecedented feat at our Open Challenge this month, pulling off a clean throw against Matt Park in an all-in bout. This option will no longer be available in 2008, but it earned Jason an extra 5 points in his quest for the McBane, moving him into serious contention. Jason represents the Rillway Combative Academy of Montana.
Tight Competition for Gormon and McBane (October, 2007): Our first year as a League is already producing some very tight competition for our two international championship titles. Rev. Tewksbury, with 27 bouts and 551 points to his credit, is only 149 points behind Christopher Scott Thompson (with 700 points and 30 bouts) in the fight for the Gormon. A single Open Challenge day would be enough for Tewksbury to catch Thompson, and in fact Tewksbury was ahead for a few days in September. Starting in 2008, both championships will be determined by averages, but for the remainder of the year it's a race to accumulate points. As for the McBane (which is already determined by averages), Paul Wagner fought Daniel Sorensen in a much-discussed bout, and Sorensen pulled into first place. Wagner then fought two bouts in Alaska against David Teague and Matt Cacy, bringing his average up to within .036 of a point of Sorensen's. In the competition for the McBane, a single bout by either Wagner or Sorensen could change the standings. Thanks to our fencers for providing two such close races for the championships.
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (September, 2007): The Open Challenge in Maine this month was a very active one, with two fencers from outside our club and a total of 13 bouts in a two hour period. The action was often intense, but the fencing was conservative. At one point in the bout between James Black and Mark Anthony, a furious exchange of attacks and parries fought in the corner of the room produced the only touch of the match when Mark succeeded in breaking through James' defense. The spectators were treated to some spectacular fencing, and we're very pleased with the outcome.
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (August, 2007): We had one fencer from outside our club attend this month- Mark Anthony, who is currently in top-ten contention for both the Gormonand the McBane. James Black, of the Cateran Society Broadsword Academy, once again earned a total of 77 points in his three matches for a "better than perfect" score.
Announcing the "Gormon," the "McBane," and the "Figg"(August, 2007): As most of the League fencers already know, the Broadsword League Championship for the year is determined by the total number of points earned, with the fencer who earns the most points for the year claiming the title of Broadsword Champion for that year. The reason for this arrangement is to encourage League fencers to fight as often as possible in order to earn points for the competition. However, not all League fencers have regular access to other members of the League. Therefore it has been decided that two Championships will be awarded per year, the "Gormon" and the "McBane." The "Gormon" will be awarded to the fencer who earns the most points for the year, while the "McBane" will be awarded to the fencer with the highest average points earned per bout. So, even if you only get a chance to fence a single bout this year, you still have the opportunity to win the "McBane" and share the title of Broadsword Champion for the year with the winner of the "Gormon." Both Championships are named after great Stage Gladiators of the 18th century. In the unlikely event that a single fencer wins both Championships in the same year, he or she will be awarded the "Figg," named after the greatest of the Stage Gladiators. Good luck!
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Connecticut (August, 2007): The Academy of Knightly Arts in Danielson, CT hosted a very successful Open Challenge on August 12, which was covered in the local press and attracted a small number of spectators. Matches were fought from 10 AM till 3 PM. A total of 23 bouts were contested, nearly a third of the total number of League matches to date.
Broadsword League Open Challenge in Connecticut Scheduled for August 12 (July, 2007)- The Academy of Knightly Arts will be hosting another Open Challenge in Danielson, CT on August 12. Check out the link on our home page for more details.
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (July, 2007): We had a small, in-house Open Challenge this month, because no fencers from outside our club attended. Congratulations to James Black, who earned a total of 77 points in his three matches- a "better than perfect" score!
Video of Open Challenge Now Up on Youtube (July, 2007): We just put together a short trailer for the new Broadsword Academy location, featuring selected clips from the Open Challenge on 6/29. Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTJ1iZy92aU
Broadsword League Open Challenge Completed in Maine (June, 2007): The Cateran Society Broadsword Academy has a new studio at 155 Brackett St, Portland, ME, which will be the home of a Broadsword League Open Challenge on the last Friday of every month. We held our first Challenge at the new location on 6/29, and had two challengers from out of state as well as our regular Broadsword Academy fencers.
Broadsword League Open Challenges Completed in Ohio and Connecticut (June, 2007): We just had our first impromptu Open Challenge at the Cumann Bhata Recreational Violence Weekend in Ohio, and our first official Open Challenge at the Academy of Knightly Arts in Danielson, Connecticut. Thanks to Ken Pfrenger and his wife Shannon (possibly the world's greatest hostess) for making the Ohio Challenge possible, and thanks to the Rev. James Tewksbury and his household for hosting the Connecticut event. We all fought a lot of broadsword bouts and had a wonderful time.
Meet Norman Morin (June, 2007): Norman Morin, a student of the Academy of Knightly Arts in Danielson, CT, has just volunteered to be the official Statistician for the Broadsword League. He'll be preparing a variety of statistics for us- such numbers as average hits received and inflicted per bout, average points earned per bout, and that sort of thing- as well as maintaining the official ratings. Thanks to Norman, you'll soon be able to get a much better picture of what sort of opponent you're liable to face, before you send out that challenge. Welcome aboard, Norman.
New Rules and Rating System (June, 2007): After a great deal of thought, I concluded that the ELO rating system was not going to be the most effective method for us. The rules as originally written resulted in a large number of mutual hits, and a general approach to fencing that was inconsistent with the idea of simulating an encounter with sharps. While there is obviously no way to actually make a fencing bout anything like an encounter with sharps, I strongly believe that the rules should at least encourage the tactical approach that would be most likely to keep the fencer alive in such an encounter. Also, under the ELO system, a few defeats could easily put a fencer so far behind in the ratings that he would not be motivated to seek out or accept further challenges. Therefore after discussion with a number of other broadsword and heavy sabre fencers, I worked out a new system of rules and experimented with them at the Broadsword League Open Challenge Day in Danielson, CT. Under the new system, each fencer receives 25 points just for fencing, with one point deducted from his rating for every touch he receives, and ½ point added to his rating for every touch he inflicts. At the end of each year, the League will award a trophy of some kind to the fencer who has earned the most points for that year, along with the title of "Broadsword Champion". Under the new system, it cannot possibly hurt your rating to accept or make a challenge- the worst that can happen is that you will earn no points. It is in your best interest to fence as often as possible. Another feature of the new system, is that it can only help you in the long run to fence as if the weapons were sharp, and it can only hurt your competitive chances to fence recklessly or cause mutual hits. If you and your opponent simply strike each other repeatedly, you could end up with a lot of effort and very few points. On the other hand, if both you and your partner fence as if the weapons were sharp, you could both earn a large number of points for the bout even if one of you did a little bit better than the other. The point, in other words, is not to win or lose individual matches, but to fence as if you were trying to stay alive. I hope this new rating system will encourage good, clean and martially valid fencing- and that it will prove to be a lot of fun!
-Chris Thompson
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