> > Here's one thing I know. In SCA combat, where cost of weapons means
> > nothing, there are in my experience exactly ZERO effective spear
> > and shield units.
<snip>
> Also, do SCA spear units actually charge with levelled spears? My
> friends in Civil War re-enactment units tell me they never charge
> with levelled pike for safety reasons.
I cannot vouch for the truth of this, but Rocky Russo (a wargame designer and recreator of ancient weapons) once descibed the time he was asked to train a small group of guys (like 8 or so) in Swiss Pike tactics for the SCA. Apprently they were considered too small and unskilled to be able to do the cool stuff in the war, or words to that effect. Anyhow he did. Took a couple of hours of training and a few days of practice.
Come the war they get put on the far left (IIRC) side of the formation, as everybody wants them out of the way when the real men fight. They charged into the enemy line with lowered pikes. Blew a hole in the line, then do a right face and charged down the line. Sudden end to the fun.
The SCA decided to outlaw this tactic. This was after Rocky had decided (or was asked) to stop fighting in the SCA as he had spent enough time training himself to attack weak spots in martial arts and found he tended to do the same thing in SCA fights, with highly unfortunate results.
Kevin
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