Schedule for the Historic Combat Series event held at Pennsic XXXI.
Results and a short summary are now available.
 

Date Event Time Location
Monday August 5 Pas du Dragon Noir 12-3 pm Red Tourney Field
Tuesday August 6 Pas du Dragon Noir 12-3 pm Red Tourney Field
Wednesday August 7 Pas du Dragon Noir 12-3 pm Red Tourney Field
Thursday August 8 Pas du Dragon Noir 12-3 pm Red Tourney Field
Friday August 9 The Challenges at Vannes with Cut Lances (Counted Blow Tourney with 6ft Spears) 1 pm Red Tourney Field
Saturday August 10 Counted Blow Melees 1 pm Red Tourney Field
Sunday August 11 William Marshal Tourney Noon Green Tourney Field
Monday August 12 Grand Pas Noon Green Tourney Field
Tuesday August 13 I33 Sword and Buckler Tourney 3pm (or 1 hour after the Woods Battle which ever is latter) Red Tourney Field
Wednesday August 14 Combat of the Thirty
(14th Century Melee)		 1pm (or 30 Minutes after end of the Hadrian's Wall Battle which ever is later) Green Tourney Field
Thursday August 15 Plate and Mail Tourney 2pm (or 30 Minutes after the end of the Bridge Battles which ever is latter) Green Tourney Field
Friday August 16 "As Real Men Fought"
Tourney (Period Victory Conditions)		 3pm (or 30 minute after the Heroic Champions which ever is later) Main Battle Field
Saturday August 17 Grand Melee 10 am Main Battle Field.


Pas du Dragon Noir
The Pas du Dragon Noir (Passage of Armes of the Black Dragon) will be a 15th century Burgundian style pas, in the tradition of Jaques de Lalaing's pas "The Fountain of Tears." Challengers will be asked to do combat to five good blows within the bounds of the list. A combatant who is driven from the list, falls to the ground, or drops their weapon will have lost. Challenges maybe be offered with poleax, long sword, or spear, by touching the appropriate shield. More than one shield may be touched. Matched weapons will be provided.

The Challenges at Vannes (Counted Blow Tourney with Cut Lances [6ft Spears])
Inspired by Froissarts account of the Challenges, combatants are encouraged to read the account available at http://www.nipissingu.ca/department/history/muhlberger/froissart/vannes2.htm for inspiration. Matched cut lances will be provided.
Combatants will be divided into two teams.
Alternately a combatant from each side will step forward and offer a challenge with terms to the other side. A combatant from the other side will accept the challenge or offer different terms. Once terms have been agreed to the combat will commence.
Victor in the tourney will be decided by acclaim of the combatants and will receive a pair of cut lances as a prize.

Counted Blow Melees
Series of melees using counted blows and armour as worn. This is meant to be an exploration of the possibilities of more authentic melee combat. Participants are encouraged to bring a wide range of ideas and possible scenarios to the Melee.

William Marshall Tourney
In the tradition of the rough and ready tournaments of the late 12th and early 13th Century, we offer a ransom tourney. Participants will be encouraged to bring either ransoms to gift to those who defeat them, or make a donation to a charity in the name of the victor (Portersville Ambulance Company which cover's Pennsic is recommended and we will have a collection point available). Grouping together in teams is appropriate. Combatants are encouraged to use weapons which are appropriate to northern France and the Low countries during the time period (sword and shield, spear, axes, mace, longsword etc.).
An open field with several safe areas will be provided. A combatant may be attacked at any point they are outside the safe area. Combatants will be considered captured when they have received three good blows within a combat (used to represent being pummeled into submission). If the fight is interrupted, by say a combatant entering a safe area, the combatant's blow count will be reset. In order to collect a ransom a captive may require the captor to lead him into a safe area, or may give his ransom on the field, this is the captive's choice. A captive my not attempt to escape once they have been captured. If their captor is himself captured, they are both now captives of the new captor. A victor may of course cut deals with a captive, such as reducing or negating their ransom in return for assistance

Grand Pas
The Tournament Companies of the Known World invite all comers to attend the Grand Pas. Individual challenges will be accepted and combated between Grand Melees. Counted blows and combat with and without barriers will be accomplished. While all are welcome, we encourage all comers to put forth their best efforts at appearance. (Heralds are very welcome)

I33 Sword and Buckler Tourney
Only bucklers 20 inches and under may be used.
(Matched pairs of bucklers will be available)
A solid blow to any legal target area is considered incapacitating.
Anyone who cannot recover a dropped weapon before their opponent can touch them with his sword has lost
Anyone who falls and cannot recover before their opponent can touch them with his sword has lost
There will be 2 prizes given, one for the victor in competition, and one for the combatant who best embodies the fighting portrayed in the I33 Manual (appearance will be factored in). The I33 sword and buckler manual is the earliest extant European combat manual and is believed to have been written in Germany around 1300. It can be viewed at http://www.thehaca.com/Manuals/i33/i33.htm

Combat of the Thirty (14th Century Melee)
Attempt to recreate the Combat of the Thirty, a famous melee between the French and English in the 100 Years War. Late 14th Century harness is encouraged. Assuming a large turnout, the best looking 60 fighters will be selected for the first round of the battle (30 on a side). This battle will be fought with counted blows and armour as worn standards.

Plate and Mail Tourney

   Entry requirements
Must be attempting to do a portrayal of a pre 1600 warrior wearing predominately steel armour (mild, stainless, spring etc. are all acceptable). No exposed plastic. Even nicely covered plastic doesn't count as plate. (Completely hidden plastic to reinforce mail - I'll ask you why you didn't use leather, but it is acceptable).
Predominately steel armour is defined as a historically appropriate steel body harness, helm, elbows, and knees, as well as steel covering two of the four following areas: upper arm, lower arm, upper leg, and lower leg. (A long body harness, such as a mail haurberk will count as covering the upper legs if of sufficient length). (A predominately steel harness is most common in Europe, from 1050 on, but certainly other cultures did wear them. If you think there may be questions concerning the historical appropriateness of your armour, feel free to bring documentation).

   Combat Conventions for the Tourney
Armour as Worn with Counted blows received.

   Blow Standards
Mail gets three, transitional plate and mail mix gets five, rich folks with the Maximilian plate get 7. Judges reserve the right to grant an extra blow for a particularly nice portrayal (documentation is a plus).
Anyone receiving a blow or thrust to a body part not covered by steel immediately loses.
Blows from one handed swords do not have to be counted if they strike a steel covered area.

Anyone receiving a thrust or blow to an open faced (bar grilled for safety) helm immediately loses.
Anyone receiving a thrust to a helm that has a period appropriate grilled visor (a grilled great bascinet for example) counts as a blow.
A dropped weapon does not stop the fight.

Whoever falls and cannot recover before their opponent can touch them with his weapon has lost.

Anyone who is driven from the list has lost.

"As Real Men Fought" (Period Victory Conditions Tourney)
The purpose of this tournament is to focus on period methods for determining victory in a bout. This will be done through rules taken from period tournaments of the 14th and 15th century and modern rules used to simulate a period victory condition. Combatants will be assumed to be wearing late 14th century armour with either an open faced or close face helm depending upon what the combatant is actually wearing.

Either a double elimination or round robin style format will be used depending upon number of attendee's.

Period rules:
Anyone who is driven from the list has lost.
Anyone who falls with 3 points to the ground has lost (knee, knee, hand for example)
A dropped weapon does not stop the fight.

Modern rules:
Anyone receiving a thrust to an open faced helm has lost

Anyone receiving any of these blows during a bout will be considered to have been battered into submission and have lost.

5 good blows from a one handed sword
3 good blows from a one handed mace or axe
2 good blows from a 2 handed weapon

Alternate Option:

Combatants may agree to forgo the modern rules and simply fight until one of the period conditions are met or one of them yields.

Grand Melee

To complete the Historic Combat Series we offer a Grand Melee as our final event.

Combatants will be divided into two sides. The sides will meet in honorable combat in the center of the field. When a combatant is struck a telling blow, he shall retire to his side of the field, cry his cry of war, and return to the combat. The melee will continue for an hour or until all combatants are satisfied they have done enough.