The clash of steel; swashbuckling swords; cloak and dagger! SCA Rapier Combat brings to life the arts of defence from the 15th and 16th centuries, practiced with real (but blunted) steel weapons. SCA rapier combat is a form of historical fencing that focuses on the civilian defensive and dueling sword arts. Our primary focus is on the combat forms surrounding the rapier, though we also practice an advanced style called Cut and Thrust, which better accommodates earlier side swords.
We differ from Olympic style fencing in our use of slicing cuts, secondary weapons such as daggers, extra swords, cloaks and the like, and non-linear movement; we’re not restricted to back-and-forth in a straight line found on a modern Olympic strip! Hits are determined the same way in Heavy Armored Combat, via the honor system, based on recognition of the blows received.
Fencing Activities in the SCA include: tournaments, single bouts, team bouts, and melee fights – and they are held both indoors, outdoors, in mock towns, castles, roads, bridges, woodlands, and fields.