Purpose
The purpose
of this article is to address the question of the proper fit of armour on
combatants. Proper fitting armour is one of the keys to safety of combatants.
While this is primarily designed for the combatants participating in “Swordplay 2015”,
held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, it is also useful for other combatants
involved in Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA). One of the prime issues
that will be addressed is that of the proper fitting and constructed gorget.
This is a subject which has emerged both locally and in the wider HEMA
community of late. It is a subject which will be addressed in some detail due
to its importance. Armour in general will also be addressed in a general sense
to complete the picture.
Proper Fit
Wearing
armour is one thing but wearing armour with a proper fit is another. Armour
which does not fit properly can impede a combatant’s performance as it may rub
against the combatant or restrict certain movements. More to the point, armour
which does not fit properly can offer negligible protection, and in some
instances can actually cause safety issues.
Armour is
very individual and in most cases needs to be fitted to the individual. Even
“off the shelf” armours often need some modification and wearing-in by the
combatant before they fit properly. The armour must fit the individual and
should be fitted to the individual, borrowed armour will never be the same and
never fit, nor be effective, as your own armour. This is primarily due to body
shape, but there are other factors which can affect this such as age of the
armour itself. All new armour needs some time to “wear-in”. To be really safe,
you need your own armour, and you need it fitted to you. As the article below
progresses, more will be said of the proper fit of armour along with what the
armour should be protecting. These two elements work hand in hand as often
armour which does not fit properly will not cover what it is supposed to
protect.
What Needs to Be Protected?
Vital areas
are the highest on the list in the answer to this question, but more detail is
required. The following will examine what needs to be protected both from a
general point of view and also more specifically for weapons of note. It will
also address the idea of minimum armour, areas of importance and some
recommendations also.
Minimum Armour
Each HEMA
group will, or should, have a document somewhere, or a known standard, which
describes the minimum armour which each combatant requires for participation in
free-sparring and most forms of bouting in their particular club. The same can
be said for HEMA events, once again these describe the minimums required to
participate in these events. In the case of Swordplay 2015, the armour
requirements are displayed below in an appendix.
These
rules, regardless of where they originate, describe the minimums required to
participate. What is important is that they are not necessarily the same as a
person’s personal minimums. Each individual should consider what they require
to be safe and if this is above and beyond the minimum, they should feel no
issue in wearing such armour, it should be encouraged.
The
foundation of a minimum armour standard is that the armour is designed to
protect those areas most significant with regard to significant amounts of
damage to the individual. The armour is designed to prevent serious injury as a
minimum standard. In this there are areas which are common to all weapons and
these are the ones where the most significant amount of damage can occur should
they be struck.
The armour
needs to be appropriate to the weapon, and thus there will be differences in
armour standard between weapons. This is due to the nature of the weapons being
used and the potential damage that the weapon may cause. In this particular
case some weapons will require more armour, some will require less armour, and
the armour may focus on different areas of the body to be protected. The weapon
needs to be taken into account when considering armour.
Areas of Importance
There are
some areas of importance which need special attention paid to them when
considering armour. These are the focus of the minimum armour requirements. Depending
on what weapon is being used will decide how much armour is required.
First of
all is the head and neck. Of all the areas of the body this is the most
significant. Improper protection of the head can cause serious and lasting
injury. The importance of this area will be highlighted in a focused discussion
below.
The groin
for males is a special consideration for males, as is the breasts for females.
Females should also have some consideration with regard to groin protection
also. These special areas need to be protected as the damage to these areas can
also be long-lasting.
The next
area to look at is the limbs and more specifically the elbows and knees. These
joints are particularly exposed to damage and need to be protected from
percussive hits as they can be damaged relatively easily. The entire joint in
the case of both elbows and knees need to be protected.
Protection for the hands and
wrists are also important and should be a significant consideration. This is
most important for longsword use however the same can be said for any weapon of
significant cutting ability. This is less important for the rapier however the
hands should still be covered. Suitable hand protection should be a serious
consideration for any combatant. Damage can occur to hands and fingers quite
easily where proper protection is not being worn. The entire hand and wrist
needs to be protected and covered.
Finally, there are feet and
ankles. For the most part this can be protected by the correct kind of
footwear. Many combatants underestimate the importance of footwear which is
suitable to their activity. A lack of decent footwear can lead to damage to
both foot and ankle.
Recommendations
While the
following are only recommendations, they are some which should be considered
seriously, regardless of the weapon being used. While a puncture-proof jacket
will protect against a broken blade penetrating the torso, it is also
recommended that some supplementary armour be worn on the torso for simple
impact protection. This is especially aimed at the protection of the chest,
fractured ribs are no joke. The other recommendation is for lower leg
protection. The upper leg is mostly protected by muscle however the shin is
quite exposed to damage.
Skin Coverage
The final
recommendation that will be made is with regard to skin coverage. This is for
protection against burrs and the like from damaged blades. While these
lacerations may be small they can be quite significant and have the potential
for infection. It is therefore encouraged that all skin is covered at least by
a simple layer of material to protect against this. This coverage can also do
something to protect against other types of damage to the combatant.
Armour Coverage
A piece of
armour is designed to cover a specific area of the person wearing the armour.
Needless to say, it is important that the armour covers the area properly for
the area to be protected properly. Needless to say, in the case of those areas
mentioned above indicated to be of importance, it is vital that the armour can
do its job properly.
The head
and neck will be covered by some combination of gorget, mask or helm and coif.
This combination of armours will be discussed in some detail later on. For now
it is important to highlight that the entire neck and head need to be covered
in some fashion, and the most vulnerable parts in rigid material. Groin and
breast protection need to be fitted properly, and any lack of coverage here or
lack of fit will be noticed very quickly.
Knees may
be covered by a simple covering, but it is important to ensure that the entire
joint is covered this is the same for elbows. Often the protection will protect
the tip of the elbow or knee very well, but will leave the sides of the knee or
elbow exposed. The same can be said for the upper and lower parts of the knee
or elbow. Proper fitting armour in both cases will cover all of these areas.
Like the
elbows and knees, special attention needs to be paid to hands and wrists. In
some cases ...
The rest of this article can be found in Un-Blogged: A Fencer's Ramblings by Henry Walker, which is available in paperback from:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Blogged-Ramblings-Henry-Leigh-Walker/dp/098764470X
Booktopia: https://www.booktopia.com.au/un-blogged-henry-leigh-walker/book/9780987644701.html
Among other places...
It is also available in electronic format (pdf) from: https://buy.stripe.com/fZecP419c7CB9VKeUV
... or direct from the author.
