Perhaps just as important as selecting the right weapon for you, you also want to make sure to choose the right unit. This article will provide some advice and things to consider for new fighters looking to find their first unit.
So, you're new to Dagorhir and want to find a place to call home, a unit with which to identify. For some people, this is an easy process. Yet, for others, it can be a painstaking process. Still others end up attempting to start their own unit because they don't find one they like. Allow me to help a little bit...
Finding A Unit
Choosing a unit can seem like a daunting task to a newer fighter, especially if the local realm has a lot of units contained within it. My suggestion is to not join the first unit that you like or that approaches you with an offer to join. Take some time and get to know all of the units in your local realm and see what each has to offer. Watch how they fight on the field, how they interact with one another and the other units, and how they present themselves in general. Just because a unit has awesome fighters or a badass logo doesn't mean it's the right one for you. Talk to each unit and ask as many questions as you can. The more information you get, the better.
Some things to ask/consider when searching for a unit:
Average Age: Does the unit seem to have more older adults, younger adults/teens, or a combination of both? I personally would recommend going with one with a combination of both, but this will be entirely up to the age group in which you fall. Older adults and younger adults/teens can certainly mesh well together, but remember that older adults and young adults often have different ideas on what's fun and acceptable and what isn't. Go where you'll feel most comfortable.
Conduct: How do they conduct themselves at practice, events(if you've been to one), and in the general public? Are these behaviors something you can deal with or do they bother you? If in a Dagorhir setting, make sure their behavior isn't just in character as quite a few Dagorhirim roleplay while at events. Everybody is unique and different in their own way. Remember this and don't form an opinion without all the facts and information.
Fighting: Find out how they handle training for new fighters. Look for a unit that trains together and teaches their new fighters instead of utilizing the "baptism by fire" type approach. While some people learn better on their own, others need teaching, so a unit that trains together and emphasizes the use of drills would be a good choice. Not all units teach or use drills, but that doesn't make them bad.
Also find out what their philosophies for fighting are. These will vary from unit to unit, so find out about "house rules" and determine if these are acceptable for you.
Specialized Unit: Some units fight with only specific weapon types, or are made up of only a specific type of character, like elves, orcs, or dwarves. Is this something you're willing to accept to be part of the unit, and if not, are they willing to fit you into the fold anyway? Don't change something about your persona or way of fighting just to join a unit. Only do it because you're genuinely willing to do so.
Core Values/Beliefs: Are the core values and beliefs of the unit and its members similar to yours or are they different? Are they willing to accept and respect your personal values and beliefs if they differ from those of their own? You don't want to join a unit that forces their beliefs on you or disrespects your values and beliefs. Join a unit where you're appreciated and respected for who you are.
Expectations: Most, if not all, units will have certain expectations for what they want out of their members. For example, some units are big on volunteering at events(weapons check, heralding, troll etc.) Are these expectations something that you are willing and able to live up to?
These are some of the more important things you want to consider when searching for a unit to join.
Starting A Unit
When you're new to Dagorhir and don't have prior fighting experience in other fighting systems(Belegarth, Amtgard, SCA etc.), I recommend not starting your own unit right out of the gate. Join an established unit, learn the game and the proper fundamentals, have fun, and sit back and watch how a unit works and what it's like to run one. As a unit leader, you'll be responsible for teaching the game to new fighters and training them, establishing and overseeing a ranking system, run a camp at events, and discipline problem members among other things. With and without the proper experience and knowledge, these responsibilities can be overwhelming and stressful. New fighters should focus their time on learning and soaking up knowledge so that they can be ready and able to run their own unit one day. Study as many units as you can and that will allow you to do so. Having several models from which to learn can provide you with some fresh perspectives. Learn first, teach second. Don't get ahead of yourself. And remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Hope this article was helpful, and thanks for reading
Durrok Thunderaxe
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Selecting The Right Weapon For You
In this article, I will be discussing the importance of selecting the right weapon for you. This is geared towards new fighters who are ready to make their first weapon or are in the process of choosing, as well as unit and realm leaders to assist them.
Selecting A Weapon Type
When starting out, new fighters tend to choose a weapon based on what they see and like on the field without the proper knowledge of the weapon, and often times also without the proper fighting foundation and fundamentals...
New Fighters
I know that Red weapons and spears and even bow and arrows offer a high appeal, but unless you're a cross gamer with prior fighting experience, your first weapon should always be a blue sword. It's vital for new fighters to understand the importance of learning and training single blue. It's the most commonly encountered weapon on the battlefield: a Two Stick fighter has 2 blues, a Sword/Board fighter has a shield and a blue, a Red weapon is just a long blue if two hands aren't used, a lot of Spear fighters carry a side weapon(usually a blue weapon), and some archers also carry a side weapon. And if a Florentine, Sword/Board, or Red fighter loses an arm, they only have one weapon. Situations like these are where single blue training are very important and come in handy. Sure, single blue may be boring and unappealing, but it will teach you the most. Since you only have 1 weapon, it serves as both your offense and defense and careful planning is often required to know the right moments to attack and when you should be on the defensive. You'll often be outclassed by the other weapon types, but single blue is a valuable learning tool that not everyone pays enough attention to. See my first article here for training drills to improve your single blue fighting.
Unit/Realm Leaders
I realize most of you probably already know this, I'm just emphasizing the importance. When a new inexperienced fighter chooses a weapon type other than a blue, don't discourage them, but rather stress the importance of building up to that weapon type. Yes, the basics can be boring, but ignoring them can prove costly. Whenever there are new fighters present at practice, try and run a few Single Blue battles so the focus will be on single blue fighting and they'll be able to learn and won't feel so outmatched and overwhelmed on their first day. If everybody is fighting single blue, the new fighters will most likely feel more comfortable, and the more comfortable they feel, the more they will likely learn.
(Note: It is not advised to head onto the battlefield armed only with a blue sword. Single Blue is meant as a training tool and should be limited to personal training sessions and practices)
Also, unless yours is a specialized unit fighting with specific weapons, don't force a specific weapon on a new fighter, let them choose for themselves. And even if yours is a specialized unit, but the new fighter doesn't want to fight with the specific weapon of the unit, it may still be worth your while to try and fit them into your plans anyway because you never know, you just may be turning away an awesome fighter in the making over a specific weapon type, or just an awesome person in general. Plus, fitting them into your units plans and strategy will make them feel important, and stepping out of the norm may greatly benefit your unit and add more options in your strategies.
Things To Consider
As a new fighter, you don't want to choose a weapon simply because it looks cool or because other people fight with it. You want to choose a weapon that's best suited for you, so there are some things to consider when choosing the right weapon for you:
Your Body Type: Are you a small fighter? A large fighter? As a small fighter that isn't the strongest, I favor lighter, quicker weapons as they best suit my physical build. You should always strive fight with weapons that complement your physical build, not work against it.
Fighting Style: Are you an aggressive fighter or do you prefer ranged fighting? Are you an agile, mobile fighter or a stay at home type? These kinds of questions will take some time to answer if you're a new fighter starting out, so it will come down to personal preference and trial and error. But these questions must be considered because they will help ensure that you get the most out of the weapon in your hands and don't end up frustrated because you're not seeing the results you would like.
Weapon Size: The size of your weapon can make a very big difference. Make sure that you are fighting with weapons that you can wield safely, comfortably, and effectively. Safety is more important than cool/flashy. If someone in your local unit or realm has a weapon that appeals to you, ask them if you can test it out. Chances are, you'll need to adjust the length and weight of the weapon or shield to fit your body type. Remember, YOU should be controlling the weapon, NOT the other way around. If it's controlling you, then it's too heavy and you need a lighter weapon. You don't need to prove yourself to anyone by wielding a big heavy weapon that you can't safely wield. Again, this will come down to trial and error and personal preference.
Environment: Different environments/scenarios require different weapons. Once you've been to a larger event(100+ fighters) and have experienced different scenarios, you'll see what I mean. That's why you should strive to make varying sizes of your chosen weapon type to accommodate for different environments, specifically with Reds and Spears, but also blues. Tight quarters can make fighting with large weapons difficult. This is also why you should learn to fight with more than one weapon type as certain weapon types are at a disadvantage in certain scenarios.
A lot of this is common knowledge, but I want to do my part to help new fighters excel. I hope this article was helpful.
Until next time, thanks for reading!
Durrok Thunderaxe
Selecting A Weapon Type
When starting out, new fighters tend to choose a weapon based on what they see and like on the field without the proper knowledge of the weapon, and often times also without the proper fighting foundation and fundamentals...
New Fighters
I know that Red weapons and spears and even bow and arrows offer a high appeal, but unless you're a cross gamer with prior fighting experience, your first weapon should always be a blue sword. It's vital for new fighters to understand the importance of learning and training single blue. It's the most commonly encountered weapon on the battlefield: a Two Stick fighter has 2 blues, a Sword/Board fighter has a shield and a blue, a Red weapon is just a long blue if two hands aren't used, a lot of Spear fighters carry a side weapon(usually a blue weapon), and some archers also carry a side weapon. And if a Florentine, Sword/Board, or Red fighter loses an arm, they only have one weapon. Situations like these are where single blue training are very important and come in handy. Sure, single blue may be boring and unappealing, but it will teach you the most. Since you only have 1 weapon, it serves as both your offense and defense and careful planning is often required to know the right moments to attack and when you should be on the defensive. You'll often be outclassed by the other weapon types, but single blue is a valuable learning tool that not everyone pays enough attention to. See my first article here for training drills to improve your single blue fighting.
Unit/Realm Leaders
I realize most of you probably already know this, I'm just emphasizing the importance. When a new inexperienced fighter chooses a weapon type other than a blue, don't discourage them, but rather stress the importance of building up to that weapon type. Yes, the basics can be boring, but ignoring them can prove costly. Whenever there are new fighters present at practice, try and run a few Single Blue battles so the focus will be on single blue fighting and they'll be able to learn and won't feel so outmatched and overwhelmed on their first day. If everybody is fighting single blue, the new fighters will most likely feel more comfortable, and the more comfortable they feel, the more they will likely learn.
(Note: It is not advised to head onto the battlefield armed only with a blue sword. Single Blue is meant as a training tool and should be limited to personal training sessions and practices)
Also, unless yours is a specialized unit fighting with specific weapons, don't force a specific weapon on a new fighter, let them choose for themselves. And even if yours is a specialized unit, but the new fighter doesn't want to fight with the specific weapon of the unit, it may still be worth your while to try and fit them into your plans anyway because you never know, you just may be turning away an awesome fighter in the making over a specific weapon type, or just an awesome person in general. Plus, fitting them into your units plans and strategy will make them feel important, and stepping out of the norm may greatly benefit your unit and add more options in your strategies.
Things To Consider
As a new fighter, you don't want to choose a weapon simply because it looks cool or because other people fight with it. You want to choose a weapon that's best suited for you, so there are some things to consider when choosing the right weapon for you:
Your Body Type: Are you a small fighter? A large fighter? As a small fighter that isn't the strongest, I favor lighter, quicker weapons as they best suit my physical build. You should always strive fight with weapons that complement your physical build, not work against it.
Fighting Style: Are you an aggressive fighter or do you prefer ranged fighting? Are you an agile, mobile fighter or a stay at home type? These kinds of questions will take some time to answer if you're a new fighter starting out, so it will come down to personal preference and trial and error. But these questions must be considered because they will help ensure that you get the most out of the weapon in your hands and don't end up frustrated because you're not seeing the results you would like.
Weapon Size: The size of your weapon can make a very big difference. Make sure that you are fighting with weapons that you can wield safely, comfortably, and effectively. Safety is more important than cool/flashy. If someone in your local unit or realm has a weapon that appeals to you, ask them if you can test it out. Chances are, you'll need to adjust the length and weight of the weapon or shield to fit your body type. Remember, YOU should be controlling the weapon, NOT the other way around. If it's controlling you, then it's too heavy and you need a lighter weapon. You don't need to prove yourself to anyone by wielding a big heavy weapon that you can't safely wield. Again, this will come down to trial and error and personal preference.
Environment: Different environments/scenarios require different weapons. Once you've been to a larger event(100+ fighters) and have experienced different scenarios, you'll see what I mean. That's why you should strive to make varying sizes of your chosen weapon type to accommodate for different environments, specifically with Reds and Spears, but also blues. Tight quarters can make fighting with large weapons difficult. This is also why you should learn to fight with more than one weapon type as certain weapon types are at a disadvantage in certain scenarios.
A lot of this is common knowledge, but I want to do my part to help new fighters excel. I hope this article was helpful.
Until next time, thanks for reading!
Durrok Thunderaxe
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