Red Fighting: An Analysis

In this post, I will be discussing a worrisome concern that I've seen among some Red users in Dagorhir, as well as a drill that I've come up with that I hope will address and eventually correct the issue. Enjoy...


Red fighters are crucial to the success of any unit on the battlefield. They break shields, weakening the enemy, and provide aggression and intimidation which can turn the tide of battle. Now, I don't have a ton of experience with Red fighting, which I plan on changing very soon, but I have watched my fair share of Red fighters, and what I've seen from some, not all, Red users is that they seem to be stuck in "Power Mode" regardless if the person in front of them has a shield or not. I find this very concerning because Red weapons are bigger, often heavier weapons that can cause a lot of damage and their wielders are quite often fighters of larger stature. However, this is not the fault of Red users. The style itself is aggressive and meant to be used with power, and it can be difficult to switch out of that "Power Mode". There's also the VERY gray area known as the "Sufficient Force" rule in the M.O.A, which is often abused by some shield users and other fighters in order to stay in the fight longer. What's considered "Sufficient" force to one fighter could be "Insufficient" or "Excessive" to other fighters. In my opinion, some common ground needs to be found on this issue before serious injuries occur. The same can be said for other weapon styles, but the most concerning is with Red weapons because of their size and weight.

It's the abusers of the "Sufficient Force" rule that have molded the "swing for the fences" mentality that some Red fighters have come to adopt, so as soon as a Red is put in their hands, the "Power Mode" switch kicks on and often remains in the 'On' position. With that being said, I've come up with a few ideas, including a training exercise/drill, that I hope will help these Red fighters to be able to switch the "Power Mode" 'Off' when needed.


Weapon Checking

I encourage all fighters to learn the art of weapon checking, as it will help them become better weapon makers, know what a passing and failing weapon feels and looks like, which will in turn help them know when repairs are needed to their own weapons. This will help keep Dagorhir a safe game. But I strongly encourage Red users to learn weapon checking, especially if they're new to the style. Have them test a Blue and a Red Weapon so that they can feel for themselves what it's like to throw a Light, Medium, and Hard shot. Then, have a Blue and a Red tested on them so that they can be trained on what a Light, Medium, and Hard shot feels like when they're the ones being hit. Have this be a regular occurrence if it isn't already, like with my realm, we have weapons check once a month before practice, with new weapons always being tested before being brought on the field, and arrows checked at every practice. Repetition will help make this second nature.


Meditation

I know, some of you are probably thinking "What do Red fighting and meditation have to do with one another?!" Well, for the purpose of this article, quite a bit actually. Meditation has long been used to become more mindful and focus on the present moment. This is where I think some Red users can use some training. Red fighters are a little like Bulls; when they see a shield, it's like the Bull seeing red. Once they start breaking shields, it can be hard to get out of that mode, regardless of who or what stands in front of them. This is where Mindfulness training and focusing on the present moment can come in handy. If you're more focused and more aware of who you're fighting, then you'll likely be able to recognize whether you need to be in "Power Mode" or "Power Saving Mode".

"Power Mode" should be reserved ONLY for breaking shields(and those frustrating abusers of the "Sufficient Force" rule).

"Power Saving Mode" should be your default mode when you're fighting enemies who don't have a shield in front of them. When fighting an enemy as a Red user, if they are not using a shield then you should not be striking them any harder than you would with a normal blue. Yes, this would be open for interpretation, but the point is that you should not be going full Red unless your opponent has a shield or doesn't want to take hits.

There's plenty of information on meditation on the internet, including videos, so I highly encourage Red users to seek out this information. I hope it improves your Red fighting.


Hit Calibration Training Exercise/Drill

Coupled with the ideas above, I've come up with a training exercise that I hope will help Red users discern when it's necessary to be in "Power Mode" or "Power Saving Mode". The most important part about this training exercise is the changing of variables that the Red fighter encounters. With that being said, here's the exercise:

Round 1: Small Female Fighter

Find the smallest female fighter available in your unit or local realm that's at least average to above average in skill. Arm her with a weapon, preferably single blue or Florentine. Avoid Reds and ranged weapons as the point is for the other fighter to be in melee range of the Red user, and another Red would just confuse matters. Try and discourage "light" calls from the non Red fighter, as this may lead to harder than needed shots. Call shots if necessary if they are being shrugged off.

Level 1: Weapon Only

Have the female fighter square off with the Red user with only weapons, no armor or shields. Allow only light to medium hits. If any hits are deemed "Hard" or "Excessive", call the Red fighter dead and restart the fight. Repeat this process at least 5-10 times before moving on to Level 2.

Level 2: Weapon and Armor

Same as Level 1, only this time give the female fighter armor(at the very least torso armor). Allow Medium hits from the Red fighter against the armor  only, as armor can absorb a portion of the force of the hit, but encourage the non Red fighter to take light hits as well. Again, Hard or Excessive hits should result in the immediate death of the Red fighter. Restart the fight. Repeat at least 5-10 times before moving on to Level 3.

Level 3: Weapon, Armor, and Shield

Finally, give the female fighter a shield in addition to the weapon and armor. The female fighter should preferably be above average at sword/board, but at the very least should know the basics of sword/board, especially the rules regarding Red damage. Allow Hard or "Power" shots on the shield only. Once the shield is broken, allow Medium strikes for the armor only like in Level 2. Follow the immediate death rule as in Levels 1 & 2, and repeat at least 5-10 times.

Then to make it more interesting, go backwards down the ladder. Go from Level 3 down to Level 2, then down to Level 1.


Round 2: Average/Medium Sized Male Fighter

Find an average to medium sized male fighter in your unit or local realm that's at least average to above average in skill. All of the same rules apply as in Round 1 with the female fighter, including moving backwards down the ladder of levels. Try and discourage "light" calls from the non Red fighters, as this may lead to harder shots out of frustration. Call shots if necessary if they are being shrugged off.


Round 3: Large Male Fighter

Finally, find the biggest male fighter you can in your unit or local realm that's at least average to above average in skill and have them square off against the Red fighter. All of the same rules apply as in the previous 2 rounds. Again, try and discourage "light" calls from the non Red fighter. Call shots if necessary if they are being shrugged off.

Advanced(Optional)

If the Red fighter is exceptionally good, to make it more challenging, you can have him/her face two enemies at the same time, presenting that Red user with a multitude of variables all in the same fight. For example, you could use a small unarmored female fighter without a shield and a large male fighter in armor with a shield against the Red fighter.


The Goal: The goal of this training exercise is to condition the Red fighter to react accordingly to the variables that they encounter on the battlefield. Typically you would strike a smaller female fighter lighter than you would a 350 pound guy(yes I know there are some pretty tough ladies in Dagorhir that can take a beating and give it back), you'd hit an armored fighter slightly harder than an unarmored fighter, and you hit a shield with power. They should be able to discern between each variable and switch to the proper mode, meaning they shouldn't be in "Power Mode" when fighting an unarmored enemy without a shield(unless they're calling "light" or shrugging off shots), and shouldn't be in "Power Saving Mode" against an armored sword/board fighter. This should be an ongoing training regimen for all of your Red fighters. All 3 rounds do not have to be completed in the same practice. You can also tweak the exercise however you see fit. I've merely provided the foundation from which to build upon.


I would like as many units and realms to try out this training exercise and report back to me and let me know the results so that I know if it's a success or I just wasted my time. You can comment in the comments section with the results, or find me on Facebook(Durrok Thunderaxe).

In closing, I would like to make it clear that I'm not calling out any particular fighters or talking down to any Red users out there. I just want to promote safety and responsibility with Reds. I'd rather see the "swing for the fences" mentality broken, not a fellow fighter.

Hope this article was helpful and thanks for reading. Until next time, be safe and LAY ON!!!