100 Years War live again.

[Dinner]

Now this is totally cool. Deep in the Ukrainian woods several thousand war gamers have built a medievial village complete with a mooted castle and are currently playing a live action war game recreating the English attack on Orleans from the 100 years war. In real life the English (along with there Welsh, Irish, Scottish, and French (from English controlled France) soldiers) were driven back by the French forces but in the game the winner is decided by which team has the better swordsmen, archers, and knights.

I would love to take part in this. Here's the bbc article.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3093277.stm

[Dinner]

For those of you to lazy to follow links I've reprinted the article here sans photos.

The French fortress of Orleans is standing firm in the face of an English onslaught. But the defenders are on their last legs and desperately need a hero.
Fires in the English camp are burning all night, as foreign mercenaries mingle with monks and noble damsels in the queue for freshly baked pancakes, one gold coin a piece.

The Hundred Years War is raging on - not far from the Ukrainian capital Kiev.

Ukrainian television showed some of over 700 weekend warriors from Ukraine, Russia, Hungary and Romania taking part earlier this month in a week-long re-enactment of a medieval battle between England and France.

Ukraine itself has had its fair share of battles in its long history. But the epic Hundred Years War appears to hold particular sway over people's imagination even on the other side of the continent.

"It took us all two days to build the fortress," chain mail-clad Anton Tetzhenov, known here as Jean Dunois, Count of Orleans, told Ukrainian TV.

"We didn't sleep at night, putting up the fortifications and digging the moat. I know the guys would fight for Orleans to the last."

It is not just hack-and-slash that attracts the participants, the organisers say. A lot of historical research went into the six-month preparation of the campaign.

Each would-be knight, priest or noble damsel had to pass a history test and demonstrate a detailed knowledge of their hero's biography.

The campaign starts in true historical settings, but whether the English will seize Orleans or be banished from the regions of France they ruled in the 13th Century depends on each team's skills.

Weapons and armour were recreated with meticulous attention to detail, mostly by the participants themselves. A decent set of equipment costs between $70 and $100, an average monthly wage in Ukraine.

But good armour is essential for a swordsman if he wants to survive his very first fight, says Stanislav Bulatnikov, who had the sense to become Scottish bowman Warwick Stewart instead.

Olena Yasynska, who became Italian mercenary Lia Conori for the week, says many girls like her are taking part in the war game.

"But most of them want to be princesses or damsels in distress. Few become lady-warriors like me. But we do our job, I think."

Safety first

The organisers of the campaign, which evolved from the Soviet war game Zarnitsa, say they want it to be recognised as a proper sport some day.

They say that despite the violent plot, the game is actually quite safe, provided that the equipment is kept in good working order.

And if sanitary conditions are not up to scratch, the game masters can declare a whole medieval town in the state of an epidemic.

That would mean game over for its hapless residents. And the loss of Orleans to the English.

[Al B. Sure!]

they're playing as soldiers? how do they know how to use swords, bows, and all that?

[mrmitchell]

awesome.

[Dinner]

Albert: I know here in North America the Society for Creative Anacranisms runs several live action medieval battles with complete rules as to when you are dead or wounded, how fast you can heal, and all that stuff. I've seen two of their grand battles here in California and it looks like a lot of fun but I didn't have arms and armor so I couldn't take part. Not to mention many of those guys were good swordsmen and would have had me laying on the ground before I even learned how to defend myself.

I still wish I could take part in these massive remake happing in Europe though.

[Ming]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Albert: I know here in North America the Society for Creative Anacranisms runs several live action medieval battles with complete rules as to when you are dead or wounded, how fast you can heal, and all that stuff. I've seen two of their grand battles here in California and it looks like a lot of fun but I didn't have arms and armor so I couldn't take part. Not to mention many of those guys were good swordsmen and would have had me laying on the ground before I even learned how to defend myself.

I've been to a few as well... they are a blast. What's your SCA name? I used to be in the Middle Kingdom... haven't been to an event in years...

[Dinner]

I'm actually not a member and I never have been. My friend's older brother was deep into it though and my friend and I used to just tag along so we could watch. Dan (my friend's brother) would take his wife and kids along with him to the SCA tourney. A bunch of families went and turned it into a weekend long camping trip where dad just happened to get dressed up in medieval armor each morning.

All in all it was a blast and after each days festivities there was a medieval county faire where people would dress in period costumes and sell various things in stalls. If I could find an SCA branch around Sacramento then I think I might join it.

[Ming]

Just check out the college's... most have a chapter, or used to. I ran into SCA at Southern Illinois University, and was an active member until I graduated.

Then I started doing Science Fiction Conventions instead... Sleeping in a hotel beats a tent

[Drake Tungsten]

I never knew Ming was such a huge geek.

[Az]

This sounds great. Never been to one, but this indeed sounds very interesting and I know a couple of people that dig this. I'd like to point out that this re-enactment of the war isn't caused by some special fascination with the 100 years war, but general anachronistic role-playing games, esp. medieval. There are many East european themes played as well.

[uh Clem]

Every Labor Day weekend, Blessed Sacrament church in Seattle's U District has a fair, co-sponsored by the local SCA, I think. A friend suggested going there one year, which sounded great, but I got to thinking: Blessed Sacrament is Dominican. Just how realistic is this fair going to be? And if you're going to have the Hundred Years War, you should have the Black Death, too.