They might be using blunt weapons but these chaps seem to take it very seriously

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/10803917/In-pictures-Knights-in-shining-armour-re-enact-medieval-battles-in-Spain.html?frame=2899624

They're mental, there was a documentary on BBC last/earlier this year I can't quite remember when, but it followed the British team that entered the competition. It primarily comes down to who is the person who can bludgeon/wrestle everyone else to the ground and still be standing at the end of it.

I'm sure I've seen these guys (or someone similar) at one of our local shows. They were certainly knackered at the end of the display. In high summer too!

I put a 'heads up' about the BBC documentary earlier in the year then didn't see anything in the Radio Times as when it was on, so completely missed it .

I watched it on BBC IPlayer when someone linked to it on one of the Re-enactment forums I'm on.

There are teams from around the world compete, Apparently no one likes fighting the Israeli's as they're all ex military, I think the Georgians were in a similar position judging by the size of them.

But if this was what later medieval combat was like forget your fancy swords, the heavier the weapon the better, all the weight in these things was at the end, they pointed out what they called a falchion, I'd have called it an iron bar with a bit of handle welded on. But it did the job with a lot of brute force.

I thought the page in the sunglasses had the right idea.

Isn't that the castle and tournament arena used in 'El Cid'?
Yep those chaps certainly go at it some, I've just started to make some Gambersons for Brits who are into this sort of thing and I can say just the padded Gambersons are heavy enough without the armour on!! Each to his own.

Jason

Saw a load of these guys wandering about in Verona last week.