SCA Heavy Combat

SCA Heavy Combat

Heavy combat is a combat sport developed by the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) in which participants in body armour act out mock combats loosely inspired by forms of historical combat practiced in medieval Europe. It is variously considered a combat sport, contact sport, or a form of martial art.

The term heavy is used to distinguish this from other combat disciplines in the SCA: Rapier fencing, Archery (combat and target), Thrown Weapons, and Equestrian.

Participants use armour and weapons specified by SCA standards and rules. Weapons are made from rattan rather than steel for added safety. All major vital points of the body must be covered by armor. The fighting is a full-speed, near full-force, full-contact competition between two or more combatants, and it is designed to resemble medieval combat dueling or melee.

While SCA heavy combat is relatively new compared to other more established martial activities, with the first tournaments held just over 40 years ago in the mid 1960s, it has now evolved into a large worldwide combat form with thousands of active participants in Canada, The United States, Germany, Austria, Finland, Netherlands, France, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.