Is it Expensive?
A guide to becoming a combatant re-enactor with Vikings! Of Middle England by Nicholas Dunning
Of all the re-enactment periods that are commonly displayed, the period that the Vikings! Of Middle England portray is one of the cheapest to get started in, with the bare minimums being easy to craft by hand. The benefit of the period we have chosen is that armour was not in common use by most of the people of the time and we, as a group, take pride in the fact that we choose to represent a normal person, not just the wealthy military elite.
To start training with the group all you need is the enthusiasm to turn up every week to training and the members will lend the equipment needed to learn to fight. We also have a small forum on the web site on which a number of members discuss all sorts of topics.
For your first event we would not expect you to have any kit together at all, and would be able to outfit you in clothing owned by the club especially for this purpose. The club would also provide shelter in a communal tent for you, which is closed during the day so you can use modern sleeping equipment.
Eventually though you will need to start getting some kit together. As a group that has been established in Leicester for many years, we know some of the traders on the local market who will give a discount to re-enactors, and know what we are looking for. If you want assistance, there is usually a member of the group that is willing to take you shopping for the right materials!
The initial kit that we would expect any combatant member to obtain is that of the Saxon farmer, the ceorl. The clothing worn is that of 'day to day' use in the fields, and quite plain and undecorated. If you wish to go further than this, there is nothing to stop you, although we would recommend not spending too much on the hobby before you know it is what you want to do.
We have a number of patterns for the various pieces of basic costume, but I will summarise the basics that are needed to get started on your own as a combatant on the battlefield within the Vikings! Of Middle England:
- Tunic - This is the most basic piece of kit, but very important. This usually requires 2-3 metres of wool depending on the size of the individual, and should be full sleeved and knee length - T-Shirt shaped.
- Trousers - A very basic set of leg coverings, quite tight fitting, again made of wool. We do not allow modern trousers or tracksuit bottoms.
- Belt - This can be a waist tie made of braided leather, tablet woven braid or even a piece of rope for those that want to portray a truly downtrodden member of society! Modern belts are unacceptable, although some can be modified into a passable attempt at a period belt.
- Bindings - One of the stereotypical dress items of the period is the bindings round the legs. 2-3 metres long and around 10 cm wide, these are wrapped around the bottom of the leg and secured with a piece of leather cord.
- Armoured gloves - not a historical item, but these are required for personal safety as hits on the hand are quite common. Most people use welders gauntlets with some think leather (5-6mm) attached to the back to protect the hand.
- Saex - The basic weapon of the day, it is essentially a large, single edged knife. This would be the first weapon that you are trained in within the group and one of the first items most people buy.
That is all that is needed to get you onto the field of battle. A shield is provided by the group to complete the combatant's equipment, as it is an item that will get damaged during use. All of it with the exception of the Saex is able to be made by hand after buying the raw materials, and is relatively inexpensive. It costs approximately £75 to get to this stage, but considering the cost of some hobbies this is not much at all. It is also much cheaper than other aspects of re-enactment where armour may be mandatory or the clothing tailored.
Of course, we would not expect you to stop there. After all, a cloak is quite essential to the nights around the campfire, you will want eating equipment, and there is always that new weapon that you have fancied trying out!!
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