0 Battle of the Nations

Because you know, you need some place to bend all those tin cans, unless you plan on keeping them gathering dust and rust in some corner.

What IS the Battle of the Nations? Taking the name from that OTHER Battle of the Nations ,
its more or less an international medieval full contact combat tournament. Its not reenactment - more like LARP/SCA/WWF with swords and plate armor, but non the less - its pretty awesome in its own right. There are participating teams from half a dozen or more countries in several trials - 1 on 1, 5 on 5, full 21 on 21 etc.

There are teams from all over the world but the regulations and requirements are high.
 
For more info you can visit this Ukrainian site http://www.battleofthenations.com.ua/
It has english version as well.

You can also watch this short episode series on medievalists.net
http://www.medievalists.net/2011/11/11/battle-of-the-nations-tv-series/

0 Newest purchase - Russian infantry shield - 13th century

This one falls to the bargain you can't miss type.

Today I bought a 13th c. Russian tear drop infantry shield from a local historical reenactor, for 30 euro - that would be 45 USD or something.

Its much sturdier than ours - being made from proper wood, and not plywood. It has real leather for straps and on the edges, overall I really can't complain in any way about design, material etc. Even the bolts holding the straps are not bought, but hammered out from pig iron.

 It is however, quite smaller than my own norman kite shield, and being a big guy myself, I probably won't be using it personally. Still, a nice audition to have.

Here you can see the two compared.