Greetings from Australia!

Hello from Australia!

My name is Gareth and due to a wedding in my family, I'm going to be in Canada during the Bicolline event!

A little bit about myself: I have been involved in the hobby for about two decades and currently run my own club (with a few friends).

I see from here https://lions.keuf.net/t854-australie-mon-amour that some of you guys are coming over / have come over. It's actually pretty funny - we're from Melbourne and know Swordcraft quite well.

Anyway, I'm super-excited about this, but I basically know nobody over there that attends, so I'm looking for some help.

I contacted the guys running Bicolline, but they haven't been the most responsive. Is there any chance you guys could help a trio of Aussies out a bit?

All the way from Australia ?!!?!!   COOL !!

You guys are most welcome among us !  We'll be honored if you hang out with us in our camp, and we'll be glad to assist with any question you may have.

Absolutely! Bicolline is gonna be savage, glad to have you guys on board.

We would be glad to help you guys out as much as we can if you give us some more information we can surely help you guys make it a memorable event.

Thanks for the warm welcome, guys!

There are three of us: Myself, Lisa and Jess. We're all somewhat experienced fighters, so hopefully we wouldn't be a dead-weight for you guys.
We're not going to be bringing any of our arms or armour (it seems a little impractical!), but were planning on maybe buying some stuff there and mailing it back home afterwards.
Costume is a different matter, though. That we can bring. I guess we'd really like to fit in with you guys, though, so is there any chance we could get some guidance for period / culture / style?


We're flying into Toronto for a wedding, and immediately after that flying to Montreal in the morning of Friday the 16th and out again on the following Wednesday.
So really we'll only be there for the final three days. Personally, I'd love to attend the whole event, but the Wedding is on the Thursday and so everything before that is filled with family stuff, as I'm sure you can imagine. After Bicoline, the plan is to spend a couple of weeks in New York, so we don't want to carry toooo many things around with us.

I guess the things that we're really stuck on is getting to the event from Montreal and actual accomodation there. The thing is I really don't know what it is we need help with!

Also we're a little worried because (being Australian), none of us speak French. Is that going to be an issue?

We have al ot of swords, shield, spear, 1 balista and 1 cannon XD, so Its won't be a issue for the weapon.

Not speaking french is not an issue. You'll be ok if you're good in english.

For the transport, we could see if someone in the guild is leaving the friday, and we might be able to arrange something so he could pick you guys up on the way.

We're all somewhat experienced fighters, so hopefully we wouldn't be a dead-weight for you guys. wrote:

That great, but in the Lions. Pro like beginner are all respect in the same way. Everybody can have the chance and there fun with us

So really we'll only be there for the final three days. Personally, I'd love to attend the whole event, but the Wedding is on the Thursday and so everything before that is filled with family stuff, as I'm sure you can imagine. wrote:

Yup we understand, the only thing you will need is a lift to bico. The gate open at 8:00 a.m. Bico is at 2 hour of montreal, can you have a lift ???

Also we're a little worried because (being Australian), none of us speak French. Is that going to be an issue? wrote:

In Québec, we all learn english since primary school. That should not be a issue and is alway a good samaritain to help with the translation. Anywya, we are a english guild so enjoy XD


Our style look like The order of the Teutonic Kight at Swordcratf but lesser puffyer. Jeff have already done some training with is guild with the combat rules of bico. Maybe you could have one session with him

As for what we look like in style of garb. We try for a dark ages to crusade kind of look. If you want some reference look for long tunics surcoats and little bits a celtics design. Many of us also go for the sctotish kilt. The theme for this grand bataille is middle eastern so turbans and the like are going to be fashionable.

We have tons of stuff to loan you in case you need stuff. The two biggest questions left would be where would you sleep and how to get there.

As for the sleeping arrangements i think we can set up one of our spare normal camping tents in the non decorum section of bico. Some of our members do this they only sleep and keep their clothing there the rest of the time they are in our camp. We have a nice fire and a stove if you want to cook food and their is also a bunch of people selling food in the site. As for beds and stuff like that we ll see what we can do and keep you posted.

Has for a lift we would need to know at what time you arrive at montreal airport so we can see what can be done. The earliest the better in my opinion.

I have two four-place dome tents I can lend you guys. Those are non-decorum tents ( meaning they're not period ) so they'll need to be set up in the non-medieval section of the campgrounds, but apart from Sleepy Time, you folks can hang out with us of course.

I'll be at Bico the whole week, so I guess I won't be able to give you a ride on the way in, but I can carry two people on the way back.
The main question is finding a ride from Montreal to Bico. We'll ask around, see if we can track down folks who also have the weekend package and are willing to give you a ride.

By the way, I'm guessing you haven't already booked your stay at Bico, since the site is all in French, right ? Not to worry, you can pay at the gate. The price is $155, arrival is Friday August 16th. A little heads-up: you'll need to arrive in garb, as so not to burst everybody's medieval bubble with your modern clothes. Your tents will already have been set up by the time you get there, so come and meet us at the True Faith ( or Vraie Foi, pronounced "Vreh Fwah" ) camp and we'll show where they are.

CAN'T WAIT !!

Oh, you guys are so helpful. Thanks! I wasn't sure if I made this clear earlier, but we're more than happy to compensate anyone that helps us - for petrol, food, whatever.

Okay, so I am told that our plane lands in Montreal at 10.25 am on the Friday, which sounds like it might not be the most convenient time.

Guibourg, the offer of a tent is really generous and we'd love to take you up on that. That's a big relief to get that sorted, actually.

And you are right, we hadn't booked/registered. Actually Basia (one of the organisers?) told us that we could just pay at the gate. She didn't warn us about arriving in garb though!

Quote :

The theme for this grand bataille is middle eastern so turbans and the like are going to be fashionable.

Does that mean just for the Lions, or for everyone? Is it a compulsory style?

No, dress however you want. You also don't "have to" arrive in garb, you can show up, pay at the gates, set up your tents in the non decorative (out of game/costume) area, then get changed and join the fun.

As far as a theme goes, I haven't heard anything about that, though a bunch of us have made middle eastern style puffy parachute pants to beat the heat and look slick at the same time. But really, dress in whatever way makes you happy. A good rule of thumb is anything pre-renaissance (16th C) is a good bet and no one will bat an eyelash. Lions tend to dress in a somewhat saxon-y-ish fashion, but Bicolline itself has no "rules" for what period you should be inspired by. Bico also relies heavily on fantasy, so going for an extravagant magic power look isn't a bad call either.

Honestly, dressing in whatever way you feel comfortable in is best - it gets very hot during the day and cold at night - just remember that if you don't have a suit of armor with you, you might also want fighting garb so that your nice clothes (for soiree and party stuff) don't get ruined.

Hope that helps.

-Bear Blackspear

So we're Go for both tents. I'll also bring 3 sleeping bags. As for mattresses, will a twin and a single do, or do you need 3 singles ?

I'll lend my car ( a Honda CRV with tons of leg room ) to Sir Hector so he can pick you up at the airport on Friday, so if you guys can pitch in for the gas ( I figure about $60 or so ) it'll be just dandy.

Awesome, thanks. A twin and single would be better, but, honestly, if it's easier, whatever you have is fine.

Thankyou so much for the lift, as well. Of course we're more than happy to chip in for gas.

I'm starting to get really excited about this!

If getting a lift is a problem maybe you could take a bus to shawinigan and someone ofbus could come and pick you up.

And i got a lot of swords and shields for you guys.

So to confirm: tents are a go and lift is also a go. Hector is going to pick you up at the airport. Weapons are not a problem for us as you can see.
For food, I suggest that you by food on the site. It's a bit more expensive (guys are usually good with 20$ per day) but less trouble. The world of Bicolline changes at night: PARTY TIME! I don't know if you guys drink, if so, you might want to stop by SAQ (a place to by alcool) on the way to Bicolline.
For the return, like Guibourg said, we have places for you. The way we work on Sunday morning is, we always go outside for breakfast and then we come back and undo all the stuff. We are back to Montreal in the afternoon.
We can't wait to see you guys !

Cassandre wrote:

So to confirm: tents are a go and lift is also a go. Hector is going to pick you up at the airport. Weapons are not a problem for us as you can see.
For food, I suggest that you by food on the site. It's a bit more expensive (guys are usually good with 20$ per day) but less trouble. The world of Bicolline changes at night: PARTY TIME! I don't know if you guys drink, if so, you might want to stop by SAQ (a place to by alcool) on the way to Bicolline.
For the return, like Guibourg said, we have places for you. The way we work on Sunday morning is, we always go outside for breakfast and then we come back and undo all the stuff. We are back to Montreal in the afternoon.
We can't wait to see you guys !

Fantastic, thank you guys so much!

So I was looking for some rules... Any chance you guys could point me in the right direction?

Try this adress http://bicolline.org/bdb_regles_de_combat.html

It s in french i don t know if yoy can translate it with google or if it s any good if it doesn t work we can make you a summary

Good morning Melbourners ! ( Yes, I know it's not morning over there ... )

Here's a  list of the basic combat rules:

==> It's the touch that counts, not the strength of the hit. Of course, you should adjust your shot strength depending on who you're hitting and where you're hitting them. You need to take it easy on an unarmored female archer but you might need to crank up your shot if you're hitting a fur-covered, full-plated Barbarian in the back - or else he won't even feel it in the heat of battle !  
==> One-handed swords ( max length 110 cm / 43 inches ) are 1 hit point.
==> Two-handed swords ( ie: longer than 110 cm / 43 inches ), hallberds ( max 6 feet long ) and pikes ( max 9 feet long ) are all 2 hit points. The owner of these weapons must have usage of both his hands ( for instance, a halberdsman with a wounded arm cannot cause ANY damage, he can only parry shots with his weapon ).
==> Arrows are also 2 hit points
==> Siege engine hits are an instant kill, no matter where they hit, and that means shield and sword too.

==> You lose the body part that was hit :
- shield arm: you drop the shield and put your arm behind your back
- sword arm: you drop your sword ( you may then pick it up with your other hand )
- leg: you put a knee down
- chest, back and butt count as torso, you're dead
- head : you're dead - top or back only ! Hits to the face ( from ear to ear, eyebrow to chin ) are frowned upon and do not count. Just say "Face!" and your opponent will (or should ) apologize and carry on.
- no hits to the throat ( just say "Gorge !",  the french word for throat ) are allowed but a gentle slicing motion on any exposed part of the throat or neck means you're dead
- You can still keep fighting with one arm and both legs missing.  With all four members hit, you can lay on the ground and direct troops, tell jokes, etc, but that's about it.  
- Remember : The Dead Don't Talk ! ( but they can move to a nice shady spot if they wish ).

==> With armor, you will last longer in a fight :
-thick cloth, such as a gambison : 1 armor point + your life point
- leather :  2 armor points + your life point
- Brigandine ( plated leather ) or chainmail : 3 armor points + your life point
- Full plate : 4 armor points + your life point
- No matter how often a shield is hit, you don't lose life points, with the siege engine exception or unless you are hit by a monster ( same rules apply, except you can blocks shots with your sword - defensively only, no attacks ! ) or a magic weapon ( very few of them, they're usually blue or red ).
- You can't add armor points. this means that plate over chainmail over leather over gambison still only counts as plate only ( total five points ). Though you will look like a most epic sandwich  
- Because head shots are allowed, helmets are definitely a good idea, especially in a frontline. You won't make yourself the target of choice.

==>  Healing:  
- Allied healers will walk around the battlefield to fix wounds and raise the fallen. Takes thirty seconds. They may be Rez points in the game, this will be announced at the beginning of each scenario.
- Enemy healers may turn you into a zombie, then you will feel compelled to obey any order they give you, such as giving them protection or attacking your brethren ( full speed and at the best of your abilities, none of that slouching, moaning nonsense ! )

I'm guessing you have very similar rules back home.
Of course, we can an answer questions you may have or fill in the blanks later on.


Hope this helps !

Okay, that seems pretty clear. I do have a couple of questions, though

- each body location has 1 life point, correct?

- are there limits on the way a weapon may be used?
Depending on the game, over here there are limits here, like "No thrusting", "No striking from Above", or whatever.

- you say "It's the touch that counts, not the strength of the hit.". How hard do people generally strike?
Again, over here, the different groups hit with different levels of force. Maybe that's just a culture thing, but it would be good to get an idea early.

Correct, one point per body part, as follows: the left arm,  right arm, left leg and right leag each have one hit point, armor non-withstanding. The head and torso also have one point, but - unlike the arms and legs - you die the instant you lose either one, of course ( just an in real life I suppose ).

**  Correction:   the buttocks count as part of the legs, not the torso. Sorry !  **

Hit strength depends on the wielder and how excited he is, I guess. You'll quickly get a feel of how strong ( or weakly ) we hit when you practice with us for a while. In case you happen to hit too hard, you'll hear other players utter a few internationally known code words such as "Ouch !", "Ow!" or "Whoa !". You may also hear the local equivalent "Ayoye !".

Limits on weapons' use :
Lances are used only in a thrusting manner ( no hammer-like hitting ).
The opposite stands for halberds : no thrusting, unless they are lance-tipped hybrids.
I'm not clear on swords : is thrusting allowed ( "coup d'estoc" in French ) or are only hitting/slicing motions allowed ? ( other Lions, please feel free to pitch in ). There are no "No hitting from above" rules ( strikes such as the "Posta del Falcone" in Kingdom of Heaven, right ? ), as long as you don't clobber the other player. For this reason, I don't see it used often at Bicolline.
Abuses are usually spotted by Bico marshals, basically game referees, garbed in yellow and gold. They keep an eye on things and warn people when they get too enthusiastic or when they fail to counts their hit points and should go down. They actually sport a chest pin that says "GOD", meaning that all their decisions are final. If a player is too offensive or is dangerous ( a rare occurrence, thankfully ), marshals have the power to expulse him, not just from the game but completely from Bico - no refund- for a few years, so they are NOT to be trifled with.

For strenght of your shoots if the other guys feels it qnd doean tcry out in pain your good.

Swords mace and other one handed weapons you can thrust slice whaterver you want.

As for the legs anything bellow the beltline is considered legs and an arm finishes at the junctions of the shoulder.

Sure, that's pretty clear.

I'm going to sign off for the weekend, but I daresay I'll have more questions come Monday!