The Generals Lay their plans...

The following are the battles envisioned for the upcoming Diamond Wars XXIII.

Woods Battle:
The team that will start as the Defending team will be presented the “Attackers” flag. The team captain and up to 5 people will then have 5 minutes to hide the flag in the woods. Lay on will be called and the attackers are timed as how long it takes to find their flag and return it to the starting spot. After the flag is returned to the starting spot the time will be stopped and the sides will “swap”, with the attackers now hiding the attacker’s flag.
Fizban Rules:
· The flag must be placed where it will be visible and easily retrievable. (The flag is NOT to be placed in someone’s tunic, 40’ up in a tree, buried under a pile of leaves, etc.).
· Proper hand protection IS required to carry the flag, but not to hide it.
· If the flag bearer is killed while carrying the flag, the flag is dropped where the flag bearer is killed.
· Either team is then able to move the flag as they see fit, defenders can move the flag to re-hide the flag or attackers can reclaim the flag and continue to head towards the goal.

Gate Battle:
Both sides will take turns “Breaking” into the gate. A wooden brace is used to close the gate, once the Attacking team actually breaks the board bracing the doors closed, a hold will be called. The wooden remains will be removed from play. The defenders will then be allowed to “Brace” the gate using bodily weight. This is a timed event. The fastest team through the gate will be awarded a point.

Barn Raid:
Both sides will take turns attacking the barn. An object must be removed from the barn in order for the attackers to be declared victorious. The attackers will have 5 resurrections, while the defenders will only have 3.
Victory Conditions:
An object must be retrieved from the barn and made it past the front gate of the barn in order for a team to be declared victorious. The side door is NOT in play and will only be used for the removal of the Dead. Time is started when “Lay On!” is called and is stopped only for Holds, or when the attacking team member crosses the front of the barn gate with the object in hand. Proper hand protection is required to carry object.
The team who takes the object from the barn the fastest is awarded a point.

Flag Battle:
The team which accumulated the most points thus far starts with their team flag at the top of the flag pole. A 5’ circle will be placed around the flag pole for “Immunity”. This will be a timed event. The team whose flag spends the most time at the top of the flag pole will be declared the victor. This will be a 1 ½ hour unlimited resurrection battle.
Fizban Rules:
· The person inside the circle is considered immune and is NOT subject to any active combat. Nor can the person in the circle attack anyone.
· Proper hand protection is NOT required to raise the flag.
· The time is stopped when the flag starts to drop. Time is started again when the person in the circle places BOTH feet out of the circle.
· A 5 minute time limit is allowed in the circle. If the attacker is deemed by the Marshalls to be deliberately “stalling” in the circle, after 5 minutes the time will start again and then be deducted from the team’s time total.

General Rules:
· All scenarios will be run twice, with each team taking turns acting as both attackers and defenders.
· All scenarios will be timed.
· The team that accumulates the least amount of time for each scenario will be awarded a point.
· Points will be added up for the final battle, at which time the team with the most points will have an advantage as described in that scenario.
· Combat archery will be allowed.

Diamond Wars XXII: First Contact

Last year, the outpost of Barenlager was founded. And, in time, became home to a humble community and fertile fields. In the untamed wild, this could not last for long before it was beset by brigands seeking to take the fruits of our labor.

Here are illuminations of the fierce fighting that ensued in the barn and woods surrounding the outpost.

My fondest memory: happening upon the barn, barely ahead of pursuing forces, and taking up positions. Sir Waldryk, commander of our band, called for men to grab wooden pallets strewn about and barricaded the breach. When the enemy fell on us, we repelled them,risking a sortie into the woods to drive them off.

When the grain grows tall this year, the unlucky invaders will have to brave the Jaws of the Bear. May God have mercy upon them, for we shall not.

Barenlager as it stands

After the land was cleared, we commenced with the excavations for sinking fence posts. Truly, we learned that the term 'bones of the earth' was no figure of speech, as we wore and broke our tools against the unforgiving ground.

I'll not bore you with tales of the heroic feats done in the name of our dream; not of Arthur's mad pursit of offending trees with his whirling blade of death, nor the relentless Ravenswar with his rock-bar of smiting, nor the infernos set in motion by Garia to shame the heavens, nor the stones moved with Sisyphusian patience to fortify the work by the indefatigable Brianna, nor the exacting saw wielded by Hrothgar the silent (but deadly), nor the swiftly striking clawhammer of Cathoir, nor the wise counsel provided by Beth, nor the trusty tools and steady hand offered in friendship by Dhari, nor the sumptuous feasts that greeted us every evening prepared by the hand of Alesia the fair and my own lovely lady Juliana....

...where was I?

Oh yes! There was much work done by many willing hands, and no tale gives the full accounting of it (yet).

Barenlager, as it stands, consists of our barn and surrounding fields. It is guarded by a stalwart gate known as the Jaws of the Bear. They wait, ready to test the mettle of any warriors foolish enough to assail our quiet refuge.

How far we've come...

From untamed wilderness, we have carved a place for ourselves.

When we first arrived at the site almost 2 years ago, the deadfall and underbrush was, in a word, frightening. The forest had reclaimed this aged boy scout campground, leaving rotting benches, snake infested logs, and huge piles of leaves mouldering under dense tree cover.

We set to it, and with every stoke of axe and rake, the forest yielded up to us land ripe with
promise.

In the beginning...

This is an account of the founding and development of the village known as Barenlager, nestled in the woods of northern Gleann Abhann at scenic Camp Cedar Valley, Viola, AR. It is currently the site of Diamond Wars, an SCA event hosted by the Barony of Small Gray Bear.

In an effort to provide a unique experience for our guests, some gentles have undertaken a building project to provide fighters with a medieval village to fight in and around. The village will grow organically over the next few years. Once complete, it will provide some of the most intense house-to-house battle scenarios in the Knowne World.

Once we have a solid start, plans are in motion for less martial pursuits as well - crofts for medieval crafts, demonstration areas for period artisans, and living history displays.

This account will include illuminations of the site as it grows, and humorous, as well as cautionary, tales of those that toil on its behalf.