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[Kalam]

My fellow Americans and those courageous Europeans who dare the challenges of a high ping, it is my pleasure to announce the beginning of The Arena Tourney.

This will take place as a single-elimination tournament.

It is up to you to contact your opponent using whatever means available (their forum names are provided in parentheses for ease of access) and arrange a time and date to duel your opponent. The best 3 of 5 duels is declared a winner, and you will both report the results to all officiants (Whalen, Lt_Anders, Kalam) in a forum message. If there are any disagreements, you will seek out a tournament official to resolve it.

You each have until Thursday the 24th of February to contact and duel each of your opponents for the first round.

 Check this table for reference, scores, and standings.

The Competitors:

(click to show/hide)

Jaer_Selorn (Dunecat)
Hospitaller_Oneriot (Oneriot)
FF_JohnAdams (JohnAdams)
Ninja_Kenkyaku (Torp)
Mr_Pibb_ATS (Duster)
ManOfWar_Takeda (ManOfWar)
SingingintheRain (Deafening)
Balton_the_Benevolent (Balton)
Brogg_The_Backstabber (Bromagi)
Merc_Shpongled_RS (Shpongled)
Guts_ATS (Guts)
Haru2_Takeda (Haru_Takeda)
Brunchlady_BRD (Marathon)
Matey_BRD (Matey)
Balbaroth_The_Wanderer (Balbaroth)
Miley (Miley)
DL_Braeden_Rahl (Braeden)
ThaBigBoss (BigBoss)
Kesh_BRD (Keshian)
Cavalieres_Thrower (Earthdforce)
Bothersome_Aldryk_RS (Bothersome_Aldryk)
Hannibal_ATS (Hannibal)

Rules:
Duels are to take place in the NA Strategus server. You may ask Braeden for a map change if he's around.
Duellists may not continue running away from their opponents for more than a minute.
Each duel round only ends when one of the duellists is killed by the other.
Both duellists must report the result of the duel. If neither report the duel, points are subtracted from both.
Best 3 out of 5.

Approved Equipment:

(click to show/hide)

Sumpter Horse
Dress
Red Tunic
Green Tunic
Blue Tunic
White Tunic
Yellow Tunic
Yellow Arena Helmet
White Tournament Helmet
Red Tournament Helmet
Green Tournament Helmet
Blue Tournament Helmet
Practice Dagger
Practice Sword
Practice Longsword
Staff
Arena Lance
Green Arena Shield
Yellow Arena Shield
Red Arena Shield
Blue Arena Shield
Stones
Hunting Bow
Arrows

Any rule suggestions or complaints should be submitted to me.

Special thanks goes to Aemaelius for preceding us.

[Earthdforce]

Can we do naked fist fights?

[Gorath]

PM can't find "Whalen" or "Lt_Anders" to PM the results of the duels between Braeden and I.  I PM'd you however, if you can post the forum names of the other two officiants I'll PM them as well.

[Formless]

Looks like a disadvantage for shielders. 

[ManOfWar]

Well not all 1h

[Formless]

Well not all 1h

Yes for all 1 h.  Without shield a 1 h is disadvantaged against same level of opponent with a longer weapon. 

[Kalam]

Yes for all 1 h.  Without shield a 1 h is disadvantaged against same level of opponent with a longer weapon.

Which is why it's so much more satisfying to kill someone. Also, I think wit the right build combination and weapon, it's actually not much of a disadvantage against a 2-hander, at least.

[ManOfWar]

Yes for all 1 h.  Without shield a 1 h is disadvantaged against same level of opponent with a longer weapon.

O ya, ya you have to play your cards right i suppose

[Gorath]

Yes for all 1 h.  Without shield a 1 h is disadvantaged against same level of opponent with a longer weapon.

You can use arena shields, which your shield skill will still buff the durability of and everyone is using practice weapons.  So all in all it works out rather fairly.  Plus you can carry multiple arena shields (they don't weigh anything).  Also wooden 1her vs wooden 2her isn't that disadvantaged as the practice/arena weapons seem to be the most balanced weapons in the game when you look at them.

Practice Sword
weight 0.8
requirement 0
spd rtng 103
weapon length 101
swing damage 14, blunt
thrust damage 10 blunt

Practice Longsword
weight 1.5
requirement 3
spd rtng 94
weapon length 117
swing damage 18, blunt
thrust damage 14 blunt
Secondary Mode

Staff
weight 1
requirement 2
spd rtng 104
weapon length 128
swing damage 16, blunt
thrust damage 16 blunt
Knockdown

Given animation deductions on reach the 1her is a little slower than the polearm 103 vs 104, and only a little shorter than the polearm: 101 vs 108 (128-20 for animation range deduction).  While the 2her is the longest and most damaging weapon, but the slowest (even given the +5 speed rating due to superior animations).  Toss on an arena shield with say shield skill 7 (what I have on my shielder) and it's
Red Arena Shield
weight 2.5
requirement 0
hit points 60
body armor 1
spd rtng 100
shield width 23
shield height 40

Since each point in shield skill reduces the damage your shield takes by blocking a hit by 8% with 7 skill you're reducing the damage the shield takes by 56% and the body armor removes 1.  In theory without speed bonuses and considering an average of say 5 PS (+40% damage) the 2her would do about 23 blunt damage.  Remove 1 for 22 damage, then another 56% on around 10 damage per swing.  So that's at least 6 hits the shield will take before breaking.  It's not bad considering it's a duel and not battle.

*Disclaimer, my math is completely bleh and without a ton of thought put into it, just first thought estimates.  Getting exact figures is cool if you wish, but telling me the nitpicky parts just gets a "cool story bro".    *

[ManOfWar]

Gorath your never going ot be in the positive awesomebar zone, just stop trying to be a valuable member of the community, just stop

[Matey]

dont forget the arena lance... thats what beat me.

[Braeden]

Actually, the most overpowered combination from that list would be either Horse Archer or Horse Thrower.  Stones and Hunting Bow Arrows hurt even more like hell against tunics.

[ManOfWar]

really need to separate melee from range to cavalry

[Balton]

Lol'd @ listing me as a competitor but disqualifying me from the get-go, pretty cute.

[Kalam]

You were banned at the time.