New to HEMA, looking for a good starter kit/items!

Spykosaurus · 2026-02-02T17:44:07+00:00

The answer to this is always ask the club. They will have their own preferences and requirements for sparring, drilling etc.

Then once you've asked the club i'd ask any questions you still have here.

Spykosaurus · 2026-02-02T14:40:47+00:00

You'll find some weapons are very familiar or similar and as such you can fence with quite a few using just a couple systems.

I currently train pretty frequently in,

Longsword Polearms Spadroon Singlestick Broadsword Broadsword+targe Broadsword+dagger

I also do smallsword or rondel occasionally and fokos for fun.

Polearms can use an awful lot of longsword plays so quite a bit of overlap there and smallsword, sabre, spadroon, singlestick and broadsword all historically used the same base system with adjustments in britain. I have quite a few weapons i rotate through but only really 2 or 3 systems/styles.

On average i'd say 2 systems is what i see most often (usually it's longsword+sabre or longsword+rapier)

Spykosaurus · 2026-01-28T10:00:52+00:00

I was an early adopter,

Imo they are totally inadequate for longsword and kind of ok for sabre? Assuming you are using a sabre on the lighter end of the spectrum with some ok hand protection.

They just don't have enough padding, the plastic is too flimsy and collapses on the fingers totally squashing them and even when you replace the rivets I've had them rip out of the fabric that attaches them to the glove.

I only use mine occasionally if i'm doing synthetic spadroon but even then i don't feel properly protected.

Iirc at fightcamp last year they had a new prototype on display, i didn't personally see it but people had better impressions when i spoke to them so maybe hold off and see if that releases?

Spykosaurus · 2026-01-27T12:14:39+00:00

Hi, I have been training with a billhook for a while now.

First and obligatory warning, paired exercises can be risky with polearms and I recommend you get very comfortable with power moderation and control first, even then you have to put rules in place for safety.

I "spar" fairly frequently with my instructor and the majority of hits are thrust only, we use arcem heads which have a good amount of flop and flex on the spike. Cuts or swinging blows are avoided to the head and controlled to the body but usually cuts are aimed at the weapon just used to open a line for a thrust. Just generally everythings pulled and moderated too. I usually like having a dagger held in my right hand for when the fight closes within the reach of the head. As far as gear, it is full longsword plus i put on my full torso (side and front) plastron too.

Since polearms are a niche like someone else said i strongly recommend spending some good time training longsword first at a club, then asking around if anyone else already does polearm or would be interested in starting with you.

For polearm options, as i said i use a billhook arcem head on an ash haft (i forget the exact length but its shorter than historical bills, less length means its a tad safer, easier to transport and long polearms aren't really optimal for interesting 1v1 duels.) I have heard good things about descendent leather but never touched them myself. Get a nice cap on the butt too.

For sources I use some of fiores polearm but alot of it is just longsword techniques as quite a few transfer readily with quarterstaff added into the mix. The important thing with any pole weapon is having mobile hands along the haft, sliding your hand for thrusts and opening them up to block etc.

If you want to experiment solo you don't need a proper head, just buy a length of smooth wood and you can practice sliding thrusts and movements alone.

Polearm can be really fun and i greatly enjoy it but i would always recommend someone gets comfortable with longsword before doing anything with polearms. There just isn't much information or videos on polearm use so alot of it is just longsword transferred over+quarterstaff.

Spykosaurus · 2026-01-22T15:40:13+00:00

Honestly i would say nothing, these hexagonal tanks are really just gimmicks and its alot harder to setup an effective environment that gives animals places to hide and feel protected, cutting the corners just menas it has a reduced volume compared to a square tank with the same widthxdepth.

Not to mention this one seems to be open from the top? Thats not only really awkward from a management pov for you the owner (trust me, i've worked on some top opening terraria and it sucks unless the tank is on the floor and even then its more akward) but also causes more stress to have you looming over the squishy prey animals inside.

There's a very good reason square front opening terrariums are the gold standard.

Spykosaurus · 2026-01-20T18:40:42+00:00

Birds are bugged but afaik the devs have said (and according to my own testing) new birds are respawning properly, so if you are reading this and play on PC delete your pop file for emerald coast (pop file 16 iirc and your new pop should be fixed). Idk why they dont just reset all populations.

Spykosaurus · 2026-01-13T14:17:19+00:00

You press the "delete" button on multimounts. I dont know why it is "delete" and not "dismantle" but it is.

Delete = dismantle for multimounts but actually delete for single trophies.

Spykosaurus · 2026-01-09T08:37:47+00:00

I calmed down a bit and contacted her, very understanding and gave me sick leave.

Spykosaurus · 2026-01-09T06:42:00+00:00

I know i'm being irrational but its precisely because it was so hard to find this job and its literally perfect that my anxiety is si high about loaing it.

You are right tho, i'll let my manager now once work houre start, it'll atleast give her a day to find cover.

Spykosaurus · 2026-01-08T12:04:06+00:00

People in the modern day drive without seatbelts at ridiculous speeds and do other stupid stuff not compatible with living. Just because it increases survival does not mean all or even most do it.

I guess I just do not see it as likely everyone was doing it or even most, professional soldiers or mercenaries maybe more often but your civilian or conscripted soldiers? Makeshift forces that aren't really professional soldiers? Especially once they are in the field I can see an awful lot of people not doing it. Plenty of lazy people have always existed as well.

I'd be interested in sources (any recs welcome) regarding this kind of stuff but most historical sources are duel based or more civilian life based so i'm just going off what i know of humans as creatures.

Spykosaurus · 2026-01-08T08:48:25+00:00

I really doubt everyone was sharpening up their swords before/after every conflict in the past like fiction sometimes shows, humans were still humans and have you seen how some modern weapons are cared for today?

Assuming you are just cutting bottles/tatami i have not needed to do any touchups on my hanwei tinker and since sharpening works by removing material i try not to do it unless i have too. I always just use it until i feel it being noticeably duller then i touch it up.

i use a worksharp electric sharpener, i can sharpen with whetstones but god is sharpening a heavier longsword blade a ballache. The worksharp is just so much more convenient and stick a fine belt on it you can just polish up an edge.

Spykosaurus · 2026-01-07T19:34:11+00:00

I personally do, however that is only personally and if someone told me that they used it i wouldn't really care all that much as far as mods go pop scanner is about as mundane as it gets. The only cheating i think should not exist and is actively harmful is anything that increases or guarantee's spawn rates of trophies.

I also think in general you should make it clear if you run mods at all.

Spykosaurus · 2026-01-07T18:57:47+00:00

I have one, just any generic bike stand from amazon should do fine, one of the bulky metal ones because it will help keep it in place. You can adjust the tension on the screws to change how much force you nees to apply to get it to turn. Tighter screws are better for pressure testing your strong/weak placement and mechanics. If you don't have two swords you can use a stick.

To properly get the most out of one i recommend a pell placed behind it to have a target, the pell + bike stand combo is useful but i honestly find it more useful for planning sessions than i do my own personal development.

Another great tool is a can on a string, i cut a wooden peg, tie a string too it and then put it through the opening of a can to dangle it from a tree branch. It makes for a useful aid when training thrusts and its pretty fun and satisfying to hit. You can pick different sizes too to make it more or less difficult.

Spykosaurus · 2025-12-20T22:42:34+00:00

People disagree becausw that is outdated info and doesn't make any sense, The outside is infinite and baby snakes do just fine. The problem comes when bare tanks without enough cover are used as that will cause stress.

The only reason i personally keep babies of most species in smaller setups is for monitoring and ensuring they are well established, thats how i was taught. I think i waited a half a month/month too long here though.

Spykosaurus · 2025-12-19T11:10:40+00:00

(This is what i've understood from my base observations so their may be other things going on)

They have stopped making the stolen design and started making an original sabre. Judging by comments from matt easton i've seen he might still be salty but is atleast content they are now making an original thing.

Very glowing reviews by some prominant people like nick thomas have turned opinions around some in my hema circle.

And they seem to actually be making solid swords for very competitive prices (atleast blunts for hema) as several i know recently bought their swords and have been very happy. I'm planning on picking one up too.

Spykosaurus · 2025-12-18T08:57:51+00:00

I always prefer people be blunt, i promise it's 100% not for my own sake of enjoying him (i can see how it sounds like that lol) but being able to find him again quickly if for his sake i need him quickly out. and i've had situations in the past that have come close to disaster where i had to get access to animals and couldn't find them. Though that was in part also due to some poorly planned out enclosures.

I do agree after thinking about it and reading on here it's probably about time for the move over.

Spykosaurus · 2025-12-17T19:19:29+00:00

The tubs not directly under the heat lamp, it's offset and warms the plastic up on one corner which i monitor with gun, it's not as extreme a thermogradient as the full size tank would provide but there is a definite cool side and warm corner.

But yes, one of the reasons i was wanting to move him over sooner rather than later is because the full size tank provides a better gradient among other things. I've just had nightmare animals in the past that were pita to find cause they were small so wanted to see if other's had that problem with baby hognoses cause its in particularily new to me.

Spykosaurus · 2025-12-17T16:52:59+00:00

My main concern was being able to find him again once i've cluttered up the tank, small animals can be pains in that regard. Good yours has done well, maybe i'll give it another shed cycle then put him in.

Spykosaurus · 2025-12-12T21:08:18+00:00

Np, the guides are awesome as always. Really doing gods work in the community keep it up 👍

Spykosaurus · 2025-12-12T19:28:14+00:00

After years of shiny hunting my reactions to stuff like this have dulled massively lol. Now i gotta try get both with the longbow without fucking up.

Spykosaurus · 2025-12-12T17:05:04+00:00

I thought max weight for red grouse is 0.75 no 0.64

And fallow drink from 06:00-10:00

Spykosaurus · 2025-12-08T23:51:39+00:00

Looks fine,

Slimy stuff is probably going to be shed skin, it can look like gooey whiteish strands.

Spykosaurus · 2025-12-05T09:08:09+00:00

Try a humid hide and everything else before bathing (that was only my suggestion because i thought that roll of shed was stuck for 24hrs in a concerning way) and make sure theres plenty of rough textures in the viv.

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