Harvested from Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/CalontirWarCouncil/posts/525210114632082
The Calontir Scutari is a center grip War Oval of a standard dimension to be used in the more mobile, fluid formations and scenarios like open field battles, ravine/res battles, and broken field battles. The Scutari is not designed to replace the Scutum, but to augment its use so that the Army can be more effective in certain scenarios that require mobility and tactical flexibility.
The Scutum wall is the best at what it does and in the scenarios that we need the Scutum wall there is no substitute. But, for quite a while Calontir has been using the scutum in different capacities. It’s use in some of these capacities are not ideal, but the lack of consistency of sizes and shapes of secondary shields do not allow for good unit cohesion if needed to be used as a line of defense. The Scutari will allow the Army to maintain a line defense but give us the mobility to advance and reform quicker, as well as allow us to defend in different ways that we can not do with the Scutum wall.
The Scutari should be made in one of two ways:
The Calontiri Standard
- The Scutari should be made from 6061 T-6 Aircraft Aluminum of .100 inch thickness or other acceptable SCA combat legal variant. If you wish to build your shield in a spangen style that is acceptable as well.
- War Oval Dimensions: 24″ wide x 40″ high with a 2″ vertical curve. (NOTE: the Scutari can be made flat, but a slight curve allows for better use) Rounded top and bottom should be a full half circle design, not a tapered point or other shape.
- Centergrip should be at the center point vert/horz. on every shield. The hole for the boss should be between 6″ – 7″ in diameter to allow any full gauntlet to be used.
- The boss should be between 3″ – 4″ deep allowing for any full gauntlet to be used. The Handle should be between 1″ – 1.5″ in diameter metal pipe or similar design. The handle should be vertical along the center line of the shield, not horizontal and not offset to the right or left. If you want to pad or wrap your handle for grip that is acceptable. Also, guide straps can be added for transport.
The concept of The Calontir Standard is to allow any fighter in the army to use or pickup a dropped Scutari at any time. Right or left handed and be able to effectively use that shield in the line. So, The Calontir Standard is set to allow the most variety in user, very much like the design of our scutums.
The Calontir Custom
Since the Scutari is not designed to be used as a solid “wall” or grounded, some fighters may choose to make their own Scutari to specifically fit their own body type. Below is how you determine the parameters of “The Calontir Custom” and still be able to use the scutari within the army line
- Get into your fighting stance, knees slightly bent. As if you were standing in the Calontir line with a shield.
- Measure from the top of your forward knee to the bottom of your nose. That will be your vertical measurement
- Get out of your stance and stand straight. Measure from the outside edge of your shoulder across to the other outside edge of your shoulder. This will be the horizontal measurement.
This design will allow a Dreadnaught class fighter to build a shield that will protect them on the field. It will also allow a Cruiser weight fighter to build a shield that will protect them as well.
The rest of the manufacture of the shield will be the same as “The Calontir Standard”. Same center grip, hole, and grip design.
