LADIES PLEASE READ (responses requested): Now that I think about it...

So I was responding to the post in "moar avatars" about how my mother had pointed out how lovely all the other girls looked In Character (while I, apparently, resemble a bulldyke with water retention problems. Thanks mom) mentioning how I kept my hair tied back because it was more practical in combat, when a thought hit me:

There aren't a whole lot of girls involved in melee combat here, are there?

This might just be my imagination, but it does seem that the women here tend towards healers, magic users, and other "back row" classes. The vast majority of the female images in the photo gallery show women mostly in non-combat-practical dresses, or swinging staffs (or bows).

So I'm just curious, whats the breakdown of fighters to back-row and support among the lasses here? Needn't give away your character class... a simple shout-out of "yes" for melee fighter or "no" for anything else will do nicely. Optional if you'd like to post any more details of what your weapon of choice is, or why you've chosen said style, but certainly not necessary.

(I'd ask that archers either refrain from participating or answer with a "no" [or "archer" i guess if you're ok with posting that]. I assure you your bad-assery is not at question, I'm just trying to get a close-combat melee estimate)


I'm a YES.


PS: before someone points out the obvious, I can understand the logistical concerns about why women might not want to be front-line fighters (holy crap some of you men are HUGE), playing to ones strengths, etc. I'm not questioning why or disparaging anyone's fighting/character choices: LARPs are a unique opportunity study game system mechanics and observe user-generated content in their purest form, and i'm just trying to satisfy some professional curiosity with a statistical analysis.

Hell Yes.  Master Florentine longswords, reason being its the best.   Seriously though, even my alts can use sword and/or dagger.  I learned to fight in the course of my 7 years here, and was originally (when I was 17) a straight caster.  I learned to fight for an NPC about 5 years ago. 

I also have to note that KR has a larger proportion of women fighters than I have seen at other games, but then again KR has a larger proportion of women than I have seen at other games in my experience as well. 

As to dress, you'd be surprised what you can fight in if you put your mind to it.  I've been front-line fighting in a Moresca bodice for years now.  Its only a nuisance by late Sat night after consistantly wearing it while running around and fighting.  And in terms of hair being tied back, I figure if Sam can fight with all his hair in his face, us ladies should be able to as well, don't you?

YES!

My main is a healer, cleric, Paladin with master warrior. I fight with mace & shield. Not that I'm really any good, but I'm not afraid to get hit and come home bruised after every event.
I wear chainmail & have leather & plate as well.

My alt might be able to fight...I just don't tell! 

I'm a woman that fights and I tend to enjoy it. I fight usually with two swords simply because using a dagger is useless in large combat situations, but a mace is too much for me. I agree about why some women wouldn't want to fight, I've been smashed by a few sheilds in my day but it's never intentional and the men do it to themselves more than I'm sure it's ever happened to me.
I wear a Moresca boddess and chemise most of the time as my fighter character and I have no problem fighting in it. I think for about an hour after you have it on there tends to be some discomfort but your body gets used to it after a while and you're ready to go. And I like Kristen, wear my hair down to fight. Regardless of who I'm fighting I want them to know they're getting their butt kicked by a five foot five girl, that's just me though.

Though I do have to say, there may be a shortage of female fighters but there really hasn't ever been a shortage of female villans. I will say occasionally we do have to "save them," which is the old "dansel in distress" storyline but to be fair, we're in no way behind the men in being bad, we just get saved whereas they die. Just my opinion.

Elizabeth Deldragon
Dutchess of the DelDragon Clan

Michelle

Yes, I just picked up a melee class recently am learning how to fight since I have never had any experience before (i.e. I suck but hope to improve) I use sword and shield as my character though I do better florentine while NPCing.... I started off as a caster and rotate through both during a fight because I don't need verbals so its easier to do as long as I can keep hold of the spell packets.

I can't afford real costuming so its not the greatest (Though the stuff Seamstress made me is lovely), but someimes I dress up nicely and go in for a fight. No preference on how I keep my hair though, its whatever suits me that day.

My main is a healer, cleric, Paladin with master warrior. I fight with mace & shield. Not that I'm really any good, but I'm not afraid to get hit and come home bruised after every event.

It's the rest of us who are afraid of going home bruised after an event when it comes to fighting you.    As an NPC, I find it hard to want to attack you MB... and not because I'm afraid if I hurt you, Joe will rip my arms off, but that I like you so damn much that I feel bad if I attack you.  If you were someone like Steve Oros, I would gladly crack you upside your head.