Harnischfechten
Combat in full steel armor. Real weight. Real impact. Real history — the way it was actually fought.
The Ultimate Discipline
Harnischfechten is the 15th century art of fighting in full plate armor. It's the pinnacle of historical European martial arts — the highest test of skill, strength, and courage.
The Art of Armored Combat
Four pillars that define our practice.
Full Steel Armor
Authentic 15th century plate harness — gauntlets, helm, breastplate, leg armor. The full set, used as it was meant to be used.
Real Weapons
Blunted but historically accurate longswords, pollaxes, daggers. Designed to strike with force — and to be struck.
Half-Sword & Grappling
Armor changes everything. We train the close-quarters techniques the manuscripts actually describe — half-sword, throws, daggers in the gaps.
Buhurt & Group Combat
Formation fighting, melee, mass battles. The chaos of medieval war — under controlled conditions.
What It Takes
Harnischfechten is not for the first day. It's for fighters who have earned the steel.
Solid foundation
Several months of unarmored longsword training before entering harness. We build the fighter before we build the armor.
Equipment
Adeptus has loaner armor for first sessions. Long-term fighters build or buy their own historically accurate harness.
Conditioning
Full harness weighs 25–30 kg. Strength, stamina, and breathing are part of the training itself.
Mindset
Respect the steel. Respect your opponent. Hit hard, hit clean, never lose control.
“The armor doesn't make the knight.
The fight does.”
— Adeptus
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Ready for the steel?
Harnischfechten begins with regular training. Start there — earn the armor.