Combat 2nd edition
Styles - Indian Subcontinent
Arakan
Arakan was once practiced by the nobility of Bangladesh in antiquity. Its secrets were mostly lost over the years of British occupation. But interest in arakan is being revived. Its systems emphasize weapons use and grappling, much like bugei.
Gatka
This martial art is connected to the Sikhs of the Punjab region. It emphasizes the use of weapons (especially sticks and swords) and encourages mobility and evasion in self-defense. Its practice is often performed through the beauty of Sikh dances. Gatka is often used as a catch-all phrase for other north Indian martial arts that were influenced by Persian neighbors in antiquity.
Kalari Payat
Like wushu and pentjak-silat, kalari payat is a massive system of many schools of martial arts famously started in the southwestern Indian state of Kerala. It teaches a number of traditional Indian weapons and most styles emphasize the growth of ojas (ch'i). Grappling and throw techniques are common themes. It is divided between northern and southern styles, with the latter considered more ancient and traditional while the southern is more aggressive and adaptive to ancient neighboring foes (like the Tamil).
Lethwei
Lethwei is much like mhuy thai: it is the kickboxing system taught in Burma.
Silambam
This martial art, like kalari payat and wushu, contains numerous sub-styles. It developed in the southern Indian region where the Tamil people dominated. Silambam properly refers to the martial art at whole and especially weapons training. The unarmed method is properly called kuttu varisai.
Sqay
Sqay is the Kashmiri form of fencing since antiquity. It survived into modern use by adapting more unarmed combat training, borrowing from karate and taekwondo.
Thaing
Thaing covers nine different schools of Burmese martial arts. All nine styles are located around nine major ethnicities within the country. Knife fighting is taught, as well as the twelve animal fighting styles found in wushu. Bando refers to one of the best-known schools of thaing, and is sometimes incorrectly considered a synonym for this style.
Vajramushti
Translated as the "science of combat", this ancient system of Indian grappling involves the use of spiked knuckles. Wrestling matches in vajramushti were often very brutal. Vajramushti influenced the development of kalari payat.
Styles - The West
Awendo
Most styles in Africa are some form of wrestling, kickboxing, and/or weapons training. Awendo, practiced by the Kalenjins in Kenya, is a full system that incorporates traditional African weapons (including the famous maasai spear) and unarmed combat, including joint locks and strikes.
Capoeira
This famous style of "dance combat" actually originated in Western Africa. It was brought to the New World by African slaves, who used its dance methods to conceal its true nature from the slavers. Angolan capoeira, Caribbean capoeira (such as Haitian pinge), and South American capoeira have similar methods that emphasize kicks and rhythm, although their traditions vary. The Brazilian martial arts family, the Gracies, combined capoeira with jujutsu to create what they boasted to be the most effective method of self-defense ever. This claim was debunked on several occasions, of course. It should be noted that capoeira may have artistic value as a dance-like style, and it may include religious intonations based on cultural practice. But capoeira is not a true martial art; as rich in culture as it may be, it includes only as much martial depth as kickboxing. It certainly does not teach the development of ch'i or pressure point attacks (therefore, capoeira can be represented with the Brawl Talent).
Commando
"Commando style" isn't a style so much as the various fighting systems that many modern militaries employ and teach their soldiers. It takes the most effective and easy to learn techniques from various martial arts styles around the world. It often gathers grappling techniques for the benefit of "silent take-downs". Commando styles also profess to know something about pressure points, but lack the instruction of ch'i development to fully apply that knowledge. (Therefore, commandos can learn the Phoenix Eye Strike Maneuver, but not the Atemi Strike Maneuver; commando style is definitely best represented by the Brawl Talent.)
El Cuchillo
El Cuchillo, literally "the knife", is Mexican knife fighting with some brawling maneuvers thrown in. It's a down-and-dirty system that teaches the practitioner to win at any cost, like any good fighting system. It's not unlike jailhouse rock (which borrowed much from El Cuchillo).
Historical European Martial Arts
HEMA is a catch-all for all forms of medieval and Renaissance-era combat styles out of Europe. Much of it has been reconstructed in the modern era based on sketches and writings left behind. Emphasis in HEMA rests on melee weapons but some unarmed combat techniques, including basic joint locks and throws, are included. Medieval HEMA made extensive use of gauntlets for offense and defense.
Krav Maga
Krav Maga is a commando style developed by the Israeli army. This style bears special note due to its growing popularity with civilians across the world. Furthermore, though this is not true in real life, it is easy to see Qabbalism sneaking its way into the underlining philosophies of krav maga in the World of Darkness (indeed, that could pave the way to make this a Martial Art, see Qabbalism recognizes and seeks to influence the force the Chinese call ch'i).
Mixed Martial Arts
MMA is a martial arts sport that emphasizes style-hopping for full-contact match fights. It especially favors grappling (such as "Brazilian jiu-jitsu"), though classic wrestlers tend to win the most due to the constraints of the rules that disallow more deliberate attacks.
Okichitaw
Okichitaw is a contemporary martial art based on the reconstruction of Iron Confederacy indigenous combat practices, especially Cree. It includes both armed and armed techniques and emphasizes a Native American philosophy for moral conduct. Its unarmed tactics include joint locks and throws.
Pankration
Pankration is an ancient Greek system of kickboxing, wrestling, and grappling all thrown together in the most effective methods possible. The style teaches joint locks and kicks.
Sambo
This is a modern system of Russian wrestling that emphasizes joint locks and throws.
Savate
This is a style of kickboxing and street fighting that originated in France. Its name derives from the old wooden (and uncomfortable, but painful to be hit by!) shoes once worn in France.
Ta-Merrian
Ta-Merrian is the name given to the ancient Egyptians' style of martial arts. However, if the Egyptians ever knew of the deeper secrets of martial arts, that knowledge is largely lost to modern practitioners. This style is punctuated by grappling techniques influenced by Nubian wrestling and the use of a variety of ancient weapons. It is highly probable to believe that Ta-Merrian can be learned as a Martial Art if the practitioner is supernatural in origin (such as a mummy or Bubasti werecat), since the ancient lore of channeling sekhem (ch'i) would likely be retained by such supernatural devotees.
