Dude,
You really seem to have a stilted view of the SCA.
VA's armour would never hold up in an SCA environment. Other than that I think your assesment sound if perhaps too sweeping. They make some things quite well.
And I reiterate that at least in the U.S. the craft of armoury would be non-existant practicaly if it were not for the inpetus given it by the SCA, and most armourers are still quite dependant upon SCA sales . Albiet is is very fashionable in some groups to denigrate the organization as a whole for self aggrandizement these days.
Brian Price, Jeff Hedgcock, Christin Tobler are just some of the armourers local to me who got thier start, and learned most of thier techniques in the SCA, both in armouring and WMA combat studies.
It is a BIG group with a wide variety of interests and a widr disparity of skills, skillsets, or lack thereof.
Some people join it to study with likeminded people about illumination and do work to rival the Book of Kells, but are not interested in costuming armour or fighting, so thats all they know.
Some are only interested in the fighting as a large moshpit with sometimes up to 2000 people in it, and go no further.
This applies to woodworkers, metalsmiths, bladesmiths ect.
Some are interested in the all around experience, and strive to excell in al things regarding medieval life, but are not interested in doing roleplay at all. (Jeff Hedgcock, Brian Price fit this one I think)
And yes sadly some are their with a complete lack of historical interest at all and see it as some kind of frat club rave or something.
I am not debating the truth of just how bad the large majority of the SCA sucks. Most of the more dilligent SCA folk would be the first to state this and hate some of the more abberant SCA aspects far more than you might. Personally I soon hope to get back into reenactment, and start a new WMA studygroup here, but I will not be getting back into the SCA. But it is not right that so many so often paint the society as a whole with such a broad brush.
I cite Sir Gaston for instance:
He is the gentleman with the greathelm and large crest.
Here he is with the greathelm off so that you can see the bascinet cap he wears underneath it.
He made this kit himself.
Beig under such an umbrella group can be most helpfull, and 20 years ago it was neccesary since we did not have the internet, or nearly as many available rescources that we do today. WMA studies were done when people could get together and pool rescources. An SCA war was, and still is an excellent opportunity for people from all over the world to do this.
As for "Silly rules" yes there are many depending upon where you are. But many are more neccesary than you might think. My first 6 months in the SCA all I was allowed to do was slow work, then some freesparring after that. When I was finally allowed to do full contact sparring I soon went up against a very nice gentleman who used a longsword against my "Heater" shield and singlesword.
In short he cleanly struck my leg with what I would call a "hauke snatch", following up to a more standard hauke cut to the right side of my head which I blocked, but his blow shattered my steel rimmed shield six inches into it driving shards of wood through my heavy gloves.
I have repeatedly put 1/4" to 1/2" creases in 14 guage steel helmets. Combine this with combats with up to 2000 people at once and you need rules that cover a broad amount of contingencies.
My point being you could have made the exact same post simply stating that "If you are more casual about such things" or some such without unintentionally defaming the character of many who do not fit, or deserve such large brushstrokes as "VA's equipment is fine and dandy if you're an SCAer or otherwise just a weekend warrior".
Anyhoo, no worries really, any excuseto show a prety kit is a good one IMHO.
