combat archery

[STDDLY at TINY_TIM.SHSU.EDU]

Savian,

Thistle missles may be relatively safe for heavy weapons fighters but 
not for the marshalls.  Our marshalls do their jobs without the 
protection of armour. Lots of times they get hit both with swords 
(ask Tivar about the Castle Battle at Gulf War) and with arrows. The 
bows used in combat are not properly checked and lots of times there 
are people using bows that are illegal according to society law. My 
lord (Sir Kief) witnessed an arrow with a thistle tip come from well 
behind the castle (at the Gulf War), fly over the attackers, over the 
crowd and hit a truck 50 feet behind and dent it. All flying at a 
flat arc for a range of 250 to 300 ft that he could see. 

At several other events the fighting activities were arranged poorly 
and arrows were exchanged with one of the teams close to the 
spectators. It was a miracle none of the spectators got hurt.
  
Lots of this stuff is administrative or judgement error, granted. But,
one person circumventing the rules leads to others ignoring the rules.
Which leads to people getting hurt. Lots of people (even fighting 
grants and peers)are lax with the rules because they do not refresh 
themselves in the rules or keep up with the changes.  Even if they do 
keep up they (as human nature is) do not check to see if they are 
abiding by the rules. If they are found to be wanting in standards 
before a tourney and they have a white X  they usually are passed 
because of the white x or throw a fit without really examining if 
they didnot pass for a valid reason. This is my own opinion and I do 
not mean to sound as if I dislike the upperlevel fighting community. 
I just have an ideal that people achieving certian ranks should set 
the example in their field (no pun intended). I do know many who do 
try their best to be good examples and of course everybody has a bad 
day.  

There is still the problem with the marshalls. If we armour them they 
look like fighters and get hit more often. If we don't they are in 
danger of being seriously hurt in scenarios with combat archery.(In 
talking to several marshalls the Markland distribute and take the 
shock of the impact and so hurt less and are less likely to take out 
an eye or crush a windpipe)

FYI according to Kief our Crown and Earl Marshall 
have signed into law that thistle missles are illegal for rapier 
combat because there is not enough throat protection in that armour. 
 
Kief and I both want to know if you have personally tested the 
Markland and Thistle head arrows at combat range. Theoretical physics 
and reality sometimes produce different results. If you haven't 
tested them or would like to - Kief is willing to get together with 
you at an event and do so. Just give him advanced notice so he can 
arrange to have the equipment there.

Lorraine DeerSlayer