Gulf War, Event reports?

Todd Marsh tmarsh at airmail.net
Wed Mar 20 22:53:22 PST 1996


Gulf War was incredible.  This report has gotten a bit long in a feeble
attempt to convey the scope of the event.  This was my first war, and I'm
still trying to recover.

It's hard to describe how BIG it was.  Other than the 20th year celebration,
the largest event I've been to was Steppes Warlord, which has had about 800
people attend recently.  Gulf War had over 2000.  There were 75 merchants,
with hoards of wonderful armour, weapons, clothing, and other stuff.
Ansteorra had about 210 fighters, and Trimaris had about 280.

I spent most of my time on the battlefield.  Friday there was a Rapier
champions list, a Chivalric champions list, and 3 field battles.  Ansteorra
won the Rapier list, and Trimaris won the Chivalric list.  

In the first field battle, we tried a complicated plan based on directing
their army to one side of the field and trapping them against the boundry.
It didn't work at all, and we lost quickly. I was killed from behind, but
when I told my opponent what he had done, he apologized and killed himself.  

In the second battle, we also lined up in one long line, but soon broke up
into units.  Elfsea stuck together as a squad, led by Lord Archibald
Winterbourne.  Trimaris marched 2 columns against our line, and one broke
through between Elfsea and Stargate.  I killed 2 with my spear as they were
breaking through the line, but the third chased me down and got me just
before Archibald got him.  When things got messy and disorganized, Ansteorra
excelled.  We won the second battle with about 50 fighters still standing.

The third battle Friday was in a smaller area.  Elfsea and 2 other squads of
10-12 pinned about 1/4 of the Trimarian army against one side of the field
and slaughtered them.  By the time we were through, the rest of Ansteorra
had pretty much taken care of the rest of Trimaris.  I died in a spear duel
and didn't see the end, but we won easily.

On Saturday, I went shopping and missed the first fort battle.  We were
defending, and lost.  We also lost the second battle while attacking the
fort.  I caught an arrow in the chest before I even reached the wall, and so
didn't throw a blow.

The resurection battle was fun, but exhausting.  If you were killed, you had
to return to the resurection point for 3 minutes.  There were 3 stationary
flags on the field.  The army that held the most flags and the end of the
hour was the winner.  Each army quickly took control of the flag near their
own resurection point, so the one in the middle was the one we were really
fighting for.  As each Ansteoran fighter left the resurection point, they
joined the group defending the near flag.  When there were enough, an unit
was formed and a captain assigned, and we joined the main fighting as a
group.  Because we always hit in such force, we drove them back a little
each time.  We held the middle flag for almost the entire hour, and won the
battle.  At one point, I found myself facing a gap in their line, and killed
4 Trimarians in about 5 seconds before dying to a 5th.  

In A&S, Master Leonitas won, with HL Margaret Pierce second.  Master Robin
of Gilwell won the bardic competition with his Cantebury tale.  I believe
that Trimaris won Archery, knife ax and spear which they call "Live
Weapons", and  Equestrian.  

When the final point score of Trimaris 3.5, Ansteorra 2 was announced, King
Baldar of Trimaris said to King Galen of Ansteorra, "I'm not very good at
mathematics, but it sounds like a tie to me.  Shall we leave the matter
undecided and try again next year?"

I learned:
- Practice with a shield brother, and stay with them in battle.  You'll 
  both live longer and have more fun.
- Make sure your armour and weapons are in good repair before you get to
  the war.  You won't have time to repair them there.
- Take LOTS of money.  The merchants have great stuff.
- You can't see it all or do it all, so plan ahead.
- Gulf War is a great time.  I'll be there again next year.

Is this enough of a report?

Lord Llywelyn Gruffydd
Cadet to Don Robin of Gilwell




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