ANST - New topic

[SOC STUDIES]

Tim Lozos wrote:
> 

> I've been thinking about another spin on these venereable subjects.
> 
>         1: Do you give an opponent choice of weapons?  Let's say you are
> paired with Joe Newcomer in the first round.  What about Sir Supercool? Do
> you insist on your favorite? Does it matter if you're Duke Hotottrot and he
> has no chance? Does it matter if he's the Duke?

I always ask what my opponent wants to fight, unless it is specified in
the list ( and by the way 9 times out of 10 it is sword and shield)

 2: Do you give a point of honor to your opponent?  Arm or leg him,
> and would you give up your own? What if he's a superior fighter?  An
> inferior one? Would you want the same treatment? What if giving up an
> advantage *is* an advantage to you? What about giving an advantage to a less
> talented person to start the bout? (ie: fight offhanded against Joe Newcomer
> in his first tourney) Is that insulting to the other person?  What about
> accepting an advantage from a more talented person?

First of all I would not hit you in the leg if I did not want an
advantage over you.  I consider it an insult for someone to take my leg
and not use thier advantage that they earned, to me it is as if to say
"I don't need my advantage I can beat you anyway...nhay nhay".  If I
earned an arm in a bout I would give up my shield if I had one to match
weapon styles, only after offering my opponent a chance to yield...most
off hand single sword fighters cannot win against a semi-decent sword
and shield fighter and it is kind of an insult to assume that you could,
but I consider that diferent from giving up an advantage of ground. 
Lastly, I would consider it an insult for a person to fight off handed
against me and would not even consider it against even a newcomer.  A
less experienced fighter does not learn anything if his opponent does
not fight to full potential.

>3.Do you *try* to win every bout?  Give 110%? Maybe only 75%? Does
> it dishonor your opponent (or yourself) to *not* try to the greatest of your
> ability? Is it ok to "throw" a bout? What if the person is  very deserving
> of victory? What if they are new? Or your friend?

Yes you try to win every bout, it dishonors the one you fight for if you
do not.  It would be the biggest insult to me if my friend let me win
without a good fight, no matter what, it would be a hollow victory.

>4. Now to the odd one... Is it honorable to *want * to win? ("huh?")
> I mean, everyone wants to win,(and have fun) but where do you draw the line?
> No one thinks it is a "good thing"(tm) to take *unfair* advantage of your
> most noble opponent, but  how you answer the first three points determines
> what you feel is a fair or an unfair advantage, and leads to your personal
> choice of "how bad do I want to win?".  From insisting on a specific weapons
> style to refusing to call blows is a VERY wide spectrum of "want".  Do you
> want to win enough to change your view on points 1,2, or 3? If it's the
> tourney of the Canton of Wayoutthere?  If it's your local group's event? If
> it's Crown?
> 
I don't think it is dishonorable to want to win.  Agreed, we do this for
fun but you don't want to buy all the stuff and train just to lose every
fight, you might lose every fight but your honor lets you lose.

BunboyKaninwhomaybewillsomedaybeaknightbecauseprotectorateseemedlikeagoodideaathetimebutitwasanawfullongwayaway...duh
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