ANST - New topic

[stddly at SHSU.edu]

Heilsa all Good Ansteorrans and True...

Kief here...writing from (you guessed it...) HL Lorraine's account...

>Honor and Chivalry are two topics that seem to be talked about  frequently.
>I've been thinking about another spin on these venereable subjects. 

Lord Timo has hit upon a very broad and, to me at least, _hot_ topic. At this
past Pennsic War, the 26th, a goodly number of Ansteorrans sat around the Court
Tent(tm) one slightly rainy evening, along with Earl Brennan(sp?), and had a
fairly intense discussion on the topics of Honor and Chivalry... It was a
_most_ entertaining and enlightening evening!! Just as His Majesty...

>        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?

1. Yes, unless you wish to "test" either yourself or your opponent with a
certain weapons style. It does matter on who your paired foe is. Although I
strive to "do my best" in each bout. (I reserve the right to choose exactly
what I mean by "do my best"...again it depends on my opponent.

>        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? 

Yes, I often give a "point of honor" to my friendly foe... As Timo has noted,
giving up an "advantage" sometimes means an increase in the probability of
_you_ winning. In my case, if I fight from the ground, after placing my
opponent there, I actually increase my chances of winning. Not by much, mind
you, but there is a slight increase. There should be no insult taken by anyone
if you "give up an advantage" due to their supposedly lesser skill level. Many
times my most Chivalrous opponents toss their shield away at the beginning of a
bout... Besides being a Chivalrous act it is also an act of Honor. (A great
many of these fighters know of my skill at single sword.) The gracious giving
and acceptance of "points of Honor" should be an everyday part of our combat.
In Tournament most certainly...and even in War... In War, are we boors to not
show our foe common Honor and Chivalry?
[Now there's a nice "side question" for all of you out there... "What _is_ the difference in
Chivalry and Honor...in the _period_ sense of each word?]

>        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? 

Again, Yes... I give 110% in each and every bout. However, I reserve the right
to use that 110% in any way I choose! Never, "throw a bout" conversely, never
"Rhino" (tm) your way to victory either... If my opponent is "deserving of
victory" then they needs must show me their skill. I reserve the right to
"yield the bout" if I feel they deserve to advance in the tournament. If they
are new I almost always give them a chance to "show their skill" and "fight a
nice showpiece"... To explain myself: I let a newcomer come at me with all
their might, encouraging them to give it their all. I use my defensive skills
to let them gain experience, my offensive skills are used to "train" them in a
combat format. I escalate the intensity of the fighting until one of two things
happen. First, I make a mistake and they win. 2. I win. After the bout I strive
to talk with my opponent and go over the fight with them, give pointers, etc.
If they are my friend...then we have a great rousing good time...110% later we
are both the "victor" no matter who is announced the winner...


>        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?

The desire to "win" resides in every one's heart...this cannot be denied. The
desire to win has much to do with the _intensity_ of the fight. A Rhino (tm) is
a Rhino (tm) no matter where the Tournament is fought...be it Wayoutthere or
the Crown Lists. The intensity of your effort, the focus of your skill, on the
field as you face each different opponent varies from tournament to tournament
and from opponent to opponent. If you have the skill, the "tools" if you will,
coupled with a sense of Chivalry, and a desire to Honor your foe your course is
clear. You _will_ fight every fight the very best way that you can, bringing no
dishonor on you or your opponent.

[Second series of side question: We have been discussing the merits of Chivalry
and Honor, as well as Right and Wrong action on the field. We have left a _very_
important part of this "equation" sitting on the sidelines, if you will... My
questions to each of you is this. Exactly how do you bring the Presence of you
Consort onto the field? How do you do your Consort Honor? Consorts, how do you
Honor your Fighter? Fighters, Consorts, and Observers: How do you feel about
the Pagentry, or lack thereof, we exhibit in our Tournaments and even Wars here
in Ansteorra?   

>ramblingly yours,
>
>timo
>littleramblingwindbaglefty     

Well done and asked My Brother's Squire...!
 
Waes Thu Hael kinfolk...

Sir Kief...


"Better the Hammer than the nail..."


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