ANST - New topic

[Gregory R. Gagnon]

>Greetings!
>
>Boy, pretty quiet list today. Anyway, I've had a number of questions and
>thoughts on my mind recently, maybe this is a good time to bring them up.
>
>Honor and Chivalry are two topics that seem to be talked about  frequently.
>I've been thinking about another spin on these venerable 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 will generally agree to any offer of weapons style that is made.  My worst
weapons style (sword and board) is the most common everywhere I have been.
I have fought it successfully and unsuccessfully at someone's request.  I
especially like matched funny weapons.  If I am offered the choice I will
try to get input from my opponent to keep from taking advantage.

>        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?
I will almost always yield the earned advantage whether I expect to win or
not.  I took a lot of grief from doing this in our (then Drachenwald's)
first Crown.  I recognize that it is not period and it is an _earned_
advantage so I take nothing from those who feel otherwise.  That is however
the way _I_ want to play and to win.

>        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?
No.  All other things being equal I try to fight just a little bit better
than my opponent.  This is a game and an education not a livelihood.  I have
been surprised (and beaten) by someone I authorized that morning.  Oops.
That changes in a Champion's or Crown.  There you are fighting for the glory
of the group and to find the best representative for that group.  There I
try to when as quickly and with as little fuss as possible.  I still yield
the earned advantage, but I don't ramp down.
>        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?
Absolutely.  I always want to win.  I am just playing on a field larger than
the Tourney.  Martial victory is good, but the real game is life.  The
prizes there are Respect, Honor, and Glory.  I will gladly display my
martial prowess and try for victory on the field.  I try harder for victory
off the field.  I am not perfect, but I try to make good my losses as soon
as possible.
>
>ramblingly yours,
>
>timo
>littleramblingwindbaglefty
>
wordily yours,

Cian
soontobeexpatriate(again)viscount


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