ANST - Centurion Requirements - Addressed to TRM and the Centurions

[Casey&Coni]

>OK, to parallel the request to HRM Gunther about requirements for a Sable
>Falcon, I'd like to ask both TRM and the Centurions on the List "What are
>the requirements you want to see in a person before you would name them a
>Centurion?"

Damned good question, Gunnorra.

I could be very specific with you and give you a step by step checklist for
my *personal* requirements for a man to earn his scarlet cloak but it would
be just that... and would only work where I am concerned.

Instead, I think I'll try to broaden it out and cover as many of our
opinions as possible:

When my squires (or anyone, for that matter) ask me how one gets knighted, I
generally respond: "Simple:  just *be* a knight.  If you think you'd do 'X'
but if you were a knight you'd instead do 'Y' then you aren't a knight yet.
If, when people think of knightly requirements, they use you as a measuring
device, then you must be a knight regardless of wether or not you have the
jewelry and other trappings."

So, since the Centurions are imagined to be the seargents of Ansteorra, just
shift the objective a bit:

"How do I *be* a seargent of Ansteorra?"

Well, I know that seargents are always competent with the skills that the
soldiers are competent with... so I suppose competence in weapon styles is
important.

And seargeants can *always* be entrusted to accomplish a task in  combat...
especially where a small team is concerned... so I guess that's important.

And seargents are *always* in uniform; you can tell from a glance that
they're capable fighters and leaders... so I guess we can include appearance
on the field as an important part of being a Centurion.

And seargents take a good deal of responsibility in training younger
troops... so I guess that potential Centurions should be doing that.

Seargents spend more time than the average fighter at 'work', they care
about what they're doing, they're goal oriented, they view team victory as a
higher goal than personal victory, they own up to their mistakes and learn
from them, they're cunning, and officers (read: the King) can trust them to
accomplish whatever task they're given.

It could go on and on, but I think you see the point.

Now, looking at these 'requirements' may seem daunting, but they're just
guidelines.  Not every seargent was up to Audie Murphy's standards and not
every Centurion will be up to those standards either.  What the guidelines
do give you is direction and that is what I think you were after.

Centurion Dieterich, KSCA


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