: ANST - War and changes

[Sean Gulick]

Greetings,

On the ballista issue, I never heard of any complaints about the power of the
ballistas only complaints about the power of some crossbows bolts.  From what
Master Pug has explained to me there seems to be some consensus being reached
as to how to properly measure crossbow poundage/force to avoid excessive force
crossbows in the future.

On the ramp issue, I was fighting in the area where the lady broke her leg.
Lady Eleanor, who was a couple of feet closer than I to the accident, and I
spent some time looking at the spot where she fell after they took her to the
side field.  The ramp that she jumped off of was at the far end of the fort
where the ground sloped down toward the tower on one side but remained flat in
the other direction.  When the fighter hit the ground her right foot slide
about two feet down the slopping ground, causing all of her weight to come down
on her left foot at an odd angle.  As best as we can tell from our visual
memories of her jumping down and the obvious boot track in the ground where her
right foot slid out from under her, this geometry was what most unfortunately
broke her leg.  I think it would be unlikely that this exact injury could have
happened at any of the interior crenulations where the ground beneath the ramp
is flat.  I would add my voice to the suggestions that building up the ground
to 2-3 feet beneath the crenulations, and ensuring the ground is flat beneath
each, would go a long way towards avoiding such injuries in the future.

Please join me in wishing for the speedy recovery of that valiant fighter from
Trimaris was injured so that we may all find ever improved ways to play our
games safely.

In service,
Gideon

Lawrence Ruiz wrote:

> This is the first I have heard of this and I had been hit by several of the
> bolts being fired at the war.  Please email me at lruiz at interconnect.net
> with some specifics of this incident so I can determine if an oversight was
> made.
>
> All machines at this Gulf War were tested by myself and the other marshals.
> Safety was paramount in the siege department.  For those few machines where
> the power could have been dangerous, we (meaning the marshals) received a
> shot at the minimum range from the machine to ensure the safety of the
> combatants, exceeding the safety requirement of Society.
>
> I truly am sorry it took an injury to remove the ramps, but according to the
> rules we play by, and the safety measures taken, the ramps were in excess of
> the minimum in safety.  Is raising the ground two feet the solution?  If the
> individual was inadvertantly bumped off the ramp, then no.  If the ramp was
> simply too high for her to jump from, then perhaps.  As it is right now, we
> have used ramps for three years and each year a major injury occurs.  I have
> battled this in my head for the past couple of days and I do not have the
> perfect solution (other than just getting rid of the ramps).  The siege
> community will be discussing this as well as material components for
> ballista bolts and their design during the next few months.
>
> For those who would like specific areas addressed, please email me.  If you
> thought there were just too many engines at war, or the rules were too
> complicated, or stupid, or if you are a proponent of greater death through
> superior firepower and technology, let me know.  Remember, I volunteered to
> be your servant in the siege community.
>
> I remain,
> Lawrence the Rampant
>
> > Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 23:09:48 -0600
> > From: "doc" <doc at mail.ev1.net>
> > Subject: ANST - War and changes
> >
> > It may be too early to really be asking this question, but I heard that
> there were plans to re-visit the rulings on both ballistas and crossbows in
> the wake of some close calls and far-too-hard hits at Gulf Wars.  I heard of
>  ballista bolts going through shields, and saw one crossbow bruise worse
> than any sword shot I've ever seen.
> > I find the ballista quetion espically concerning, since I watched one hit
> a stud in the castle not 6 inches from a Ladie's arm with enough force to
> put a 1/2 inch divet in the wood.  Those of us standing there were
> discussing it later, and all had no doubt that it would have broken her arm
> badly had it hit her.  I'm mostly curious here as to whether the discussions
> have begun in ernest, and what has been said?
> > It was, however, a great war, and I am very glad to have gone.  This was
> my second, the first being the one which Thor won.  I'd like to say a big
> thank you to everyone who attend, and espically those who work so hard to
> make things happen.
> >
> > - -Fearadhach McCongel
>
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--
'Honor the past, live the present, create the future'
________________________________________
Sean Sandifer Gulick, PhD

PGI Postdoctoral Fellow
Institute for Geophysics
University of Texas
4412 Spicewood Springs Rd Bldg 600
Austin, TX 78759

Phone:  (512) 232-3262
Fax:   (512) 475-6338
E-mail: sean at ig.utexas.edu
Web: http://www.ig.utexas.edu/staff/sean/sean.htm


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