[Ansteorra] A Question (or 2)

[Thomas White]

Let's see.....
   
  Estrella War is very different from Gulf War, as the two wars are different from Pennsic.  I concur with several points that Eadric has made about the combat archery at Estrella being far less than what is available to you at Gulf.
   
  In summary..
   
  The design of the war is negotiated at a treaty negotiations by the four principal kingdoms about 4 months before the war begins, so all scenarios, rules, competitions are known in advance by all participants.  As Eadric has stated, Caid is an CA stong (compared to the others) kingdom and negotiates to get as much CA as possible.  While the other 3 kingdoms are trying to improve their CA troops, they just aren't as successful.  Thus, sometimes there are restrictions on when/how CA is used.  For a combat archer, Estrella pales in comparison to Gulf War.
   
  However, your equipment that is legal here should certainly be legal there.  Indirect fire has always been a part of combat (no eye contact needed).  Occasionally, there may be a rule of "face shots only" on some scenarios or wars or a limitation on how long in a battle archery can be used.  Some battlefields (such as the main one) have become so small with the growth of the war that CA is unsafe with the observervers extremely close to the action.  Again, Gulf War is more archer-friendly in the amount of battles for combat archers to participate in.
   
  For the chivalric fighters, there is an additional convention of killing from behind and killing on the ground.  Yes, there are little annoying ninjas who think it is a rule to be taken advantage of.  The design of the rule is for safety, an attempt to stop fighters striking each other from behind.
   
  As for blow calibration, it is quite easy to say that no one from the other side is calling their blows.  Unfortunately, there are individuals and even entire units that can be difficult to strike with the perfect shot.  However, having been to multiple wars on the soil of many kingdoms, Ansteorra is right in the middle of blow calibration.  Meridies is a bit on the light side and a few kingdoms are a touch on the stout side (but none of the Estrella principal kingdoms).  I would have to say that experience has taught me that the two wars are quite equal on blow calibration.
   
  As for the taste of wars, each individual has their preference.  I like them all, but for different reasons.  Sometimes it's hard to see what others find so appealing in a war, especially if you are used to all wars being exactly the same.  People are friendly wherever I've been and I hope that if you have an opportunity to travel to a foreign kingdom, please do so.  You'll find that they aren't really the enemy, but our brothers & sisters shring the same dream.  
   
   
  As to your questions...
   
  I have fought chivalric, rapier, and a competed in archery in Estrella.  I have only done chivalric and rapier at Gulf.
   
  I am not sure if I will be able to attend Estrella this year, but if I do it will be my 17th one in a row.  I have a bit more experience there (I'll share for a beer by a campfire) than at Gulf, but I'm working on that.
   
  Take Care,
   
  Hoegaarden
   
  

Eadric Anstapa <eadric at scabrewer.com> wrote:
  zubeydah at northkeep.org wrote:
> Out of curiosity...
>
> - Have you ever attended Estrella War? If so, what were your experiences? What 
> made it awesome? What would you change?
>
> - Are you considering attending the 2008 Estrella War? 
>
> - Do you consider yourself primarily :
> a) a chivalric fighter b) a rapier fighter or c) a combat archer?
>
> And in semi related question:
> - Are there Ansteorran households, guilds, fighting units, etc, that are made 
> up exclusively (or in a majority) of combat archers?
>
> Curiously,
>
> Zubeydah Jamilla al-Badawiyyah
> Nosy chick from up North
> 

I have been to Estrella several times. Primarily while I was the 
Society Combat Archery Marshal to deal with CA issues there.

It's not a CA friendly war nor are Atenveldt, Outlands, or Artemesia 
particularly CA friendly kingdoms. They are large tube ammo kingdoms so 
basically there is no Ansteorran CA equipment that can be used there. 
Their rules governing CA tend to be exclusive rather than inclusive with 
rules like "no fiberglass prods". In general they tend to be very 
restrictive on CA engagement with at various times rules like, archers 
must make eye contract to have a valid target (completely rules out 
indirect fire), or rules like "only face shots count", or "plate is 
proof against arrows" (even though SCA standards say we are to all judge 
blows as if we were wearing chainmail). Caid is more CA friendly but 
they generally get out-voted in the Estrella treaties on matters 
concerning CA.

I also found the marshallate inspection points to be poorly staffed, 
organized, and run when compared to our standards. My observations 
there are largely based on the CA inspection but all the armored 
inspection was done at the same spot by a different set of marshals so I 
got to observe it as well. While I was the SCA CA Marshal I could never 
get any adequate reporting from Estrella War.

I'll let these folks refute what I say or speak for themselves but my 
recollection is that at a single Estrella I saw Duke Patrick Michael 
take himself off the field because he was having to hit people "like he 
wanted to hurt them" to get them to call blows, I saw HRM Ulsted ( it 
was during his last reign) send someone back to camp for his unpadded 
glaive so he could get people to call blows, and Mistress Nessa really 
really upset because she simply couldn't hit people hard enough to get 
them to call her blows.

Saw lots of ninja wannabee's sneaking around up behind people with 
little daggers reaching around them and saying "death from behind".

There was some nice parties at night.

I don't plan on going back to an Estrella again unless I have another 
SCA position that requires me to, or unless I have a good friend win 
crown and ask me to go with them, or unless I hear that things there 
have changed radically.

I consider myself primarily an Archer, not an combat archer - an 
archer. I do both target and combat archery and I expect my students to 
do both target and combat archery. Most others would probably say I am 
primarily a Combat Archer.

The Company of St. Sebastian is an Ansteorran War Company that is 
primarily all Archers but many of our folks will pick up an sword and 
shield or spear to support the crown when it is needed (or when we are 
out of ammo). Five or six (mebbe a couple more) of us are ready and 
equipped to do CA on the Rapier field as well if need and if time 
permits. The war company has among our members four Companions of the 
Order of the Arc d'Or of Ansteorra, four members who have won the Royal 
Huntsman Tournament one or more times, and some of the finest archer 
craftsmen in Ansteorra. At the coming Gulf Wars one of our members 
will be the CA Marshal in Charge for the war and another will be the 
Target Archery Marshal in Charge at the war. We will work LOTS and LOTS 
of hours setting up and taking down the battlefields and archery ranges, 
running the ranges, marshaling the battles, and manning the inspecting 
points. We should have 15-18 folks take the field this Saturday at BAM 
and plan for 12-15 at Gulf War.

Regards,

Eadric Anstapa
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