ARCH - History repeat itself

Wed Apr 11 10:18:58 PDT 2001

Guess I have a Don Quoate complex.  I was on the list for quit a while, I've
even emailed awhile with the SEM.  However, I got just as tired then as I am
now of folks wanting to rollover just because it's the easier thing to do.
The right thing to do is usually the hardest thing to do. 

15,000 plus 1,000 equals 16,000 pairs of eyes still at risk from a partial
solution. 

Both personal eye protection and ABDs are all already allowed in the rules
if the partciant wants to use them.

Sure they can do away with CA. Then it would be called Ampguard.

Now, when it comes down in writing that this is what the deal is, I'll, more
or less relectantly, go along with it.  However, until the ink has dried,
please excuse me while I rasie a ruckus.

Gilli

-----Original Message-----
From: Eadric Anstapa [mailto:eadric at scabrewer.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2001 11:35 AM
To: ansteorra-archery at ansteorra.org
Subject: RE: ARCH - History repeat itself

All right, this is me Eadric speaking as Eadric not as any office that I
hold.

1.  Gilli, Talon and any others who are passionate about this issue, if you 
are really interested then you should be participating on the SCA Missle 
Combat list.  If the Ansteorran Archery community feels strongly about this 
then you can not remain isolated and must instead get involved with the 
archery community for the other kingdoms.

2.  We are NOT talking about some sort of Anti-Bounceback-Device.
Bounceback 
is going to happen and as mentioned previously the cosequence of eliminating

bounceback is that the engery is istead transferred to the target and you 
have harder hitting arrows.

The injuries that occured at Gulf War WERE NOT BOUNCEBACK injuries.  In the 
most serious one the projectile struck the knights sword and then pivited
end-
for-end continuing forward to penetrate the helmet grill/faceflate nock-end 
first.  The second the projectile struck the spear tip of a spearmen and
then 
flipped end-for-end  continuing on and penetrated the grill/faceplate of a 
fighter.  Neiether of these were bounceBACK injuries.  Head/Blunt design 
would likely not have helped.

3.  Part of me agrees with Gilli and Talon.  A safer solution is to require 
eye protection.

However an even safer solution is to ban combat archery all together.

If there are 15000 armored fighters in the Known World and a generous 
estimate of 1000 combat archers who do you think the SEM is going to please?

Eye protection is uncomfortable to many and can be costly particularly if
you 
must have precription safety goggles.  They fog and get spotted with sweat.

Full lexan face shield like worn in paintball are hot and restrict airflow.

4.  What the SEM has asked for are Safer Alternatives.  Some way to reduce 
the possibility of grill/faceplate penetrations and if a penetration should 
occur then to reduce/limit the damage that will be done over a simple
plastic 
nock or shaft.

5.  Bulbous nocks that accomplish what the SEM is asking are not all bad.  
There are some positives.  They help balance the otherwise very tip heavy 
combat shaft and can actually improve it's flight characteristics at longer 
ranges.  They can actually make the arrow/bolt easier to handle, draw from a

quiver and manipulate with a gloved/gauntleted hand because there is more on

the nock-end to grab hold to.

6.  There are ofcourse disadvantages to bulbous nocks.  All arrows and bolts

would have to be retrofitted.  Combat crossbows will like have to be 
redesigned.  We will all have to learn to adjust and shoot with them.

7.  Once again, this is not an Ansteorran issue, this is a Society Wide 
issue.  If you feel strongly about it then you should be present on the SCA 
Missle Combat list discussing the matter with archers and marshals from the 
known world.  There are a lot of Creative people in this Society.  Lets be 
creative and make positive recomendations backed with real data that mean 
something.  Writing letters, complaining, and saying "I dont want it" are
not 
going to get you anywhere.      

Always in Service,

Eadric
eadric at scabrewer.com

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