ARCH - History repeat itself
baron at elfsea.ansteorra.org
baron at elfsea.ansteorra.org
Wed Apr 11 10:54:27 PDT 2001
Almost 22 years ago, I fought in my first war. It had
combat archery, though that was still a novelty at the
time. I've been active in the SCA ever since. I have
NOT been seeing these kinds of problems all along. Why
is that?
Combat archery is not new. So what's changed that
we're beginning to see this sort of problem? It seems
to me that answering this question should be a
prerequisite for taking action, lest our action prove
unefficacious.
- Galen of Bristol
Quoting Sam Milligan <padraig_ruad at irishbard.com>:
> Willim said (in part):
>
> <snip>
> > Not quite, the blunted business end means our
arrows
> > don't stick and with the bounceback we suddenly
have a new
> > Business End. I'm sorry but I gaurantee you I can
put a 1/4
> > inch shaft, Metal tip or not, through someone.
That unpadded
> > end WILL and HASdone damage to unarmored bits of
people it
> > finds in its way.
> >
> > We can try to eliminate bounce back but that
translates badly.
> Bounce back is caused because not all of the force of
an arrow hit is
> tranferred with the initial hit and the arrow still
has enough force left
> to fly off in another direction. Eliminating
bounceback means transferring
> the full force of the blow to the object hit. That's
gonna hurt. To keep
> it from causing too much pain and bruising then we're
left with lowering
> the poundage of our bows. Probably to the point that
we might as well have
> a sword and charge the enemy. Not something many of
us want to do.
> >
> <snip>
> > Not quite, most of the things a fighter gets
into his
> > eyes at events are fairly easy to see and we can
predict
> > their movement. Kind of reduces the risk level.
If I get
> > jammed into that tree that's just been standing
there all
> > it's life then it's at least partially my fault.
If I get
> > jammed in the eye by an arrow that came virtually
out of no
> > where and hit someone 4 feet away before spiralling
into me
> > then whose fault is it? Yes, I was distracted and
if I
> > hadn't been probably could have moved out of the
way but that
> > arrow was sent there intentionally, maybe not to
spin out of
> > control and hit me but it was certainly sent there
> > intentionally. Still let's have everyone where
safety
> > glasses and it'll be a non-issue.
> >
> <snip>
> > What other options do we have? Let's see, change
to fix the
> > problem, PROVE there is no problem, or What? What
can you
> > do to us? BAN CA at SCA events... okay... I'll
stop whining
> > and start on either fixing the problems or finding
proof
> > there is no problem.
>
> Sorry about the massive snippage Willim, but I wanted
to address some
> specific points in what you wrote.
>
> Speaking as a heavy fighter who is also an authorized
combat archer, I have
> to say that I too am concerned with safety issues. I
want to play the game
> with the absolute munimum of injuries possible.
However, I know that every
> time I armor up and face an opponent or take part in
a melee, there is a
> possibility that I am going to get hurt, perhaps
seriously. By signing the
> waiver section of the membership application form,
and then by signing my
> blue membership card, I acknowledge this.
>
> Can we make SCA combat in general safer, so that no
one ever gets hurt?
> Almost certainly. But if we do so, most of us will
simply stop fighting,
> for there will be no excitement, no adrenaline rush,
no thrill of combat,
> no reason to do it at all.
>
> Can we make issues like combat archery safer by
requiring everyone to wear
> safety glasses? Possibly. Personally, I would
intensely dislike having to
> wear safety glasses under my helm, as I sweat heavily
in armor, and would
> be more than half blinded by the resulting fog on the
glasses. I feel this
> would prove more of a safety issue than the
possibility of a bounced-back
> arrow or some other object getting in through my
helm's grill.
>
> I have been in numerous melees with combat archery,
and have yet to
> experience or observe someone injured by the nock end
of a combat arrow.
> Doesn't mean it hasn't happened, but I've not seen it
myself, nor do I know
> anyone who has spoken of seeing or experiencing such
an injury.
>
> I like having combat archery in melees - it adds a
dimension of reality to
> the game (even if it is annoying to get taken out by
an arrow or a bolt
> instead of in face-to-face fighting). I don't want
to see it made so safe
> that it won't make a difference if it's there or
not. I don't see that a
> real problem exists here - let's not fix what's not
broken.
>
> Just my 2 pence worth.
>
> Padraig
> ----------
> Nunc Est Bibendum
> **********
> Politicians prefer unarmed peasants.
>
>
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