[Ansteorra-archery] Animosity to Archers... a different perspective...

Wilim Penbras wilim.penbras at pandora.org
Tue Mar 19 11:00:09 PST 2002


It's hard to speak to the precieved rudeness to archers.  I would hope that I can speak as an archer and a heavy fighter but I'm not sure what good the perspective would be as I am a farely rare animal in this kingdom.

First off, I am Squire to His Excellency Galen.  I've been to the last two Gulf Wars and many regional Melee practices as an Arthurian.  Over two wars I've gotten somewhere north of 100 kills.  Most of them have been with my bow. (~80)  As an Archer, well, suffice it to say I feel qualified to speak as an archer. 53 average posted in the Royal Rounds with a current high score of 73.  Newest Kings Archer.  Ran AOB last year and will be teaching a class or 6 this year.  Anyway, on to the topic at hand.

"Damn Archers!"  We don't get close enough to the front lines. (We were ordered to the back of the lines this year)  We don't fight chivalrously. (We yield at ten feet out. I'd say that count's as calling 'em light not rhinoing)  We don't practice with melee units enough.  (We don't.  When Archer's do show up there's usually nothing for them to do but run around like marshals.  Most commanders have no idea of the strengths and weaknesses of archers so have no idea how to integrate them)

Archers are a 30, 40, 60 foot spear... I'm sorry to break it to heavies but how many wouldn't like the chance to take the Ansteorran 12' spear to war?  Is it less chivalrous than a 9' spear?  At what distance does hitting people become unchivalrous?  Is it unchivalrous because we run when you get close?  You ever see Ozzy in a melee with spear.  That boy can boogie.  So it's unchivalrous because we yield when you get to within 10' and call us dead?  I always though yielding was considered the sensible thing to do?  It's unchivalrous because you don't get to hit us back?  My knight told me Ansteorran fighting was about conservation of energy.  Having you're opponent yield is certainly conserving energy.  We don't carry a shield so we can run faster... Ahhh... no.  Load a quiver full of Arrows and try running without falling on your face.  That's a skill.  Besides, I run florentine as a heavy in melees specifically so I can run as fast as any archer and have twice as many sticks to touch them out with.

Anyway, I ramble on... Archers are cussed a bit because they are effective on the field.  Archer's are cussed because they aren't effective on the field.  There are many reason's why archer's are cussed.  Quite frankly Archer's are cussed because it's period.  Arhcer's have always been cussed and always will be.  The questions is, when the day is done, Can Squire Jones and Archer Smith sit around a campfire and share a drink and a tale.  If you heard a half a dozen people cussing about archers than you're looking at 1% or less of the fighter population.  Even if it's as high as 10%...  let's target the good with our thanks and our goodwill and target the bad with our bows and our arrows.

Ld. Wilim Penbras ap Gurgeneu, Esq.
King's Archer of Ansteorra

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: GuyLestran at aol.com
Reply-To: ansteorra-archery at ansteorra.org
Date: Tue, 19 Mar 2002 13:02:03 EST

> Gerita ,the rudeness I saw was more shoot that shoot that then anything like
>not wanting siege and archers on the field,  please explain a little more so
>I can try and fix things.
>
>Guy
>
>In a message dated 3/19/02 11:41:27 AM Central Standard Time,
>hpockets at gte.net writes:
>
><< However, there was quite a bit of just-plain-rudeness aimed at archers and
> siege engineers from heavy fighters and a few others.  Frankly, this is just
> exactly what makes me hesitant to take the field.  I'm cruelly aware of my
> own limitations, one of which is a severe lack of patience with ignorami.
> If some of these comments and nastiness were directed at me, i fear some
> fighter would be Wearing my new Ielo bow!  I'm sorry they don't want us
> there, and i'm even more sorry that heavy fighting was the beginning of SCA,
> giving them the 'historical precedent', because it makes it harder to
> convince them that such behavior is not welcome on the field of endeavor.
> What to do?  What to do?
>
> Will there be classes at AoB for crossbowmen???
>
> Gerita >>
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