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Sir Kenneth,<br>
<br>
You are correct that when someone can demonstrate the necessary
requirements then they should be authorized.<br>
<br>
There is no hard and fast rule that it should take X-plus events. I
have authorized folks at a single event because they came prepared and
I felt I had all the time I needed to adequately evaluate them.<br>
<br>
There is no hard and fast rule that it has to be at one of our large
melee events. I have authorized folks at a single local melee practice
I have authorized folks at a single event because they came prepared
and I felt I had all the time I needed to adequately evaluate them.<br>
<br>
A great deal depends on how prepared the person wanting to be
authorized is. I believe that is a large part of what the folks below
were trying to communicate. There is a lot that an a person can do in
advance to assure that their authorization sessions go as swiftly and
smoothly as possible.<br>
<br>
I think very few rapier or armored fighters would show up at their very
first practice and expect to be authorized right then. You learn
things a little at a time and you build the body of knowledge necessary
for you to be authorized. It takes some time for the marshal to
adequately evaluate the individual. More often than not the marshal can
not dedicate all of their time on any given day to evaluating the
individual since they usually have other duties to attend to as well.<br>
<br>
As long as individual knows what they need to know and can demonstrate
what they need to demonstrate and has the opportunity to get all of
that across to an authorizing marshal then they should be authorized.
But it is always the discretion of the the authorizing marshal that we
count on.<br>
<br>
Some marshals are more discerning than others, some are more free, some
are more circumspect and cautious. I have had the unpleasant task of
having to revoke authorizations for marshals and archers who were
clearly hastily authorized. I am also aware that when I authorize
someone I am testifying that I have properly evaluated them and found
them safe and ready for combat and keenly aware that it is my name that
goes on their authorization card showing that I authorized them and if
they subsequently screw up then that can reflect directly on me and my
ability as a marshal. <br>
<br>
I am also aware that while in Ansteorra combat archery generally has
good support from the greater combat community, that is not true in
other kingdoms. The are many in other kingdoms that look quite hard
for any excuse to try and make a case to simply do away with combat
archery society-wide. I want to do everything that I can to make sure
that such excuses do not come from simple and honest mistakes from
hastily authorized Ansteorran combat archers.<br>
<br>
Therefore I think I am probably one of the more cautious and
circumspect authorizing marshals out there. However if you come
prepared, know your stuff, and convince me of that then you get
authorized.<br>
<br>
Many other kingdoms have are much more strict in their CA authorization
requirements. Most other kingdoms <u>require</u> that folks first get
a basic armored combat sword and board style authorization before
moving on to additional weapons like CA where we do not. Other
kingdoms <u>require</u> multiple marshals be present to evaluate the
individual where we do not. Other kingdoms <u>require</u> that a
member of the chivalry be present to evaluate the individual where we
do not.<br>
<br>
To quote from the Marshals Handbook of one of the other Gulf War
Kingdoms "<span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The
authorization process is one of the most important safeguards in SCA
fighting.<span style=""> </span>It must be taken
seriously.<span style="">" I don't think it can be said much more
succinctly than that.<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
<br>
-EA<br>
</span></span><br>
Ken Theriot wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:7329F6C670DC453A90B3661DC21EEE1F@studio"
type="cite">
<pre wrap="">About the difficulty of getting authorized as a combat archer.....
I think we are making it too long and cumbersome a process. In January we
had a few folks very interested in getting authorized. But there weren't
any authorizing marshals in our area (Bjornsborg). Someone even said to one
of these hopeful gentles..."good luck getting authorized...it's almost
impossible." That really got me wondering why this should be.
So at Red Tape, I spoke with Sir Jean-Paul (kingdom Earl Marshal), and
Fearghus (kingdom missile marshal at the time) about how I could become an
authorizing CA marshal. I was already an authorizing heavy-weapons marshal
and an authorized combat archer. Fearghus told me what he wanted me to do
and know, and a couple of months later, I received my authorization as a CA
authorizing Marshal. At least now there is someone in our area.
Part of the discussion we had at Red Tape included finding out exactly what
the actual requirements were for CA authorization. This is what we found.
The current written requirements for authorization (as found in the SCA
"Marshal Handbook" and "The Missile Combat Rules") are:
"Combat Archers shall be authorized to participate by the marshallate,
following established marshallate procedures. During this authorization all
Combat Archers must show:
a. That they are familiar with the Rules of the Lists, the SCA Missile
Combat Rules, and all the rules and conventions of combat pertaining to
missile combat in their Kingdom.
b. That they can recognize and accept a killing blow.
c. That they are safe to themselves and their opponents.
d. That they can keep their bow out of the way during combat.
e. That they have an awareness of spectator safety."
If someone can demonstrate understanding of and compliance to the above,
they should be authorized. It shouldn't have to take 2 or more melee events
unless the person really needs the extra help. But that should be the
exception rather than the rule. Also, while it is certainly necessary to
observe a candidate in melee scenarios to ensure the SCA requirements are
met, it needn't be at one of the wars, such as Gothic, 3-Kings, BAM, etc.
In fact, authorizations may take place at official fighter practices (which
are, in fact, SCA sanctioned "events") as long as there is enough melee
activity to confirm the qualifications of the candidates.
I understand the need for caution to ensure we stay safe. And with the
latest concerns about CA causing injuries on the field, it is especially
germane lately. But SCA combat has always been a balance between safety and
participation. As long as everyone is following the rules, and our marshals
are making sure they only authorize people who clearly understand and adhere
to them, I see no reason to add more barriers to entry into the CA
community.
Our CA numbers are slim, and I believe that we need to do all we can to
increase those numbers, and encourage people to take up the bow by making it
as painless as possible.
As a member of the chivalry, I can tell you without question that Ansteorran
fighters across the board support and respect CA more than just about any
other kingdom out there! As Centurion Caladin (the Ansteorran General)
recently posted here, we very much want to do anything we can to help build
the combat missile community in Ansteorra. That includes physically helping
with arrow retro-fit, raising money to help defray the cost of retrofits,
including CA as an essential and fundamental part of our battle plans, etc.
Now is a great time to get folks excited about CA. The more of us there
are, the more integral we will in melee tactics. But it's hard to make us a
big part of the plan if there are only 15 of us in a fielded army of 300 or
more.
I recommend we readdress the authorization issues as soon as possible.
YIS,
Sir Kenneth
-----Original Message-----
From: William Black Dragon [<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:hlironwyrm@sbcglobal.net">mailto:hlironwyrm@sbcglobal.net</a>]
Sent: Saturday, September 27, 2008 12:05 AM
To: Archery within the Kingdom of Ansteorra
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra-archery] authorization
None of my combat arrows are currently legal, they need to be refitted, but
you are welcome to borrow some for practice. I've chopped all my baldar
arrows down into combat bolts to make sure I had legal combat missiles for
Three Kings and am currently working on refitting 450+ combat bolts. I
won't start refitting combat arrows until after we have finished refitting
all the combat bolts.
However just so you know the odds of getting authorized for combat archery
within six weeks are extremely slim, but possible if you can met several
qualifications.
To list a few of those basic qualifying factors:
- Do you already have a current fighter authorization?
- Do you have prior melee combat (battle) experience?
- Do you have your own combat legal armor?
- Do you have your own legal combat archery equipment?
- Are you familiar enough with the Ansteorran Complete Participant's
Handbook(especially section 6) to respond correctly when quizzed?
- Do you have a currently active knight marshal or combat archery
marshal whom would be willing to vouch for your combat skill
abilities?
If you are able to answer yes to five of the above questions there
is a good chance we might be able to buddy you up with another
combat archer at BAM for observation and possibly get
authorized for combat archery afterward, however it usually
requires at least two or more melee events before any combat
archery authorizing marshal will sign off on any combat archery
authorization. Starting this late a more realistic goal might
getting authorized in combat archery by Gulf War.
Don't get me wrong here, nothing delights us authorizing combat
archery marshals more than getting another combat archer on the
field. But given the possibility for catastrophic injury that can
happen with combat archery they are going to make sure any novice
combat archer is well trained before they are ever allowed to roam
the field alone.
It normally requires four times as long to get authorized for
combat archery than whats required to become a melee fighter.
Furthermore it's about four times as expensive to purchase the
required equipment to be a combat archer than a melee fighter.
Not to mention the cost of equipment maintenance and upgrades.
Now if you have read all of the above and are still interested
in becoming a combat archer come see me Sunday at Steppes
archery practice or contact me personally by email at the above
address and we shall be delighted to get you started!
Regards,
Ironwyrm
--- On Fri, 9/26/08, Marlin and Amanda Stout <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:ldcharles@sbcglobal.net"><ldcharles@sbcglobal.net></a>
wrote:
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">From: Marlin and Amanda Stout <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:ldcharles@sbcglobal.net"><ldcharles@sbcglobal.net></a>
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra-archery] authorization
To: "Archery within the Kingdom of Ansteorra"
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap=""><!----><a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:ansteorra-archery@lists.ansteorra.org"><ansteorra-archery@lists.ansteorra.org></a>
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">Date: Friday, September 26, 2008, 4:10 PM
Crystal Lewis wrote:
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">I'm looking to get authorized for CA before BAM
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">and I wanted to find
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">out if anyone in the Steppes/Elfsea area had some
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">combat arrows I
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">could borrow to practice and possibly authorize with?
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">Or even someone
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">in the area who makes and sells said arrows?
My bow is a youth-sized 30# bow. (I'm a weakling.)
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">Lady Gwen,
I'm not in Steppes/Elfsea, so I can't help you
with arrows, But I can
give you a bit of advice about those youth-sized bows.
Get your local CA marshal to check it's draw with a
regulation combat
arrow. The listed draw weight on some of those youth bows
are the draw
weigh with a youth arrow, not a full-sized one. I've
seen a few archers
at Gulf who were surprised when their bows came in
over-limit when
measured with the standard arrows. One lady I know had made
shorter
arrows for her bow, so that with them it'd be below the
limit. But with
the standard ones it was way over (like 40+ lbs) and a
marshal can't
assume it'll never be used with the standard ammo.
There are ways to reduce the draw weight a bit, and your AM
can help you
with that, but it's best to know that and deal with it
before you get to
the event.
Ld Charles MacKinnon
Marshal at Large
Bryn Gwlad
</pre>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
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