[Ansteorra-missile] Armor Rule Change

[Eadric Anstapa]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Talan" <Talan at hotpop.com>
To: Subject: Re: [Ansteorra-missile] Armor Rule Change


> As I understand it, Ansteorra rules did not change, as we already alowed
> archer gauntlets on both hands.  This is a socity level rule change, and
> thus is allowed in _all_ kingdoms.  Although it is alowed, Eadric says,
> "Although it _is_ alowed, it is _highly_ discouraged, but if your crazy
> enough to risk getting hit on a basicly unprotected hand, thats upto you."
>
> Hope that helps clear it up.
> --
> Talan - Talan at hotpop.com

Not quite right.

Individual Kingdoms are always free to be more restrictive than the society
minimums.  Just because the SCA rules get less restrictive, that does not
mean that the Ansteorran rules will

The society does not require forearm protection, but Ansteorra does.  I
don't see either of those changing soon.

The society now allows all missile combatants (including those who are
classified as full contact) to wear two half gauntlets.  It is viewed as an
issue of personal risk.  However, the currently published Ansteorran rules
only for a single half-gauntlet to be worn.  Look at  The Complete
Participants Handbook 6.I.B.1  where it says  "Chivalric combat archers
shall be required a minimum of an Archers Gauntlet (or equivalent) on the
off hand and gauntlet on the bow hand."

Since crossbowmen use both hands to pull the string and both hands to hold
the bow they have no "off hand" and no "bow hand".  Likewise, since
gauntlets are known to cut crossbow strings, for sometime now (before I took
over as KAM) the ruling has been that for crossbowmen both hands are
considered "of hands" or more importantly "string hands" (which is the way
the sca rules are written) and therefore crossbowmen are allowed two
half-gauntlets.  Our current Ansteorran rules require all other archers
(longbows and recurves) and misc missile combatants to wear a single
half-gauntlet which is to be used on the hand used to pull the string or
load or throw the weapon as is appropriate.

Gulf War standards allow for the Society minimums for hand protection
meaning that all missile troops can wear two half-gauntlets.  As part of war
preparations  Sir Randall and HRM Ulsted have allowed for us to suspend the
Ansteorran requirements in this area and allow our missile troops to wear
two half-gauntlets at melees events as we prepare for Gulf War.  This is
entirely up to the marshals in-charge of the event.  If we say that we are
going to use Gulf War standards then all missile troops can wear 2
half-gauntlets.  Otherwise we stick by Ansteorran rules.


Now, as for Ansteorran rules changes.

During my tenure as KAM, anytime there are changes to our previously
published rules that effects archery in Ansteorra I will see to it that it
gets published both in the Black Star and I'll post in online in these email
lists.  Likewise, please make sure that you check the News/Notes/Policy page
at http://archery.ansteorra.org.  When any important announcements are made
I always also post them there and they stay archives there for you to browse
back through.

Finally, we are going to change our Ansteorran rules so that per SCA
minimums all missile troops may wear 2 half-gauntlets (but may wear more if
they desire).  However, these rules changes have not yet been signed by the
crown or published so regardless of what we intended to do, they are not yet
formally in effect.

As I write this a new revision of the Ansteorran Missile Combat rules are
spread out on my kitchen counter.  We have been waiting for any changes at
the society level to be decided and settle down before we publish anything
new.  However those changes appear to be stalled to we aren't going to wait
any longer.  Our current King and Queen are both Combat Archers so there is
no time like the present to get this done and my intent is to get the new
rules signed and published before the end of this reign.  My current health
issues are slowing me down, but I think I am still on track for that.  Stay
tuned.

In Service,

HL Eadric Anstapa
Kingdom Archery Marshal, Ansteorra
eadric at scabrewer.com