[Ansteorra-missile] New Question on Authorization for Combat Archers

[Eadric Anstapa]

Michael,

The scenario you describe below is nothing new.  That has always been a 
distinct possibility regardless of if you are a non-contact or 
full-contact archer.  White Diamonds or Red Pheons, or any other type of 
helm markings don't provide a force field.  Anytime you step on the 
field you accept that there is a possibility that you will be struck.  
When we had non-contact you should not be struck purposefully, but you 
always ran the risk of being struck.  Non-contact participants did 
occasionally get struck on the field and it was important they 
understand how to handle that.  Battlefield often erupt into a sea of 
swinging rattan and people get hit. 

Lets face it even if ya don't get hit by rattan as a non-contact archer 
you were always the target of missile fire and that means you could get 
shot with a ballista bolt that is made of 48 inches of 160 PSI siloflex, 
tipped with a tennis ball, with a total bolt weight of 1 pound, and they 
could shoot ya from 30 ft away.  Let me tell ya that can leave a mark 
and hits every bit as stout as a good spear thrust.

Non-contact participants actually, by-the-book, didn't have less to 
their authorization, actually they had MORE that they were required to 
show.  The book said that for Non-Contact Authorizations, "T/hese 
procedures shall verify that _*in addition to the General Requirements*_ 
the candidate is familiar with the following:.../".

The General Requirements certainly have always included the Conventions 
of Combat and I have always felt the should include Acknowledgment of Blows.

Regards,

HL Eadric Anstapa

Mike wrote:
> This assumption came about back in May/June 2005. The question was asked
> through the local authorizing Marshal to the Earl Marshal of the
> Kingdom. And the answer that came back was just how I asked the question
> this morning.
>
> Your second paragraph answered my question in the original message.
>
> This was the most concern to me and am I sure to others, especially
> heavy fighters who just might found themselves fighting their way
> through one or two ranks of closely pack shieldwall and all they are
> seeing are armor bodies in front of them. Thus they swinging at their
> opponents and blocking or attempting to block blows being directed at
> them. And if there is an archer in that press and/or too close, then
> there is a chance that the archer will received a blow and only after
> the blow has been committed will the fighter realized that it his/her
> opponent was not another fighter but that it was an archer who could not
> attack him. I have talked with fighters both on the field after such, as
> well as the scenario(s) are over and sitting around together drinking a
> beer - talking about what happen on the field that day.
>
> The above needs to be address and explain to the individual(s) seeking
> to become authorized as combat archers. Because there is no such thing
> as a 100% guarantee that at some time they will not be hit. It is a
> matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time that will most like
> determine this, plus not being aware of the battlefield situation since
> it changes from second to second where only one General is in command.
> That is Murphy.
>
>
> Ld Michael Kettering
>