[Elfsea] [Ansteorra] Elfsea Defender Archery

Richard Threlkeld rjt at softwareinnovation.com
Thu Apr 1 11:12:14 PDT 2010


What I hear in support of having parts of a competition ban crossbows is
that it requires less skill to win with a crossbow (and such a ban usually
eliminates crossbow people from winning the overall competition).
Ironically, this is exactly the argument I have heard from many heavy
fighters who want to ban archery in general from melees. And the archers in
that case say "It is a period weapon so quit whining and let's get to
fighting." 

It is not quite the same as requiring a given weapon in a tournament round
because (1) it is not evenly applied - there have been no crossbow only
competitions in my recollection and (2) in heavy weapons tournaments that
require a particular weapon that weapon is generally made available on a
loan to fighters who do not have one of their own - I have never seen that
option in the crossbow bans.

I would support a crossbow only round with a longbow only round and a
recurve only round where loaners were available for each style. I know that
having the right arrows and bows of weights that each archer can use is not
as easy has having an extra glave, but those are logistic issues and not
fairness issues. This might even get people to cross train into other types
of bows.

Richard Threlkeld, CPA
Software Innovation

  and  

-----Original Message-----
From: elfsea-bounces+richard.threlkeld=xerox.com at lists.ansteorra.org
[mailto:elfsea-bounces+richard.threlkeld=xerox.com at lists.ansteorra.org] On
Behalf Of Jay Rudin
Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 12:58 PM
To: Barony of Elfsea
Subject: Re: [Elfsea] [Ansteorra] Elfsea Defender Archery

Caelin wrote:

>Sounds like a fun shoot. I would like to post my objection to the exclusion
>of crossbows in *any* archery competition, however. I've heard all the
>arguments on both sides, but crossbows are period and more so than many of
>the recurves we allow. Since each has its strengths and weaknesses it
should
>be possible to set up some scenarios in each competition where one or the
>other is a better choice. Competitors who do both could switch for maximum
>advantage to those more broadly skilled.

While I understand the frustration, I find that over the course of many
years, having lots of tourney styles is better than any one style.

On the heavy field, I've seen Swiss five with weapons chosen, Greatsword
lists, Spear lists, mass weapon lists, and many others.  Some tourneys give
me a disadvantage; some an advantage. 

So I've fought in many lists with weapons that weren't my best.  That wasn't
great for me, but was for somebody else. But a rule requiring, or banning, a
certain weapon for *any* tourney tends to give some people the advantage
every time.  That's not reasonable either.

So each potential competitor should read the rules, and if they don't want
to play that way, then wait for next week's event.

Robin of Gilwell / Jay Rudin

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