From: mdewis@esk.compserv.utas.edu.au ( Mark Richard Dewis)
Subject: Re:Combat Archery
Organization: University of Tasmania at Launceston
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 92 00:04:49 GMT

Greetings from Richard of Dunheved!

I'm beginning to wonder if _any_ Kingdom does combat archery the same!
Eleonora van den Bogaerde writes:

 "[...] what do people think about the
 riverhaven blunt (a rubber blunt with an end diameter of 3/4 inch). I know that
 they are widely used in Locharc but our territorial marshal, having looked at
 the Locharc rules, reckons that they base their mixed combat upon tradition
 rather than written rules. Has anyone here fought in mixed combat in Locharc?"

From an Inter-Kingdom Anthropology point of view, Lochac derived most of its
combat rules from the Known World Handbook, since it was the only source we
had. Lochac started out from a Sydney Univerity Medieval/Role Playing group,
encountered the SCA at Aussiecon and decided to join with the Society. Thus
we had to develop our skills and standards without close consultation with
US groups. As an example, when Sir William the Lucky came over, we found out
that what Australia had been using as armour was significantly thinner than
what the West was using, because what our tanners called 4 ounce leather
was different to what US tanners called 4 ounce leather (which was the only
specification at the time). On the other hand, we were hitting lighter, so it
sort of balanced out. (This incident is one of the things that led to the
armour standards including thicknesses :)

I would say that Lochac Combat Archery rules are as safe as any using wooden
arrows (much as I detest the concept, golf-tubes _are_ safer - much as boffer
weapons are safer than rattan ones; safe but ludicrous :) and that the
Riverhaven blunt, when used in conjuction with archery mesh and fibre-tape,
would provide the best option for you. I would point out that Lochac has
special permission from the Earl Marshal of the West to use our existing
archery standards seperate from those of the West (mainly because our
proportion of archers is much larger). It would seem to make sense for
Southron Gaard to have a go at our methods, just for proximity's sake. 
Perhaps you could come to some arrangement with central Caid similar to
ours with the West? 

On the subject of Heavies tap-dancing on arrows, the only solution I can
offer is education. It is a fact that a heavy fighter can train to
deal with archers; one very popular sport/training in Lochac is the
"Agincourt Run", which involves a bunch of heavies advancing down the
field at a bunch of archers. Since this is _not_ combat, just training,
we allow the archers to be unarmoured and unauthorised (while still
making sure they know bow and arrow standards, arrow checking procedures,
what to do if "HOLD" is called and the minimum fire distance). This
activity allows the heavies to learn to deal with arrows in a low level
of competitiveness (if hit, they go back to the start line and try again)
while letting non-fighters get interested in combat without needing
to invest in armour. (For the nervous heavy, here's a helpful hint:
plate may not be proof, _but shields are!_ If you have trouble coping
with arrows, get a bigger shield for use in mixed combat)

Any group that uses wooden shafts (eg. Marklands) and dosen't use mesh
is asking for trouble, even with tape. (without tape they are asking for
broken shafts to windmill into their eyeslits). Duct and electrical
tape in particular I consider insufficient to prevent shafts from
breaking completely, though with mesh it should not be too much of a 
problem, as the breaks will be clean ones. Fibre tape is best.

Good shooting!

-- Richard of Dunheved, Lochac.
-- 

mdewis@pieman.compserv.utas.edu.au ... but you can call me Richard.
Forma Propositum Perpetuo Praecedit.