Dis: Atlantia's Combat Archers - longish but important

[Gene Bonar <grb@fns.com>]

Poster: Gene Bonar <grb@fns.com>

Eric Jon Campbell wrote:
> Just my thoughts but what would make sense to me would be
> 1) Get the archers organized so that they can buy the parts they need in BULK
> and thus save cash

We do exactally that and it brings the price down to about $1.00 per
arrow.  The problem is that it is not uncommon to lose or break 30
arrows at an event like toy wars multiply that by 8 to 12 events a year.
Lord Stephan made something like 200 arrows for he and his wife to take
and Estrallita took a hundred.  For weeks in advanace the 3 of them and
Beth and I spent many hours assemballing the arrows.  So our household
at least does mass produce.  You need to make 50 to 100 hundred arrows
at a time to get the price down to a dollar.  Anyone who like to learn
our methods can write me.  

> 2) develop easier and interchangeable arrow parts  ex if the head  arrow A is busted but the shaft is > fine and the shaft is broken on arrow B but the head is fine add head B to shaft A

We do reuse and recycle the heads when a shaft is broken, but there is a
limit to how much this can be done and still remain safe.

I just thought I might comment since I'm one of the archers in the
original thread.  I didn't comment because I need money to play.  I
happen to think that the cost of the arrows is just the cost of doing
business.  I realize, however, that most of the players especially
newbies, might not be able to afford the cost of the arrows.  

I don't know if any of you have noticed that Lord Stephan is on a
mission.  He, his wife, Luisa, and his sister-in-law , Estrillita, have
been going to every event and shoot lots of arrows.  When not killing
knights, He is beating the bushes looking for new archers.  Although he
has been very successful in making archery more "respectable" the
biggest problem he faces is that when he does find isomeone interested
he can't find enough 30 lb bows and a good source for arrows.  Perhaps
the hat could be passed not to help the current archers but to provide
the new archers with arrows until they have desided that htis is
something they want to do.  Kinda like loaner armour, each canton or
barony could have loaner arrows.  

Fina
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Eoghan mac Ailpein, Proto-Highlander Mid-800            
Elvegast, Windmaster's Hill, Atlantia       
mka  Gene Bonar  grb@fns.com  919 772 1112 
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