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Comments on Proposed Marshalling changes




Poster: bearslayer@juno.com (Christopher M Dawson)

Here are my comments on the proposed changes.....


> PROPOSED for comment: Fighters may authorize in the various weapon 
>forms in any order.  While it may usually be a good training technique
to
> teach new fighters sword and shield as their first weapons form it 
>is not necessary to require that this be their first authorization.  
>This change would allow a fighter to authorize in any weapons form as 
>their first authorization.  This would not change the nature of any
>authorizations just the sequence.

I would have to disagree with this.  I think that shield men are the
basis for any army and they provide the bulk of many units.  Though this
may make many newbies cannon fodder for a while, I believe that sword and
shield must be taught.  I have always taught that the best way to defeat
a sword and shield man is to know how s/he fights.  If we do not teach
them those skills right off the bat, there will be a large hole in the
warrior's experience.  I would not be willing to send a newbie out with
two swords to fight because I would not want to provide medical care for
the battered mess that would come back.  I know this from experience.  I
wanted to fight two stick when I first met up with the Tuchux, 9 years
ago, they indulged my naivete and let me do it, after 20 minutes of
pounding, I put down a sword and picked up a shield.  My only concession
on this subject would be to authorize a person in spear.  Being the melee
weapon it is, it would not subject a newbie to the swirling chaos other
off weapons fighters would experience, and it would allow many fencers,
who usually have the expert point control needed for spear work, to cross
over into the Heavy realm.  This would follow a rule that I heard about
in the East Kingdom (I think) were you can authorize in weapon and shield
and go from there, or spear and then go the weapon and shield route.

> PROPOSED for comment: All spears must be nine (9) feet long or 
>less.  Twelve foot spears do not significantly add to our combat 
>experience.  This rule change would level the playing field by limiting
all 
>spears to nine feet and protect the investment of all those who already
have
>spears but don't want to be put at a significant weapons 
>disadvantage.

I do agree to this proposed change.  As long as the majority of Knowne
Kingdoms use a 9 foot spear and inter-Kingdom wars use 9 footers as well,
it is a very agreeable recommendation.

> PROPOSED for comment: Unpadded pole arms be allowed according to the 
>SCA wide rules.  This would allow pole arms of up to seven feet long.

Though I have no discrepancies with a 7 foot pole arm, I think that some
sort of padding, at least  1inch close cell, would do.  If you leave the
weapon unpadded and 7 feet long the force of a blow would be far beyond
that of a 6 foot great sword.  I fear the injuries that would result from
the extra force that could be generated even with an arc of 90 degree
restriction.   Though it would not be common place, I think most would
agree that tempers can flare on the field.  The results of such a weapon,
as proposed, could lead to a bad situation before any intervention could
be made.  

In Service,
Nikolai Bearslayer
Knight Marshal
Shire of Seareach
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