[MR] New Combat Archery Rules

[Siegfried Sebastian Faust]

>I thank you for your encouraging words, Your Majesty.  I have had a bit of
>a frustrating day so I aplogize if my previous missive sounded a bit
>"put-off".  I purchased my equipment from Northstar Archery, run by Sir
>Erika, and I believe many people do use her business.
>[snip]
>   My confusion is this:  at the last Atlantian University in Bridgewater,
> VA I took a class in contructing Combat Archery Ammo taught by Lord
> Siegfried Sebastian Faust whom, I believe, it the Society's Deputy
> Marshall for combat archery.  In his class, he explained how to construct
> ammo using this egg-shaped Baldar Blunt.  This is why I thought this was
> a new rule, not a longwithstanding one.  I was under the assumption that
> the Baldars had been approved throughout the Society.  This has taught a
> wonderful lesson though:  I had read and knew the rules, I just had never
> taken a measuring tape to the blunt.  Now I know it's always a good idea
> to measure!

Greetings, Siegfried here, and yes, I'm Deputy to the Society Combat
Archery Marshal.

Yes, when I taught at Last University, the Blunts were legal and approved
at SCA level by the Society Earl Marshal.

They HAD been given approval.  All of a sudden recently (a surprise to me
as well), that approval has been revoked.

The reason, is something that noone noticed/thought of.  In the past, our
requirement had only been that heads had to reach, at some point, 1.25"
diameter.  Some 'doming' of the foam on the top was expected, just as
happens with 'stealth' thrusting tips used on rattan swords.

It had never been a problem.

However, it turns out, that these new Baldar Blunts, are actually made too
domed.  Such that it is a full 3/4" back on the blunt before the blunt
reaches 1.25"

This means, by SCA rules, that they are illegal.  As they can penetrate a
helm farther than 1/2", a long standing standard.  And the problem already
presented itself, from what I understand, in the case of 3 people getting
'whacked' by the blunt through their helm grill.

Therefore, this immediate ban was placed on them, but the Society Earl
Marshal - And because it was a safety issue, is why it was handled so quickly.

Please be assured that your investment will not be just gone to waste, as
an approved 'modification' to these Egg Baldars will be created soon.  I'm
sure it will be quite simple (and if I had to guess, something like cutting
off the very tip with a utility knife, or adding a disk of foam to the tip).

If you wish to comment about the ruling, and the way it was handled, please
contact the Society Earl Marshal.

If you wish to help with testing of a modification to get it on the field
soon, then please contact the Society Combat Archery Marshal.

For either reasons, or if you just want someone to rant/scream/yell at ...
contact me.

In Service,
Siegfried
Deputy to the Society Combat Archery Marshal