[MR] Scouts & Rocks - Was: Re: A Challenge from Baron Mungoe

[Siegfried]

Greetings unto all ... I'm responding to one particular bit of Mungoe's 
posting.

He wished to get more people on the field (which I highly agree with); 
however, he also suggested doing so, by making rocks/cows/kitchensinks, 
and getting scout authorized, and going to the fort battle to drop 
things on people's heads.

Something didn't sound quite right about that, and therefore being on 
the Senior Combat Archery Marshallate mailing list, I asked the Society 
Combat Archery Marshal, and the Society Siege Marshal (since 'dropped 
rocks' kinda fall under both their domains) ... one question:

Can Scouts drop rocks?

As I had thought that since scouts can't carry weapons, and since a rock 
in that case is a weapon, that it would be not allowed.

It has been confirmed by both of them, that this IS the case.  A Scout 
may not carrying any weapon.

Here are their words:

 From Quinn, Society Siege Marshal:
> From what the rules state my interpretation would be that Scouts are just that, Scouts. They are NOT armored combatants, and may not use any form of weapon. If they have some other authorization, in addition to their Scout authorization, then they are no longer just scouts, but either heavy or light combatants, and subject to return fire.

 From Eadric, Society CA Marshal:
> I would hold that you are correct.  The Marshallate handbook clearly says:
> 
> Scouts
> A. General requirements
> 1. SCOUTS DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES CARRY A
> WEAPON OR ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE MISTAKEN AS A
> WEAPON in a battle. This includes but is not limited to daggers, staves,
> walking sticks, shields, etc.
> 
> The marshallate handbook evens puts those words in ALL CAPS.
> 
> If you are dropping something with the intent that it will do harm to someone then I think it is clearly a weapon.
> 
> The real gotcha for me is that per the marshallate handbook scouts make never be struck and they may never be targeted by missiles (and that would include siege).  It is just not right to have someone dropping things on you over a parapet when you can not shoot back at them.

Therefore, while I also will enourage people to make rocks/etc and bring 
them out to drop upon our enemies ...

Please realize that you will need to be authorized in any one other 
Heavy Weapons form, and cannot be a Scout.  (Combat Archery, Sword & 
Board, etc).

Siegfried