[MR] [Marshalls] Fighters by Kingdom

[Aedan Aylwyn]

M'lady,

I'm sorry that you feel it is a burden but it is actually very necessary.
While the rules are standard across the Kingdom, the way they are
interpreted and taught can vary extremely if not kept in check.

Let's look at just one rule from the armored handbook: 3.6.1.3.1   A blow
that strikes a legal target area with telling force will be acknowledged.

What is "telling force"? Can you teach that just from reading the rule? To
keep it consistent across Atlantia, marshals (the ones that enforce these
sorts of things) need to have experience with not only fighters in their
local group, but also with how fighters in Bright Hills throw blows compared
to Windmasters Hill compared to Caer Mear compared to Sacred Stone compared
to...

The warranting process of the marshalate is designed to make sure a marshal
doesn't perpetuate local oddities but instead is forced to be familiar with
more than just how his local friends do things.  This exposure to out of
region marshaling along with the need for recurring refresher classes on
what's changed, problems cropping up, etc are vital to ensuring we are
consistent across Kingdom in how we fight and monitor others who fight.

Once you go out of kingdom, the problems can become even more extreme as
there are in fact rule differences between kingdoms as well as strong
cultural differences.  Ask anyone that's fought a fighter from the West or
Caid about anything odd that cropped up.

So once every two years or so, a marshal has to make it to a University or
other large event to refresh their classes, get exposure to what is going on
elsewhere in the Kingdom and in general learn what is going on outside of
their local group.

Aedan


-----Original Message-----
From: atlantia-bounces at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
[mailto:atlantia-bounces at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org] On Behalf Of Sandi Rust
Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 10:24 AM
To: atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
Subject: Re: [MR] [Marshalls] Fighters by Kingdom

Allo to the Tavern,
 
The dearth of marshals (especially heavy armored) is a common topic with my
husband. Many HAC (heavy armored combattants) are more inclined to fight
than to play "safety officer". I was informed by a fighter who was working
towards a marshallate that he has to go OUT OF REGION to complete his
Marshallate training. In my opinion, that is ludicrist; especially in these
days of soaring gas prices. As I understand it, all the safety rules are
pretty much standard throughout the kingdom, if not all the kingdoms. Why do
they have to go out of region? Shouldn't we be making it easier to get a
marshallate warrant instead of harder? I can understand the necessity to MIT
at "X" number of events and to see "tested" by more than one marshal in more
than one canton or barony and let the applicant choose how far they can
travel. 
 
If there were more marshals, my husband could play in his armor more (except
for fighter practice) and his pretty "sticks" could actually get some damage
to them. He hasn't had to completely replace one for over a year. The ones
he did, I know one was from before we moved back to Atlantia 7 years ago.
 
Please, please, please let's think of incintives to bring folk into the
marshallate. 
 
It's pretty sad when I can count the number of local (two baronies) active
(or partly active) HAC marshals on a hand and a half.
 
Marie Hélène of the New Forest (San)

--- On Mon, 6/27/11, sigrune at aol.com <sigrune at aol.com> wrote:


From: sigrune at aol.com <sigrune at aol.com>
Subject: Re: [MR] [Marshalls] Fighters by Kingdom
To: atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
Date: Monday, June 27, 2011, 4:30 AM


Greetings unto all,

I recently moved just outside of Atlantia, and upon reading the rules here,
I chose to seek to become a marshal.

I have participated for over 20 years, and I had intended to give back long
before this.

While I was in Atlantia, I chose not to try to become warranted for one
reason, the process and expectations of getting and maintaining one's
warrant. I have spoken in private about this to some in the past, but will
speak publicly now, since a question of numbers has been raised and it seems
that there is a disadvantage that needs addressing to the benefit of all.
(This applies to more than the marshallate in my opinion, but I will speak
of this one only since it is the one raised)

The warranting process in Atlantia has more requirements than I see in other
Kingdoms (I have not done a in depth comparison kingdom by kingdom, but only
those I have lived in over the years or when a point has been raised in a
multi-kingdom discussion). Atlantian policy is more codified and rigid,
classes must be undertook, requirements of travel must be met.  It is not
enough by the written policy to demonstrate the knowledge of the rules,
performance of duty, and competency to several marshals with the power to
warrant have seen and tested enough to determine warranting or continued
review (or a flat out denial). I myself found it a sufficient detractor for
a number of reasons, most notably the expectation of travel in order to
learn to perform a volunteered service on my part.

I am not speaking to judge why this is the policy, there may have been
abuses or warranted concern for potential abuse, or other factors I do not
see.  I simply am stating the policy to become and maintain a warrant in
Atlantia while I lived there was beyond what I was willing to do to
volunteer.  Having traveled to numerous kingdoms, seen and talked with their
marshals, fought under their watch, gone through their inspections, I have
not detected a noticeable increase in the ability of an Atlantian marshal to
perform diligently compared to those outside it. I would further state, I
have on more occasions had pause listening or witnessing a marshal misread,
misquote, or misjudge a rule more often in Atlantia than with marshals of
other kingdoms, though this could be accountable at the difference in time I
spent in kingdom and outside it.

>From my own experience in the matter, I humbly proffer the suggestion the
Crown and Officers of Atlantia look at their policy as written, and consider
the benefits it offers now as well as its potential detriments to a greater
level of participation in the warranted volunteer positions.

Sincerely, and with respect intended,

-Lord Takeda Sanjuichiro Akimasa.




-----Original Message-----
From: deallac <deallac at juno.com>
To: marshalls <marshalls at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org>
Cc: atlantia <atlantia at atlantia.sca.org>
Sent: Sun, Jun 26, 2011 2:57 pm
Subject: Re: [MR] [Marshalls] Fighters by Kingdom

Unto my fellow Atlantians, greetings from Kevin of Thornbury.As a member of
the Order of the Pelican in Atlantia, I must say that Ido not like these
numbers at all. I did a quick analysis of the ratioof armored fighters to
marshalls and our beloved kindgom is rankedsolidly at the bottom of the list
where it comes to this service.In Atlantia, for every 10 armored fighters
there is one person whoserves to marshal them. Across the SCA, there is a
marshal for anaverage of only three (or so) armored fighters.This is not a
call for more non-combatants to stand out in a field andwatch the rest of us
play. This is a call for more of my brothers andsisters in arms to study and
train as a marshal in order to bettershow courtesy and respect for all who
work to ensure our safety.My resulting list is shown here for your
consideration:Aethelmearc 4.55Ansteorra 1.88An Tir 2.42Artemisia
2.51Atenvelt 5.00Atlantia 10.35Caid 4.35Calontir 3.18Drachenwald
3.85Eldormere
 1.91East 5.07Glenn Abhann 5.84Lochac 1.98Meridies 0.99Middle
6.30Northshield 2.55Outlands 7.00Trimaris 3.09West 2.19SCA-wide 3.26- Kevin
of Thornbury, OPOn Mon,
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