[Ponte Alto] Unbelted Champions Team Training

[Max Nelson]

Fighters of the Northern Army!

As you are undoubtedly aware, many of our wars include Unbelted  
Champion Battles and Tourneys in which the Kingdom attempts to  
assemble the most effective melee squad of Unbelted Champions to fight  
on our behalf.

While the individual prowess of a fighter is naturally a factor in how  
they will perform as a melee fighter, often the most effective melee  
squad is the one that trains together the most often and has the best  
integrated team, regardless of the individual prowess of the specific  
fighters, per se.  Thus, a melee team is often greater than the sum of  
its parts -- and a great melee team can be built from individual  
fighters who are not necessarily yet great in and of themselves.

Perhaps in the past, or in other Kingdoms, Unbelted Champion teams may  
have been built upon the selection of individual fighters and may have  
been thrown together in the last moment with no preparation as a  
team.  We are hoping to change that.  We are looking to build the best  
*melee* team possible by selecting the most effective squads of  
fighters -- those who work best together and are most effective  
killing foes on the field together.

We are looking to find and build these squads of highly effective two  
and three-fighter Unbelted teams and have them train together as often  
as possible *as* teams so they become effective not just as their two  
and three-fighter squads, but also as a larger team.  We are looking  
to work together to build a culture of Unbelted fighters across the  
Northern Army who are working together and pushing each other to  
develop the most effective two and three-fighter squads possible for  
selection onto the Atlantian Unbelted Champions team.

If you are interested in working to become a member of the Unbelted  
Champions team, then you need to join together in a two or three- 
fighter squad and start regularly training together.  Let myself, one  
of the other Tribunes (Sir Tascius or Sir Theron) or Sir Guy know of  
your interest and who is in your squad (and follow-up with an email so  
we have a permanent record of your interest and who is involved in  
your squad).  We will all be looking for the quantity and quality of  
activity of those who express an interest at being on the team at the  
different practices, events, and musters -- so it's up to each of us  
Unbelts to get our comrades active, on the field, and focused on  
killing.

Felix has been named Captain of the team this year, and is looking to  
build two and three-person teams of Unbelted fighters who fight  
together regularly and well and can be slotted into the team.  While  
we may put together an "A" team from the North,  it is extremely  
likely that we will swap alternate squads into the team during the  
Pennsic Tourney, so we will need a number of two and three-person  
squads, regardless of any "A" team that might be assembled.

This is a fantastic opportunity for units to further differentiate  
themselves and gain renown, and for individual fighters to advance  
themselves.  I hope we can all join together and push each other  
towards further advancement and through cooperation and teamwork build  
an Unbelted Champions team of unparalleled quality and strength.

I look forward to hearing from those with an interest, and to seeing  
and working with you all on the field.

In service,

Max Von Halstern