Title: marshalling-msg
Subject: marshalling fighting in the SCA.
Author: Edited by Mark Harris
Last saved by: Mark S. Harris
Keywords: marshalls, referees, SCA, combat

marshalling-msg - 6/13/95

Marshalling SCA combat.

NOTE: See also the files: f-fighters-msg, tournaments-msg, armor-msg, b-battles-art, rattan-msg, jousting-msg, other-groups-msg.

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    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous
                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
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From: Stephen.Whitis at f4229.n124.z1.fidonet.org (Stephen Whitis)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Non fighters marshalling
Date: Sat, 21 Aug 1993 17:41:14

>>> >The big question comes down to "WHY do you want to be a
>>> >marshall if you don't                                                 
>>> >fight?"     - Dagonell                                                
>>                                                                         
>>> It's got the best view?                                                
>>                                                                         
>[...]                                                                     
>>                                                                         
>>Funny, how I suddenly started thinking about that commercial while       
>reading >your post. ;-) ;-) ;-)                                           
>                                                                          
>That's why marshalls carry staves, to avoid getting mashed by             
>overenthusiastic fighters. (It's why my own staff is of oak, as I         
>discovered that fir dowels can be fairly easily broken by rattan sword    
>strikes...)                                                               
>During a stint as a sports photographer, I decided that I'd give up the   
>shot rather than get munched. Kept my face from getting completely        
>flattened; the things _not_ in the viewfinder still impacted, but they
>were fewer.                                                               
>Keradwc

When I was in high school, and for a few years afterwards, I was
heavily into photography.  The darkroom was my favorite part.  I
also liked rodeo's, so when the local rodeo was going on, I would
do contract work for the local newspaper, which would get me in for
free, and I would have the best "seat" in the house, right down in
the arena.  But my theory, like yours, was that if a bull was
heading my way, hit the wall and climb...  I might get one *great*
shot, but if I get run over, I'm not going to get another chance.
:^)

I've also seen rodeo clowns (their versions of marshalls, in a
sense) jump into obviously unsafe situations, to get a cowboy out
of a bind.  I saw a clown get stomped, breaking 3 ribs, once.  He
went off, got taped up, and was out again.  He missed one bull
while he got taped.  I asked him why he didn't go to the hospital,
and he said he would later, but that right now, if he left, there
was too much chance that a cowboy, or the other clown, could get
hurt or even killed.  And he wasn't willing to risk living with the
knowledge that he wasn't there to do his job when it happened.  He
was a very tough, very honorable man.

As a marshall, I've jumped into melee's when hold was being
called, and ignored, to use my staff to stop fighters who were
trying to continue.  In one case, though I didn't know it when I
jumped in, the reason for the hold was that a fighters helm had
popped off his head.  He was within sword range of the (very
suprised) fighter who I stopped.  I'll take risks as a marshall if
I feel they are warranted, and in some cases those have likely
saved others from injury.  I face-masked a fighter once who hadn't
stopped fighting, and spun him around my way, and had no regrets
about it, though in that case the reason for the hold wasn't a
safety problem in his area.

I've never taken a hit while marshalling.  I have been hit with a
ricochet sword shot in what was *supposed* to be a walk through
during melee work, when no-one was supposed to be throwing blows.
Luckily, it wasn't a direct shot.

My point is that I see a lot of difference between being a sports
photographer, and being a marshall (or a rodeo clown.)  I wouldn't
recommend all marshalls be willing to jump into a melee, but a
marshall who was simply going to run away to keep himself safe,
regardless of the safety of the fighters or any non-fighters
watching, I'd rather do without.

I've known non-fighters who marshall I have no problem with, and
fighters who marshall who I can't really trust, so I don't see any
problem with non-fighters marshalling.

Stephen of the Grove
Steppes, Ansteorra    FIDONET 1:124/4229
ocitor!Stephen.Whitis at rwsys.lonestar.org

From: uratlord at mcl.ucsb.edu (Mark Stoddard)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: To all marshals:  planning war scenarios
Date: 30 May 1995 16:49:25 GMT
Organization: University of California, Santa Barbara
Summary: Make the plans exact, simple and don't change them
Keywords: war scenarios

	I attended and marshalled a war this past weekend which made me 
think about how one should organize scenarios.  One battle so confused 
the marshalls and fighters that I wished that I had not marshalled then.  
The battle was a castle battle in which there had been a breach in one 
wall.  One side thought that they could use their pikes through the 
breach while the other side thought they could not.  The marshalls were 
faced with both the fighter's confusion and anger.  It was eventually 
resolved.  However, I would not like to be placed in the same situation 
again.

	I would thus like to suggest how one may organize a battle 
scenario.  These rules should help clear up the confusion.

	First, the fighting autocrat has the first and final say.  He is 
the one in charge, other people may suggest changes to the plan, but not 
change things themselves.

	Second, all rules must be thought out completely.  If there is to 
be breaching of castle walls, then let the fighters know what kind of 
combat can ensue over different stages of breaching.  Example:  Walls 
start at 3 bales in height, this allows no combat over the walls.  A 
fighter pulls down the top bale, making it 2 bales high.  This would 
allow archers to shoot over this area of the wall.  When the second row 
of bales is pulled down, they can begin using pole weapons over the 
wall.  When the final bale row is pulled away, then then the breach 
allows fighters to pass through the wall at the breach.

	Third, do not change the battle rules after the fighters muster.  
Rule changes during a battle confuse fighters and marshalls.  Please do 
not subject us to that.

	Fourth, print the rules on paper for the commanders to study.  
This helps the commanders to know exactly what the rules are and allows 
them to relay the rules to their fighters with ease.  This also helps to 
disallow rule changes from happening at any time.

	This might be an easy outline for a more enjoyable war.  I hope 
these will help those who plan on head marshalling a war to make it 
easier for all of those attending.  Please let the holds be called for 
emergencies, not rule explainations.

					In service,
						Milan Ivanovich of Isles
						Kingdom of Caid

From: mabr at norell.se (M. Broman)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: To all marshals:  planning war scenarios
Date: 1 Jun 1995 13:41:52 GMT
Organization: Norell Invest

 at mcl.ucsb.edu (Mark Stoddard) says:
> [Good advice deleted to save time & space]

I have marshalled "a-lot" and run a few wars, the basics are :

1) Make it simple and straightforward.
2) Have _all_ rules on paper.
3) Go through the rules with the leaders before the war/battle.
4) If two or more fighters start to argue, take them off the field
   to continue their verbal melee, while the rest keep on playing.
5) Start on time! If fighters are not in time for the beginning let them
   enter later (very realistic "force marches" can be done..;) )

Ciao
Morgan//
War-o-Crat Magna Carta War I/II/III....;) Pennsic veteran et al..;)
======================================================
SCA : Morgan deGrey			mabr at norell.se
Mundane : M. Broman
======================================================

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