Missile Combat Tourneys have been a pet project for a long time. Then I went away for a year, but now I’m back to champion the cause once more. It started as Combat Archery Tourney, but once I saw the movement with the Valiance Proposal, something struck with me… but more about that later.
“Why should I care?”
It’s a fair question, we all have so many things going on. Our interests barely get the time they deserve and now I’m asking you heap on more. You should care because others do, and supporting a good cause takes little effort.
Too long have our friends and fellow marshaled communities been thrust unceremoniously to the side for various reasons, not least of which is safety. I cannot tell you how many events where archery, thrown weapons, CA, siege, and more have been an inconvenient afterthought. And once when I suggested we have an event with only CA and siege, there were actual complaints. One event where rattan wouldn’t be involved, and there was an issue (it was an all archery event). When there is an event with plenty of space and a request is put out, we get excuses for why certain things CAN’T happen, instead of solutions as to how we can be even more inclusive, and get it done. Sometimes it’s a personnel issue, that’s fine, what can we do?
“What are the Tourneys?”
This is an attempt to get all the Kingdoms competing in the same way we do with the IKCAC or IKAC. This will hopefully turn into a recurring attraction. Much like a Crown Tourney, or any event where the main attraction is a rattan competition, so too can the main attraction be a Missile Weapon Tourney!
“Now is the time to strike!”
With the Valiance Proposal still hot on the presses, now is the time for inclusiveness. We need our communities to show solidarity in many ways. This is but one way to achieve this goal. This is an opportunity to showcase talent in the limelight with various weapon forms.
Participation, numbers, all irrelevant.
It is our heart, knowledge, skill, wisdom and tenacity that we have and are willing to share that is important. When someone is put up for Laurel for dancing, nobody asked how many people danced that year. When a Pelican is considered, they never ask how many lunches were prepared that year. But this is another subject for later, back to the task at hand.
“You sound bitter man…”
A little, but I have learned a lot in the last twenty years about how people get treated, how things get done, and what my place is assumed to be in the social order based on what I love.
The lesson I first learned was this wasn’t a place I wanted to be, because these aren’t the people I respect. The whole ‘Jocks’ versus ‘Nerds’ kept popping in my mind.
The next lesson was that I shouldn’t care and just have fun. Being in Atlantia, Ive said it before, saved my SCA career. The people here know how to have an awesome time and not give a crap, while remaining involved!
Now it’s an odd mix of both.
But I can’t sit by while communities are crapped on only because of what they enjoy. All of our communities bear skill, knowledge, and application. We should each be appreciated for what we bring to the table and what we can impart, not compared and belittled.
“What can I do?”
If you have interest, participate! Become a CA or Siege marshal. Bring eye protection to events for other marshals. Help with field set up and tear down. Engage in the fighting. If a martial activity isn’t happening, ask the autocrat or MiC why. At the very least, go to any marshaled event, including our rattan and rapier friends, cheer them on and enjoy the fun and pageantry!
Please please please support this effort, OUR effort. This can be so much fun for us all. But as I said before this is one facet. We are all important in our own way, and want to share what we love. Help me share what I love. This is for us all, I claim no ownership, or author. It belongs to us.
New to archery? If you live in Atlantia, you happen to be in a premiere kingdom for the sport. From Atlantia to An Tir though, you cant swing a herald without hitting a good archer. Having helped a few beginners, I thought Id write a brief primer for reference. Not meant to be exhaustive, or official, just some things I think may be helpful.