combat archery – Page 4

CA Tactics – Tips From The Front Row

If you are like me, a combat archer who loves to be in the thick of it, then take a second and let me share what Ive learned in these few years.

The intention is to show the differences in CA tactics and provide some tips. More focus on front line engagement (R2)

Let’s go over some situations that present themselves here. We have green and red team. Please note that the G1 is hanging back, while R2 is behind the shield line.

Defense

The benefit of being in the front line here is clear. You get to stand behind someone who can actively help protect you. Though their first priority is usually to protect themselves and hold the line, they can help you as well.

Once R2 moves up to this position, communicate. Let the shield line know you are there. They can actively call enemy missiles as well as deflect. Once there, when you reload, keep your eyes on the field, and duck down. This will allow you to reload safely and not get plucked off by opponent archers or poles.

G1 does not enjoy the benefit of cover. Though you have distance on your side, you may think some bolts or arrows may not reach you, but you are ripe for the picking. The opposition will still see and fear your missiles however. sometimes you don’t have a clear shot, stay locked and loaded and pointed at the foe, you will keep their heads down and still help the team. If the opponent line make a push you wont get trampled but your shots are not as effective as in the rush, an opponent may not even register your hit. It may be a good idea to wait until the line settles a little, then pluck off any remaining opponents.

Offense

Call your shots and let your team know you are there! It never hurts to tell your team you are firing. Not only does it assist your team, but the opposition will also hear this and get distracted because the archer may be pointing an arrow at their face. Additionally, if your line is having a hard time with a specific person, they may want you to take them out. Always identify your warlords and battle hardened friends, they know who the key opponents are.

R1, listen to your team. If a polearm wants to step in to fill the line, take a step back and play a more support role. Polearms are very effective at keeping the shield line back with a constant threat whereas with CAs there are the reload down times to contend with.

If you are G1, work with another archer if possible. Alternate fire so you are not caught unloaded by a stray opponent.

Also keep a thrown weapon on you. A dagger will fit nicely into your quiver or belt and can be used again and again if once you’ve shot, you are getting rushed by a ‘heavy’.

And when on the front line, take your time, and make every shot count. If you go ‘Machine Gun Kelly’ and have a 30% kill ratio, you’ll then have to reload more often and disrupt the lines. Keeping your bow leveled on the enemy keeps their heads down and distracted. Let the poles take them out as well!

Please comment with thoughts or additions!

Failsafe for Combat Archers

Greetings friends!

If you are like me and enjoy shooting people in armored scenarios, then listen up! I have a proposal for you.

One of the time honored traditions when going against an archer is: wait until they shoot then run them down!

Its a good tactic which forces some considerations on our part. Staggering our shots, making sure we are accompanied by a shield, etc. But what if we are left all alone to our devices? What if two polemen spy you, and decide one of them WILL kill you?!

We have options!

Here, CATCH!
Carry some throwing weapons*! take two throwing axes with you on the field! After you shoot, another combatant may advance with impunity, but when you reach behind and produce a throwing axe, watch in glee as their eyes widen. have a care to not engage in melee, it is a throwing weapon only! Remember you cannot engage in melee unless you discard your bow in a safe manner. Which brings me to the next option…

Come out swinging!

When I initially thought about doing CA, my dream was to have two swords on me as well. I love to shoot, but if necessary I could grab the swords and swing my way to happy town. But then I discovered that you must safely dispose of your bow*. The specifics of this rule may vary slightly from Kingdom to Kingdom, but for me and my crossbow, it means getting it off the field into a safe zone. There is additionally the issue of demi vs full gauntlets. This needn’t be an issue if you can get your hands on (pun intended) fully articulated or otherwise dextrous gauntlets. Just wear full all the time!

Missile combatants should be the Scouts of the field. Be ready at all times and be willing to help an enemy cross the street to Valhalla whenever the opportunity presents itself!

I have yet to find resellers of thrown weapons, or sources for construction. If you find any, please post in the comments below!

edit:
http://www.argentlupus.com/ThrowingMace.html

Back to the Combat Archery Community

References:
* http://www.sca.org/officers/marshal/docs/marshal_handbook.pdf (see section(s): III.D.2,III.D.3)

Missile Combat Tournaments – Why You Should Care

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.

support the proposal

“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.

Combat Archers, DO NOT fail your inspections!

So this issue has come up a few times both on and off the battlefield: “Will my ammo pass inspection?”

We have all been there, the moment of fear as the marshal rummages through your ammo and starts making two piles, and you think, “oh great, I failed”. Don’t despair! Knowing the rules and following them to the best of your ability will get you through inspections just fine. In the marshal’s mind, if there is reasonable doubt, remember that the goal is everyone’s safety.

What should you expect during inspections?

Last year at Pennsic, I was in a rush to get to the field, and didn’t have time to self inspect. I was going through inspections, when I turned around I had a pile of ‘dead’ ammo. Some of them rightly so. But during the inspections process I noticed the method was disturbing. Something that I have noticed elsewhere, and have even done myself previously: grabbing the bolt by both end and torquing. This seems reasonable, and can even make sense when reviewing the documentation* (see below)

To speak to the differences, Im going to tell you how I inspect my bolts. I grab the bolt by the shaft with one hand 2-4″ apart from the other on the APD/Blunt. Give it a twist, is there any movement? Just a tiny bit, or too much (1/8″ or more)? Grab the shaft on both end and check for lateral movement, is there any? With both hands on the end give a ‘slight’ twist. Please note we are not checking for twist of the APD or Blunt here, but damage to the shaft itself (I’ll come back to this). Check the shaft by running your hands down it, Any issues? Is there strapping tape the full length of exposed shaft? Check the APD, is it cracked or broken? Does the head have cracks etc? Is the tape intact over the head?

Now back to the ‘grabbing by both ends’ thing earlier… So issues have arisen where someone grabs ammo by the head and APD, and literally torques it! I tell you this, every piece of ammo will fail and or break if put in the hands of someone applying over the top force to this motion. I can make any bolt twist using this method, I don’t care who made it. Further, you can be structurally damaging the fiberglass. The shafts are not meant to twist too much this way. If you are ever in doubt, please contact your local friends DEM or someone who will give you a definitive answer in this regard. But the next time I see someone doin’ the ol’ “Torque Twist Shuffle” on my bolts, you better believe Ill call a “Hold!”

As as additional note, we generally are pushing to use strapping tape over the head as well as the APD. This gives additional strength as well as lateral hold. It also wears far longer in battles, which means less frequent repairs! This is not a requirement as of yet, but if you are making new bolts… well as they say, “An ounce of prevention…”

Thanks friends, look forward to seeing you on the field!

~ Cameron

Combat Archery Supplies

Marshal’s Handbook (source)
XV. D. 3.
a. Based upon the type of ammunition, measure all dimensions for conformance
b. Grab both head and tail and pull with moderate force while slightly twisting.
If either end moves laterally it fails.
c. If the ammunition is with made with foam, check that the tip is constructed in
such a manner that it cannot be forced more than .5 inch (12.7 mm) into a
legal faceguard.
d. Check the shaft for signs of cracking or other failure. Check that it is
properly labeled and taped.
e. Remember that ammunition cannot be more than 10% yellow as yellow is
reserved for siege ammunition.

Atlantia Combat Archery Training Docs (source)
5. Weapons, Ammunition, i-iv
i. Label requirements.
ii. Inspect fiber glass shafted arrows/bolts with UHMW.
– Shaft covered longitudinally with strapping tape.
– APD firmly attached with no movement lengthwise along
shaft.
– UHMW at least 1.5 inches in diameter with at least .5
inches and at most 1.25 inches of resilient padding on
striking surface.
iii. Inspect fiber glass shafted arrows/bolts with Balder style blunts.
– Shaft covered longitudinally with Strapping tape.
– Balder blunt of approved type. (Single piece balder is not
legal for fiber glass shafted ammunition.)
– Blunt taped on with at least one piece of strapping or
electrical tape.
– No movement lengthwise of blunt along shaft.
– APD firmly attached with no movement lengthwise along
shaft.
iv. Inspect Siloflex style ammunition.
– Siloflex equivalent tubing with 100 psi rating.
– Head constructed properly.
– No cuts in the tail except for a possible nock less than ½
inch in depth.

Pennsic Requirements (source)
4, f-k
f) Fiberglass-shaft arrows/bolts must be covered from behind the blunt, to the front of the Anti-Penetration
Device (APD), in a sturdy tear-resistant tape, such as strapping, electrical, or duct tape.
g) Grab both head & tail and pull “away” with moderate force. If either head or APD moves longitudinally, the
ammunition fails.
h) Hold the shaft and APD close together and attempt rotation of the APD using minor torque as not to overly
stress any existing glue seal. If any rotation of the APD occurs, the ammunition fails and needs re-securing.
i) Hold the shaft and head close together and attempt rotation of the collar using minor torque so as not to
overly stress any existing glue seal. If greater than slight rotation of the collar upon the shaft occurs, the
ammunition fails.
j) “Slight rotation” has been roughly defined by previous KEM’s to mean no greater than 1/8” lateral
movement around the shaft.
k) If ammunition is a type using foam on the tip, check that the foam tip cannot be forced more than ½ inch
into a legal faceguard. If penetration COULD occur more than ½ inch inside a grill, the ammunition fails.