[Artemisia] Making fighting more fun

[Zafirah Tahreer Bint Al Riyah]

It is just an opinion, Your Grace, but personally the
biggest challenge over the years for getting eager
fighters out on the battle field has been the hurtle
of assembling appropriate armor.  In recent years, the
availability of an open armor night locally, and
skilled instructors willing to volunteer their time
seems to be in short supply.  The only talented
armorers these days seem only interested in selling
not teaching.

Locally, our own chivalry has taken something of a
hands-off approach to newcomers.  Unless a person has
shown some staying power and an aptitude for fighting
there is little interest in taking them in and showing
them “the ropes.”  This is understandable since we all
have limits to our time and mundane demands competing
for our attention.  But we cannot sit back and hope
new players will find us.  The military recruits.  If
we want new blood, we have to go out and get people’s
attention.  I think there are plenty of people
interested in fighting.  They just need more support
and encouragement.  Good accessible loaner armor and
fighters excited to teach are a vital part of getting
fighters on the field.  

I think, once we get a person in armor, it is
essential to encourage melee fighting so that new
fighters can feel like they are part of something. 
This also gives less experienced fighters a chance to
team up with better fighters and still be on the
“winning” side.  Tourney fighting is an important part
of the SCA, but war is a vital part of the game as
well; and there are lots of people who just don’t have
the talent many of our veteran tourney fighters have. 
Encouraging new fighters to try their hand at melee
and war fighting can build confidence.  There is so
much more action and opportunity for a new fighter to
have their moment of glory in a melee or war type
scenario.

For what it’s worth, those are my thoughts on the
subject




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