Armored Combat:Marshaling on the field

Marshaling on the field

Guidelines for marshaling on the field

Many of the rules in this chapter are not rigid requirements, but an attempt to help clarify and to provide examples of acceptable methods and procedures. Check which rules use "must", and which use "should".

Preparing to marshal combat activities

As marshal-in-charge, you are responsible for organizing the marshaling. This does not mean that you have to do it all yourself. Things that need to be done prior to all combat activities:

1. Check that the field will be safe for fighting on, preferably before the site is reserved for the event. Can someone in armor, with restricted vision, cross it safely? Simple tripping is an inherent hazard of combat in rough terrain. At minimum, check before combat to see if there are holes, soft spots, rocks, etc. If they are serious and cannot be worked around, move the fighting somewhere else.
2. Arrange for equipment inspections. (See Inspecting equipment)
3. Arrange for marshals for all of the combat.
   1. That means there should be at least one marshal per single combat (preferably two or three); enough marshals for group combat (melees and battles) to both surround the fighting (to keep an eye on the boundaries) and keep most of the fights under general surveillance for detached armor, broken weapons, etc.
   2. It is relatively common for a marshal-in-charge to appoint those they feel are competent to serve as field marshals during an event. Whether these individuals are warranted marshals is a matter of kingdom choice. The advantage of being a warranted marshal is that you are an official of the Society, which gives you certain legal protection from lawsuits (if any) arising from your actions as a marshal.
   3. If volunteers are in short supply, point out to the fighters that they do not get to start until sufficient marshals are available.
4. When it is all over, write up a report on the event. (See Reporting requirements)

Marshaling single combat

General

1. There should be at least one marshal for single combat. Two or three will be able to see more of the fight. Four or more will get in each other's way and block the view from the sidelines without providing noticeably better marshaling.
2. As noted earlier, marshaling has three parts of nearly equal importance: safety, fair witness, and showmanship. Excessive concern for any of these, to the neglect of the other two, will make fighting less enjoyable for all concerned. While these concerns apply to all marshaling, they are most detailed and balanced in single combat.

Safety

1. The field itself can cause safety problems. Before you begin, look over the area where the fighting will take place. Look particularly for large holes, soft spots, and rocks as fighters will generally accept small holes, rocks, etc. as part of the terrain. Once the fight starts, try to keep it away from these areas. If the hazards are serious, move the fight.
2. As the fighters come onto the field, take a quick look to see if they have their full armor, especially elbow, neck, and hand armor. These are the likeliest to be removed and then forgotten. This should not take any time at all; it isn't a full inspection or an attempt to catch someone trying to play silly games with the rules - just a quick double-check to help someone who could have been distracted by the excitement of the day.
3. Once the fight has started, watch for broken armor, lost tempers, injuries, and intrusions into the field. Outsiders, especially small children and pets, do not always realize that they are supposed to stay off of the field during combat.
4. If there is a problem, shout "Hold!", several times if necessary. Most fighters will hear and respond to a cry of "Hold!" even when they won't notice their own names being called.
   1. If the first cry of "Hold!" does not cause the fighters to stop, get in between the fighters, or between the fighters and whoever or whatever has wandered onto the field, and block the weapons with your staff until the fighting stops. Keep yelling "Hold!" while you do so that eventually they will notice. That is one reason why marshals routinely carry staffs on the field.
5. Kingdoms have different traditions as to how much marshals should intrude into a fight.
   1. Some kingdoms expect marshals to keep their opinions to themselves, except in the case of clear and immediate safety hazards, and some kingdoms expect marshals to volunteer advice any time they think the fighters might possibly have a question about a blow.
   2. If you are new to marshaling, or new to the kingdom you are in, try to find out where in this spectrum your kingdom lies. It will make a difference in how you act and, perhaps more importantly, it will make a major difference in what the fighters expect of you.
   3. Blatant violations of the rules and safety concerns should always be brought up either immediately if necessary for safety issues, or as there is a "Hold" called for rules discussions that can wait until then.

Witness

1. You are expected to be an impartial witness to exactly what happens during a fight. Ideally, you should be able to describe the last 3-4 blows on your side of the fight: where they started, their angle of approach, how they were blocked or where they landed. Do not be afraid to say, "I don't know" if you were looking at one part of the fight when something (allegedly) happened in another part.
2. Do not try to impose your view unless you see what appears to be major and repeated problems. Leave the blow counting to the participants unless you see clear reason to intervene, as they usually have a much clearer perspective than the marshals do.
3. If the fighters do ask you what happened (or you feel compelled to volunteer), try to do so tactfully. Prefacing your statements with "It looked to me like...", "It appeared...", or "to the crowd it looked like..." is preferable to a dogmatic assertion of what happened. Similarly, it is preferable to ask "Was that dent in your helm before?" rather than saying, "That blow put a 6-inch dent in the side of your helm." The latter might be 100% accurate, but it is unnecessarily antagonistic to someone who could honestly have thought the blow too light.

How to observe combat

1. In order to be able to answer as accurately as possible, you need as clear a view as possible.
2. You need to strike a balance between getting closer to see better and staying back out of range of the blows.
   1. Just what the appropriate distance is for you will depend on your level of experience with fighting (e.g., how well you can judge what the range of the weapons is and whether you are in or near it).
   2. In general, for single combat, 20 yards is too far and 2 yards is too close. In the absence of a better idea, consider 5 yards for weapons less than 3 feet in length and 8 yards if either combatant has a longer weapon.
3. Try to keep moving so that the combatants are roughly centered between you and the other marshals for the fight.

Showmanship

1. Keep an eye on the audience. SCA combat is a spectator sport, just as medieval tournaments were. Your part of the show is to keep things moving and avoid blocking the view from the sidelines except where unavoidable.
2. This means fast pre-fight checks and announcements, a minimum of holds and discussions during the fight, and a strenuous effort to stay out of the way and keep moving.
3. If it's cold, wear several layers of clothing and move even more, as one person in a cloak can interfere with the view of many.

Marshaling melees and battles

1. There must be a marshal-in-charge for each battle.
2. The marshal-in-charge for a particular battle is not allowed to participate in the battle as a combatant.
3. All marshals should be separately briefed prior to the meeting of all participants. Marshals should also attend the participant briefing.
   1. Emphasis at this briefing should be on confirming the rules and scenario limits for each battle, and identifying hazards to prevent accidents that could arise from hazards related to the scenario limits and to the actual terrain.
   2. There must be an understanding among the marshals regarding the rules and scenario specifics and any possible safety issues that may arise.
4. All participants must gather to have the rules and the scenario limits explained to them, and any questions should be answered.
   1. If the scenario limits vary radically from battle to battle, you may need to brief everyone before each battle.
   2. Let the participants know if you are using an alternative means to signal "Hold" or "Lay on," such as whistles, air horns, or other such devices.
5. Equipment inspection must take place before combat starts, with particular emphasis on any modifications that have been made for that event, battle, or scenario.
6. Guidelines for number of marshals. This may vary due to terrain and scenarios.
   1. You should have at least 3 marshals for the first 20 fighters.
   2. For 20 to 500 fighters, add 1 additional marshal for each 15 fighters.
   3. For more than 500 fighters, you should have an experienced marshal-in-charge and a sizable number of experienced marshals. It is better to have more marshals for free-for-all combat.
7. If not enough marshals are available, remind the fighters that combat cannot begin until there are enough. They may need to take turns marshaling to ensure that those who have to marshal can get some fighting in.
8. Marshals should station themselves around the edges of the fight. This allows them to control the borders while keeping as much of the fighting as possible in view. It also prevents fighters from running into them from behind. As always, keep moving and stay close enough to spot safety problems.
9. In very large melees, it's a good idea to have some marshals in the middle of the field, as well as those around the edge. If you are mid-field, be careful that you do not get so interested in the fight in front of you that you back into other combat or forget to watch another bout moving around behind you.
10. When marshaling melees and battles, the witness function becomes a very low priority. It is not unimportant, but it is impossible for a handful of marshals to be accurate witnesses to the details of dozens of separate combats.