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Promotion through the ranks is based upon a variety of criteria, with each successive promotion becoming more and more difficult to obtain.
==The Requirements of Rank==
===Level 1 – Levy – 1 Hit ===
You are a new member, with little or no kit of your own, who is training in spear and shield. You are a member of the Levy – welcome to the army! The Levy is composed of peasants. Drafted more out of desperation for numbers than for any military advantage. Depending upon their ethnic background, they have been largely pressed into service and in the main, would rather be doing anything other than fighting on the battlefield. A member of the Levy can take only one hit. When hit once, they die outright, cover up and do not move. Progression to the next level will be after the Levy has been signed off as having achieved the basic requirements for the field by an MaA Deputy; an Authenticity Deputy, and a Training Deputy. National Officers will be equally willing to sign off members of the Levy also.
:'''Training (MTO)'''
::In order to take part in the battle display, new members must have taken a battlefield safe test at a training session.
:'''Wargear (MaA)'''
::They will have borrowed or otherwise acquired a spear and shield that meet the minimum MaA requirements.
:'''Kit and Authenticity (AO)'''
:: They will have be wearing a tunic, belted and rucked to knee level. Colours from the poor/middle class end of the spectrum (see the Regia colour chart.)
Note: Some members have expressed the concern that this means that new members are being penalised on first joining by only being given one hit. We prefer to regard it that a new member is being encouraged to pass their spear test quickly, acquire their basic equipment and achieve the minimum standard to take part in combat on the Regia battlefield. As soon as this standard is achieved; the combatant will progress in to Militia and have two hits.
===Level 2 – Militia – 2 Hits===
The Militia are paid professionals. For them, soldiering is more of an occupation than a calling. They guard walls quite well and are happy enough when the advantage is on their side, but don’t expect too many heroics – they really aren’t paid enough for that. When hit twice, they may crawl around; retire wounded or run off. Before you can begin your career in the Militia, you will need:
:'''Training (MTO)'''
:A full weapon’s pass in spear and shield, with or without a backhand scramseax.
:'''Wargear (MaA)'''
:Your own spear and shield, manufactured to at least the minimum acceptable standard.
:'''Kit and Authenticity (AO)'''
:Trousers or Hose – tight to the leg or with leg bindings. Colours should be from the poor or ‘middle-class’ end of the colour chart. Shoes. At least one authentic name/character.
===Level 3 – Warrior – 3 Hits ===
‘Warriors’ are professional, often noble, fighting troops. Unlike the lower ranks, they are fighting because they want to. With victory will come wealth, lands, and advancement. They are armoured; motivated fighting men who live in the halls of their Lords. They are possessed with a lust for battle and some of them hope to be Warlords themselves in the fullness of time. The curve of promotion steepens here. Fewer allowances will be made for poor quality kit. All kit and equipment should come from, at least, the ‘acceptable’ columns on kit specs.
'''Note 1:''' A helmet is now a requirement for a combatant in order to take a sidearm test.
'''Note 2:''' Only combatants passed in a sidearm may use a lenticular shield. To achieve promotion to the rank of ‘Warrior’, you will need:
:'''Training (MTO)'''
:A full weapon’s pass with a short arm i.e. (sword, axe or langseax) with a helmet. A Battlefield Safe Test in one other Short Arm.
:'''War-gear (MaA)'''
:A shield manufactured to Good standard A helmet. A mailshirt. A short arm (e.g - axe, langseax, or sword).
:'''Kit and Authenticity (AO)''':
Soft kit as per the Militia, but with some ethnic, character or period specific items of kit for certain shows. Generic kit can be retained for shows where that is not appropriate. All kit to be made of good quality materials and exhibit good quality workmanship. Some colours can be taken from the higher-class end of the colour chart.
====Authenticity Officer’s Note====
Members seeking to advance to Warrior level should first ask an Authenticity Deputy for advice and have their kit examined. That Deputy will then, if appropriate, recommend the promotion to the National Authenticity Officer who will normally approve the promotion.
====Other requirements====
Candidates for Warrior must have volunteered to be a Marked Man (see p. 14) while at Militia level. Once promoted, Warriors must volunteer to be Marked Men on at least one occasion per season.
===Level 4 – Warlord===
''(to be assessed by National Officers only)''
It has already been decided that a fourth level rank will be created, the highest rank that can be earned for the battlefield.
However, since we have no intention of creating any combatants to the rank of Warlord during the first season of the new format, decisions regarding the criteria for promotion to Warlord, and any reward achieved for doing so, have been shelved until the end of 2005. It is felt that, after a season under the new combat rules, we will be in a much better position to decide upon this important matter.
==The Battle – A New Game==
The new format unashamedly sees the daily battle display as a complete game for the combatants, and attempts to use the rules and structure to encourage the combatants to make every effort to make the display exciting and informative for the public. The battle happens in four stages, comprising two display clashes and two competitive clashes:
First Clash – Display only.
Second Clash – Competitive Fight All combatants have only one hit in this clash. This is a battle fought as a line, with no outflanking. When hit, the combatants simply step back a few yards, appearing, perhaps, to nurse minor injuries. One of the Commanders must signal that they have lost this clash by waving their standard or by giving another agreed signal. If a decision cannot be reached, the two commanders will parley and fight the Second Clash again.
Third Clash – Display only In this clash, The Marked Men (see below) will live or die, according to the outcome of the Second Clash. Also any Single Combats (see below) may occur. The dead stay where they lie. Also, other handpicked persons will feign wounds. This will not affect their hits in the final clash.
Fourth Clash – Competitive Fight This is the final battle, where the combatants employ their full number of hit points. At least one side will have lost one or two men as a result of losing the Second Clash, and they will suffer from that deficit at the beginning of the Fourth Clash.
===Marked Men===
To help alleviate the age old problem of having several clashes without losing a single man, only to see every combatant suddenly keel over at the end of the show, the ‘Marked Men’ game has been introduced. This is essentially a gamble. Each side will be required to produce a proportionate number of volunteers (usually no more than ten per cent of their field strength) of Militia class or above (for their own safety, untested members of the Levy may not volunteer). These volunteers enter a gambit situation. If their side loses in the Second Clash, then the volunteer must ‘die’ during the Third Clash – hopefully in as noticeable and spectacular a fashion as possible. They then remain dead on the field for the rest of the display, taking no part in the final battle. However, if their side wins during the Second Clash, they get the reward of an extra hit in the final battle, hence a Militia man will have three hits while a combatant of Warrior class will be fighting with four hits in the Fourth Clash.
'''Notes'''
* Members of the Levy cannot volunteer to be Marked Men.
* Militia do not have to volunteer, however, to move up to the next rank they do need to volunteer on at least one occasion per season.
* Warriors have to volunteer on at least one occasion per season.
===Single Combat===
Warriors and Warlords have an additional option in the Third Clash. Instead of volunteering as Marked Men, they may arrange a Single Combat with a Warrior or Warlord from the other side.
This can take several forms. All are equally valid and encouraged;
* A pre-arranged and rehearsed, choreographed show-fight, where the outcome of the Third Clash decides the winner.
* A freeform fight where the outcome of the Second Clash decides the winner.
* A fully competitive, one-on-one fight - up to two hits, winner survives into the final clash.
In each case the winner takes an extra hit in the Fourth Clash, taking them up to four hits.
Note: Volunteers to be Marked Men and arrangements for Single Combats must be agreed at muster before the battle begins.
==The Code of Conduct==
The battlefield of Regia Anglorum has always been based on an honour system. Combatants have been tacitly expected to behave in a fair and sportsmanlike fashion. However, the actual rules of the field have never been firmly written down, and it is felt that this may have been behind some of the occasions in the past where combatants have found themselves in dispute with one another. Now, with a more formalised structure and rules for the game, it is expected that combatants will demonstrate their greater understanding of the battlefield through their sportsmanlike behaviour.
'''The Code of Conduct can be found on the back page of this document.'''
==In Conclusion==
This concludes the initial guidance to the new Warrior System. Like all such documents, the Warrior System will be a living document, and will probably see changes and additions made to it every few years. The intent behind this document is not to impose a draconian set of rules, but to provide a framework within which we can all reenact our period better, and enjoy doing so more. It must be pointed out that the new system does not require any combatant to advance through the system; that remains entirely a matter for their own choice. The battlefield belongs to every one of us, for our mutual enjoyment. None of us want to ruin our day by having pointless and petty arguments over this or that hit. Do not abuse the new hits system. Be generous and sportsmanlike both in giving and receiving your hits, and help to make our combat displays better for everybody, combatants and public alike.
We commend this new system to you, and look forward to many exciting battles ahead.
Nigel Amos (Master-at-Arms)
Patrick O’Connell (Military Training Officer)
Steve Etheridge (Authenticity Officer)
==Code of Conduct==
{| class="wikitable"
|This is the Code of Conduct of the Regia Anglorum Battlefield.
It is expected that all combatants will abide by it.
Rule 1
Fight safely at all times. Protect yourself at all times.
Rule 2
Fight at all times with honour and sportsmanship – where there is any doubt, be generous and act within the spirit of the Code, if not the letter.
Rule 3
Never argue in front of the public. Never stop a combat to verbally dispute a hit – if you have to discuss the shot, it was probably not worth taking.
Rule 4
Never abuse the hits system and take more hits than you are entitled to.
Rule 5
Never ignore a valid hit.
Rule 6
If you cannot land a blow safely – don’t take the shot.
Rule 7
Never hit an opponent too hard. Always take time later to apologise if you do. Never apologise audibly in front of the public during a display combat.
Rule 8
Never forget – it’s only a game.
|}
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