The Armour Archive

What do people think about rebatted tournements that have purses or prizes? I have posted this same question on other forums and always have gotten a negative response. That's dissheartening to me as I think it's a very pessimistic view of the competitiors. Everyone seems to feel that people will cheat if prizes are on the line.

These would not be SCA tournaments or even SCA rules, so that isnt even a concern.

I know I'd love to see these and am wondering if I am alone....

Sir Angus, I hate to write anything negative especially when I am the first one. I honestly feel that majority of SCA members are very honorable and chivilrous and would never cheat for a prize, but there are always exceptions to the rule and once someone doesn't call a good blow it could spoil the tournement for all involved be it win or loose.
The only way I could see that working is if there were judges around the fighting area calling the blows in addition to the marshall.

Hey, actually I like that idea!!!

SirAngus wrote:What do people think about rebatted tournements that have purses or prizes? I have posted this same question on other forums and always have gotten a negative response. That's dissheartening to me as I think it's a very pessimistic view of the competitiors. Everyone seems to feel that people will cheat if prizes are on the line.

These would not be SCA tournaments or even SCA rules, so that isnt even a concern.

I know I'd love to see these and am wondering if I am alone....

I don't think it is a problem if you use judges to judge the tournament like they did in period.

We have prizes in Adria doing rebated weapons, but while we give each combatant an opportunity to call their own blows, the Marshals can step in.


Juliana

it can work well. as long as money is not the prize.
usualy fabric, leather, armour or tools, and garb work well, ect.
but have a group of judges and several prizes. giving the judges the opertunity to decide who gets what.
use the standard scroll but starting with the best death or most chiverlis action on the field can limit the choice for some one that ignored shots and was a poor sport about it.
set the order of who gets announced there by giving person 1 a better option the person 6.

Just a note here, Angus is not talking about SCA combat or SCA conventions. This is more in relation to the practice of Western Martial Arts in a competitive atmosphere (which is surely a whole seperate can of worms).

I agree with Frau Hirsch.

It works for the jousting community does it not?

most of the tourneys I have run have had Excellent prizes...one was a set of stainless half gauntlets and basket hilts....and one was even a brand new stainless helmet as a novice prize....but we never announce there is a prize, or what it is before hand....makes it more of a surprise!

[quote="Thaddeus"]
I agree with Frau Hirsch.
quote]

Ditto

(from a random SCA guy with no rebated experience )

The problem is not a high degree of egomaniacal cheaters (although they DO exist)- the problem is when schools of thought and different approaches smash into each other. This can give the allusion of cheating, and lead to situations where an honest fighting event can become poisoned.

While I prefer to fight for honor and challenge rather than a prize, I have been involved in a prize tourney where the proze was actually gold (each fighter was give 1 troy ounce coin when they entered and surrendered it to whoever bested them). It was a small tournament so that might have had something to do with it but it was clean and no one cheated.