I'm sorry for derailing this thread.
On the comments above..
Sir mrks thanks very much for the congrats.

IMO, I didn't make "broad sweeping generalizations", I made a point to say in "some" areas" and "several". IMO, by no means does that mean all or even most areas and it's not most fighters or even most knights.
I made my comments 1. because it's true (I do have several documented instances and 2. to let people know that it does happen and has happen. That was to conter those people who posted above basically saying that people were over-reacting to the concept of archers being struck after they had yielded.
I did not make my comments to any way imply that this happens in every kingdom, in my experience (especially when I was the Society CA marshal) that's not true. Several kingdoms seem to love their archers and I believe anyone foolish enough to hit an archer who had yielded (and no I'm not referring to the new or inexperienced archer who yields at the last second, without moving/kneeling etc.. out of the path of the charging fighter.) I'm referring to ones that are obvious that the fighter knew/heard/saw that the archer yielded and choose to intentionally hit them.
While it is bad to hit someone who already yielded, there are IMO, worse cases out there. I do believe that the vast majority of our fighters and hopefully of our chivalry would be appalled at some of the things that do happen and have happened. That is part of the reason I made my earlier post, since I believe peer pressure will be the best way to address this issue/problem.
From my experience, hitting archers with the intent to injure or the more common of the two issues, with the intent to intentionally break their equipment tends to be a regional thing.. either more common in specific kingdoms.. or sometimes more common within a few large households (not the majority of the kingdom). It has happened in other kingdoms, but these things tend to happen more (still not making them common place) at larger and/or interkingdom events.
To try and make that a bit clearer.. it is something that happens. IMO, it is not a "common" or regular problem.. i.e. something that we see at every event or even every large event, but so far.. it is something that happens several times a year.. and that is just from what's been reported to me. So far, in my experience tracking down injuries and incidents.. a good bit of stuff doesn't get reported and/or not reported up the chain. That's something I worked hard on changing, but that's a different subject.
To answer Sir Richard, unfortunately this is something that I do know as fact. I did not mention names, since several of the incidents that were reported to me.. the person responsible was tracked down and was "corrected". So, on the marshallate side of things it was handled at the event. In my personal opinion, the response/punishment was not sufficient in several of the cases, but there are a lot of different marshalling styles and ways to deal with x..
One of the biggest problems with handling this problem is trying to track down the party involved, even harder when they aren't wearing a household tabard or personal arms.
There were a couple of incidents that concerned me more, because the archer involved knew the person that struck them, but refused to give that person's name. These were witnessed by other fighters and/or at least one marshal.. but they did not know the fighter's name and/or get a clear enough view of his armor to later identify him, but they did see the white belt.
I've tried to write this part several times.. and I just spent the last hour on it.. all time that I really need to spend fixing stuff so I can leave for Gulf Wars.. I'll try to sum this up.. then I can answer specific question.. or hopefully explain this better when I get back from Gulf wars..
Perhaps we should start a new thread with any further discussions on this..
Anyway.. I had/have no intention to put down the chivalry in general. I mentioned it.. because those individual knights and masters that I know would not do this.. most would be appalled.. and would do their best to try and fix the situation. I thought this would be a good time/place to bring this up.. since I strongly believe that "peer" pressure will have a much better and longer lasting effect than anything the marshallate can do with this.
Basically, people need to understand that this is not accepted behavior, that it's not "cool" or "just" to inentionally break anyone's equipment.. even "if" that person is "just an archer". I've heard fighters laugh about how many arrows/bolts they broke that day.. and I've heard other accounts of a fighter bragging when they broke a crossbow.. In one instance the fighter broke at least 3 crossbows. I find it appalling. I don't know which is worse, that the fighter believes this is accepted behavior.. or that the people that he talks to, apparently agree and/or condone his actions.
There seems to be a growing movement.. and in many areas, other fighters will even correct or stop other fighters from intentionally breaking bows, arrows, etc.. I would love to see that grow. That peer pressure, IMO is the best way to counter problems with fighters being intentionally struck after they yielded or in an attempt to injure them (the words quoted to me.. was "hurt them badly enough that they can't continue to fight". Another quote "we are doing our job if that archer is hurt so badly that they won't ever have the nerve to take the field again". Last quote "our job is to take out the archers, if we break their crossbows then they won't be taking the field for the rest of the day, at least. So, it's the best way to take out the archers."
Basically, I'm pointing out the problem. I would be happy to hear some solutions, especially in the cases where we can't track down the specific fighter involved.
On the archer side of it.. we've worked hard on teaching our archers .. the ones who yield not to stop in the middle of that fighter's path and yield, step to the side, kneel.. fall down.. I've started training archers of when they die, when they know they have no place to go etc.. since many of us don't yield any more.. right before the fighter gets to you, drop your bow/crossbow down to your side. In my experience, the vast majority of fighters will happily take that open head shot that you just gave them. It means your bow/crossbow is out of their target zones (since meany of us train to take those open head shots).. and on a personal level I would much rather get struck in the head then on my shoulder or arm where I only wear elbows (society minimums). There seems to be a growing number of fighters when they run across the archer (who did not yield, they basically conceded), who's not running.. and obviousily not attempting to shoot them (more often the archer is either out of missiles or caught flat footed).. and that fighter will give them a courtesy tap. I personally think that is awesome. I happily take that as a kill, but if someone hits me harder, that is fine too.. IMO, if I'm caught flat footed and you give me a courtesy tap, that is very nice.. but not something that someone is required to do. I'll cut off this tangent here. LOL>. Moving our bow/crossbow out of the way, results in less issues and problems, IMO.
Anyway, I hope that helps clear up some of it. Sir mrks, FWIW, I'm not aware of any incidents in An Tir.. although there may have been one at a west/An tir war 2 or 3 years ago. I'm trying not to list the ones that happened more than 3 years ago, especially ones that I can vouch for personally (i.e. happened to me), since that happened many years ago.. and in the past couple of years.. I've had no issues personally.. MY personal experience, as a full contact archer .. I've had less issues and problems then I did when I was non-contact or 10 foot call dead.. and it seems more respect from the average fighter. Well, a good number seem happier that they can hit me, even if though many times I've just gotten a courtesy tap from them.
Feel free to contact me directly with specific questions. I really need to get back to Gulf wars prep and finsihing stuf up before I leave.
Tessa