How to Coordinate Archery & Thrown Weapons for an Event

 

Your territory is hosting an event.  They have chosen a theme and time period. You have chosen to coordinate the Archery and/or Thrown Weapons tournaments. As the archery and thrown weapons coordinator, you are responsible for developing the fighting scenarios and/or tournaments for the day.

 

Planning Stages

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Step 1 – Gather everyone who wants to assist in creating an Archery and Thrown Weapons scenario. Start with the region, season, and time period. Is it summer in Italy in the 1450s? Or is it Fall in Norway 1150?  This may guide you to a shooting scenario.  Are we Vikings hunting for the last provisions in the fall, or are we Italians in a tournament shoot?  While it is not necessary to re-enact a historical shoot or tournament, it can be fun to have a background story. Also consider the theme of the event. Perhaps there was a fighting incident around the event. 

Use Google. Search for “medieval archery in Italy”. See what information you can learn. It might spark some creativity.

Plan for 1-2 hours of shooting. Allow time for people to warm up. Plan for 1-2 games. 

 

A few questions that you may want to consider when planning the scenarios:

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• Is this a private Acre only event  or viewable to the public?

• Will the public be allowed to participate or only watch?

• How big is the field?

• How many archers can I reasonably expect?

• Do we have loaner equipment available?

• Are targets on site, or do we need to bring our own?

• Is there a backdrop or do we need to bring one?

 

Step 2 – What can we add to the scenario to make it more exciting? Can we use glow sticks / fun targets? Are there any handicaps, or chance?  Can we add them?  Who are you expecting? Skilled archers will want a challenge. If you are expecting beginners or children set up simple targets and be sure to have loaner equipment and enough marshals to have 1 teach, and 1 watch for safety.

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Prepping Stages

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Step 3 – Make sure all equipment and volunteers for the shoot scenario/tournaments are accounted for; and that all people involved know the schedule and their role. Communicate scheduling with the autocrat. Some equipment you may need is: 

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• The Ropes and tie offs for the range

• Tape measure

• Target butts & stands

• Paper target for planned activities with stakes to secure targets

• Mistress/Master of the Lists with a table and paper to mark off the archers for the day and score keeping

• A Marshall (or 2 if one is teaching)

• Back drop

• Canopy in case of rain

• Water coolers

• Extra bows & Arrows, loaner equipment

            

Day of the Event

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Step 4 - Make sure the Herald knows when tournaments and shoots are taking place, so it can be announced.

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Step 5 - Set up the range. Mark the shooting line, mark distances, prepare an area to place down bows. Confirm the field of fire for each lane remains within the safety zone for each target. Be very careful to check behind and to the sides of your shooting line. 

 

Step 6 - Make sure all equipment has been inspected prior to any shooting.

 

Step 7- Shoot. If your games have been completed, and you have more time, shoot a Royal Round Score. (6 arrows at 20 yards, 6 arrows at 30 yards, 6 arrows at 40 yards, then as many arrows as you shoot in 30 seconds from 20 yards) 

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Step 8 - Record results. Report to the Herald, Autocrat or Royalty 

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Step 9 - Clean up. Remove all distance and lane markers. Search backstop area for lost arrows. Make sure that you leave the field better than you found it.

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