Every local group running armoured combat or “heavy” practices needs someone to keep tabs on the fighters and aspiring fighters in the group. It is your job to make sure the fighting stays safe and fun for everyone in your group. As a local knight marshal you will report to the Principality Knight Marshal (as to your right) and effectively be their eyes and ears in your local area.
Responsibilities
- Keeping tabs on the rules, changes to the rules and making sure your fighters know where to find them.
- Helping your fighters armour up with safe, usable armour, properly tested.
- Safety to the fore. While every fighter expects bruises as a consequence of being hit with stick it’s the marshal’s responsibility to determine if conditions are suitable.
- Supervision - fighting shouldn’t be happening without clearly marked areas, marshals to watch for hazzards and teh ability to shout HOLD! if anything looks amiss.
- Making sure waivers are signed at practices and events.
- Helping Marshals in Training.
What’s the difference between a Knight marshal and a marshal at an event?
A marshal at an event, sometimes called a field marshal, is ony responsible for that bout or bouts at that one event. They must know and understand the basic safety rules of the field, and be able to spot armour problems. They do not have to be fighters themselves. They control the area in which the bout is taking place and will determine when the bout can begin.
Authorising new fighters and marshals
You have to be authorized to do so yourself, but some of your responsibility may be to authorise new fighters or marshals in traning to marshals. The authorization marshal holds a lot of responsibility about whom they permit upon the field, and is the only marshal who can authorize a fighter in general, or for special weapons. Fighters cannot compete in a tournament unless they are an authorized fighter.