From the huge English longbow to the compact Mongolian horse bows, archery has played a huge role across history as both a hunting tool, and a lethal weapon. Here in the SCA, we keep those skills alive, practicing not only on targets, but also against other archers and combatants. Since our scope is so broad – any historical period and culture before the 1600’s – you have a lot of creativity for your archery ‘persona’.
The SCA practices two different types of archery – ‘target’ archery, and ‘combat’ archery. For target archery, you’ll be shooting at objects, with safety in place to make sure no people are at risk of being hit. Most of our regular practice is with targets. This doesn’t mean it is boring though! We often use creativity for special events and training, including targets painted as food to simulate a hunt (bet you’ve never hunted and shot your own broccoli!), or to imitate soldiers or other adversaries. There are also several target archery ‘games’, including the roving round where you shoot at small targets that have been placed around a large area (a bit like golf), and clout, where you’re trying to get your arrows as close to a yard of cloth as possible.
Combat archery is done using rubber-tipped ‘blunt’ arrows, and involves shooting at other live combatants on the field. This is most often done in war scenarios, with armoured combat fighters. Archers are most often plumed combatants, meaning you cannot be hit by any melee weapon – only arrows and other missiles. You can also be a full armoured combatant with a bow as well as a sword/melee weapon (and thus can also be hit by other melee weapons).
To take the field as a combat archer, you must be ‘authorised’ – showing you are competent, safe and have a working knowledge of the rules. You are required to have a minimum amount of armour, including a helmet with appropriate mesh, neck, body, shoulder, groin, hand, wrist, arm and leg armor. We can help you to acquire these abilities and equipment.
Where possible, we like to use period-looking equipment, and certain types of bow (such as compound bows) and other modern equipment are not allowed to be used at events. Your bow and arrows must also meet certain safety standards if you are participating in combat archery. If you own archery equipment and are unsure if you can use it, feel free to bring it to an archery training and we’ll have a look for you!
Target archery does not require any armour or authorisation to participate, and we have loaner gear that you can use to train and many instructors to help you learn. The loaner gear is free to borrow – the only cost is the $5 fee to attend training.
We currently hold Archery Training twice a month on Saturdays in Woodchester, and car pooling is available. We’d love you to come along and join us.
If you are interested in learning archery with us, please contact the Innilgard Captain Of Archers.
The rules for combat archery can be found here, and the rules for target archery and thrown weapons found here.
Awards for Archery
There are awards that can be earned by those involved with archery These are listed below and further information about how to earn any of these awards is available on request.
Baronial:
Huscarle (Light)
Kingdom: