05-17-2005, 01:50 AM
It is hard enough coming up with a simple set of standards for "pretend combat" with felt and plastic weapons that would not leave someone open to lawsuits. the I.S.P.A. has a loose (very loose) federation of like-minded groups, that will probably agree to abide by some basic safety standards at events where two or more groups get together. The group at least gives lip-service to a standard set of drill commands, and may even adopt a official "charter" for insurance purposes, but getting the various "Legions" and "Alae" and "Cohorts" to adopt one time period, tunic color or shield pattern is not in the near future. Usually we allow the "hosting unit" to announce the tunic color and the "date" of the event, and provide the Legion commander and Legion standard. I usually see any other standards brought along and kept for show, but usually not used in marches or drill.
Having "one national legion" would be like having "one American Infantry Battalion". Some people want to do 1776, some are doing 1812, some are into 1846, and many are doing 1863, while others are doing 1917 or 1944. They just won't all look good lumped in the same "unit" and they have different interests.
Yes, you could have a complete regiment of American Infantry reenactors, but not everyone would want to be in the 7th Infantry during the Mexican War Campaign! It's the same with Roman reenacting, not everyone wants to be legion Y in AD101 in Syria or whatever. It is better to have a federation of groups that share knowledge, and can have fun.
If someone has an event and wants to supply a certain shield with a certain design and invite only those people who will carry that shield at that event, fine. That is the event organizer's right, to set the conditions of the event. I guarantee that some won't come, because they will use the excuse that they value their shield design, but then, those people could find any number of excuses not to come, whether distance, schedule conflicts, cash problems, or whatever. Those people who want to come, will do what it takes, whether than means leaving their own shield at home, auctioning off the kids to the neighbors, or hitch-hiking cross country in their Roman outfit. Not everyone will be that hard core.
It's supposed to be a fun thing. If I can pay $20-30 a year to a governing body to have liability insurance at events, I'd do it. I don't need another magazine or journal, unless it has lots of accurate and cheap equipment.
Having "one national legion" would be like having "one American Infantry Battalion". Some people want to do 1776, some are doing 1812, some are into 1846, and many are doing 1863, while others are doing 1917 or 1944. They just won't all look good lumped in the same "unit" and they have different interests.
Yes, you could have a complete regiment of American Infantry reenactors, but not everyone would want to be in the 7th Infantry during the Mexican War Campaign! It's the same with Roman reenacting, not everyone wants to be legion Y in AD101 in Syria or whatever. It is better to have a federation of groups that share knowledge, and can have fun.
If someone has an event and wants to supply a certain shield with a certain design and invite only those people who will carry that shield at that event, fine. That is the event organizer's right, to set the conditions of the event. I guarantee that some won't come, because they will use the excuse that they value their shield design, but then, those people could find any number of excuses not to come, whether distance, schedule conflicts, cash problems, or whatever. Those people who want to come, will do what it takes, whether than means leaving their own shield at home, auctioning off the kids to the neighbors, or hitch-hiking cross country in their Roman outfit. Not everyone will be that hard core.
It's supposed to be a fun thing. If I can pay $20-30 a year to a governing body to have liability insurance at events, I'd do it. I don't need another magazine or journal, unless it has lots of accurate and cheap equipment.
Caius Fabius Maior
Charles Foxtrot
moderator, Roman Army Talk
link to the rules for posting
[url:2zv11pbx]http://romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=22853[/url]
Charles Foxtrot
moderator, Roman Army Talk
link to the rules for posting
[url:2zv11pbx]http://romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=22853[/url]
