Discussions at Cluain's Labour Weekend event in 2023 and subsequently examined the merits of the "Champion" format for selecting the P&P (local rulers) of a future Principality. This is a format initially proposed by Count Henri in 2020, where an armoured combatant ("heavy") fights in a Coronet tournament for two patrons who would become P&P if the fighter wins.
Key ideas arising from the discussion are presented below. Thanks to all who took part and offered ideas, critiques and enthusiasm.
Pros
- Lochac as a whole is pursuing the general concept of "alternate selection" with the SCA Inc Board in the US, via a working group set up by SCA Ltd, SCANZ and Kingdom.
- That gives NZ members an opportunity to focus on proposing a specific approach which would give the Board something to actually get its teeth into.
- Unlike all of the other alternate selection ideas that have been raised, the "Champion" format retains the primacy of Armoured Combat as a selection method. That is, it involves the least possible change to the preferences and documents that guide our game in and from the US. It thus presents the best chance of being approved if we want to propose it for a Principality.
- Yet, unlike the current method, it allows for any pair of members to reign - provided of course they can find an armoured combat champion to fight and win for them (see "How it could work" below).
- Because of the two points above, the Champion format arguably represents the best - most likely to be approved - option for greatly increasing accessibility to reigning, while at the same time requiring the least amount of change to existing rules, traditions and practices.
- Participation in Coronet tourneys might well be improved over the traditional approach, as this format removes the requirement that the fighter must themself be prepared to reign, with all that entails.
- Broader accessibility is also helped by a champion being able to fight for patrons from another group.
- We wouldn't have to wrestle with the problem of how we could successfully define, sell, propose and implement forms of selection which are arts-based, service-based or some form of voting - all of which have generated much head-scratching in discussions to date, but not progress.
- Successfully adopting this format for a new Principality would not prevent us from discussing and proposing any new one if the Kingdom's wider discussion with the Board opens up more possibilities in future. But it makes it easier for both those who like the current approach and those who want to increase accessibility to reigning to get behind a Principality proposal based on this format.
Cons
- Since the "Champion" format still involves Armoured Combat, the champions - though not necessarily the potential rulers they fight for - will tend to come from groups where that form is more popular. (For reference, Southron Gaard has just over half of NZ's authorised heavy fighters - 19 of 37 - which aligns almost exactly with its share of subscribing members - 124 of 242).
- Any boost to other martial forms that might come from, say, a "Triple Prowess" approach - rotating between, Armoured Combat, Rapier and Archery - would not arise with this approach.
- There would definitely still need to be rule changes - whether full or experimental - in the Corpora document managed by the US and likely at Kingdom Law level. That is, we could not run this experiment purely off our own bat.
- Unless we design it carefully, there might be perceptions that it favours certain elites, such as excellent fighters who end up "choosing" lots of future rulers, or potential rulers who can "sponsor" fighters, and/or those who are household members or good mates with several fighters.
- We'd also have to protect ourselves against a scenario where a fighter could end up winning for a couple who are too new or unfamiliar with our game, thus creating a risk of a poor or under-supported reign. This risk is heightened because a Champion may be less invested in carefully choosing patrons when the Champion themselves will not reign.
How it could work
Bearing in mind all the above points, here is one possible approach to a "Champions" format:
- A champion must be an authorised heavy fighter who did not win the last Coronet or Crown tourney.
- Each champion must nominate two patrons who, if the champion wins, are willing and able to reign as the incoming P&P. Those patrons must not include the champion themselves (note A), nor either of the current ruling pair.
- All patrons must have been SCA members for at least 3 years, hold current memberships, be at least eighteen years of age, have been resident in NZ for at least the nine months leading up to the tournament and be acceptable to the Crown of Lochac and the Principality Coronet (note B).
- No patron may be fought for by more than one champion
- A champion may be fought for by another champion in the same tournament (note C).
- At the invocation Court, each pair of patrons must announce any considerations they may have provided to their champion - such as garb, support for flight costs to the tournament, etc. This helps ensure such inducements are kept very reasonable.
- "Prize" type inducements - such as "we will give you this garb or that $$$ if you win" are prohibited (note D).
Notes:
A. "Cannot fight for yourself" is a strong departure from current practice, and thus emphasises the "champion" nature of this format - which is what makes reigning highly accessible to non-fighters. If it were always possible to fight for oneself, it's likely that initial tournaments would see relatively few "champion" fighters, and thus the experiment of widening accessibility wouldn't be well-tested. However, it might be useful during an experimental phase to alternate between this restriction being in place and not being in place, to see whether it is really needed. Thus, initial Principality Law could state something like: "For the first five years, every odd-numbered tournament will be governed by a requirement that a champion cannot fight for themselves. This rule is subject to a review and populace poll to be conducted by the Principality Seneschal at the end of five years."
B. Since a champion could win for literally any member, it's important that we have requirements for patrons which provide some protection against complete newcomers being thrown into a reign. There's plenty of room for discussion and maybe polling about what the final requirements should be. (Another possible requirement is something like "...have an AoA and also one of: a current martial authorisation, have entered in a Kingdom or Principality A&S competition in the past year, have stewarded an official event in the Principality in the past year, have attended at least two official events in the Principality in the past year.")
C. It seems reasonable to allow a champion to be someone else's patron, and also maximises the number of people eligible to fight. But mild concerns may arise that a fighting patron might throw a bout to their own champion in order to rule - or at least be perceived to do so. So this rule may be the topic of an "in/out" populace vote during the canvassing of any proposed Laws.
D. This proposed restriction reduces economic favouritism. But it may have downsides in that a P&P may wish to involve their champion as a Champion during Their reign, and thus may wish to support them coming to events. However, in the NZ context, with relatively low travel costs, the restriction doesn't seem too onerous.
That's where the discussion has taken us so far. If you can spot fishhooks or wish to propose other pros, cons or potential rules, please use the feedback form and/or post on the NZ-wide Althing mailing list. Your input would be very welcome!
Nov 16: Added Count Henri's 2020 treatise on the Champion format.