There are several steps to this process, each of which needs to be completed before you obtain your Martial Authorization card (a.k.a. “Fighter Card”)
- Attend practices and work with established fighters to build your skills
- Read the following to understand the rules & conventions under which we all fight and the equipment requirements
- The Society Marshal’s Handbook that applies for your combat discipline
- The Ansteorra Marshals’ Handbook
- Find an Authorizing Marshal for your discipline who agrees that you understand our combat conventions and your skills have developed to the point that you are ready to participate in both single and melee combat (where applicable).
- Follow instructions on https://tinyurl.com/AnstAuthInstructions to create an account on Ansteorra Martial Authorization System, request the appropriate authorization online, and access and print your Marshal Authorization Card. Any questions regarding this process can be directed at the Marshalete Secretary ( secretary@marshal.ansteorra.org )
If you’re just looking to renew your current authorization before it expires, speak to an authorizing marshal.
Click on the button labelled “marshal/participant login” in the upper right of any of the martial activity pages. This will take you to a login screen for your account, where you can enter your name and password.
Your authorizations will show up at the bottom of the main screen. You can also view a printable version of your authorization card, which you should keep on you at events.
Becoming a marshal involves working with an authorizing marshal or marshals to show that a candidate meets the marshal requirements for a specific martial activity.
For some of the martial disciplines, you will have to pass a written test. For all of them, you will have to work with an authorizing marshal to show competence and knowledge of the martial art you’re working to become a marshal for. This will include such topics as equipment inspection, running a shooting line or fighting field, setting up for practices and events, and filling out required paperwork.
Once you’ve satisfied the requirements, an authorizing marshal for your martial activity can approve you through the online marshallate database.
As of September 2019, there is an online exam that you have to take and pass in order to become any type of Marshal for the Armored combat type (a.k.a. chivalric/rattan/etc). The exam is meant to test your knowledge of SCA/Ansteorra combat conventions, equipment requirements, and other things related to the combat form. Once you complete the exam, the results are e-mailed to both yourself and to appropriate Kingdom officers. You must pass this exam (70% or higher) before you can be made a Marshal of any type
Eventually there will be equivalent exams for the other combat disciplines (Rapier, Equestrian, Cut & Thrust, Archery, etc.).
Once you have an account in the AMA system, you have on-demand access to view and print your Martial Authorization card (fighter card):
- Log in to the AMA system
- At the top of the page under your SCA name, click the “View Card” button
- A .pdf of your fighter card will then be generated for you to view and/or download
The process to be authorized in a specific combat type or weapon style is quite easy:
- Go through the new fighter authorization process described above. This creates your account in the AMA system
- Log in to the AMA system
- On your profile page, scroll down to the bottom and click the “Request Authorization” button
- In the “Authorization” drop-down, select the type of authorization you are requesting
- In the “Marshal” drop-down, select the authorizing marshal you are requesting the authorization from
- Click the “Submit” button
The Marshal you selected will then receive an e-mail from the AMA system that you are requesting authorization. If they agree that you are ready to be authorized, they can then approve your request. Your profile is then automatically updated with this authorization type and you can print your updated Marshal Authorization card.
There are several types of Marshals in the Kingdom, each with their own areas of responsibility and rights:
- Field Marshal: Responsible for monitoring combat (both individual and melee), armor inspections, and general combat safety
- Authorizing Marshal: All responsibilities held by a Field Marshal, but also can “sign off” on new fighters
- Local Group Marshal: All responsibilities held by a Field Marshal, but also for running a local group’s practices, welcoming new fighters, possession of group loaner armor/weapons, turning in local group monthly reports
- Regional Marshal: All responsibilities held by a Field Marshal, but also support for all local group marshals in their region, ensuring that all group reports are received on a monthly basis, and delivering quarterly reports to their Kingdom Marshal.
- Kingdom Marshal: All responsibilities held by a Field Marshal, but also support for all the fighting arts in their discipline across the Kingdom, ensuring that all regional reports are received on a quarterly basis, and delivering quarterly reports to the Earl Marshal.
- Kingdom Earl Marshal: All responsibilities held by a Field Marshal, but also for all combat activities in Ansteorra. Ensuring that all regional reports from each Kingdom Marshal are received on a quarterly basis, and delivering quarterly reports to the Society Earl Marshal. Regular reviews of combat conventions and equipment requirements, monitoring of all weapon/armor experiments, resolution of any violations of our combat conventions by fighters.
Marshal Duties Reference
Field Marshal (Armor inspections, combat monitoring)
Authorizing Marshal (Field marshal duties + new fighter authorization)
Local Marshal (Field marshal duties + loaner equipment & monthly reporting)
Regional Marshal (Authorizing marshal duties + quarterly reporting)
Kingdom Marshal (Authorizing marshal duties + quarterly reporting)
Earl Marshal (Authorizing marshal duties + quarterly reporting)
If you are a marshal of any type and are the “Marshal in-charge” for a given practice or event, you are required to send in an Injury Report if any of the following are true:
- A participant at your event/practice is injured in any significant way. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Any injury that requires professional medical attention
- Any significant injury that was a result of being struck or occurred during combat (one-on-one or melee)
- Any time a bystander is injured as a result of combat
Use your best judgement as to what a “significant injury” is. For example, a normal bruise that results from a stab from a rapier blade should not require an Injury Report, but a cut to the face/head that resulted from a helm impact would.
Go to the “Marshal Reporting” section of the Marshal site and fill out the online “Injury Report Form” within 48 hours of the injury occurring. Please enter in as much detail as you have on how the injury occurred, where it occurred, recommendations on how it could have been prevented, etc.
Also be sure to call your Regional and Kingdom Marshal to let them know that the injury occurred.
Go to the “Marshal Reporting” section of the Marshal site and fill out the online “Event Report Form” for the specific combat discipline. This form must be filled out and submitted within 30 days of the event occurring.
NOTE: This form is not required for regular group practices.
Reports are due at different times, depending on your specific role:
Monthly Reports
| Local Marshal | 5th day of every month to Regional |
| Regional | 10th day of every month to Kingdom |
| Kingdom | N/A |
Quarterly Reports
| Local Marshal | N/A |
| Regional | 5th day of March, June, September, December |
| Kingdom | 10th day of March, June, September, December |
| Earl Marshal | 15th day of March, June, September, December |
Injury Reports
| Branch and At-Large | Within 48 hours phone call to Regional and Kingdom marshals Within 48 hours, submit the Injury Report form |
| Regional | Included in Quarterly Report to the Kingdom Marshal |
| Kingdom Marshal | Included in Quarterly Report to the Earl Marshal |
| Earl Marshal | Included in Quarterly Report to the Society Earl Marshal |