Fencing:Marshals As Officers

Fencing Marshal-in-Charge

1. Every event or practice that has fencing activities must have a designated Marshal-in-Charge.
2. The Marshal-in-Charge is responsible for making sure the rules are followed and that fencing combat takes place according to SCA policies, including the Code of Conduct. That can include:
   • carrying out inspections or delegating other marshals
   • making sure all bouts are properly supervised
   • dealing with any disputes or incidents, including escalating them when needed to the Group Fencing Marshal.
3. When you run a fencing combat event, you must send a report to the Group Fencing Marshal within 30 days of the event.

Group Fencing Marshal

1. The Kingdom Fencing Marshal appoints a Group Fencing Marshal, in consultation with the group Seneschal, to administer fencing combat within each group.
2. The Group Fencing Marshal is an administrative position. A person does not have to hold a fencing marshal authorisation to be the Group Fencing Marshal.
3. The Group Fencing Marshal is not required to provide training.
4. The Group Fencing Marshal is responsible for making sure the rules are followed for all events and practice. That can include:
   • appointing a Marshal-in-Charge
   • receiving reports on events
   • investigating any incidents, including matters brought to their attention by marshals or fencers
   • reporting each quarter to the Kingdom Fencing Marshal on fencing combat activities and any incidents.
   • escalating issues when needed to the Kingdom Fencing Marshal.
5. Group Fencing Marshals are appointed for two years. If necessary, the group Seneschal can request the Kingdom Fencing Marshal extend your warrant, for example if no-one else is available.

Kingdom Fencing Marshal

1. The Kingdom Earl Marshal, in consultation with the Crown, appoints a Deputy to serve as the Kingdom Fencing Marshal.
2. The Kingdom Fencing Marshal must hold and maintain a current Authorising Fencing Marshal authorisation and SCA membership.
3. The Kingdom Fencing Marshal is responsible for making sure fencing combat in the Kingdom is carried out according to these rules. This can include:
   • making sure each group has a Group Fencing Marshal
   • reviewing the reports from Group Fencing Marshals
   • investigating any incidents, including matters brought to their attention by marshals and fencers
   • taking disciplinary action where required
   • reporting to the Kingdom Earl Marshal and the Society Fencing Marshal on fencing combat activities and any incidents
   • administering and promoting these rules including, where necessary, updating the rules in consultation with the fencing community, the Kingdom and the SCA in Australia and New Zealand.
4. You can also use your discretion to authorise a Fencing Marshal or Authorising Fencing Marshal without undertaking the normal processes, should you believe it is required to benefit the Kingdom and the Society. This might include appointing experienced fighters as marshals in order to promote that type of fencing within a group. This should only be done when the normal process cannot be applied, and does not overrule any other requirements. For example, Authorising Fencing Marshals must still be authorised in a form of combat to authorise fencers in that form. You must make those appointments in writing, send a copy to the Kingdom Lists Officer as a record, and include the details of the appointment in your quarterly report.
5. The Kingdom Fencing Marshal is appointed for two years. If necessary, the Kingdom Earl Marshal can recommend that your warrant be extended.

Kingdom Earl Marshal

1. The Kingdom Earl Marshal is responsible for overseeing all combat-related activities in Lochac.
2. They are appointed by the Crown.
3. They must be a member of the SCA or its affiliates.
4. They must be an authorising marshal (or equivalent) in at least one of the following fields: fencing, armoured combat, or equestrian.
5. The Kingdom Earl Marshal must have deputies with responsibility for any combat-related activities for which they are not themselves an authorising marshal (or equivalent). They may have warranted deputies for other areas (e.g. a Kingdom Earl Marshal who is both a senior marshal for armoured combat and an authorising fencing marshal may still choose to have deputies for one, or both, of those areas).
6. In addition to their warranted deputies, the Kingdom Earl Marshal may appoint other deputies, for various purposes as they see fit, e.g. running test programs, maintaining combat handbooks, or maintaining the marshallate website.
7. The Kingdom Earl Marshal must appoint a deputy within six months of assuming office, capable of assuming the office in case of emergency.
8. The Earl Marshal is appointed for two years. If necessary, the Kingdom Seneschal can recommend to the Crown that your warrant be extended.