Marle 2013 -late roman & migration period festival

[Agraes]

Final list of groups has been sent by Alain Nice and so far we have 370 re-enactors from all over Europe, there will also be 13 horsemen. It's going to be the biggest event so far held for late roman times/migration era.

We have started to think about the battle scenario and for the group leaders concerned, check your e-mails mile:

[Bernwart]

Allies needed? Just this week: Buy one, get one free! Special conditions to buy the whole group ... I love to be late roman ... :lol:

After missing Old Sarum this year unfortunately, we are really looking forward to this event!

[Agraes]

First information to all participating groups got issued.
The contents are:

Living history festival of Marle 2013 organisation

Dear all, friends, craftsmen and fellow re-enactors,

On the next 29th and 30th of June 2013 the biggest late roman/migration period so far will be held at the Musée des Temps Barbares at Marle. Thanks to the dedication of Mr Alain Nice, the museum's director and festival's organiser, it is possible to gather there around 400 re-enactors of the 4th to the 7th centuries and to put up a major show.

Alongwith Damien Deryckères (Herculiani group) I help Alain Nice organising the big battle which will be the major show of the weekend. Groups from all over Europe will have to work together and to ensure both a most impressive and dramatic show for the public and a safe fight for re-enactors we have set up fighting rules. You will find them attached to this e-mail.

Please read carefully this e-mail and the attached files.
Please forward this e-mail and informations to all members of your respective groups.
I will also need names and e-mails of your group officers for the fights, one officer to two officers for every group.

Planning:
The exact timetable isn't ready yet but here some general points.
You can arrive before friday but you will have to tell Alain Nice about your exact day of arrival to ensure your access to the site.
On friday evening and/or saturday morning we would like to make a first briefing and a rehearsal with all re-enactors, likely in kit and in "real" conditions on the saturday morning. This would give us the possibility to have a really good and polished show for the public.
The festival is inaugurated with officials at 11am on saturday, but opens to public only at 2pm and closes at 6pm.
On sunday the site is opened to public from 10am to 6pm.

Shows on the big arena will include:
- the siege of the roman fort, at both days site opening
- late roman army drill and demonstrations
- germanic army drill and demonstrations
- the "big battle", Romans vs Germanics, at the end of both days.
All battles will be scripted. Each side will win alternatively: Romans on saturday, Germanics on sunday.
Before every battle fighters will gather for a general briefing and security check. After the battles they will be invited to a debriefing to make sure everyone was safe and happy.

Other ideas of shows on the big arena will likely be set up only on sunday as we will have more time. They so far include:
- throwing weapons and archery demonstration/contest: to show the public skill with javelins, bow, plumbata, francisca and sling, and volleys of missiles
- cavalry demonstration (on both days if possible)
- "battle of the champions": the best fighters of every group will meet to fight each others. It is suggested groups bring a little something to be a prize for the fighters.

Any other suggestions are much welcome. There will be of course continual activity and living history on both camps. If you there is anything specific you want to organise in camp or field just tell us.
For the roman camp (which will get its banks and ditches) we suggested a guard duty with watchs and patrol by re-enactors from each groups in turn.

After the public departure, it will be a really good occasion to make photos or films in such a beautiful set as Marle. Ideas involving the other groups are much welcome.

Combat rules:
As mentionned above you will find them in english and french version attached to this e-mail. They are inspired from other events with scripted battles, such as Hastings in England. A few considerations:
- it is strongly advised to use blunt metal weapons for melee fight but we also allowed wooden weapons for the few groups that can't use blunt metal due to their insurance contracts. Please keep them to a minimum however as metal looks way better for the public. "Spears" with a tennis ball or padded end are not allowed as they ruin the visual realism for the public, if you can't use metal spearheads please keep to a simple shaft. The only exception to this is for the cavalry contus.
- archery and missile weapons proved to be the most tricky part. They will only be archers and slingers on the roman side to avoid public beeing exposed to long ranged missiles. For franciscas, please use foam ones such as used in LARP. For javelins we are still looking for a good solution, safe enough and looking realistic from distance, but we may have to rely on padded heads often seen in roman re-enactment. I you have any ideas regarding this they are much welcome
- the battles are scripted with phases involving cavalry, archery and infantry. Most phases of infantry fight don't involve a competitive style of fighting but we will want you to make noise and show a lot of movements, so no hits to the body but clash of shields and weapons, shouts and taunts. Only at the end of the battles (see rules and script) hits to the body will be taken to consideration, by the loosing side.

Battle scripts:
You will find the fortress attack script attached to this e-mail.
The story boards for the big battle are beeing worked on and will be forwarded to you as soon as they are ready.

The attack on the roman fort will happen at the start of both days. A roman patrol is embushed by a party of germanic warriors, a few taken as prisonners and brought before the walls by the rest of the germanic army. The walls are then stormed and the garrison slaughtered. Only then the roman rescue army, the Comitatenses arrive, but too late. It serves as an introduction to the rest of the show. The roman army will have to be divided in two, 1/3rd will go in the fort and the other 2/3rd will come as the rescue army alongwith the cavalry.

In the big battle there will be more than a hundred fighters on both side. After the usual provocations, a blessing for the roman army by a christian priest, it will start with a duel between a roman and a germanic champion. One champion is defeated, and then the true fight will begins by a cavalry phase involving both side, then volleys of arrows and slingshots from the roman side. The infantry engages the fight afterwards, each side beeing repelled alternatively. A second phase of cavalry and then archery follow. The fight remains undecisive until the germanic left wing attacks the roman right wing on its own and get almost destructed (on saturday) or destructs it (on sunday). A last clash between both armies sees the defeat of the germanic side (saturday) or roman side (sunday). The winners collect loot and slaves, kill a few captives and cheer themselves until the end of the show.

Army composition, unit commanders and group officers:
There will be three units in each army, two wings and one center; plus cavalry on both side, archers on the roman side and kingsguard on the germanic side (which do not engages in the fight).
Each unit has its own commander and is made up of different groups. Groups will place themselves side by side on several rows (2 to 3, maybe 4), most protected fighters in front. Each group will have one to two officers which will repeat orders given by the unit commander. Both commanders and officers will make sure the fight is safe for everyone and formations are respected (no 'free fight').
Latin drill for the roman fighters is also attached to this e-mail.

If you don't see you or your group in this list, please contact me.

Unit commanders.
Germanic right wing (Clan del Cuervo, Herigeas Hundas, Tungrii, Germani) : Migual (Clan del Cuervo)
Germanic centre (Ulfhednar, Wulfheodenas, Walhalla, Tiuwari) : David Huggins (Wulfheodenas).
Germanic left wing (Ordalies, Limitis, Marla Curtis) : Gontran Munier (Ordalies).
Germanic cavalry (Ulfhednar, Portes de l'Histoire) : Arian Ziliox (Ulfhednar).
Germanic kingsguard (Ulfhednar, Wulfheodenas) : Paul Mortimer (Wulfheodenas).

Roman right wing (Herculiani, Propugnatores, Legio Leones Valentiniani) : Olivier (Herculiani).
Roman centre (Taifali, Letavia, Foederati, Britannia, Batavi, Minervi) : Benjamin Franckaert (Letavia).
Roman left wing (Septimani, Gentes Danubii, Contubernium) : Ivan Perello (Septimani).
Roman cavalry (ALA, Foederati) : Fabrice (Foederati) and Jurjen Draaisma (ALA).
Roman archers and slingers (Foederati, Britannia, Prima Gallica and others) : Alain Alexandra (Foederati).


This is is all for now. If you got any idea, suggestion or comment, feel free to make them.
Please also tell me if you have well received this message as I need to make sure every group got the information.

Best Regards,

Benjamin Franckaert
Leader of group Letavia
http://letavia.canalblog.com/

[Robert Vermaat]

All battles will be scripted. Each side will win alternatively: Romans on saturday, Germanics on sunday.

Whohoo! Fectio will be there on Saturday. ;-)

If you don't see you or your group in this list, please contact me.

Already done.

Roman left wing (Septimani, Gentes Danubii, Contubernium) : Ivan Perello (Septimani).

Ivan, we bring you a draconarius plus two more milites!

Thanks Benjamin, looks like this is going to be agreat event!

[Robert Vermaat]

Just one month to go! If you're not in the field, do take a trip to see us, this one is going to be big!

[Agraes]

Oh yes. A very big one

[Flavivs Aetivs]

Must... not... say... it...

Looks fun!

[Publius Aelius Lucius]

do somebody know whether the roman camp is open or closed for public :?:
if it´s open, could we put our three tents nearby another group? to use a little bit from the infrastructure :unsure:

[Agraes]

Hi Martin, the roman camp is open to public.
No doubt you will be next to another group there, I think the best is to look for other groups of your unit (the Septimani, Contubernium, Fectio)

[Publius Aelius Lucius]

thank you

[Robert Vermaat]

We would welcome you as neighbours! :-)

[Publius Aelius Lucius]

thank you very much for your invitation, robert see you there.

[Medicus matt]

Well that was amazing. One of the best events I've attended in 20 years of wearing silly trousers.
Heartiest congratulations and thanks to Benjamin and Alain Nice for organising it all and I sincerely hope that it's success will persuade Alain to stage it again.

[Semisalis Abruna]

Best late Roman event in 27 years of doing it. Terrific big battle - about 120-140 each side!
Great chance to meet up with old friends & make new ones.

Thanks to all the organisers, volunteers & re-enactors for making this one work so well.

(and I still ache - must be getting old)

[Publius Aelius Lucius]

amazing, thanks to all of you