Triangle-Targ-art - 9/23/12

"The Triangle or Fitz-Rauf Target" by Sir Jon Fitz-Rauf, R.C.A., R.C.Y.

NOTE: See also the files: arrows-msg, arch-supplies-msg, P-Arch-Target-art, CA-Hunt-Tips-art, Trgt-les-Prac-art, p-archery-msg, feathers-msg.

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NOTICE -

This article was submitted to me by the author for inclusion in this set 
of files, called Stefan's Florilegium. 

These files are available on the Internet at:
http://www.florilegium.org

Copyright to the contents of this file remains with the author.

While the author will likely give permission for this work to be 
reprinted in SCA type publications, please check with the author first
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                               Thank you,
                                    Mark S. Harris
                                    AKA:  Stefan li Rous
                                         stefan at florilegium.org
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The Triangle or Fitz-Rauf Target
by Sir Jon Fitz-Rauf,  O.L., O.P., R.C.Y., R.C.A.

Archers are used to targets where the highest point value is in the center of the target; a concentric circle, the peg in a roundel target, etc. So if your aim is a bit off you still can get the next highest point value.

With the Fitz-Rauf Triangle Target which is an equilateral triangle, with one of its points straight up, divided into three equal width horizontal bands, the highest point value is the top part of the triangle. So, if you are aiming for the highest value and your aim is a bit high, left or right, you can miss completely and receive no points. Those that try for the highest value have a greater chance of making no score if they miss, than those that aim for the lower value areas. This provides a high scoring area for the better archers and still has a large lower scoring area for the average archers. This provides a interesting change from the standard concentric target faces. 

The three parts of the triangle target from medieval Asia were said to represent a warrior on horseback. The top, high scoring, triangle was his head. The middle band was his body. The largest band, the bottom, was his horse. The area of the highest scoring part, the head, is one-fifth the area of the horse and the warrior one-third the area of the horse. So a logical way of scoring is: Head is five points. Body is three points. The horse is one point.

My addition to this target is to make it a bit more challenging for the highly skilled archers by drawing one additional horizontal line at the upper third of the top or head triangle. This would represent a visor slot and would be one forty-fifth the area of the horse. However, this would give a point value of forty-five which would be too high, because one lucky shot to it and five misses of the target would give more points than hitting the head with all six. A reasonable compromise would be to give a value of fifteen points. However, slight errors in aim are even more apt to create a complete miss and zero points when attempting the highest scoring area.

To fit on a 30 inch round target mat, the triangle should have a maximum of 27 inch long sides. The triangle may be made in any size suitable to the range being shot and the skill level of the archers and the size of the mat or backstop.  

Bottom (Horse)-black = 1 point
Middle (Warrior)-red = 3 points
Top (Head)-gold = 5 points
Visor-black = 15 points
Lines count as higher score.

Ends may consist of any number of arrows. In period in Europe, ends were usually only two arrows or sometimes three.




The gold section in this photo shows up as white. It is a 27 inch triangle on a 36 inch mat. The target was first used at West/An Tir War, 2012.


Above is a drawing of the target showing the three equal width bands and the visor area.

I hope that this target will provide some more variety to the target faces used in the SCA.

Sir Jon Fitz-Rauf, West
July 18, 2012
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Copyright 2012 by John R. Edgerton, 7662 Wells Ave., Newark, CA 94560-3530. <sirjon1 at pacbell.net>. Permission is granted for republication in SCA-related publications, provided the author is credited.  Addresses change, but a reasonable attempt should be made to ensure that the author receives a copy.

If this article is reprinted in a publication, Please place a notice in the publication that you found this article in the Florilegium. I would also appreciate an email to myself, so that I can track which articles are being reprinted. Thanks. -Stefan.

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Edited by Mark S. Harris	Triangle-Targ-art	3 of 3