Since I am at another event now just thoght I would like to say, great bunch of guys, fought shoulder to shoulder with several of them today and found them to be excellent fighters.
Events are going on now? What kingdom are you in?
Caid
Event was the mist/missinagua war.
Rained a bit but the 65 degree weather and constant 10-15 mph wind made for nice cool weather to be in armor. Since everyone was cool the fighting was pretty intense and everyone stayed in the fight all day.
I’m sorry, did you mean the Mists/Cynagua War? 
For the record, there is tons of the same stuff in historical reenactment as well, and much more pettiness since in those groups can promote oneself with just some lace on the uniform. I don’t want to tell you how many '1 man units" I have seen where the one man is an officer. The only thing preventing disaster is some overgroups that can point to the insurance papers.
At least in the SCA there is some oversight with promotion. It is not perfect and has plenty of bickering and infighting, but there is a system.
In truth, in the SCA, I have seen more promotions and ranks blocked due to pettydouchebaggery than I have seen promotions brought about solely by ‘nepotism’.
Yes, phone died before I could edit
And in some areas teh same group is doing both simultaneously …
coughsilver dragoncough
IX Legion! One of their own, Turtious of the Ninth, just won the latest Coronet Tourney for our Barony and he and his wife, Lady Tatiana, are now Palatine Baron and Baroness of the Far West. Really, really awesome people.
(Disclaimer: I was, until recently, Palatine Baroness of the Far West for a six-month term (elevated after winning an Arts and Sciences Tournament, something I love about how the Palatine Baronies do things). I was also recently elevated to the rank of Baroness of the Court of the West (read: landless white trash). So that definitely colors my current thoughts about the Society-- take them with a grain of salt.)
I’ve been in the SCA since about 2001 (when I graduated college), and it’s played a huge part in shaping my life since then. Were it not for the SCA, I would never have met my husband, nor would I be living with him overseas right now…and my life in general would be significantly more boring than it is. 
It definitely has its problems, but in my mind, at least for the time being, they’re offset by the rewards.
The thing about the SCA is it’s not one “game”-- it’s many different ones, to many different people, all at the same time. Some come for the camaraderie and the hanging out with friends (and even the nookie), some come for the hard-core historical recreation, some just like to fight, some get far too involved in the cookies and the politics and the “game of thrones”. I tend to think that we are stronger for our variety (further disclaimer: I hold an Asian persona and so tend to be one of the “fringies” for that alone) and our inclusiveness, but it does give rise to problems when you end up playing a different game from everyone else in your group, or when people are unwilling to admit that there are other ways of doing things. But part of our foundation, and one I think is important, is in bringing the ideals of chivalry (however you may define it) and courtesy back into modern life, and if people make a sincere effort towards the latter, it goes a long way…
I’ve seen the politics and believe me, it sucks ass. (Selecting our rulers through heavy combat, also…yeeeeah, no. There are a lot of things that should be changed.) I’ve also seen enough Crowning Moments of Awesome to make up for it, and to make me feel even more strongly about working to make things better (more inclusive) for everybody. (Did you know, for example, about the Inspirational Equality movement?) I’m sure I’ll end up burning out eventually and taking a step back for a while, but I hope I’ll never get to the point of dropping out altogether. (If I did, it would probably be because my husband and I are starting some kind of weird, fringy, Asian-oriented reenactment group or something, not because “living in the past” is distasteful.)
Thank you. They were inded a great bunch of guys to fight shoulder o shoulder with.
Just thought I would throw in a quick update since I have now been at it for a bit longer now.
I am currently Constable in training in my barony, Was just at my second great western war, have been involved in a dozen or so other events. I have learned and seen alot over the last year and I have seen a few peeks into the kind of things FDH was referring to but nothing that directly impacted me.
I’m still loving it
I was glad to see this thread get bumped, drachillix. I’m really happy that you’re continuing to have such a good time. Can I ask your SCA name, or is that being too nosy?
I’ve never been to GWW, but would love to go one of these days. Did you happen to run into any of the Japanese contingent-- Baron Vail and the like? They’re good people.
Ahhh SCA, Society for Consenting Adults. Or at least that’s what we call it. I love watching the heavy fighting and tournaments. It’s the only sporting event I actually get into. This year we went to An Tir/West War, and seeing hundreds of dudes in armor beating the crap out of each other was just exhilarating! They even had a trebuchet, which they didn’t get to use nearly enough. We go to events to hang out with friends, and to shoot at the archery range and other thrown weapons. I’m still a beginner, I can barely shoot worth a crap, but it’s still fun. I make many homemade tasty alcoholic beverages and foist them on the unsuspecting public of events at every opportunity.
Krystof Maroua. Havent registered it because I am not totally happy with it, my naming plan ended up being out of period 
Asian personas seem sparse in my neck of the woods (sorta) 1 Japanese and one mongol in our barony that i know of, I know of one archer south of us thats a Japanese persona, I will make a note to go looking for them