Calling "point" on Javelins

[Phoxly]

So after our realm's visit to WoR a few months back, there was an incident where one of our guys was hit with a Javelin that he thought was haft, and the thrower called "point". The guy who got hit ignored it because he had no idea * "point" meant.

It ended up being a bunch of people chewing his * over not taking the point.

Our guys fight with Belegarth folks often (more than we fight with Dagorhir fighters), and have never heard of javelin throwers calling their shots. The issue was brushed off as "oh well they are Dag and they don't have that there".

After this incident, our realm adopted the "point" rule so that it wouldn't be a problem, cause we love fighting with y'all and think yer pretty cool, and we like to fit in.

So now a few months later... after sifting through the rules, I can't find a single * rule that states that a thrower is allowed to call for clarity. I always assumed they called "haft" if it wasn't good, and didn't say anything else otherwise?

[Derian]

A javelin thrower is not allowed to call their shots like an archer.

Many will say 'haft' or 'point', but unlike archery, you're under no obligation to take what the attacker called if you legitimately believe otherwise.

Think of it more as a suggestion from someone who had a better vantage point than you did. Most people will trust the call and take it but really it's entirely up to you to determine if the hit was good or not.

[Spike]

Just for the sake of discussion, what (aside from the obvious wording in the rules) is the real difference between the two? An archer is generally farther away, and has a smaller projectile that travels at a faster rate. What makes their observation infallible law vs. a javelin throwers mere suggestion?

[Davit]

It has nothing to do with the infallibility of the person calling the shot, but with the fact that due to the projectiles being lighter and often times being shot a longer distance where the force they connect with is less, they are felt less than a javelin shot would be.

[Spike]

That makes sense, I guess. I just find it weird that it results in putting arching in its own tier of having an archers call supercede another fighters honor as opposed to javelin calls being "Here's just what I thought. Take it for what you will."

Thanks though, Davit. You make a good point.

[Sir Par]

I'm so glad this came up. I've actually had a gripe with people calling "point" when they throw a jav. Nowhere in the book of war is a person with a javelin empowered to tell you with which portion of the weapon hit you. A more accurate and consistent way to let someone know what they've been hit by is to call "Yellow" or "javelin." In our coloqual rule set we have agreed that its always ok to call your shot off, but never on. For example, lets say Spike and I are fighting, and I hit him with the flat of my blade. He starts to take the hit but I tell him, "no, that was flat, don't take it." Spike is perfectly within his rights to still take the hit, but usualy will say thanks and stand back up. Conversly we never hit someone, and if they don't take it say "no dude, that was the blade of my weapon." And we NEVER expect people to change what they're going to take. Calling point in my mind is inappropriate unless somebody ASKS for clarification. Which we do all the time with other weapons. We ask rock throwers "Was that enough deflection?" or spearmen "Did you have two hands on that." The incident at WoR shows that this isn't just an issue in my realm. Glad to know others are tackling the issue.