It's been a while, but I'm still alive. I've been posting sort of weekly at my new blog, I've been playing a few times a month, and I'm in the process of opening up a new outlet for my geekery. Historical reenactment. Truth be told, this isn't entirely new. About a decade ago I joined a medieval group in Bergen, but when that one got overrun by scary looking goth-chicks who liked to play with axes, I moved on. This time it's that North American speciality, military reenactment based around the period 1776 - 1812, that's caught my eye.
Last weekend the missus and I went to a local event. Her dad was actually heavily into this back in the day, and she herself was a a camp follower up through her teens. While there I spoke with a couple of right fancy-looking gentlemen in green and red uniforms. They wore buckskin leggings, and during the skirmish they'd been running through the woods with a group of Native Americans. That, thought I, was exactly the type of unit I'd like to join. Their unit was called Butler's Rangers.
At home I started researching the rangers, and it didn't take me long to uncover the vitriolic equivalent to a bitter edition war that is apparently being waged between different groups of Butler's Rangers. The controversy is over the uniforms. Chiefly over whether the correct colour for breast and cuffs is white or red. But it would seem that they are fighting over both head and foot wear as well. One side is accusing the other of blindly accepting outdated and unfounded theories, while the other is apparently not above defamation and veiled threats towards those they see as heretics. To add to the reluctance this has fostered in me, the group I first wanted to join is unfortunately not the one who makes the best argument (from an academic POV).
So there it is. Another proof that people in all sub cultures will fight to the teeth over the actual colour of shite.
If I end up taking the King's shilling, expect to see more reports from the campaign trail here. For now, be well, and have a nice summer.
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