IKAC
The Society-wide archery competition is the IKAC (Inter Kingdom Archery Competition). The standard format allows archers from all 19 kingdoms to compete equally. The complete rules can be found at IKAC Rules.
Royal Round
The Royal Round is a cut down IKAC, leaving out the speed shooting rounds. It’s a lot faster to complete. The ends are shot in order at 40, 30 & 20 yards, with 6 arrows loosed at each distance. The fourth end is a 30 second timed speed shoot at 20 yards.
King’s Round
Each archer has an agreed number of arrows to hit the target, starting at 20yds. If unsuccessful the archer is eliminated. Successful archers move back 10yds. The process is repeated until only one archer is left. In the event of a tie, a count-back is used with the archer hitting the target with the earlier of their 6 attempts being victorious.
Roving Round
A roving round is usually shot with combat points, but occasionally with target points. Archers move around a course with targets at various distances and heights, often hidden in trees or amongst brush to add to the difficulty. Scoring systems vary. The scoring system I use is 5 points for a direct hit, 3 points if your arrow finishes within 1 bow’s length of the target (measured horizontally), 2 points for within 2 bow lengths, and 1 point for within 3 bow lengths.
Clout Shoot
A clout shoot is the classic “rain of arrows” type of shooting massed archers at battles such as Agincourt would have used. In the SCA clout shoots use combat blunts. A series of ever larger circles is marked out on the ground, and archers attempt to lob shoot into the centre of the target. Like the Roving Shoot scoring systems do vary, but I recommend 5 points for a direct hit, 3 points if your arrow finishes within 1 bow’s length of the target, 2 points for within 2 bow lengths, and 1 point for within 3 bow lengths.
Agincourt Run
This is not strictly speaking a competition, but it is great fun. Archers fire combat blunts at legally combat archery armoured warriors who start about 50 or so yards from the line. 5 meters in front of the archery line is another line. If any of the attacking warriors crosses this line then the archers are all “slain”. A HOLD is called and all bows must be put on the ground and the line stepped back from.