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Squire
 
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| I've recently been informed that the ArrowKaster spherical headed arrows have been found to be less aerodynamically stable than the flat headed arrows. Which results in them turning nock forwards in flight. Has anyone else observed this problem?
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Champion
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I have never seen them, but if they have the same shafts and fletchings as the flat-faced ones I'd be very surprised if it's true: I'd expect the rounded heads to have less wind resistance than the flat ones sideways as well as forwards.
This certainly isn't a problem with the IDV arrows, which have a vaguely comparable shape. A friend bought some of those recently and a group of us us liked them enough to buy a couple of cases direct from the maker at http://www.idv-engineering.de/ since there seems to be no UK retailer. (His English is good. Price worked out at just under £5.40 per arrow, with the more expensive night-glow fletchings.)
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Knight
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| The simple reason that there is no UK retailer for IDV arrows is that they do meet any of the Uk standards and are technically 'unsafe' in every system that publishes safety standards. Basic standards for arrows include several factors such as at least 25mm of unlatexed open cell foam on the front face of the arrow, a minimum front face diameter of 50mm to prevent the arrow from enterring an eye socket, a measured draw length of 28" maximum and a set of safe flights fixed to the shaft. IDV arrows meet not a single one of these criteria! As a weapons manufacturer and supplier I have no say in what the large game systems deem as safe, all I can do is supply equipment based on the standards that I am given. If any of these arrows are allowed in any of the larger games systems then the whole standard needs to be re written to give us all a fair chance of competing with the cheaper imports. (That should put the cat among the pidgeons!)
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Wag
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Seán M. (1/29/2007)
The simple reason that there is no UK retailer for IDV arrows is that they do meet any of the Uk standards and are technically 'unsafe' in every system that publishes safety standards.
IDV arrows are passed as safe for use by the head weapons checker for Maelstrom when they first appeared in the country. I think the general consensus was that they were less safe than the traditional arrows by dint of flying faster and hitting harder but were still well within the bounds of what she considered safe. Maelstrom own a box of them which we use for npc parts.
If any of these arrows are allowed in any of the larger games systems then the whole standard needs to be re written to give us all a fair chance of competing with the cheaper imports.
Different events use different standards, so I'm not sure there is any single standard to re-write. Feel free to chat to Jules at an event about the issue or email us if you want to chat about any details of the Maelstrom guidelines before then.
History is an important source for LRP. Along with other works of fiction.
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Heroic Knight
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I've shot a few of these arrows, and I've never noticed any tendency for them to rotate lengthways in flight. I did find they hit harder than the other style of arrow, but not enough for them to be branded dangerous, IMO. It was, if anything, nice to see a larps arrow fly a reasonable distance. Of course, this has all the usual limitations of empirical evidence.
PD: Dr. Jon Flynn
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Wag
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Doctor (1/29/2007)
I've shot a few of these arrows, and I've never noticed any tendency for them to rotate lengthways in flight. I did find they hit harder than the other style of arrow, but not enough for them to be branded dangerous, IMO.
Each individual system is likely to make different judgements on what constitutes safe or unsafe. Whilst it would be more useful to the traders/weapon makers to have one single standard, in practice I don't think it's clear that any such standard could ever exist since there is more than one weapons checker. And each individual checker is likely to make different judgements...
Even if you could circumvent issues of individual checkers, I think setting your own safety standards is an important part of running an LRP event. What is appropriate for one game may not be appropriate for all games. PD quite deliberately takes a more relaxed approach to issues of weapon safety than either CP or LT to the best of my knowledge. I believe both those systems do not allow the IDV arrows, on the basis that they are not considered safe.
Are the arrows safe or dangerous? Maybe, maybe not. We tested them extensively and saw no evidence at all of them turning round in flight, but they do have a fairly pronounced ricochet effect, when fired at point blank range. I'd be surprised if the ArrowKaster arrows were any different, but testing is king. Anyone or any system considering using IDV or AK spherical arrows would be well advised to make some tests and make up their own mind.
History is an important source for LRP. Along with other works of fiction.
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Squire
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I have never had an AK dome head rotate and I have used them extensively, in addition to being on the receiving end. They are far better aerodynamically than the original flat-faced arrows, whether crossbow bolt or arrow sized.
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."
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I do talk a good fight
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I've not used the AK domes, but I've used the IDVs extensively at Maelstrom & Hyborian Tales, with no problems or complaints. Well, some people complained in-character about alleged poison arrows at Maelstrom, and I got guillotined, but that all added to everyone's enjoyment AFAIK.
To my mind, if the IDVs don't meet the letter of current safety standards at some systems, it's because the IDVs are actually manufactured to a higher safety standard anyway... the Mark IIs have this incredible high-tech foam head that appears to be virtually indestructible. Of the approximately 4 boxes (64 arrows) of IDVs I've used either as a player at Maelstrom, or an organiser at Hyborian Tales, I've had one shaft start to look unsafe enough that I chose to break it, no heads deteriorate, and approximately 20 arrows just get lost off in the woods somewhere... which gives you an indication just how many we tend to shoot!
But then, I would sing their praises, as I occasionally get an extra box or two to sell. So I'm not claiming to be unbiased; still, I wouldn't have bought more than the first box, if I hadn't used them and decided I consider them to be safer than standard LRP arrows.
http://www.hyboriantales.com
PD: Ghostdance ("The most irritating curse I've ever encountered" -- NPC played by H.)
Riftworld: Rossar Kuug ("Clearly mad, because he thinks he's a Com-Trow Skirmisher" - Aela)
Hyborian Tales: Crew, cook, dogsbody, general labourer, toilet cleaner ("Dangerously overoptimistic ref" -- Tom Nowell)
Otherwise usually crew ("Quite spry & fit, & willing to wear a big costume & run around a lot" -- various event organisers)
"My other oversized foam weapon is THE LORD" -- Questionable Content
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