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That up there is me with the Clann Tartan's grenade launcher.  I've been in Clann since I was 15, but I've only been playing with the grenade launcher since I was 17.  The picture up there was taken at the Siege of Stralsund, hosted by the English Civil War Society of America in November of 2003.  Being appointed the regiment's grenadier in period was a punishment because it was usually a very short appointment.  The grenades have to be lit and then put into the grenade launcher--and if there's a hang fire (ie, the gun doesn't go off) that grenade is still burning inside the barrel and has to get dumped out before it blows up inside the barrel and destroys both grenade launcher and grenadier.  Even after the grenade has been dumped, the grenadier has to get the hell away from that grenade, because it's still live.  Although we use raquet balls and a thimbleful of blackpowder for our grenades, I've been "killed" by my own grenades at every event I've played grenadier.  However, although the grenadier is always a danger to themselves and others (even on thier own side--I've killed my own officers while playing grenadier) a grenadier is a useful thing to have for siege warfare.  The usual range is between 70 and 90 yards, and the grenade can be launched probably as high--high enough to make it over fort walls, which I've done.  The grenade launcher is my most favorite thing about Clann. Clann Tartan is a living history organization based in Saint Paul, MN, with some amazingly fabulous people.  They concentrate on portraying Scottish life in 1630-1640, although many members are not ethnically Scottish and many members choose to portray nationalities other than Scottish.  When I was first looking for a living history group to join, they were the only group that had a reputation as being safe for young women and welcoming.  I was told by many other upper-mid west groups that they didn't allow women to join without being associated with a man who was also willing to join, that they didn't allow students to join, or that they weren't safe for young women to camp with alone.  Clann Tartan was the exception.  Clann has many student members and are very family friendly.  I've been camping with them without my parents since I was 15, and I have never once felt threatened or afraid for my safety or virtue.  The one time I was propositioned by an inebriated member of another group when I was 16, I received immeadiate backup from other members of Clann.  I currently negotiate their show contracts for them, and I also hold the staff position of Goodwife.  When I'm at shows with Clann, I'm most often dressed in girl clothes--it's just there's never any photographic proof.  I mostly get photographed as my male character, "Fire at" Will'm Keane.  Will'm drums for Col. Gaffneyis Reg. of Pike and Shotte, can't dress himself, and hasn't started shaving yet (go figure).  I, Maeve, make all the clothes for my characters except for some jackets that I have to beg borrow or steal, as I haven't gotten around to making any heavy winter clothes yet.  I started out doing living history with Clann Tartan, but I've done living history in three centuries, including 17th with Clann, 18th on the fur trade rendezvous circuit, and 19th at the Ramsey House in Saint Paul, MN and at Historic Murphy's Landing in Shakopee, MN.  Despite all this, I'm only going for a minor in history, and instead going for a major in linguistics with another minor in philosophy.  I can be reached at missinformed8604@yahoo.com.