Some interesting data....

[scaharp]

Relating to some the discussion on a certain list, here's a rough count of the number of the different Orders of Peers (Pelican, Laurel, Chivalry) in the East Kingdom.

YearsPelicanLaurelChivalry1970-791120311980-894161761990-9995119602000-057872272006-11524421
I think these numbers are pretty instructive.

The number of Pelicans and Laurels made has

Comments

[t_bard]

I know many fighters who dropped out pre-peerage b/c of injuries, so yes, there is a wear-and-tear retention issue unique to chivalry.

But I have not heard of complaints of "horse-trading among the dukes" with respect to laurels or pelicans. My naive impression based and drunken hearsay is that there is more political maneuvering in chiv candidacy. But that just makes it different - not superior or inferior, necessarily.