Groups of even type which are not of even characteristic, I

In the ongoing revision of the classification of the finite simple groups there is a subdivision into two classes of groups, which reflects whether semisimple elements or unipotent elements
are the primary focus of the investigation. While semisimple methods naturally lead to the definition of groups of even type, unipotent methods, notably the amalgam method, naturally lead to groups of even characteristic. This paper clarifies the relationship between the two definitions and thus makes the amalgam method available for use in the classification of groups of even type.