Policies of the Earl Marshal

The interpretations of the Rules of the Lists and the Conventions of Combat are the sole province of the Marshallate, and requests for specific modifications for an event must be made to the Earl Marshal. At ordinary events, the Marshal-in-Charge is the final arbiter on the field, and may make slight modifications of the Rules of the Lists and Conventions of Combat (e.g., waive encounter guidelines for melees or bridge fights, allow capture of combatants).

Part I. Rules of the Lists of the SCA, Inc.

A. Each fighter, recognizing the possibilities of physical injury to him or herself in such combat, shall assume unto himself or herself all risk and liability for harm suffered by means of such combat. Other participants shall likewise recognize the risks involved in their presence on or near the field of combat, and shall assume unto themselves the liabilities thereof.

B. No person shall participate in Combat-Related Activities (including armored combat, period fencing, combat- archery, marshaling, scouting, and banner-bearing in combat) unless and until he or she shall have been properly Authorized under Society and Kingdom procedures and shall have signed the appropriate waiver. In witness whereof, each participant shall have and be prepared to present a valid Authorization Card to the Sovereign or his or her representative.

C. All combatants must be presented to, and be acceptable to, the Sovereign or his or her representative.

D. All combatants shall adhere to the appropriate Armor and Weapons standards of the Society, and to any additional standards of the Kingdom in which the event takes place. The Sovereign may waive the additional Kingdom standards.

E. The Sovereign or the Marshallate may bar any weapon or armor from use upon the field of combat. Should a warranted Marshal bar any weapon or armor, an appeal may be made to the Sovereign to allow the weapon or armor.

F. Combatants shall behave in a knightly and chivalrous manner, and shall fight according to the appropriate Society and Kingdom Conventions of Combat.

G. No one may be required to participate in Combat-Related Activities. Any combatant may, without dishonor or penalty, reject any challenge without specifying a reason. A fight in a tournament list is not to be considered a challenge, and therefore may not be declined or rejected without forfeiting the bout.

H. Fighting with real weapons, whether fast or slow, is strictly forbidden at any Society event. This Rule does not consider approved weaponry that meets the Society and Kingdom standards for traditional SCA Combat and/or SCA Period Rapier Combat, used in the context of mutual sport, to be real weaponry.

I. No projectile weapons shall be allowed, and no weapons shall be thrown within the lists of a Tournament. The use of approved projectile weapons for melee, war, or Combat Archery shall conform to appropriate Society and Kingdom Conventions of Combat.

Part II. Conventions of Combat for the East Kingdom

CC1. The legal target areas are defined as the whole torso, head and limbs, with the exception of the lower legs beginning one inch above the top of the kneecap, and the hand from one inch above the wrist. Blows landing on illegal targets need not be counted, and if thrown intentionally are considered dangerous and a censurable act. Blows to the groin are to be acknowledged, however, such blows are strongly discouraged, and throwing them frequently is grounds for censure. Pickaxe and baseball swings with a polearm are forbidden.

CC2. All weapons to be used in combat are to be declared to the opponent and the marshals before the fight. If an auxiliary weapon is to be used, Convention of Combat #5 may be waived subject to the fighters' and marshals' approval. Such a waiver shall be announced before the commencement of combat. Any auxiliary weapon that prevents proper acknowledgment of blows must be given into the marshals' keeping until it is needed.

CC3. A "hold" may be called only by the fighters and marshals on the field, or by the Sovereign or his representative. Others may call a "hold" only in the case of immediate safety hazards. Upon the calling of a hold, combat shall cease, and will not be resumed until the reason for the hold has been corrected and the marshals have given their permission. Anyone beginning a blow after a "hold" is called is subject to censure.

CC4. Judging the effects of blows is left to the honor of the combatants, unless they relinquish this responsibility, with the exception of clear violations of the Rules of the Lists or the Conventions of Combat.

CC5. A blow only partially deflected by a shield or defensive weapon will be counted as being unobstructed. Blows striking the shield or defensive weapon and then the combatant need not necessarily be counted unless they are of impressive force, or the type of weapon permits a kill while part of the blow is obstructed. For example, an axe or mace blow may kill even though the haft stuck the shield or defensive weapon.

CC6. A blow that includes the dropping or breaking of a weapon need not be counted, unless a sound weapon was clearly broken upon the combatant's body.

CC7. A helpless opponent shall not be struck, and a "hold" must be called. An opponent is helpless if he has slipped or is falling, or has struck the ground, or if he has dropped or broken his weapon. Blows begun before the cause of the hold shall be counted. If a combatant either drops his weapon, or slips and falls without being pushed, three times, the combatant will be warned that on the next occurrence he will be considered to be held at sword's point and be forced to yield.

CC8. If during combat a fighter loses his helm or the visor opens up, or if the protective value of the helm is in any way impaired, the fighter is dead and shall leave the field immediately. If necessary, a hold shall be called.

CC9. Blows landed simultaneously count to both opponents. A kill that follows a wounding blow is a kill (i.e., a wounded opponent is not helpless). A wounding blow thrown simultaneously by a combatant receiving a wounding blow wounds his opponent. A killing blow started before the combatant receives a killing blow counts. Double kills may be re-fought except in melees or wars, where both are deemed dead.

CC10. If, during the course of a fight, a sword is used for three static blocks (braced against the shield or helm), the fighter will be warned by the marshal that at the next occurrence the sword will be considered broken, and the blow good.

CC11. Thrusting and feinting to the face is legal practice. A 'face thrust' is defined as a thrust which lands above the collar bones, below the mid-brow, and between the sideburns. The definition of a telling blow is a face thrust that unmistakably moves the helm, but not the head. Marshals observing such shall inform the combatant that a telling blow may have occurred.

CC12. A fighter who has been wounded once loses control of the portion of the limb below the wound. If the arm is struck again below the wound so as to block a further disabling or killing blow, the blow is counted as if the arm was not there. In no way may the wounded limb be used to grasp, or propel the fighter: he is to act as if motor control were absent.

CC13. A mace, war hammer, polearm, or great sword blow to the hip kills, as does an ax blow to the inner thigh. Any other weapon blow to the hip disables the fighter, so that he may not rise up on his knees. A blow to the shoulder joint or the inside of the shoulder joint with a weapon listed above kills. A blow on the outside of the shoulder joint disables the arm.

CC14. It is the prerogative of any Peer of the Realm to observe the Crown finals from the field. However, the Earl Marshal may recommend to the Crown that a particular Peer not be allowed in the Lists for reasons of safety. All those who wish to observe from the field must have executed waivers to the degree required for all fighters.

CC15. When titles are used on the field, the full title should be announced in cases where possible confusion may result: e.g. Master of the Pelican as opposed to Master of Arms.

CC16. No mention is to be made of magic, religion, superstition, or supernatural powers in connection with combat. Many fighters take such matter seriously, giving an unfair advantage to an opponent who violates this convention by claiming that such powers were involved with his prowess or victories. Needless to say, no honorable fighter would seek such assistance to unfairly insure victory on the field.

Part III. Conventions of Combat for Melees in the East Kingdom

CM1. We do not wish to recreate a real, Medieval battle. The same standards of chivalry and courtesy that are shown in the lists shall be displayed in group combat. Anyone, who refuses to obey the rules reproduced here, or the rules of the Society, shall be removed from the battle.

CM2. All conventions for single combat, apply to melee combat, except where superseded by the following rules.

CM3. No two-handed weapons will be swung as a pick axe or baseball bat. Great weapon fighters will maintain control of their weapons at all time.

CM4. A fighter who has tripped or fallen or who is otherwise helpless may not be struck.

CM5. A fighter who has lost his weapon during a melee is not considered helpless, and a "hold" will not be called.

CM6. If, during a melee exchange, an arm is lost to a blow, the shield or weapon that was held by that arm need not be discarded. The weapon or shield may dangle at the side of the user as long as it is not used in any way to strike or to parry a blow.

CM7. Except in the case of shield walls, no more than four fighters shall attack a single opponent.

CM8. When a fighter is a member of a formed unit (e.g., a shield wall) that is fighting a similar unit, he may strike and be struck by any opponent within range, after engagement has been made as in CM10. Once this happens then the entire line is considered engaged. If a breakthrough occurs in your segment of the unit, you may both strike and be struck by a passing opponent.

CM9. In line engagements, you are allowed one shot at the passing enemy without taking another step in pursuit.

CM10. In line or non line engagements, It is both unsafe and unchivalrous to attack and strike an opponent who is unaware of your presence. It is therefore not allowed. You may only strike an opponent under the following conditions:

a) Eye to eye contact has occurred, AND either (b) or (c) below.

b) The opponent has acknowledged your presence by a nod, blocking a light blow, or by striking at you.

c) He turns to face you (neither you nor he may deliver a blow as he turns; Florentine fighters especially should be aware of this

CM11. If an opponent ignores your attempts to attract his attention, you may not proceed to attack him. He may simply have felt that his own team members bumped him. In such an instance you should foul his weapon or shield with your own weapon. In this way you gain the advantage of being to the rear of an opponent without jeopardizing his safety. Deliberate and repeated refusal to acknowledge the presence of an opponent will be treated by the marshals as equivalent to non-acknowledgment of blows.

CM12. If an opponent has engaged you and then turned his back, he may be struck unless he has moved out of range. At that point contact has been broken and he must be re-engaged.

CM13. If you are unintentionally engaged, attacked and killed by an overzealous teammate, you are dead.

CM14. Fighters killed in a melee must die defensively, and may not give aid in any form to still-fighting comrades.

D. Miscellaneous

A. The Crown's representatives are hereby defined in descending order as the Prince, the Earl Marshal, the Deputy Earl Marshals. If the Crown or one of its representatives must make a decision, a local knight marshal shall not make the decision.

B. The Crown or its representatives reserve the right to ban any fighter or marshal who, in the representative's opinion, in unsafe or is deliberately trying to abuse the spirit of the laws without necessarily breaking them.

C. The marshal in charge of an event and/or the Crown or its representatives reserves the right to ban any weapon, regardless of construction materials used, if in the marshal's opinion the weapon represents a risk in excess of that of normal SCA combat.

D. All Chivalric Peers are considered warranted Marshals and are expected to fulfill the obligations of the Marshallate.

E. All fighters must sign a waiver form and will be issued a fighter ID card by the marshals. These waivers are effective for two years. At the end of that time, the fighter is required to sign a new waiver form and obtain a new Fighter ID card.

F. All requests for warrants shall be made in writing to the Deputy Earl Marshal of the respective region, or to the Principality Marshal. Each Deputy Earl Marshal or Principality Marshal for his region will establish a roster system. The current roster for each region will be submitted to the Kingdom Earl Marshal at least once per year.

Armor and Weapon Standards

The Armor and Weapon Standards of the East Kingdom are those of the Society of Creative Anachronism. These standards may be found within the documents of the Earl Marshal of the Society.