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 himself 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 refought 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 which unmistakably moves the helm. 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, 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 projectile weapons will be allowed in combat.
CM4. No two-handed weapons will be swung through an arc greater than 90 degrees.
CM5. A fighter who has tripped or fallen or who is otherwise helpless may not be struck.
CM6. A fighter who has lost his weapon during a melee is not considered helpless, and a "hold" will not be called.
CM7. 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.
CM8. Except in the case of shield walls, no more than four fighters shall attack a single opponent.
CM9. 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. If a breakthrough occurs in your segment of the unit, you may both strike and be struck by a passing opponent.
CM10. 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 he was bumped by his own team members. 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. Provisionally authorized fighters are not allowed in melees.
Part IV. Revised and Updated Armor and Weapon Standards
The following definitions shall apply throughout the Armor Standards unless specifically stated otherwise:
1. Gauge: US. Standard (abbreviated herein as "ga.").
2. Steel: Hot- or cold-rolled mild steel, or equivalent ferrous metal such as stainless steel.
3. Plate: steel of not less than 18 ga.
4. Heavy Leather: Stiff leather approx. 1/4" thick; sole leather
5. Rigid Material:
a. Steel of not less than 18 ga.
b. High-impact plastic such as A.B.S. or polystyrene
c. Heavy leather
6. Equivalent: At all times this refers to the impact resistance, distribution and absorption characteristics of the specified material, not the physical dimensions.
7. Padding: Unless otherwise specified, padding shall be an equivalent of two layers of thick shag rug, 1 inch of resilient foam, two layers of thick cotton quilting such as mattress padding, moving pads or heavy felt padding.
8. Commercial Hockey or Lacrosse Gloves: Gloves used for full-contact sports where the hands are at risk.
9. Street Hockey Gloves: Lightly padded gloves for use in amateur sports; are not considered protection for most applications.
A. Shield Standards
1. Shields shall be rimmed with rubber hose, bicycle tire, leather or equivalent resilient material to minimize damage to rattan weapons.
2. No bolts, wires, or other stiff/sharp objects shall project more than of an inch from any part of the shield without being padded. Rounded shield bosses are not included in this category.
3. No shield shall be designed so that it provides an unfair advantage to its user (e.g., a shield that can be seen through or one that has a mirror polish on its metal face).
B. Armor Standards
1. Blows shall be judged on the basis that all fighters are presumed to be wearing a 16 ga. riveted mail hauberk over a padded gambeson, with Boiled leather arms and legs, and an iron helm with nasal & chain drape. The illustration above approximates the armor described.
2. Helms
a) Requirements
i) Helms shall be constructed of no less than 16 ga. steel and may not be formed or ground so that it is thinner than 16 ga.
ii) All joints must be riveted with rivets not more than 2-1/2 inches apart, with iron or steel rivets of no less than 1/8" diameter or solid brass or copper rivets no less than 3/16" in diameter; or be welded on both inside and outside, or be lap welded on one side. Welds must not be cracked, burned or slagged; rivets shall be secure.
iii) Face guards shall be constructed in such a manner that a dowel of 1" in diameter cannot be passed through the vision or breathing slots.
iv) The face guard shall extend a minimum of 1 inch below the bottom of the chin and jaw line when the head is held erect.
v) All attachments to helms (e.g., visors) shall be secured in such a way that they cannot open or become detached in normal use. The Crown, or its representative, may insist on a second or even third safety catch if the current catch is not sufficient.
vi) All helms shall be equipped with a chin strap or other means of preventing it from being dislodged during combat. An equivalent, for example, might be a strap from helm to breastplate. A snug fit is not an equivalent. The chin strap must be at least 1/2 inch wide and placed so that it does not tend to strangle the wearer.
vii) There will be no internal projections other than necessary bolts or rivet heads. Bolt shafts shall not project past the nut; all metal corners and edges shall be dull. Face guards, bars or mesh shall not be attached to the inside of the helm.
viii) All parts of the helm that come in contact with the head shall be lined with at least 1/2 inch of resilient foam or its equivalent. A suspension harness that does not allow the helm to make contact with the head is acceptable.
ix) Bars used in the face-guard shall be of steel of not less than 1/16 inch (4.8 mm) diameter, or equivalent. If the span between the cross-bars is less than 2 inch, then 1/8 inch diameter bars may be used.
x) Eye-glasses worn within the helm shall be either "Sports Glasses" designed to withstand heavy impact or have lenses made of a material that does not splinter during catastrophic failure. One type of acceptable lens material is polycarbonate. Glass lenses are not acceptable including 'safety glass.'
3. Neck Armor
a) Requirements
i) The neck, larynx, and cervical vertebrae must be covered by one of the following:
(1) A gorget of rigid materials lined with at least 3/8 inch of resilient foam and constructed so that no more than 3/4 inch of the neck is exposed.
(2) A padded gorget in conjunction with mail or heavy leather camail or aventail descending from the helm and extending well onto the shoulders in such a way that it is held away from the neck and is either securely attached to the bottom of the visor or is overlapped by the visor. Mail used for an aventail is required to be a minimum of 14 gauge if butted or 18 if welded.
4. Shoulder Armor
a) Requirements
i) Padding at least 1/2" thick heavy leather, or a suitable equivalent shall be worn over the shoulders, extending from the point of the shoulder to within 1 inch of the base of the neck. A gorget may be used to meet these requirements.
5. Thorax and Abdominal Armor
a) Requirements
i) Padding at least 1/2 inch thick of heavy leather, or a suitable equivalent shall be worn to protect the midsection. It shall cover, in front, from the belt line to the sternum, and in back, from the base of the spine to the bottom of the shoulder blades.
ii) The groin must be covered by one of the following:
(1) Men: a hockey, soccer, karate or baseball-style cup.
(2) Men or Women: a skirt of heavy mail, brigantine, heavy leather or stiff carpet that is not split and extends at least 8" below the groin.
(3) Men or Women: a fauld of plate or other rigid material. Breast armor for women in the form of a single breastplate is strongly recommended. Separate breast-cups are strongly discouraged as they can be more dangerous than no armor at all.
6. Leg Armor
a) Requirements
i) The front and both sides of both knee joints shall be covered by a rigid surface lined with at least 1/2 inch of resilient foam. The external side of each knee shall have a wing constructed of rigid material which extends at least 2 inch past the back of the knee. This armor shall be attached in such a way that the knee remains covered when the leg moves or the knee is bent.
ii) It is highly recommended that both thighs shall be armored by 1/2 inch of padding, heavy leather, single layer carpet (heavy shag type) or suitable equivalent.
7. Arm Armor
a) Requirements
i) The point and the bones on either side of the elbow joints shall be covered by one of the following:
(1) If the elbow is exposed, rigid materials with at least 1/2" of resilient padding.
(2) If the elbow is covered by the shield, 1/2 inch of resilient padding shall cover the above stated areas. If the shield is discarded during combat, rigid elbow protection must be added before combat may be resumed.
ii) The forearm shall be protected if exposed. Though vambraces are encouraged, the minimum protection required is a strip of armor and padding material at least one [1] inch wide running along the ulna from the elbow protection to one inch above the wrist.
(1) Forearm protection shall consist of an armor layer and a cushioning layer. The armor layer shall consist of 20 gauge or better steel [mild or stainless], or 8 ounce or heavier leather, or plastic of equivalent thickness to ounce or heavier leather. The cushioning layer may be made of a wide range of materials such as foam padding, leather or cloth [a gambeson or arming coat]. The intent is that the blow shock not transmit directly to the bone.
(2) Vambraces are very strongly recommended.
8. Hand and Wrist Armor:
a) Requirements
i) The outer surface of both hands and wrists on both arms must be covered by one of the following:
(1) A basket hilt constructed of the following:
(a) 3/16" bar stock with openings no greater than 1" x 3".
(b) 1/4" or thicker bars stock with openings no greater than 1 1/4" wide, or so constructed that a 1 1/4" rattan sword may not pass through.
(c) A sheet-metal hilt of no less than 16 ga. steel.
(2) A gauntlet of rigid plates either lined with padding or arranged so that the shock of impact is transmitted to the weapon.
(3) A commercial hockey, kendo or lacrosse glove.
(4) If a shield is being used, one of the above listed forms of hand protection must be worn. A plain leather glove is not acceptable unless suitable additional finger protection has been added to either the glove or the shield.
C. Weapons Standards
1. Swords
a) Materials
i) Swords shall have a diameter of no less than 1-1/4 inch and shall be constructed solely of rattan. The rattan shall not be treated in any way that significantly reduces its flexibility. Any sword with a striking surface constructed out of more than one piece of rattan shall not be used until inspected by the crown or its representative, and in any case shall not exceed 30 inches in length, and be padded on all striking edges with at least 1/2 inch of resilient padding.
ii) Striking edges may be padded with flat materials such as leather, split hose, or webbing. No material that reduces the striking surface to less than 1-1/4 inch may be used.
iii) Cutting edges shall be clearly marked by shaping or alignment of the guard. In addition, contrasting tape will also be used to mark the edges of the weapon.
iv) The point of the blade, if not used for thrusting, shall be cut off square with the edges rounded.
v) The full length of the blade, including the tip, shall be wrapped with tape in such a way that no splinters protrude through the tape.
vi) Thrusting tips are permitted for the list and melee combat, but must be marked by contrasting tape schemes for identification purposes.
vii) Thrusting tips shall be at least two inches in diameter and have at least 1 inch of progressive resistance. Tips shall not be able to bottom out or fold over.
viii) Single-handed weapons shall not weigh more than 5 pounds; two-handed weapons shall not weigh more than 7 pounds.
ix) No sword shall exceed 72" in total length.
x) Flamberge style great swords may be used provided they meet with applicable unpadded polearm standards as well as applicable greatsword standards.
b) Grip, Guard and Pommel
i) Two-handed sword grips, including guard and pommel, shall not exceed 18 inches in total length. This measurement will be made from the bottom of the cross-guard [quillons] to the end of the pommel. The pommel is considered part of the grip measurement.
ii) All swords shall have either a basket hilt, quillons, tsuba or equivalent hand guard. Basket hilts designed for two-handed sword use shall be individually inspected by the Crown or its representative.
iii) Guards shall have no sharp edges, or unpadded protruding points with cross-sections less than 1-1/4 inches. Guards and pommels must be firmly attached to the blade.
iv) Two-handed swords shall not have quillons spanning more than 14 inches.
2. Mass Weapons
a) Definitions
i) Mace: a hafted impact weapon with a radially symmetrical heavy spiked or flanged head, no more than 36 inches in length and used with one hand.
ii) Axes and War Hammers: one or two-sided, hafted cutting and/or smashing weapons, resembling the tools for which they are named, no more than 36 inches in length and used with one hand.
b) Materials
i) Hafts shall be of rattan of no less than 1-1/4 inch in diameter, and shall not be treated in any way that significantly reduces flexibility.
ii) The haft shall be wrapped in such a way that no splinters protrude through the tape.
c) Striking Surfaces
i) Leather, rubber, soft flexible plastic, foam and cloth are permitted for constructing the head. No rigid materials shall be used in the construction of the striking head.
ii) The head of the weapon shall not exceed 3 pounds in weight, and shall be firmly attached to the haft.
iii) Mace heads, Axes and War Hammers shall be have at least 1/2 inch of closed cell foam, or it's equivalent on their striking surface. The striking surface[s] shall not fold over.
iv) Thrusting tips and butt spikes are allowed on hafted weapons, and must conform to sword thrusting tip rules. Cutting edges shall be marked in accordance with those guidelines set forth for swords; see section III.a.1.d.
3. Polearms and Spears
a) Definitions
i) Padded polearms are cutting and thrusting weapons no more than 72 inches in overall length, used with two hands.
ii) Unpadded polearms are cutting and thrusting weapons no more than 90 inches in length, used with two hands.
iii) Spears are not to exceed 108 inches in length and are to be used solely for thrusting.
b) Materials
i) Polearm and unpadded shafts shall be constructed solely of rattan not less than 1-1/4 inches in diameter.
ii) Spears shall be constructed of rattan or poltruded fiberglass, not less than 1-1/4 inches in diameter. Poltruded fiberglass spear shafts will have a schedule 40 PVC cap on the end that contains the spear thrusting tip.
iii) The shaft may not be treated in any way that significantly reduces flexibility.
iv) Polearm and spear shafts shall be wrapped in such a way that no splinters protrude into the padding of the striking head. The rest of the shaft may be left bare except for poltruded fiberglass spear shafts. Poltruded fiberglass spear shafts must be covered with a minimum of one layer of nylon strapping tape, duct tape, or like material.
c) Striking Surfaces
i) Leather, rubber, soft flexible plastic, foam and cloth are permitted for constructing the striking head. The head shall be firmly attached to the shaft.
ii) The entire polearm striking head shall be covered with at least 1/2 inches of closed cell foam, or it's equivalent. The striking head must be at least 18 inches in length. The striking surface will be clearly marked. The non-striking surface shall be covered with at least 1/4 inch of closed cell foam, or it's equivalent.
iii) Halberd-style polearms must have one third the length of their shafts padded by at least 1/2 inch of resilient foam. Mauls over inches long are forbidden.
iv) Polearm thrusting tips shall have at least 1 inch of progressive give and be at least 2 inches in diameter. Cutting edges shall be marked in accordance with those guidelines set forth for swords; see section III.a.1.d Spear thrusting tips shall be the same as above, except for the poltruded fiberglass spears, which will have a thrusting tip of at least 3 inches in diameter, and have 3 inches of progressive give.
v) Polearm butt spikes shall meet the same requirements as stated for the polearm thrusting tips.
vi) Spears do not have butt-spikes and may not be swung to strike a blow. Polearms will not have a cutting/smashing head at both ends.
vii) Thrusting while the polearm/spear user is running forward is forbidden.
viii) Unpadded polearm tips must conform to padded polearm standards. Blades may be no longer than 1/3 of the weapon length and no shorter than 18 inches. A splicing junction (two pieces of rattan joined together by strapping tape and covered with duct tape) no closer to the end of the blade than 24 inches and no longer than 8 inches may be used to give a more defined blade. Blades must be taped and marked in the same manner as sword blades. Unpadded polearm standards allow for two-handed axes with commercially made rubber heads and may not exceed 6 feet in length.
D. Miscellaneous
A. The Crown's representatives are hereby defined in descending order as the Prince, the Earl Marshal, the Deputy Earl Marshals. If a decision must be made by the Crown or one of its representatives, 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 to be 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. A roster system will be established by each Deputy Earl Marshal or Principality Marshal for his region. The current roster for each region will be submitted to the Kingdom Earl Marshal at least once per year.
A. General
Combat archery is an aspect of heavy weapons melee combat and is to be done within the constraints of these rules with the spirit of recreating the use of archery in mass combat in the middle ages while striving for a balance between safety and realism. Anything not covered within these rules should be governed by the East Kingdom Rules and Conventions for heavy weapons combat.
1. Scope
a) The rules governing combat archery encompass all archery weapon activity in rattan (heavy weapon) combat. This includes at this time exclusively combat bows.
b) Rule 1.1.1 explicitly excludes any other combat form (fencing, boffer etc ) from using combat archery in any manner.
2. Restrictions
a) Combat archery shall be restricted to melees (mass combat) involving more than one combatant per side.
b) Combat archery may never be used in heavy weapons tournament list combat in any form.
c) In addition to the previous stated restrictions, combat archery can occur only if the Marshall-In-Charge (MIC) of heavy weapon combat (HWC) for the event gives approval and there is a warranted Combat Archery Marshal present. Only a CA Marshal may inspect and approve CA equiptment. Only the Earl Marshal or his appointed deputies may warrant a CA Marshal. Reminder: As is the case in all HWC the MIC's decision is final, and may only be overridden by the standard appeal process in place for the HWC marshallate.
d) Combat archery may only take place in locations that satisfy the regulations as per section 3.0 Combat Archery Sites.
B. Fighter Authorization
1. General
Combat archers are taking part in HWC and therefore all standards and procedures that apply to fighters participating in HWC apply to fighters doing combat archery.
a) Combat archery is a weapons form authorization like weapon and shield, two weapon, great weapon, pole weapon and spear.
b) Combat archery authorizations may only occur with the approval of the HWC MIC of the event, and may only be performed by a warranted CA Marshal.
c) Combat archery authorizations may only take place in locations that satisfy the regulations as per section 3.0 Combat Archery Sites.
2. Procedure
Unless stated otherwise in this section (2.2) the procedure for authorization in combat archery is the same as that for any of the other HWC weapons forms. This includes legal target areas. The legal target areas for arrow strikes are the same as those which apply to thrusts.
a) Engagement with combat archery has only one restriction, No firing from behind.
i) Safe to yourself, Safe to others. In addition to what is normally expected of a fighter in this regard the following rules apply.
ii) The fighter must demonstrate the ability to use a bow safely, in an effective competent manner. This includes the following (not exclusive). The fighter must explain and demonstrate how to draw a bow, being careful not to overdraw. The fighter must understand that firing a bow without an arrow (dry firing) can damage the bow. The fighter must be able to effectively judge the trajectory of an arrow given a bows position and angle. The fighter must fire ten (10) arrows into a group of fighters (2 or more) approximately 30-40 yards as an example for the marshals.
iii) The fighter shall face a charging HW Combatant and must demonstrate the proper technique for discarding the bow and switching to a secondary weapon as per section 4.1.1
iv) The fighter must be able to inspect combat archery equipment to ensure that at all times the equipment in use is safe. This includes the following (not exclusively). The fighter must be able to explain the details regarding the construction of combat archery equipment to ensure that the fighter will understand the reasons for the equipment in use. The fighter must be able to visually inspect combat archery equipment as per section 6.0 Weapons Inspection.
b) Armor Standards are EXACTLY the same for combat archers, as they are heavy weapons combatants. Note: This includes hand protection, However, a street hockey glove, half-gauntlet or equivalent may be used on the draw hand if a weapon with a basket hilt is used as a backup.
c) Fighters should be aware that metal wings on their bow arm elbow cup may snag or cut bowstrings.
3. Restrictions
a) A fighter may not be authorized in combat archery unless they have been previously authorized in one of the other weapons forms listed in 2.1.1.
C. Combat Archery Sites
1. Physical Dimensions
a) Length and Width
A combat archery field must measure at least 60 yards square. This means a minimum of 60 yards wide and a minimum of 60 yards long at its least wide and least long points. This is NOT 60 square yards.
2. Local Laws
It is considered prudent to confirm that local laws allow the use of archery equipment on this site. If no check is made and a legal situation results from this specific problem then the HWC MIC will be responsible and may face disciplinary actions through the marshallate. It is understood that the Autocrat of an event is the final authority and the responsible party at any event that is held as per SCA by-laws.
D. Combat Rules
1. General
Combat Archers are subject to all of the normal conventions which apply to HWC, with the following clarifications.
a) Archers Entering Melee
Archers may elect to switch to HWC at any time during the battle by discarding their bow AND placing their draw hand into a basket hilted weapon or other suitable full hand protection.
i) Archers may reclaim their bow and return to Combat Archery at any time, so long as their bow has not been damaged or placed in an area which is out of bounds, such as the water areas of a bridge battle.
ii) Whenever practicable, archers who elect to discard their bow should make a reasonable attempt to place the bow in a manner that will not create a hazard to foot traffic.
iii) An archer may never have a bow in hand while wielding a rattan weapon. The bow must be discarded prior to drawing a secondary weapon.
iv) A Combat Archer who is still in possession of a bow may never be struck with a rattan weapon.
v) No archer may ever launch a shaft at an opponent who is at a range of 10 feet or less.
b) Archers Coming Into Weapons Range
A Combat Archer shall not enter weapons range with an opponent unless the archer has complied with the procedure shown in section 4.1.1
i) Weapons range is defined as 10 feet or less.
ii) An archer shall not be considered within weapons range if the opponent's direct path to the archer is blocked by an intact shield wall or impenetrable object such as a simulated wall.
c) Should an archer come within weapons range of an opponent and fail to comply with the procedure outlined in section 4.1.1, the archer is considered to have been killed. The archer must die in a defensive fashion and await the marshals call for the dead to clear.
2. Should a bow or bowstring be struck by an arrow, the bow is considered to have been destroyed and must be discarded as per section 4.1.1
3. An archer's quiver shall not be proof against a blow from a rattan weapon or an arrow strike.
4. Marshals are required to wear helmets or fencing masks that provide coverage to the entire head and throat.
a) Marshals are strongly encouraged to wear marshallate tabards so that they will be easily identified and not accidentally targeted by archers.
E. Weapons Standards
The weapons standards are based on safety. For that reason, use of illegal weapons in the list may result in permanent removal of the offending persons HWC authorization card.
1. Hand Bows
a) Construction
Hand bows must be of solid fiberglass construction.
b) Draw Weight
The draw weight of the bow must be between 25 pounds and 30 pounds at a draw length of 28 inches.
c) All bows shall be marked with the archer's name or a distinctive mark to aid in identification and retrieval.
d) Strings
i) Style
Endless loop or Flemish loop.
ii) Material
Dacron, Fastflight or equivalent modern material. No period materials are allowed.
2. Arrows
a) Arrow Shafts
Arrow shafts must be made from solid fiberglass rod of 1/4 inch to 5/16 inch in diameter or from commercially available solid fiberglass bowfishing arrows. All arrows must be a standard 28 inches in length, which is measured from the back of the barrel of the blunt to the seat of the nock.
i) All metal points or sleeves must be removed from the head of the shaft prior to the application of the blunt. After cutting the shaft to length, the head of the shaft should be lightly sanded to remove the sharp edge.
b) Fletching
Plastic vanes or natural feathers only.
c) Knocks
Modern knocks only.
d) Heads
Arrow heads must be of the type known as "Baldar Blunts" commercially available from vendors within the S.C.A. The head shall be secured to the shaft by tightening a plastic "tie wrap" around the barrel of the blunt and further with a wrapping of fiber tape which covers the area where the barrel meets the shaft.
i) Fiberglass rod of less than 5/16 inch diameter will need to have the head of the shaft wrapped in fiber or electrical tape so that the shaft fits snugly inside the barrel of the blunt.
e) All arrows shall bear the archers name or a distinctive mark to aid in identification and retrieval.
F. Weapons Inspection
Constant attention to the condition of combat archery weapons is critical to avoiding potentially dangerous situations.
1. Responsibility
CA Marshals, as part of weapon inspection, shall inspect all handbows and arrows to be used in combat archery.
2. Frequency
Weapons inspection must occur before each battle.
a) Bows and arrows are to be inspected before each battle. Once shot, an arrow must be reinspected by a CA Marshal before it may be shot again. (This rule may change to allow the reuse of arrows after a suitable testing period.)
3. Handbows
a) Visual Inspection
A visual inspection of the bow is done to determine if the bow is constructed of the proper materials and to ensure that the bow is not damaged to the point where it has become structurally unsound. If there are any severe cracks, gouges or fractures that the marshal believes will cause the bow to break when drawn, the bow may not be used. Marshals shall also check to see that the bow does not exceed the maximum allowed draw weight.
b) String Inspection
The string should be checked for damage and excessive wear. If significant wear is visible, such as severed or knotted strands, then the string fails and the bow may not be used until the string is replaced.
4. Arrows
a) Visual Inspection
A visual inspection shall be performed on each arrow to determine if the arrow has been constructed of the proper materials and to ensure that there are no cracks, chips or fractures that would affect the structural integrity of the arrow. Bending the shaft should aid in determining any flaws. The shaft can be damaged superficially without affecting the integrity of the shaft. If the head is damaged or not properly attached to the shaft, then that arrow fails inspection.
b) Marshals should be aware that bowfishing shafts have a hole drilled through the shaft near the nock to accept fishing line. This hole is not to be considered damage to the shaft."
c) Missing or torn fletching shall not be considered damage to the shaft.