Copyright @ 1985, 1989, 1992, 1994

by the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.

Copies may be made by members of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. for circulation to other members, so long as no changes are made and the copyright statement is included.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Part I:

Paperwork

Part II:

Marshalling on the Field

Marshal-in-Charge of an Event

Equipment Inspections

Sample Equipment Inspection

Marshalling Single Combat

Marshalling Melees

Marshalling Wars

Marshalling Missile Combat

Marshalling Period Fencing

Combat Authorisation Guidelines

Sample Authorisation Procedure

Combat Injuries

Appendices:

1. Definitions

2. Combat Rules

The Rules of the Lists

Governing and Policy Decisions

Applications of the Rules of the Lists

Conventions of Combat of the SCA, Inc

Missile Combat Rules

Period Fencing Rules

3. Armour and Weapons Standards

Tournament and War Equipment

Missile Combat Equipment

Fencing Equipment

Experimental weapons and materials

4. Resolution of Grievances

5. Sanctions

Diagrams

 INTRODUCTION

Over the past quarter of a century, the SCA's form of combat, armour, and weapons have evolved as we have tried to recreate the honour and chivalry that should have existed on the medieval battle field. Just as the combat style, armour and weapons have evolved, so have the rules that govern them. The basis for SCA combat rules and regulations are the Rules of the Lists and may be found in Corpora. This basic set of rules is supplemented by Governing and Polity Decisions of the Board of Directors Conventions of Combat of the SCA, and the numerous rules, regulations and conventions practised in the various Kingdoms.

The Rules and Standards outlined in this handbook are the minimum rules and standards acceptable for SCA combat. It is the prerogative of the individual Kingdoms to add to these basic standards to establish more rigid standards where warranted by necessity, or by Kingdom practice or accepted convention. You as a fighter or marshal should become familiar with the additional rules and standards of your Kingdom.

These Rules and Standards have been revised by various Society Marshals, who have tried to make them as clear and accurate as possible. These rules and standards, combined with the additional Kingdom rules and standards, are intended to promote safety on the field. However, rules and standards, no matter how clear or accurate, cannot replace common sense, good judgement, and concern for the safety of all participants in promoting safety on the field. If a question arises when applying these standards, always choose the answer that promotes the greatest degree of safety for all participants.

Lawrence of Ashana

Marshal of the Society

Fall, A.S. XXVI

Paperwork

Most people join the Marshallate because they are interested in fighting, not paperwork. But a little bit of paperwork is necessary. We put it at the beginning, so you can see just how little. You need to do the following:

If you are a member of the Marshallate, but not the Knight Marshal of a branch, nor the Marshal-in-Charge¹ at an event:

Whatever your Kingdom requires to get you warranted (probably a one-time effort)¹,

Reports on what you personally observed of any incident during or related to combat, which the Marshal-in-Charge was required to report on,

Otherwise, NOTHING. (Wasn't that easy?)

If you are the Marshal-in-Charge of an event:

Whatever your Kingdom requires to get you warranted (probably a one-time effort),

A brief report on the event, including any incidents in which

- someone was injured,

- a fighter had to be disciplined (see also Appendix 5 on Sanctions).

This should go to the Principality Knight Marshal or the Kingdom Earl

Marshal. (It should not go to the Marshal of the Society!)

Any other reports that the Earl Marshal of your Kingdom requires. (If you do not know, write and ask him what he will want before the event --- it is a lot easier that way.)

1 it is relatively common for a Marshal-in-Charge to draft anyone he feels is competent to serve as field marshals during an event. Whether these individuals are warranted marshals is a matter of Kingdom choice. The advantage of being a warranted marshal is that you are thereby an official of the corporation, which gives you certain legal protection from suits (if any) arising out of your actions as a marshal. Since the Society and its officers have never faced a suit over fighting on the field, this may not seem critical, but it is worth thinking about.

If you are the Knight Marshal² if a Branch:

Whatever your Kingdom requires to get you warranted (probably a

one-time effort),

Regular reports on the state of fighting in your branch. If there are subsidiary branches (i.e. you are in a Barony with Cantons, a Province with Ridings, or a Principality) this includes summarising the reports that you get from them. Ask your immediate superior how often you need to do this.

Any other reports that the Earl Marshal of your Kingdom requires. (If you do not know, write and ask him what he will want before the event --- it is a lot easier that way.)

If you are the Earl Marshal of a Kingdom:

An agreement to serve as Earl Marshal (a one-time effort which gets

you a warrant in return).

At least quarterly, let the Society Marshal know that you are still alive and in office. While you are at it, tell him about the state of fighting in your Kingdom. (If you are required to make a similar report to the Crown, a copy to the Marshal is sufficient.)

If disciplinary action that extends beyond the bounds of a single event is being taken against a fighter in your Kingdom (e.g. authorisations suspended or revoked, Courts of Chivalry), a brief account of what was done, to whom, and why. (If more information is needed, for example because of an appeal of the action, the Marshal will let you know.)

Either individual warrants must be provided for each member of the Marshallate in your Kingdom, or a roster must be maintained. (Information on the roster system may be obtained from your Kingdom Seneschal if you do not have it.) This task may be partially delegated to the Knight Marshals of the Principalities within your Kingdom, if any.

Answer correspondence from the Knight Marshals of your Kingdom.

If you are Marshal of the Society:

At least quarterly, report to the Steward (and thence to the Board) on

the state of the Marshallate.

Provide warrants for the Earl Marshals as they are appointed.

Answer correspondence from the Earl Marshals.

2 The term "Knight Marshall" applies to the marshal of a branch, regardless of whether you are a belted fighter, or even whether you are an authorised fighter at all. Thus does history sow confusion for us all.

Marshalling on the Field

There are three near-equal priorities in marshalling: safety, fair witness, and showmanship. Over-emphasising any one at the expense of the others will tend to make the fighting less enjoyable for everyone (though if you must go overboard on one, pick safety).

Being Marshal-in-Charge

As Marshal-in-Charge, you are responsible for organising the marshalling.

This does not mean that you have to do it all yourself. You do need to

Check that the field can be safely fought upon. Preferably, check the site before it is reserved for the event. Can someone in armour, with restricted vision, cross it safely (i.e. without injury; tripping being an inherent hazard of combat in rough terrain)? At minimum, check at the beginning of the day to see if there are holes, soft spots, rocks, etc. If they are serious and cannot be worked around, move the fighting somewhere else.

Arrange for equipment inspection. (This is covered in detail below.)

Arrange for marshals for all of the combat. That means an absolute minimum of one marshal per single combat (preferably two or three), and enough marshals for group combats (melees and war battles) to both surround the fighting (to keep an eye on the boundaries) and keep most of the fights under general surveillance (for things like armour falling off, broken weapons, etc.). (If volunteers seem to be in short supply, point out to the fighters that they do not get to start until sufficient marshals are available.)

When it is all over, write up a report on the event (see the Paperwork section above).

Equipment Inspections

At each event, the Marshal-in-Charge must arrange for the inspection of all of the equipment in use in combat (armour and weapons). This in no way relieves the individual combatants of their responsibility for following the Equipment Standards (Appendix 3). Rather, it is intended to provide a second pair of eyes (hopefully at least a little more experienced, but not necessarily) and an outside point of view. A reminder: Equipment which was perfectly serviceable at the beginning of the previous event may well have broken since. And even the most experienced fighters occasionally forget some piece of armour or another.

The inspection outlined below is merely by way of example. (For purposes of illustration, it is for regular SCA combat, without missile weapons.) It necessarily does not include checks for additional requirements which your Kingdom may have added. Until you have done it so many times that it becomes redundant, a check list might be helpful as you do the inspection. (In addition, as noted in the section on marshalling combat, a quick visual check of the combatants just before the start of an individual combat or battle is also a good idea.)

A Sample Equipment Inspection

All of this is based on the Equipment Standards given in the Appendices. You should be familiar with them, as well as with any other requirements which your Kingdom may have instituted. The fact that one of the requirements is not mentioned on this check list does not mean that you should not notice If it has not been met.

Armour inspection must be done with all of the armour on the body of the fighter who is going to wear it. It is not otherwise possible to get an accurate idea of what is covered and what is not, nor of where gaps may occur as the combatant moves.

of the

Before you start, remind yourself that armour is hot, not to mention heavy. if the weather is hot, try to find some shade in which to hold the inspection, or at least for the fighters to stand in while waiting to be inspected. (Similar reasoning applies in case of rain, freezing cold, or other inclement weather. Just because it is possible to fight, does not mean that it is pleasant or desirable to stand around in it during inspections.)

Armour

1. Leg Armour: Check that the front and sides of the knee are covered. Have the fighter flex his knees (either a deep knee bend or one knee at a time) and see that the knee remains covered and that the articulation (if any) does not gap. Check for sharp edges, broken or missing rivets, or other signs that the equipment is falling apart.

2. Groin: ASK a male fighter if he remembered his cup. Do not knee someone in the groin to check.

3. Kidneys: Check for kidney armour. (Kidneys are normally in the back, at the bottom of the ribs, but the armour should also extend around to the sides.)

4. Elbows: Check that the point and sides of each elbow are covered. Have the fighter flex his elbows and see that the elbow remains covered and that the articulation (if any) does not gap. Check for sharp edges, broken or missing rivets, or other signs that the equipment is falling apart.

5. Hands and Wrists: Check the gauntlet and/or basket hilt. Look to see if the gauntlet will pinch the hand if it is hit. Check for sharp edges, broken or missing rivets, or other signs that the equipment is falling apart.

6. Neck and Head: Check that the neck is covered. Check the face plate and eye slots (a 1" dowel is a quick way to check and hard to argue with) both for size of openings and to be sure that it is firmly secured in place.

Put your hand on the front of the helm, and have the fighter push

against it. See that his face does not hit the face plate. (A gentle touch of the tip of the nose at maximum pressure may not be desirable but is not necessarily grounds for rejecting the helm.) Repeat with the sides and back of the helm. Have the fighter turn his head toward his shield side --- see that his neck is still not exposed. Have the fighter tilt his chin up as far as possible and check the neck again (this is intended to simulate the position he might be in if he had just taken a blow high up on the front of the helm). If you can reach in (with your fist, or the dowel that you used to check the face openings) and touch bare throat, some improvements are in order before the fighting starts. Chin down as far as possible and repeat for the back of the neck. Lift gently on the front of the face-plate, to make sure that the helmet does not rotate easily to expose the face or throat. After making sure that the fighter does not have his tongue between his teeth, test the chin strap (or equivalent) by lifting up sharply on both sides of the helm. It should not rise up so far as to expose the head or neck.

Check for sharp edges, broken or missing rivets, or other signs that the equipment is falling apart.

7. Shield: Check the rim for exposed sharp edges. (For this purpose, a 90 angle is a sharp edge.) Check the rest of the shield for sharp edges, broken or missing rivets, or other signs that It is falling apart.

Weapons

The primary test is safety. If you, as marshal do not believe that the weapon is safe (i.e. if you would not be willing to face it), do not let it be used on the field. In all cases, when in doubt ask the prospective user if he would be willing to fight against the weapon. If not, it may not be used regardless of whether it meets all other requirements.

1. Swords: Check that they meet the minimum diameter (1 1/4 inch or 33 mm). A 1 1/4 inch (33 mm) no-go gauge will speed this up enormously. Check that the ends are taped, and that there are no exposed cuts in the rattan. Check the quillons or basket hilts for sharp edges, broken or missing rivets, or other signs that they are coming apart. Check the wrist strap or other means that is being used to keep the sword from flying away (see Appendix 3 on Weapons Standards).

2. Thrusting Tips: Check that they have the minimum cross section. Push on the end to verify the required amount of resilient give.

3. Mass Weapons: Check the padding for give. Check the wrist strap. Consider the total mass of the weapon. (See comments above about weapons in general.)

4. Pole Weapons: Check the thrusting tips, if any. Check the padding for give. Consider the total mass of the weapon. (See the comments above about weapons in general.) Check that the weapon meets the relevant length restrictions.

Marshalling Single Combat

At minimum, there must be one marshal for a single combat. Two or three will be able to see more of the fight. Four or more will get in each others way, and block the view from the side lines, without providing noticeably better marshalling.

As noted earlier, marshalling has three parts of nearly equal importance: safety, fair witness, and showmanship. Excessive concern for any of these, to the neglect of the other two, will make fighting less enjoyable for all concerned. While these concerns apply to all marshalling, they are most detailed and balanced in single combat.

Safety:

The field itself can cause safety problems. Before you begin, look over the area where the fighting will take place. Look particularly for large holes, soft spots, and rocks. (The fighters will generally accept small holes, rocks, etc. as part of the background.) Once the fight starts, you will want to try to keep it away from these areas. If the hazards are serious, move the fight.

As the fighters come out onto the field, take a quick look to see that they have remembered all of their armour --- especially elbow, neck and hand armour. These are the likeliest to be removed and then forgotten. This should not take any time at all; it is not a full inspection nor an attempt to catch some idiot who is trying to play silly games with the rules --- just a quick double check to help someone who may be distracted by the excitement of the day.

Once the fight is started, watch particularly for breakage: broken armour, broken tempers, broken people (i.e. injuries), broken boundaries (outsiders, especially small children and pets, do not always realise that they are supposed to stay off of the field during combat). If something breaks, first off shout "Hold!" --- several times, if necessary. (Fortunately, most fighters will hear and respond to a cry of "Hold!", even when they won't notice their own names). If the first cry of "Hold!" does not cause the fighters to stop, get in between the fighters (or between the fighters and whoever has wandered onto the field) and block the weapons with your staff until the fighting does stop. (Keep yelling "Hold!" while you do --- eventually they may notice.) That is why marshals routinely carry staffs on the field.

Bear in mind that the various Kingdoms have somewhat differing traditions as to how much the marshal should intrude himself into a fight. On one extreme, some Kingdoms expect the marshal to keep his opinions to himself except in the case of clear and immediate safety hazards. At the other extreme, some Kingdoms expect the marshal to volunteer advice any time he thinks the fighters might possibly have a question about a blow. If you are new to marshalling, or merely new to the Kingdom you are in, try to find out where in this spectrum your Kingdom falls --- it will make a difference in how you act and, perhaps more important, it will make a major difference in what the fighters expect of you.

Witness:

You are expected to be an impartial witness to exactly what you saw happen during the fight . . . and to keep your mouth shut about it unless a safety hazard occurs or you are asked by the fighters. Ideally, be able to describe the last 3-4 blows on your side of the fight: where they started, their angle of approach, how they were blocked or where they landed. (Do not be afraid to say "I don't know" if you were looking at one part of the fight when something (perhaps) happened in another part.) Do not try to impose your view unless you see what appear to be major and repeated problems. Leave the blow counting to the participants unless you see dents forming in armour; usually, they have a much clearer perspective than the marshals.

If the fighters do ask you what happened (or you feel compelled to volunteer) try to do so tactfully. Prefacing your statements with "It looked to me like . . ." or "It appeared . . ." is preferable to a dogmatic assertion of what happened. Similarly, it is preferable to ask "Was that dent in your helm before?" rather than saying "That blow put a 6 inch dent in the side of your helm" --- the latter may be 100% accurate, but It is unnecessarily antagonistic to someone who may honestly have thought the blow too light (because most of its energy was absorbed in bending metal).

How to Watch a Fight:

In order to be able to answer as accurately as possible, you need as clear a view as possible. This means being close to the fight. You need to strike a balance between getting closer to see better, and staying back out of range of the blows yourself. Just what the appropriate distance is for you will depend on your level of experience with fighting, i.e. how well you can judge what the range of the weapons is and whether you are in or near it. In general, for single combat 20 yards is too far and 2 yards is too close. In the absence of a better Idea, consider 5 yards for weapons less than 3 1/2 feet in length, and 8 yards if either combatant has a longer weapon. Try to keep moving so that the combatants are roughly centred between you and the other marshals for the fight.

Showmanship:

Keep an eye on the audience. SCA combat is a spectator sport just as medieval tournaments were. (A spectator sport for members of the Society and our guests, but a spectator sport none the less.) Your part of the show is to keep things moving and avoid blocking the view from the sidelines more than unavoidable. This means fast pre-fight checks and announcements, a minimum of holds and discussions during the fight, and a strenuous effort to stay out of the way and keep moving. (If it's cold, wear several layers of tunics and move even more; one man in a cloak can cut off the view from a whole pavilion, or even two.)

Marshalling Melees

When marshalling a melee, the witness function is necessarily relegated to a very low priority. (It is not that it is unimportant, just that it is impossible for a handful of marshals to be accurate witnesses to the details of a couple of dozen separate combats.)

You should have a minimum of 3 marshals for the first 20 fighters, plus one additional marshal for each 15 fighters up to a total of 500 fighters and 35 marshals. If you have more than 500 fighters (actually, if you have more than 50 fighters) you should have an experienced Marshal-in-Charge and a sizeable fraction of experienced marshals. It is preferable to have more marshals for free-for-all melees.

The marshals should station themselves around the edges of the fight. This allows control of the borders at the same time as they see as much of the fighting as possible in one glance. It also keeps them from having a fight run into them from behind. Be careful that you do not get so interested in the part of the fight in front of you that you forget about another part which is moving around behind. As always, keep moving and stay close enough to spot safety problems.

In very large melees it may be desirable to have some of the marshals in the middle of the field, in addition to those around the edge. If you are one of these, be especially aware of fighters who may be coming up behind you (or who you may be backing into).

Before the War:

1. The general rules under which the war will be conducted, compromises between conflicting Kingdoms' standards, and the Tactical Limits for each planned battle should be negotiated and agreed to in writing in advance by the authorised representatives of all belligerent groups involved. The rules and Tactical Limits should be published in the appropriate newsletters. For intra-Kingdom wars, notices should be placed also in the local newsletters of the groups involved. In addition, copies of all of the rules and agreements should be available on-site, as a handout for people who do not receive (or do not read) the newsletters.

2. Each side in a battle should provide a reasonable number of trained and experienced marshals. If not enough marshals are available, the sides should arrange for a draft from their armies.

3. All marshals should be separately briefed prior to the meetings of all participants. (They should also attend the group briefing.) Emphasis at this briefing should be on enforcing the rules and Tactical Limits for each battle, and to preventing accidents that could arise from hazards related to the Tactical Limits and to the actual terrain.

4. All participants should gather to have the rules and the Tactical Limits explained to them. Their questions should be answered by the autocrats and the marshals. If the Tactical Limits vary radically from battle to battle, this procedure should be repeated for each battle.

5. Equipment inspection must take place before combat starts, with particular emphasis on any modifications which have been made in making compromises between conflicting Kingdom standards.

Marshalling the War:

1. A supervising marshal (Marshal-in-Charge) should be chosen for each war (and possibly for each battle, if the Marshal-in-Charge for the war is fighting in the battles). He shall be responsible for the activities of the marshals in his charge. If possible, the Marshal in-Charge should not be a member of one of the belligerent groups. The Marshal-in-Charge for a particular battle may not participate in the battle as a combatant.

2. When "Hold!" is called, all fighting shall cease. The fighters shall drop to one knee (if possible) where they stand. Conversations relating to the conduct of the battle are not permitted between combatants. Changes of position/location are not permitted, unless ordered by a marshal. If movement away from a boundary or hazard is necessary, the fighters shall maintain their relative positions and distances.

To end a "Hold!", the Marshal-in-Charge will call "All Rise!";³ when the combatants have resumed their feet, the Marshal-in-Charge will call "Lay On!" to signal the resumption of the fight.

3. "Hold!" will normally be called only for broken armour, broken tempers, broken people (injuries), or broken boundaries (outsiders wandering on to the field or fighters about to wander off it), or to enforce the rules and Tactical Limits.

4. "Hold!" should not be called for dropped weapons, fighters who have slipped and fallen (unless they are in danger of injury), or the near approach of a fighter to a boundary where there are no spectators (nor any natural hazards, such as cliffs).

5. Marshals have the pre-emptory authority to remove from combat and from the field any combatant who violates the rules or Tactical Limits, or who performs any unsafe or dishonourable act. Such removal may only be discussed during the battle if the marshal permits it. The marshals ruling may be appealed to the Marshal-in-Charge.

6. Marshals have the authority to regulate the movement of non-combatants on the field, and to control the location of spectators.

7. In the event of an emergency, such as an injury, the marshals shall cooperate with the authorised persons responding to the emergency, and keep the area clear of would-be spectators.

3 It is often useful to have one side rise, and then the other. This makes it easier to tell if there are enough left on both sides for the fight to be worth continuing.

Marshalling Missile Combat

1. All equipment inspection must take place before combat starts.

2. Missile combat, especially archery, shall not be conducted within enclosed areas (such as Tournament Lists) or where spectators are in close proximity to the field boundary.

3. The Marshal in Charge shall be responsible for establishing a safe area for spectators and non-combatants. The Marshal in Charge shall warn all spectators of the danger of missile weapons prior to the start of combat. He shall attempt to minimise the risk to all spectators, participants, and bystanders as much as is possible given the constraints of the site.

4. Where missile combat is to take place, a readily identifiable boundary for the combat shall be established. All spectators shall be at least 40 yards beyond this line unless the Marshal-in-Charge determines that a lesser distance will be adequate.

5. Any combatant who crosses the boundary of a spectator's area must cease fighting and should be treated as specified in the rules or Tactical Limits for "routed fighters." Any combatant who crosses such a boundary and then discharges a missile or endangers a spectator will be ejected from the battle and may be ejected from the event or subject to other sanctions.

6. Rules for capturing/slaying missile combatants shall combine fairness and realism with safety. A minimal set is given in Appendix 2.

7. Marshals should pay special attention to tactfully telling fighters of arrow strikes that they fail to feel, to enforcement of the capture/ slaying rules, and to strictly enforcing the rules above concerning crossing boundaries.

8. It is strongly recommended that non-combatants wear eye protection which is sufficient to protect against the combat arrows in use. It is recommended that Marshals also wear groin and kidney protection. Non-combatants will bear conspicuous insignia which identify their non-combatant status (usually the arms of their office). Marshals are also urged to wear marshal's tabards, or carry a clearly marked marshalling staff.

Marshalling Period Fencing

Rapier Combat and standard SCA combat are sufficiently different that competence in one style does not automatically mean competence in the other. Therefore, separate warrants and authorisations are necessary.

Because of the nature of the weapons used, marshals and fighters should pay special attention to missing tips or broken blades.

When cloaks are used by either fighter, "HOLD" should be called if the cloak becomes tangled about the head or face of either fighter, or about one of the weapons. It need not be called if the cloak is merely worrying, the face or deflecting a weapon (assuming that the Kingdom rules allow use of the cloak for more than simple blocking or deflection).

COMBAT AUTHORISATION GUIDELINES

A. GENERAL:

All persons who wish to participate in SCA combat activities must authorise under the Society and Kingdom of residence authorisation procedures. SCA combat activities are defined as armoured combat, period fencing, combat archery, marshalling, scouting, and banner bearing in combat. Other activities clearly falling within the scope above are also considered combat-related activities.

1. Each kingdom shall establish a procedure for authorising combatants for participation in SCA combat-related activities. These procedures shall verify the candidate is familiar with the following:

a. Rules of the List of the SCA

b. The Armour and Weapon standards of the SCA

c. The Conventions of Combat for the SCA

d. Kingdom of residence specific Conventions of Combat

e. Kingdom of residence specific Armour and Weapon Standards

In addition to the above requirements the candidate must demonstrate that he/she is able to function on the field in a manner that is safe both to himself/herself and his/her opponent.

2. Only a warranted or rostered Authorised Marshal may perform an Authorisation. This Marshal must witness the Authorisation and must execute the appropriate paperwork to insure the authorisation is registered with the appropriate Kingdom Official.

3. Authorisation shall be registered with and kept on file by the Minister of the Lists or other designated official of each kingdom. This office shall be responsible for keeping properly completed waivers and issuing combat authorisation cards. In addition to maintaining the registration of authorisations, this office shall provide the Earl Marshal with a list of all current Authorisation Cards upon request.

4. No authorisation card may be issued until a properly completed Waiver and informed Consent to Participate in SCA Combat-Related Activities is filed with the kingdom.

5. Waivers for SCA combat related activities shall be kept on file for seven (7) years.

6. Combat authorisations may be issued for a period of up to, but not exceeding, two (2) years.

7. Authorisation cards shall not be issued to persons residing in other kingdoms unless such persons are defined as subjects of the issuing kingdom by specific royal treaty.

8. Kingdoms may define such additional types of authorisations requirements such as weapon forms, field marshals, and missile combat marshals, as they deem necessary.

9. Valid authorisation cards shall be accepted outside the issuing kingdom, as proof of authorisation. (Kingdoms may define additional requirements before renewing an authorisation card for a person who has moved into that kingdom from another kingdom.)

10. Any kingdom may revoke the authorisation card of any other kingdom for just and stated cause. (see APPENDIX 4, page 52 and APPENDIX 5, page 56 for additional information)

B. NON-CONTACT AUTHORISATIONS:

1. Each kingdom which allows Non-Contact participants (Scouts, Non-Contact Archers, Banner-Bearers, et cetera) in SCA Combat-Related Activities shall establish a procedure for authorising non-contact participants in SCA combat-related activities. These procedures shall verify that in addition to the General Requirements the candidate is familiar with the following:

a. All safety requirements applicable to himself/herself and his/her opponent.

b. How he/she can be "killed".

2. The candidate should demonstrate under combat conditions how to die safely.

C. MINOR AUTHORISATION:

Minors (14 to 18) may authorise with these additional requirements:

a. No person below the age of sixteen (16) may be authorised in armoured combat or the marshalling of armoured combat. No person below the age of fourteen (14) may be authorised for any form of SCA combat-related activity.

b. The parents or guardians of the minor must witness SCA Combat, discuss with a witnessing marshal how it relates to the participation of their child, and execute a "Minor's Waiver and Informed Consent to Participate in SCA Combat-Related Activities". The witnessing Marshal must countersign the waiver.

c. The Earl Marshal, the Principality Marshal, or a designated Deputy must be the one to authorise the minor for SCA Combat-Related Activities.

d. At any event in which the minor is involved in SCA Combat-Related Activities the minor must either have a parent or guardian present, or must be in possession of a properly-executed "Medical Authorisation Form for Minors" designating some adult present at the event as able to authorise medical treatment in the case of an emergency.

D. MARSHALS:

1. A Marshal may be authorised after he/she demonstrates the ability to oversee combat, judge a fighter's authorisation, and inspect weapons and armour. Unless he/she is warranted or rostered by the Earl Marshal as an officer of the kingdom, however, he/she may not be the Marshal-in-Charge of an event, or sign the paperwork to authorise a fighter or non-contact participant.

2. Kingdoms may have other types of Marshals other than Authorised Marshals (local Knight Marshals, Constables et cetera) as they see fit. These individuals may be warranted or rostered by the Earl Marshal of the kingdom. However, unless the marshal has undergone a Marshall's Authorisation, he/she should not give final approval of the suitability of weapons or armour, or be involved in the authorisation of participants.

3. Only the Earl Marshal or one of his/her Deputies may perform a Marshall's Authorisation. He/She must witness the authorisation and execute the appropriate paperwork to insure the authorisation is registered. As a minimum a Marshall's Authorisation shall include the following:

a. The candidate must have a good working knowledge of the "Rules of the Lists", the Society "Conventions of Combat" and any additional Kingdom rules or conventions.

b. The candidate must be willing to enforce the "Rules of the Lists", the Society "Conventions of Combat" and any additional Kingdom rules or conventions.

c. The candidate must have a good working knowledge of the Society minimum Armour and Weapon standards and any additional Kingdom Armour and Weapon standards.

d. The candidate must demonstrate the ability to conduct an Armour and Weapons for use in combat.

e. The candidate must demonstrate the ability to conduct an for Combatants and Non-Contact participants.

f. The candidate must demonstrate the ability to safely control SCA Combat, whether this be single combat, team combat, general melee, or part of a war environment.

SAMPLE AUTHORISATION PROCEDURE

This sample authorisation is for a heavy weapons fighter. This procedure may be used as is by a kingdom or it may be modified as required to reflect the differences in culture and convention. This authorisation procedure requires a member of the Chivalry (to act as a witness and provide a second opinion), a warranted Authorised Marshal, and an experienced authorised fighter be present. This outline is general and does not deal with the specifics of armour and weapon rules, since these rules are changed as the need arises. The warranted Authorised Marshal will be trained in the specifics as they change.

1. Prior to authorising the candidate and the authorising marshal will properly complete a Waiver for SCA Combat-related Activities (THE WAIVER FOR SCA COMBAT-RELATED ACTIVITIES IS THE THE SAME AS THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP WAIVER).

2. The persons conducting the authorisation must verify that the candidate is familiar with the Rules of the Lists and the current rules that specifically govern within the kingdom of residence.

3. The candidate must present himself/herself on the field in armour for inspection. The armour must be inspected on the body and must pass the current armour requirements for combat. This inspection must be complete and exacting and any deficiencies must be permanently corrected before the person may authorise.

4. Both the experienced authorised fighter and the candidate should be armed with sword and shield or weapon that is being authorised in, if separate weapon authorisation is required by the kingdom. (The Earl Marshal may permit a substitute weapons system.)

5. For the first few minutes of the bout for authorisation, the prospective fighter and his experienced opponent shall fight at 1/2 to 3/4 speed and verbally acknowledge all blows landed.

During this phase of the authorisation the marshal and Chivalry should get an Impression of the new fighter's style, technique, ability to call blows, and the ability to defend himself/herself. If this portion of the authorisation is not satisfactorily completed the authorisation procedure shall be stopped. The candidate shall be told of the problems observed and instructed as to how to correct the problems.

6. If the first portion of the bout has progressed satisfactorily, then the combatants will be told to fight a Lists type of combat, counting blows until one is defeated.

During this phase the Marshal and Chivalry should observe the new fighter's control, reaction to blows, and ability to cope with pressure.

7. The Marshal, the Chivalry, and the authorised fighter shall confer to decide If the new fighter exhibits adequate performance in the minimum criteria for authorisation listed below:

A. Does he know and apply the Rules of the Lists and the Conventions of Combat?

B. Does he exhibit safe behaviour on the field, both for himself and for others?

C. How does he react to pressure? Does he fight back, or does he get disoriented and confused?

D. Can he defend himself?

E. Is he able to feel and judge blows, both those he receives and those he gives?

8. If the Marshal, Chivalry and experienced fighter agree that the new fighter meets these requirements for authorisation, the Marshal will notify the fighter that he is authorised. The fighter and marshal will properly complete any paperwork required by the kingdom in addition to the previously completed Waiver for SCA Combat-Related Activities. (THE WAIVER FOR SCA COMBAT-RELATED ACTIVITIES IS ELT THE SAME AS THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP WAIVER) The fighter will send these properly completed forms to the kingdom official responsible for issuing authorisation cards. Upon receipt of these properly completed forms, an authorisation card will be issued.

(The fighter should be issued a temporary card or keep a copy of the authorisation form and waiver if he intends to fight prior to receiving his authorisation card. The card should be received within one month. If the card is not received the fighter should contact the authorisation official and forward any information or paperwork required.)

COMBAT INJURIES

The following text (i.e. the section on Combat injuries) is the joint policy statement on the procedures and protocol for treating injuries which occur in combat areas. This policy is promulgated by both the Chirurgeon General and the Marshal of the Society; it is also included in the Chirurgeons Handbook.

I. GENERAL:

It should always be remembered that when an injury occurs on the field the primary concern is getting to and assisting the injured party. Second to this objective, but no less Important, is the safety of persons entering the field to help and the well-being of anyone already on the field. (For example, fighters standing around in armour in the sun could be subject to heat problems.) The marshals and chirurgeons shall work together to assist the injured and promote the safety and well-being of all parties on the field.

II. When An injury is Suspected On The Field

A. No Chirurgeon shall enter the combat area until summoned by a marshal.

B. In the event of any suspected injury on the field, the marshal should halt all fighting in the area and determine if a chirurgeon is needed. The hold may be a "local hold" as long as the safety of the injured person may be maintained.

C. Once the chirurgeon is summoned to the field, he/she should determine the extent of the problem and apprise the marshal of this status, consistent with the ethical constraints of patient confidentiality.

D. A marshal should call for a chirurgeon if he or she suspects that a participant is experiencing more than momentary distress. it is an extremely serious matter to delay the application of first aid when it is needed, and marshals who ignore injuries may be subject to revocation of their authorisation to supervise combat-related activities. See paragraph IV (below.)

III. Procedures For Treating injuries On The Field

A. Once on the field, the Chirurgeon will determine if the injury can be tended to "in place" or if the injured party can be removed from the field and then given attention.

B. No conscious person will be forced to accept treatment without his or her consent.

C. Fighting cannot resume until the injured participant can continue, is removed from the field, or the provisions in paragraph E. below are met.

D. The Chirurgeon is responsible for the care of the injured party. If removal from the field is necessary, the chirurgeon is responsible for determining and implementing the most appropriate manner (i.e. supported by others, carried on a shield or backboard, ambulance, etc.).

E. If the area is large enough and the Marshal-in-Charge on the field can provide adequate marshals to protect the injured party and the support personnel, fighting may be moved and allowed to resume on the rest of the field. Both the Marshal-in-Charge and the responding chirurgeon must be in agreement for this to happen.

F. A chirurgeon must survey the overall situation as well as attending to the injured party, and make every effort to release as much of the field as possible so that combat may proceed. Chirurgeons who repeatedly exercise poor judgement in such matters may be barred from the field. See section IV (below).

IV. Problem Resolution

Any problem resulting from lack of co-operation between Marshals and Chirurgeons will be reported to the Kingdom Earl Marshal and Kingdom Chirurgeon. The Kingdom Earl Marshal and/or Kingdom Chirurgeon shall be responsible for taking appropriate action. The SCA channels for Complaint and appeal will be followed in all cases.

APPENDIX 1

DEFINITIONS

The definitions which follow apply throughout the Handbook, unless specifically stated otherwise. They are intended to clarify usage and establish a frame of reference for the various materials used in SCA combat.

Armour Materials:

1. Bars: When used in the face guard of helms, should be minimum 3/16 inch (4.5 mm) in diameter mild steel, or the equivalent. If the distance between cross-bars is 2 inches (5 cm) or less, 1/8" (3 mm) bars may be used.

2. Closed-cell foam: A less dense foam than resilient foam. For example, Ensolite.

3. Equivalent: Refers to the impact resistance, impact distribution, and impact absorption characteristics of the specified material --- not to the physical dimensions.

4. Foam: Any open- or closed-cell foam, including foam rubber, foam neoprene, polyurethane etc.

5. Gauge: U.S. sheet metal standard. Note that 16 gauge is officially 1/16" (.0625" or about 1.6 mm), but commercially available sheet frequently is rolled to .058 or even .055" --- much too thin for helms.

6. Heavy Leather: Stiff oak-tanned leathers 1/81, (3 mm) or more thick. Often referred to as belt leather or 8 oz. leather.

7. Mail: Any fabric of small metal components either linked together (e.g. chain) or attached to a flexible backing (e.g. ring or scale).

8. Padding: quilted or multi-layered cloth material, such as mattress pads, moving pads carpet, felt, or equivalent.

9. Plate: Large components of rigid material (e.g. steel of no less than 18 gauge, aluminium of no less than 1/8", (3mm) or equivalents).

10. Resilient Foam: Dense, plastic, closed-cell foam such as ethyl polymer.

11. Rigid Material:

a. Steel of not less than 22 gauge (.045"). (There is a tendency for sheet steel to be rolled significantly thinner than its nominal thickness, as noted above. 24 gauge, even if sold as 22 gauge, is the stuff of beer cans and not sufficient.)

b. Aluminium of not less than 18 gauge.

c. Other metals of sufficient thickness to give similar rigidity to those listed above.

d. High impact resistant plastics such as ABS or polyethylene of sufficient thickness to give similar rigidity to those listed above.

e. Heavy leather that has been hardened in hot wax, soaked in polyester resin (properly catalysed), etc.

f. Two layers of untreated heavy leather.

g. Thick, deep pile carpet that has been soaked in polyester resin (properly catalysed).

h. Two layers of untreated, thick deep-pile carpet.

12. Steel: cold or hot rolled mild steel or equivalent ferrous material.

Weapons:

1. Swords: Single- or double-edged bladed cutting weapons (including swords with thrusting tips).

2. Mass weapons: Maces, axes war hammers or other weapons which are designed to smash or punch holes (on account of the weight of the real weapons), rather than primarily to cut (on account of sharp edges on the real weapon).

3. Missile weapon: Any weapon which is intended to deliver a blow without being held in the hand (e.g. arrows, javelins, quarrels, or various soft projectiles from catapults etc.) (See the Missile Combat rules and standards below).

4. Pole arms; Hafted weapons, generally long, designed to be swung with two hands. Includes glaives, halberds, etc.

5. Spears: Hafted weapons designed for thrusting only.

6. Progressively resistant "give": As used in discussions of thrusting tips, this means that the marshal pushes on the tip with his hand and it does not bottom out, bend aside to expose the end of the blade or haft, etc.

Other Definitions:

1. Authorisation: A procedure which determines that the individual fighter has, at minimum, read and become familiar with the rules of combat and been observed while fighting to assure that he does not constitute an exceptional safety hazard (either to himself or to others). Details of the procedure used vary from Kingdom to Kingdom, and may include further requirements. (Note: the former term "qualification" is still heard, but should be avoided.)

2. Battle: A single combat event in a war or war game wherein a specific scenario is enacted.

3. Earl Marshal: The warranted chief marshal of a Kingdom.

4. Eric: The boundary line around the edge of the fighting field.

5. Full-Contact Combat Archer: A combatant equipped in armour meeting at least the minimum requirements for combat using rattan (heavy) weapons and who will be using archery equipment in combat. EXCEPTION: Hand protection shall meet the Archer's Gauntlet requirement as outlined in Combat Archery Rules and Regulations.

6. Fully Armoured: For the purposes of acknowledging blows, a fully armoured fighter is presumed to be wearing a light-weight, short sleeved, knee length, riveted mail hauberk over a padded gambeson, with boiled leather arm and leg defenses and an open faced iron helm with a nasal. (The helm may be presumed to include a very light chain mail drape --- permitting vision and resisting cuts by a mere touch of a bladed weapon.) (Note that the hand, knee, and lower leg armour are considered to be proof against all attack. Also, the hands, wrists, knees and lower legs, and feet, including the areas up to 1" (2.5 cm) above the knee cap and 1" (2.5 cm) above the bend of the wrist, are not legal targets.)

7. Heavy Fighter: A combatant equipped in armour meeting at least the minimum requirements for combat using rattan (heavy) weapons and who will be using such weapons in combat.

8. Heavy Weapons: Rattan weapons including, but not limited to, swords of all length, great weapons, mass weapons, pole arms and spears. Other weapons in this class exist and have been used including shields designed for thrusting.

9. Light Fighter: A combatant equipped in armour meeting at least the minimum requirements for combat using light weapons and who will be using light weapons in combat.

10. Light Weapons: Projectile weapons including, but not limited to, bows and arrows, crossbows and bolts, slings and stones or bullets, javelins, darts, and throwing axes. Other weapons in this class exist and have been used including shuriken, knives and catapults. In cases where the combat is solely between light fighters, and if the scenario allows it, shinai (bamboo Kendo swords) can also be used in adjunct with other "light weapons".

11. Light Weapons Combat: (LWC) Combat in which only light weapons are to be used.

12. Knight Marshal: The warranted chief marshal of a Principality, Barony, Province, Shire, Canton, etc. (whether a belted fighter or not).

13. Marshal: a) someone who is monitoring the conduct of combat on the field. (The Marshal-in-Charge of an event shall be a warranted marshal; the other individuals doing marshalling may or may not be, so long as the Marshal-in-Charge finds them competent to do the job.)

b) The Marshal of the Society.

14. Mixed Combat: Combat in which both Light and Heavy fighters are to participate.

15. Non-Contact Combat Archer: A combatant equipped in armour meeting at least the minimum requirements for combat using light weapons and who will be using archery equipment in combat.

16. Tactical Limits: The body of rules and definitions which apply to a specific battle, such as the description of real or imaginary terrain features, obstacles, weapons limitations, allowable conduct, and scoring.

17. War: A declared state of feigned hostility between two or more kingdoms, branches, or other recognised SCA groups, for the express intent of holding group combat.

18. War Manoeuvres: Group combat events not involving a state of declared hostility, usually with both sides drawn from all of the kingdoms, branches or other recognised SCA groups participating.

APPENDIX 2

General:

The basic rules for SCA combat are contained in the Rules of the Lists. These Rules, however, do not specifically coyer non-tourney field activities such as wars, war archery, and period fencing. In practice, the Rules have been extended to cover these activities, with the observance of honour and chivalry being the overriding element, along with the safety of the combatants. The following is intended to bring together the appropriate rules for conducting both tourney field combat and other SCA combat activities.

RULES OF THE LISTS:

The Rules of the Lists are reprinted from Appendix B of the Corpora of the

SCA.

THE RULES OF THE LISTS

OF THE

SOCIETY FOR CREATIVE ANACHRONISM INC.

1. Each fighter, recognising 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 recognise the risks involved in their presence on or near the field of combat, and shall assume unto themselves the liabilities thereof.

2. No person shall participate in Combat-Related Activities (including armoured combat, period fencing, combat archery, scouting, and banner bearing in combat) outside of formal training sessions unless he or she shall have been properly authorised under Society and Kingdom procedures.

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

4. All combatants shall adhere to the appropriate armour 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.

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

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

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

8. Fighting with real weapons, whether fast or slow, is strictly forbidden at any Society event. This rule does not consider approved weaponry which meets the Society and Kingdom standards for traditional Society combat and/or Society period rapier combat, used in the context of mutual sport, to be real weaponry.

9. 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 the appropriate Society and Kingdom Conventions of Combat.

Governing and Policy Decisions

The Governing and Policy Decisions (G&PD's) of the Board of Directors which are pertinent to combat are given below. In addition, the matter of SCA membership and other requirements for entrants in Crown or Coronet Lists is also addressed in Corpora Article VI.A., and potential entrants should consult that document.

4. ENFORCEMENT OF MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATING IN CROWN AND CORONET LISTS (August 1979, amended May 1982, July 1986, July 1989)

1. Kingdoms and Principalities will ensure that all competitors in Crown and Coronet Lists are aware of membership requirements for themselves and their prospective consorts at the time they register for participation in the lists. All competitors shall sign a statement to the effect that they and their prospective consorts meet the requirements for membership. This statement will be kept on file with the Marshal or the Minister of the Lists.

2. All entrants and prospective consorts must be members on the first day of the month in which the Crown or Coronet Lists occur. In order to qualify, people must be listed in the Registrar's data base as current members, and this requires that membership applications or renewals reach the Registry before the first of the month PRIOR to the month of the tournament. For example, the deadline for a tournament in May would be the last working day of March.

3. If either entrant or prospective consort is in violation of membership requirements, both are subject to dismissal by the Board, nullification of their official acts, and liable to loss of any honours and privileges deriving from having held the Crown or Coronet.

5. RAPIER FIGHTING IN THE SOCIETY (September 1979; rev. July 1989)

The Board acknowledges period rapier combat as an ancillary activity of the society when properly supervised by the marshals and when approved by individual kingdoms.

Rapier combat may take place within a kingdom only by rules established by the Marshallate of that kingdom and after the approval of those rules by the Marshal of the Society. The Board directs the Marshal of the Society to formulate guidelines for rapier combat within the Society.

Rapier combat, not having been part of formal tournament combat in the Middle Ages, shall not be a part of formal tournament lists for royal ranks and armigerous titles.

6. POLICY ON RELIGION (June 1980, revised July 1988)

Having no wish to recreate the religious conflicts of the period under study, the Society for Creative Anachronism, incorporated, shall neither establish nor prohibit any system of belief among its members. No one shall perform any religious or magical ceremony at a Society event (or in association with the name of the Society) in such a way as to imply that the ceremony is authorised, sponsored, or promulgated by the Society or to force anyone at a Society event by direct or indirect pressure, to observe or join the ceremony. However, this provision is in no way intended to discourage the study of historical belief systems and their effects on the development of Western culture.

Except as provided herein, neither the Society nor any member acting in its name or that of any of its parts shall interfere with any person's lawful ceremonies, nor shall any member discriminate against another upon grounds related to either's system of belief.

NOTE - The original text of G&PD #27 vas very specific about the types of actions considered improper use of magical or religious ceremonies, and included an explicit prohibition against the use of amulets and other magical devices on the field of combat. Although the new wording is much more general, the Board minutes establish that it is regarded as providing equivalent protection to the membership. Whether or not you believe in amulets, the use of any such device in a manner that causes your opponent or others on the field to be affected by it, for instance by knowledge of its existence, would be regarded as a ceremony prohibited by this G&PD.

12. SCA COMBAT-RELATED ACTIVITIES (July 1986, revised January 1992 and April 1993)

1. Definitions: SCA combat-related activities are defined as armoured combat, period fencing combat archery marshalling, scouting, and banner bearing in combat. Other activities clearly falling within the scope of the above are also to be considered combat-related activities.

2. Authorisation for SCA Combat-Related Activities: A participant in any of the SCA combat-related activities as defined above must be authorised by a marshal warranted and designated by the Earl Marshal of a kingdom or his representative as able to authorise individuals in the appropriate activity.

The Society Marshal shall define requirements for authorisation for all combat-related activities and shall place them in the Marshall's Handbook. Kingdoms may define such additional types of authorisation (such as weapons forms) as they deem necessary.

Authorisations shall be registered with and kept on file by the Minister of the Lists or other designated official of each kingdom. 3. Waivers for SCA Combat-Related Activities: Waivers are required for participation in SCA combat and related activities. The Sea General Membership Waiver adopted January 1993 is the text required for use in the United States and Canada. Alternative texts may be approved by the Board for use in other countries. Proof of waiver will be established as follows:

a. To be authorised, or to engage as an authorised participant in SCA combat or related activities, a person must present a current valid membership card indicating that the appropriate waiver is on file with the SCA, Inc.

b. To train for authorisation at SCA-sponsored practice sessions, a person must sign a waiver with the same text to be kept on file by the supervising marshal.

4. Combat Authorisation Card: A Combat Authorisation Card shall be issued to each authorised participant in an SCA Combat-Related Activity. This card shall be presented to the Lists Official at an SCA event to register for such activities and shall establish that the person is authorised. This card must be shown to any marshal or lists official upon request. The Society Marshal shall establish procedures for the notification and registration of authorisations and the issuance of the Combat Authorisation Cards.

5. Minor Participants in SCA Combat-Related Activities: No person who has not attained his or her sixteenth (16th) birthday may be authorised in armoured combat or the marshalling of armoured combat. No person who has not attained his or her fourteenth (14th) birthday may be authorised for any form of SCA combat-related activity.

Prior to the training of a minor in any SCA combat related activity, the parent or guardian of the minor must witness the activity, discuss it with a witnessing marshal, and execute a Parent's Consent for SCA Combat-Related Activities. The witnessing marshal must be explicitly authorised to perform this function by the Earl Marshal of the kingdom. The consent for must be retained by the marshal of the practice session training the minor, forwarded with the other documentation (including proof of membership) at the time an authorisation card is to be issued, and kept on file with the kingdom authorisation records.

The marshal who is authorises a minor person for any form of SCA combat-related activity must be the Kingdom Earl Marshal or the Principality Marshal. This need not be the same person as the witnessing marshal. The authorising marshal must note on the card that parental consent is on file.

6. Medical Authorisation for Minors: Any minor involved in SCA combat-related activities at an event MUST have a parent or legal guardian present at the event, or be in possession of a properly executed Medical Authorisation Form for Minors designating some adult

person present at the event as able to authorise medical treatment for that minor in the case of any emergency.

The Board recommends that all minors who are ATTENDING an event without a parent or legal guardian have a properly-executed medical authorisation form as provided above.

Applications of the Rules of the List

Ref Rule 1: "Other participants" include Marshals, and also support personnel whose activities bring them close to fighting in a situation where boundaries are not clearly defined. Heralds, Lists Pages, and similar officers who leave the field entirely before combat begins are exempt from this requirement, as are Water-Bearers and Chirurgeons who remain in fixed support points outside the tournament field or battle area. Water-Bearers and Chirurgeons who take part in mobile support groups within the overall boundaries of a battle area must receive a basic orientation in field safety, and sign the Combat-Related Activities Waiver.

Ref Rule 2: The Crown and/or Marshallate of each kingdom shall establish standards and procedures for the authorisation of fighters to participate in combat. At minimum, these procedures should assure that the individual has read the Rules of the Lists, is familiar with the conventions and rules of the kingdom and the SCA, and has been observed in combat by a member of the marshallate who can determine that he is not an exceptional safety hazard to himself or to others. At kingdom option, these procedures may involve either a general authorisation to participate in armoured combat, or a set of separate authorisation procedures for the use of (or for combat AGAINST) specific weapons or classes of weapons.

The Crown and/or Marshallate of each kingdom shall establish standards and procedures for the authorisation of combat archers and missile users to participate in combat.

Kingdoms may establish such additional limitations on the participation of minors as may be deemed necessary.

It is usual for authorisations from other kingdoms to be accepted, although exceptions may prove necessary in the case of specific individuals.

Ref Rule 4: Kingdoms may apply armour and weapons standards which are stricter than the Society standards, should they be deemed necessary, but may not reduce or waive any Society standard.

Ref Rule 5: If a fighter regards an opponent's weapon or armour as unduly dangerous to face, he or she can request the Marshal of the field to re-inspect the item. Either fighter has the option of appealing the decision of the re-inspecting Marshal to the Marshal in Charge and ultimately to the Sovereign.

Ref Rule 6: Engaging in any Society combat activity with the deliberate intent to inflict injury to an opponent is strictly forbidden

Ref Rule 7: No one is required to fight in a tournament should he or she prefer not to do so.

Ref Rule 8: Since fighting with real weapons is forbidden at any Society event, threatening the use of such weapons is likewise expressly forbidden.

At the discretion of the Sovereign and the Marshal in Charge recognised experts may be permitted to present choreographed demonstrations with real weapons under strictly controlled conditions.

Posing for still photographs with real weapons is permitted.

No one may wear any real weapon onto the field while participating in combat or present during combat. At the discretion of the Sovereign and the Marshal in Charge, an exception may be made for marshals or other non-combatants to wear knives bonded with peace straps.

Ref Rule 9: The prohibition on thrown weapons refers to weapons in combat, or thrown in a hostile manner. It does not apply to "tossing" as a gentle, short-range method of transferring or removing a tournament weapon or item from the Lists or area of combat.

The use of archery, firearms, slings javelins, throwing axes, throwing knives, or any other projectile is forbidden within Tournament Lists, or in any other situation where spectators can not be separated from the potential line of fire by more than the effective range of the weapons.

CONVENTIONS OF COMBAT OF THE SCA, INC

Introduction:

All traditional SCA Armoured Combat at SCA Tourneys, wars and other events shall be conducted in accordance with the Rules of the Lists of the SCA, Inc., these conventions of Combat, and such weapons, equipment, and event rules as are established by the Marshallate of the SCA, Inc. and individual Kingdom marshallate.

I. General Information:

A. All Kingdoms shall have as their minimum Armour and Weapons standards those criteria established as Society minimum Armour and Weapons standards. Additional, more extensive , and more strict standards may be put into place by each Kingdom.

1. All fighters, prior to combat at each and every SCA event, shall insure that their Armour and Weapons are inspected by a warranted member of the Kingdom Marshallate.

2. Even though a warranted member of the Kingdom Marshallate has inspected the Armour and Weapons used by a fighter, each fighter accepts full responsibility for the condition of his or her own equipment, and has the obligation to himself or herself, the marshals and all opponents to see that his or her equipment meets all Society and Kingdom requirements.

B. When not otherwise directed by the Crown, the Crown's representative upon the field and in all matters dealing with Society Combat is the Earl Marshal, and, by delegation, members of the Kingdom Marshallate.

II. Behaviour on the field:

A. All fighters shall obey the commands of the marshals on the field, or shall be removed from the field and shall be subject to disciplinary action.

1. Disagreements with the marshals on the field shall be resolved through the established mechanisms outlined in the Marshallate Procedures of the SCA, Inc.

B. Each fighter shall maintain control over his or her temper at all times.

C. Striking an opponent with excessive force is forbidden.

D. Upon hearing the call of "HOLD" all fighting shall immediately stop.

E. Any behaviour that takes deliberate advantage of an opponent's chivalry or safety-consciousness, or that takes deliberate unfair advantage of an opponent, is prohibited.

1. A fighter shall not deliberately strike a helpless opponent.

2. Any fighter who obtains an unfair advantage by repeatedly becoming "helpless" (e.g. by falling down or losing his or her weapon) may, after being duly warned by the marshals on the field, be forced to yield the fight at the next occurrence of such behaviour. The onus of this is on the marshals, not on the opponent. However, the opponent may ask the marshals to let the fight continue.

III The use of Weapons and Shields:

A. Weapons shall be used in accordance with their design (i.e. spears may only be used for thrusting, axes for striking along the edge of the blade, et cetera).

1. Only weapons approved for thrusting may be used for that purpose. Feinting as if to thrust with a weapon not approved for that purpose is not permitted. Before any bout where a thrusting weapon is used the opponent and marshals shall be informed that such a weapon is on the field, and the thrusting tip shall be shown to the opponent.

2. A weapon wielded with two hands and having a grip of more than 18" (45 cm) long shall not be power-swung through an arc of more than 90 degrees. Moving such a weapon more than 90 degrees for defence or positioning prior to attack shall not be construed to be in violation of this rule, so long as the weapon is not power-swung and does not strike with excessive force.

3. The blade of a weapon may not be grasped at any time, nor may it be trapped in contact with the fighter's body as a means of preventing the opponent's use of the weapon. Neither may the blade of a fighter's own weapon be grasped to enhance the block.

B. The striking surface of a weapon in motion may not be grasped or blocked by the hands or limbs as a means of impeding a blow. Inadvertently bringing the hands in contact with the striking surface of such a weapon when attempting to block a blow with another weapon shall not be considered to be in violation of this convention.

C. Blows repeatedly blocked by a weapon in contact with a fighter's helm, body or shield at the moment of impact may at the Crown's or Marshallate discretion, be considered to have broken the blocking weapon. This will force a fighter to forfeit the fight, unless a secondary weapon is carried or the opponent chooses to allow the fighter to rearm with another weapon.

D. A shield may be used to displace, deflect, or immobilise an opponent's shield or weapon, so long as such use does not endanger the safety of the combatants. Deliberately striking an opponent's head, limbs, or body with a shield is forbidden, unless that shield is designed to be used as a weapon, and is approved by the Kingdom Marshallate. Shields designed to be used as a weapon, and approved by the Kingdom Marshallate, shall be considered a mass weapon.

IV. Acknowledgement of Blows:

A. In judging the effect of blows, all fighters are presumed to be fully armoured. Special tournaments or combats may be held which may redefine what areas of the body are armoured, and to what extent, so long as all the participants are made aware of the special conditions prior to the start of combat.

1. All "fully armoured" fighters are presumed to be wearing hauberk over a padded gambeson, with boiled leather arm and leg defenses and an open-faced iron helm with a nasal. The helm may be presumed by Kingdom convention to include a very light chain mail drape, permitting vision and resisting cuts by the mere touch of a bladed weapon.

a. Under this standard, an acceptable cutting blow to the face would be lighter than to other portions of the head or body. Areas deemed illegal for attack (the wrists from 1" above the hands, from 1" above the knees and below) shall be considered safe from all attack.

b. An acceptable thrusting blow to the face shall be a directed touch and would be substantially lighter than to other parts of the body.

B. Blows must be delivered with effective technique for the particular type of weapon used, and must strike properly oriented and with sufficient force, to be considered an effective, or good, blow.

1. An effective blow to the head, neck, or torso shall be judged fatal or totally disabling, rendering the fighter incapable of further combat.

2. An effective blow from an axe, mace, pole arm, greatsword, or other mass weapon which lands on the hip above the hip socket, or strikes the shoulder inside the shoulder socket, shall be judged fatal or totally disabling.

3. An effective blow to the arm above the wrist will disable the arm. The arm shall then be considered useless to the fighter, and may not be used for either offence or defence.

4. An effective blow to the leg above the knee will disable the leg. The fighter must then fight kneeling, sitting, or standing upon the foot of the unstruck leg.

a. Kingdoms may put limitations upon the mobility of such injured fighters.

5. If a wounded limb blocks an otherwise acceptable blow, the blow shall be counted as though the limb were not there.

6. Kingdoms may institute a "bleed rule" that would render a fighter who has suffered an effective wound to a limb incapable of further combat after a specified time.

C. All fighters are expected to take into account the nature of the weapon being used by their opponent and the location of the point of impact of that weapon when judging the outcome of a blow delivered. Fighters are also expected to take into account the timing of the blow and the collision of the weapon with any other object other than the fighter's presumed armour.

1. The fact that a blow struck a shield or another weapon before striking the combatant may be reason why the blow

was not effective. However, a blow which strikes with sufficient force and properly oriented shall be considered effective, regardless of what it hit prior to striking the combatant.

D. Sometimes a blow which would normally be accepted occurs at almost the same moment as an event that would cause the fight to be stopped (a "HOLD", being called, the fighter throwing the blow being killed, etc.). If the blow was begun before the occurrence of the event which would cause the bout to be halted, it shall be deemed a legal blow, and acceptable if of sufficient force and not blocked or deflected. If the blow was begun after the occurrence of the event which would cause the bout to be halted, it shall be deemed not legal, and need not be accepted.

E. A blow that includes the dropping of a weapon at the moment of impact need not be counted.

Missile Combat Rules

Missile combat falls mainly in to the rules above, except that Rule 9 (which bans projectile weapons) is waived. In addition, the definition of "fully armoured" is sometimes modified to make plate (if worn by the combatants) proof against missiles --- because it is difficult to impossible to detect the impact of an arrow on plate armour.

Because of the restrictions which have been placed on missile weapons (i.e. bow draw weight, arrow construction), missiles are not generally required to strike as hard as non-missile weapons in order for the blow to be counted.

Full-Contact Combat Archers (Heavy Archers):

1. Full-Contact Combat Archers shall meet the minimal Society standards for a fully armoured, heavy weapons combatant. The only exception to this rule shall be those archers equipped with the "Archer's Gauntlet" (see point 3 below).

2. Full-Contact Combat Archers shall be Authorised to participate by the marshallate, following established marshallate procedures. During this authorisation all Combat Archers must show:

That they are familiar with the Rules of the Lists and all the conventions of combat regarding Combat Archery in their Kingdom. That they can recognise and accept a killing blow.

That they are safe to themselves and their opponents.

That they can keep their bow out of the way during combat.

An awareness for crowd (spectator) safety.

3. Full-Contact Combat Archers shall wear an "Archer's Gauntlet" on the

hand that is used to pick up and draw arrows. The hand that is used to hold the bow shall meet the minimum Society standards for hand protection for a fully armoured, heavy weapons combatant.

The "Archer's Gauntlet" shall be a minimum of a hockey glove with the fingers cut off, so that the back of the hand and the wrist is protected. A light leather glove which covers the fingers is strongly recommended, and will eliminate the need for finger tabs, etc. Other gauntlets may be used in place of the "Archer's Gauntlet" described above, so long as they provide equivalent or greater protection.

4. A Full-Contact Combat Archer may be killed (i.e.; struck) as is any combatant on the field. A cry of "yield" shall be accepted. Once killed, Full-Contact Combat Archers are treated as any other dead combatant, being removed from combat as soon as practical (thus decreasing the chance that a bow will be stepped on).

5. A Full-Contact Combat Archer may become a regular combatant as long as he is Authorised as a regular combatant and does two things:

A) Discards his bow in a safe manner, removing it from the area of combat, and replaces it with an approved weapon and/or shield.

B) Either changes his "Archer's Gauntlet" for a combat-legal gauntlet, or places his hand in an approved basket hilt. Approved in this instance means that it vas inspected and approved by a warranted marshal while the Combat Archer was wearing his "Archer's Gauntlet" inside the basket hilt.

Non-Contact Combat Archers (Light Archers):

1. Non-Contact Combat Archers shall meet the Missile Weapon equipment standards as outlined in Appendix 3.

2. Non-Contact Combat Archers shall be Authorised to participate by the marshallate, following established marshallate procedures. During this authorisation all Combat Archers must show:

That they are familiar with the Rules of the List and all the conventions of combat regarding Combat Archery in their Kingdom. That they are safe to themselves and their opponents.

That they can recognise a killing blow from another archer.

An awareness for crowd (spectator) safety.

3. Each Kingdom shall establish a safe method of determining that Non-Contact Combat Archers are "dead" (such as approaching within 10 feet of the Archer, et cetera).

4. Non-Contact Combat Archers shall be treated as all other non-combatants, i.e.; they shall not be struck by any heavy weapons combatant. They are subject to missile fire.

Period Fencing Rules

Rapier Combat falls outside of some of the rules of traditional SCA Armoured combat. It is intended to re-create the rapier fighting styles of the 15th and 16th centuries.

1. Each fighter is expected to abide by the Rules of the Lists and Conventions of Combat of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc., and the additional rules set down below.

2. Engaging in Rapier Combat with the deliberate intent to inflict injury on an opponent is strictly forbidden.

3. Blows are to be struck by thrusting with the point or draw-cutting with the edge of the blade. Chopping or saber-type cuts are not permitted.

4. It is the responsibility of each fighter to determine what weapons his opponent is using and resolve any questions before combat.

5. Fighters are considered to be wearing hose or a skirt, and a shirt. No blow may be discounted because of the actual clothing worn by the fighter. Any protection or clothing that prevents a fighter from properly calling a blow will not be allowed.

6. A fighter is considered armed as long as at least one offensive weapon is retained.

7. Dishonourable conduct such as grappling, throwing a weapon at an opponent, striking with excessive force, consistent ignoring of blows, or deliberate misuse of the rules (such as dropping a weapon whenever pressed) will not be allowed.

8. Grasping or trapping against the body any portion of an opponent's bladed weapon or buckler is not allowed.

9. All rapier fighters shall comply with the rules and standards of the Kingdom in which they are fighting, and conform to the accepted definitions of honourable conduct. At inter-kingdom events, a fighter must at a minimum, comply with these rules and meet their home kingdom's standards for protective equipment.

10. If Rapier Combat is to occur in a kingdom, the Crown and/or Marshallate of the kingdom shall first establish a set of fighting rules, as well as standards and procedures for authorisation to participate in Rapier Combat. As a minimum, the authorisation procedure should ensure that the individual is familiar with the rules and conventions of the kingdom, and has been observed while fighting by a member of the Marshallate who can determine that the fighter is not an exceptional safety hazard either to himself or to others.

APPENDIX 3

ARMOUR AND WEAPON STANDARDS

All construction standards are intended to specify materials and methods that will enable armour to function properly and maximise safety.

Armour:

1. Helms:

a. Helms shall be constructed of steel of no less than 16 gauge, or of equivalent material. Be aware that steel of less than .0625" (1/16" or 1.6 mm) is too thin, even if it is sold as 16 gauge. (Note also that the mass of the helm is an important part of the protection. Beware of titanium, fibreglass, or other ultra-light materials.)

b. All joints or seams shall be constructed in one or a combination of the following ways:

Welded on the inside and outside.

Welded with a single bead that extends through both surfaces.

Lap joints welded or brazed at the edges of both pieces.

Riveted with Iron or steel rivets no more than 2-1/2 inches (63.5 mm) apart, or with equivalent riveting techniques.

Welds must be sound and rivets secure.

c. Face guards shall prevent a 1 inch (25.4 mm) diameter dowel from entering any facial opening.

d. The face guard shall extend at least I inch (25 mm) below the bottom of the chin and jaw line when the head is held erect (see drawings page 58).

e. Bars used in the face guard shall be steel of not less than 3/16" (4.8 mm) in diameter, or equivalent. I the span between cross-bars is less than 2 inches, 1/8" diameter bars may be used.

f. All visors shall be attached and secured in such a way that there is minimal chance that they will become detached or come open in normal use.

g. There shall be no major internal projections; minor projections of necessary structural components shall be padded. All metal shall be free of sharp edges. Face guard bars or mesh should not attach to the interior of the helm, unless of structurally superior design and workmanship.

h. All parts of the helm that might come into contact with the wearer's head shall be padded with a minimum of 1/2" (13 mm) of resilient or closed-cell foam, or equivalent, or shall be suspended in such a way as to prevent injurious contact with the wearer. Similarly, parts of the helm which might come in contact with the wearer's neck or body should be padded.

i. All helms shall be equipped with a chin strap or other means of preventing the helm from being dislodged during combat. An equivalent might be, for example, a strap from helm to breast plate. A "snug fit" is NOT an equivalent. The chin strap should not be so thin or so placed that it will tend to strangle the wearer. (See Armour inspection - page 6, item 6 for further applications.)

2. Eye Wear:

a. The lens of all eye wear shall be shatter proof safety glass or plastic. Ordinary glass lenses are prohibited. The wearing of contacts or "sports glass" is strongly recommended.

3. Neck Armour:

a. The larynx and cervical vertebrae (see drawing page 58) must be covered by the helm, by a gorget of rigid material, by a mail or heavy leather camail or aventail, or by a collar of heavy leather lined with foam or other equivalent padding. They must stay covered during typical combat situations (turning the head, lifting the chin, etc.).

4. Body, Shoulder, and Groin Armour:

a. The kidney area, the short ribs, and the lower spine (see drawing page 58) shall be covered with a minimum of heavy leather worn over 1/4" (6 mm) of closed cell foam or equivalent padding.

b. For men, the groin must be covered by a minimum of a rigid athletic cup (e. g., a hockey, soccer, karate, or baseball cup), worn in a supporter or fighting garment designed to hold the cup in place, or equivalent armour.

c. For women, groin protection of closed-cell foam or heavy leather or the equivalent is required. The wearing of male style athletic cups by female fighters is prohibited.

d. For women, breast protection in the form of a gambeson shall be worn as a minimum. Separate breast cups are prohibited unless connected by or mounted upon an interconnecting rigid piece, i.e., heavy leather or metal breast plate.

e. Heavy padding over the shoulders is recommended.

5. Hand and Wrist Armour:

The outer surfaces of the hand and wrist of both arms (see drawings page 58) must be covered by one or a combination of the following:

a. A metal basket hilt with enough bars or plates to prevent a blow from striking the fingers or the back of the hand. If a basket hilt is used, a vambrace or partial gauntlet should cover the remaining portions of the hand and wrist.

b. A gauntlet made of rigid plates, either lined with padding or foam, or designed to transfer potentially injurious impact to the surfaces being grasped. (Note that finger gauntlets, in which plates cover individual fingers but do not form an arch over the finger to transfer force to the surface being grasped, are not adequate.)

c. A gauntlet of heavy leather lined with closed cell foam or heavy padding. (Note: A hockey glove is considered to be the equivalent.)

d. A shield. (Note: a shield alone is NOT sufficient, since It covers only the back of the hand --- not the fingers or thumb.)

6. Arm Armour:

a. The point and bones at either side of the elbow Joint (see drawing page 58) must be covered by a rigid material underlain by 1/4" (6 mm) of resilient padding or closed-cell foam, by a shield, or by an approved equivalent. This armour shall be attached in such a way that the elbow remains covered during combat.

7. Leg Armour:

a. The kneecap and both sides of the knee joints (see drawings page 58) must be covered by rigid material lined by 1/4" (6 mm) of resilient padding or closed-cell foam or an approved equivalent. This armour shall be attached in such a way that the knee remains covered during combat.

b. A minimum of heavy padding over the thigh of the shield-side leg is strongly recommended.

SHIELDS:

Shields shall be edged with leather, or other padding in such a way as to minimise the damage to rattan weapons.

No bolts, wires, or other objects may project more than 3/8 inch (9 mm) from any part of a shield without being padded. (Rounded shield bosses are not included in this category.) (See also shield as weapon)

WEAPONS:

No metal may be used in the striking surface or surfaces of any weapon.

1. Weapons used single-handed shall have a wrist strap (or equivalent restraint) which will keep the weapon from leaving the immediate area of the user.

2. Swords:

a. Swords shall be constructed of rattan and shall be not less than 1 1/4" (33 mm) in total diameter (including rattan and tape) along its entire length.

b. The rattan shall not be treated in any way that will substantially reduce its flexibility.

c. The edges and tip of the blade shall be rounded and the blade itself shall be no less than 1 1/4v" (33 mm) in cross section.

d. The tip of the blade shall be rounded.

e. The full length of the blade, including the tip, shall be wrapped in such a way that no rattan splinters protrude.

f. When thrusting tips are used, they shall be no less than 2" (51 mm) in diameter or cross-section and shall provide progressively resistant "give" under pressure without allowing contact with the rigid tip of the weapon. Further, it shall not be possible to

force the thrusting tip more than 1/2 inch (12.5 mm) into a legal face guard. (See also, page 34, ltem5. Spears: d.)

g. Swords shall have a hand guard such as a basket hilt quillons or equivalent. The hand guards shall have no sharp edges or protruding unpadded points of less than 1 1/4 inch (33 mm) in diameter. Further, it shall not be possible to force the guard more than 1/2 inch (12.5 mm) into a legal face guard.

3. Mass Weapons:

a. Hafts shall be of rattan (or equivalent material) of no less than 1 1/4 inch (33 mm) in diameter.

b. The haft may not be treated in any way that significantly reduces its flexibility.

c. The head shall not be constructed solely of rigid materials. The head shall be firmly and securely attached to the haft. The head shall allow some progressively resistant give, between the striking surface and the weapon haft.

d. The striking surface of all mass weapons shall have no sharp edges or square corners.

e. if grips or guards are used, they shall have no sharp edges or protruding unpadded points with cross-sections of less than 1 1/4 inch (33 mm) in diameter. Guards and pommels shall be firmly and securely affixed to the haft.

f. When thrusting tips are used they shall be no less than 21 (51 mm) in diameter or cross section, and shall provide progressively resistant "give" under pressure without allowing contact with the rigid tip of the weapon. Further I it shall not be possible to force the thrusting tip more than 1/2 inch (12.5 mm) into a legal face guard.

g. Maximum total weight of weapon shall not exceed 5 pounds.

4. Pole Arms:

a. Shafts shall be of rattan (or equivalent material) of no less than one and 1 1/4 inch (33 mm) in diameter.

b. Pole weapons should not be excessively flexible or whippy

c. The head shall not be constructed of solely rigid materials. The head shall be firmly and securely attached to the haft. The head shall allow some progressively resistant "give" between the striking surface and the weapon haft.

d. No pole arm may have a cutting head and/or smashing head at both ends.

e. When thrusting tips are used they shall be no less than 2" (51 mm) in diameter or cross-section and shall provide progressively resistant "give" under pressure without allowing contact with the rigid tip of the weapon. Further I it shall not e possible to force the thrusting tip more than 1/2 inch (12.5 mm) into a legal face guard.

f. Weight of the total weapon shall not exceed one pound per foot up to 6 (six) feet in length. Additional weight is allowed to weapons over 6 feet in length at the rate of 1/2 (one-half) pound per foot (i.e. a 7 (seven) foot weapon would be allowed to weigh 6 1/2 (six and one-half) pounds.)

5. Spears:

a. Spears shall not have any cutting or smashing head.

b. Shafts shall be of rattan (or equivalent material) of no less than 1 1/4 inch (33 mm) in diameter. Fibreglass spears shall be constructed in accordance with the additional specifications listed below.

c. Thrusting tips shall be no less than 2" (51 mm) in diameter or cross-section, and shall provide progressively resistant give, under pressure without allowing contact with the rigid tip of the weapon. Further it shall not be possible to force the thrusting tip more than 1/2 inch (12.5 mm) into a legal face guard.

d. Total spear length shall not exceed 12 (twelve) feet.

e. Fibreglass Spears:

Pultruded Fiberglas piping only may be used. Substitutions are not allowed. The piping must be 1 1/4 inch (33 mm) in diameter and have a side wall of not less than 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) thickness. Hence it shall have an interior diameter of 1 inch (25.4 mm).

The end of the shaft which will have the thrusting tip attached must be covered with a schedule-40 PVC cap with an interior diameter the same as the outside diameter of the shaft (1 1/4 inch, or 33 mm). The thrusting tip will then be attached over this cap, and shall meet the requirements for fibreglass spear thrusting tip.

Shafts may be "spliced" using a solid fibreglass rod of the same or equivalent material which has an outside diameter of 1 inch (25.4 mm) and is between 8 inches and 12 inches in length (20.3 cm to 30.4 cm). Only two splices will be allowed per spear shaft. Each end to be spliced should be cut square and clean of cracks or frayed fibres. The rod should extend at least 4 inches (10 cm) into each spliced end. The splice should be secured by one or both of two methods:

Epoxying the fibreglass rod before insertion.

Thoroughly taping the splice over with fibre tape.

The butt end of the shaft should be smooth and free of cracks or frayed fibres. The butt should be taped over or otherwise sealed. It is recommended (but not required) that the entire length of the shaft be taped, because prolonged exposure to sunlight will shorten the life span of the shaft. If a weapon is completely taped, a marshal may require one section be untaped enough to determine that Pultruded Fibreglass has been used in the construction of the shaft.

All fibreglass spears must have a thrusting tip with a minimum of 3 inches (75 mm) diameter or cross-section. Additionally, these thrusting tips must be constructed so that there is a minimum of 3 inches (75 mm) of resilient material in front of the PVC endcap and shall provide progressively resistant "give" under pressure without allowing contact with the PVC endcap. Further, it shall not be possible to force the thrusting tip more than 1/2 inch (12.5 mm) into a legal face guard.

Total spear length shall not exceed 12 (twelve) feet.

6. Shields:

a. If a shield is to be used as a weapon, particular attention must be given to keeping it light enough that it will not injure someone who is struck with it.

Armour:

1. During Light Weapons Combat a fencing mask or helm with screening over face opening is required. The mask or helm must cover the front and sides of the head, and be fastened in such a manner as will prevent it from coming off or being significantly dislodged during normal use. In addition, the back of the head must be covered with at least heavy padding. A standard SCA- shaped helm of light gauge metal with all openings covered with well secured perforated metal, chain mail, or stout wire mesh of no more than 1/4 inch mesh (soldered or woven) is a highly acceptable equivalent. Window screen or galvanised hardware cloth is not acceptable. If chain mail is used, the links must be hard tempered, welded, soldered, or otherwise strengthened to avoid opening under impact.

2. Screening over helm openings is required for regular SCA combat helms in those battles where archery is included. In the case where only missiles with tips which are legal for thrusting tips in regular SCA combat or modified Markland style arrows are in use, this additional covering MAY be waived, at the discretion of the Crown and

Marshal-in-Charge.

3. If Non-Contact Combat Archers are to be on the field during combat mixed combat, then Non-Contact Combat Archers must wear a minimum of a standard SCA-shaped helm constructed of 18 gauge or heavier steel, and padded adequately to protect against an unintentional blow. This helm shall be marked with the 6 inch white diamonds of the inter-kingdom Non- Contact symbol.

4. It is strongly recommended that minimum society armour be worn by all Non-Contact participants who may accidentally come in contact with combatants.

5. Puncture- and thrust-resistant padding for the back of the head, the throat, and the neck is required. Tournament combat helms and neck armour are acceptable equivalents, provided the neck armour has no openings which would admit the blunt tip of an arrow.

6. Kidney and groin armour which meets minimum SCA tourney standards is required.

7. A minimum of a leather glove must be worn on the bow hand. It should cover the openings on the sleeve and cuff.

8. Sleeves must be made of sturdy material (denim, trigger cloth, light leather, etc.) which will resist tearing from draw cuts, stabs, or other normal blows is recommended. The gloves and sleeves together should cover the entire arm, wrist, and hand.

9. Pant legs made of sturdy material (denim, trigger cloth, light leather, etc.) are recommended.

10. It is recommended-that shoes or boots be worn on the feet. The pants and footwear together should cover the entire leg, ankle, and foot.

BOWS:

1. A Combat Archer may use any recurve or longbow that is in a safe and usable condition, so long as the bow does not exceed 30 (thirty) pounds pull weight at 28 inches of draw. Compound bows are not permitted. Bows shall be inspected by a warranted marshal at the time of armour and weapons inspection.

2. If only the golf-tube arrow is used by all Combat Archers on the field, then bows with a pull weight of up to 50 (fifty) pounds weight at 28 inches of draw may be allowed by the marshallate.

3. No bow may ever be used as a weapon, or as a shield against rattan weapons. Such use shall be considered grounds to remove a fighter from the field and may be considered grounds for revocation of authorisation.

CROSSBOWS

1. A Combat Archer may use any crossbow that is in a safe and usable condition, so long as the crossbow does not exceed 50 (fifty) pounds pull weight at 12 (twelve) inches of draw. (The pull weight is to be measured at the nut. - i.e. string position when the crossbow is cocked.) Compound crossbows are not permitted. Crossbows shall be inspected by a warranted marshal at the time of armour and weapons inspection.

2. If only the golf-tube arrow is used by all Combat Archers on the field, then crossbows with a pull weight not exceeding 70 (seventy) pounds at 12 (twelve) inches of draw may be allowed by the marshallate. (The pull weight is to be measured at the nut. - i.e. string position when the crossbow is cocked.)

3. Crossbows with draw lengths of other than 12 (twelve) inches can not have an inch-pound rating exceeding 600 (six hundred) inch-pounds. If the crossbow is designed to shoot golf-tube arrows only, the inchpound rating may be increased to 840 (eight hundred forty) inchpounds. (inch-pounds is the number determined by multiplying the length of "draw" in inches by the pounds of pull at the locked position on the string.)

4. No crossbow may ever be used as a weapon, or as a shield against rattan weapons. Such use shall be considered grounds to remove a fighter from the field and may be considered grounds for revocation of authorisation.

ARROWS:

Arrows may only be used as missile weapons launched from a bow. No arrows shall be used as hand-held thrusting weapons. Such use may be considered grounds for removing a fighter from the field and/or revoking his authorisation.

WOODEN SHAFTED

Wood-shaft arrows shall be used only after inspection by a marshal (this may mean that no gleaning of these arrows is allowed). Archers shall be responsible for re-checking the safety of all arrows at the time of use.

1. Arrows must have a blunt point, rubber blunt or modified Markland tip, which is flat and has a finished diameter of at least 1 1/4 inches.

if the blunt point, rubber blunt or the wooden dowel (used on Markland arrows) is less than I inch in diameter screening shall be required on the helm openings of all combatants. Blunts made to a pattern that provides greater safety are strongly recommended.

2. Tips shall be firmly glued and taped to the shaft.

3. Maximum allowable arrow draw length (nock to just back of the blunt) is 28 inches (71 cm).

4. Only wooden shafted arrows are permitted. Fibreglass and aluminium arrow shafts are not permitted.

5. Bow quivers, brush buttons, and bow slings are allowed.

6. Metal piles shall be removed prior to mounting blunt points.

7. The shaft of the arrow shall be spirally or longitudinally wrapped with plastic or cloth tape, totally covering the surface from the front of the fletching to the tip of the shaft.

GOLF-TUBE:

Golf-Tube Combat Arrows shall be constructed by using a plastic golf tube and attaching a tennis ball or foam thrusting tip to the reinforcing ring end.

1. The golf-tube arrows may be gleaned from the field and used immediately.

For the Tennis-ball style:

Using a strong cord of 1/8" or less diameter tie the tennis ball to the golf tube by crossing two pieces of cord through the golf tube underneath the reinforcing ring, and over the tennis ball. Be sure that the knots are located on the side of the tennis ball and not at the tip. Securely tape the tennis ball to the tube using fibre-reinforced tape. Be sure that the cords are securely taped to the tennis ball to prevent slippage. These cords will prevent the tennis ball from being torn loose when the arrow strikes a hard surface.

For the Foam Thrusting-tip style:

Construction methods should be similar to thrusting tips for rattan weapons. The tip should be a minimum of 1.5 inches diameter, and should allow for about 1 inch of compression.

The striking point of the arrow should be marked with red tape or cloth that is firmly attached. The shaft of the arrow need not be taped as there is no chance of breakage. Fletches are recommended for better stability during flight, but number and size are left to the discretion of the archer. Fletches must be of a soft, flexible material such as foam or duct tape, and rounded so as to not have sharp corners.

To reduce the likelihood of an arrow penetrating an SCA legal helm in event of "bounce-back", there should be a foam, paper, or similar material plug put in the knock-end of the arrow so as to limit the tendency of the tube to compress upon impact (alternative solutions to this problem are subject to the Earl Marshall's approval). Maximum allowable arrow draw length (nock to just back of the blunt) is 28 inches (71 cm). Substantial additional weight may not be added to the arrow.

Other Projectile Weapons:

1. Javelins may be constructed from lengths of one inch OD, schedule 40 PVC tubing, or equivalent materials approved by the marshallate. Any equivalent should be as strong or stronger, and not significantly heavier, than schedule 40 PVC tubing.

2. The shafts shall be spiral wrapped with fibre tape.

3. Striking tips shall be constructed according to tourney weapon thrusting standards.

4. Other throwing weapons or projectiles must meet these standards, and be individually approved for use by the Marshallate.

5. Projectiles shall be marked for individual identification of ownership.

Shinai:

1. Shinai, if permitted, must be in good repair with no signs of splintering, falling apart or incipient breakage.

PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

1. Resistant material is defined as material that will withstand normal combat stresses (such as being snagged by the unbroken blade) without tearing. Nylon tights or stockings and cotton gauze shirts are examples of unacceptable materials. Broadcloth, a single layer of trigger cloth or sweat pants are examples of acceptable materials.

2. "Impenetrable" materials is defined as any fabric or combination of fabrics that will withstand four hard thrust from a broken foil blade. Four-ounce leather or four layers of Trigger cloth (heavy poplin, 35X cotton and 65% polyester) are known to be "impenetrable"; any other material must be tested. Kevlar is not an acceptable material.

3. To conduct the four-thrust test, lay the material to be tested on a penetrable surface such as the ground or a block of ethyl foam (used for archery targets). Holding the broken blade in both hands, punch the material four times, increasing the force each time. After each punch, examine the material. If it has been completely penetrated, or seriously damaged, it fails. If there is no damage, or only the top layer has been damaged, then it passes. Note that the test blade should have a typical "flat" break, not a jagged point.

4. There must be no skin showing, or easily accessible. There should be at least three inches of overlap between separate pieces of protective clothing, regardless of the fighter's stance.

5. The face must be protected with a minimum of a 12-kilo fencing mask. A good field test (if a 12-kilo spring punch is not available) is to press on the mask grill with one thumb. If the grill flexes significantly, it is not strong enough. The mask must be securely fastened so that it cannot be removed or seriously dislodged during combat.

6. "Impenetrable" material is required on the back of the head, the entire neck and the torso (including the chest, back, abdomen, sides and groin--see diagram).

7. If theatrical rapier blades are being used, additional throat protection is required. It shall consist of 8-ounce leather backed by at least one quarter inch (1/4") of open-cell foam.

8. Resistant material is required on the arms, legs, and other areas not specifically mentioned in these rules.

9. Hands shall be protected by leather gloves that overlap any sleeve openings by at least three inches. Feet shall be protected by closed toe shoes or boots. If the fighter is wearing skirts, there must be sufficient overlap between the hem of the skirt and the top of the shoes or boots so that no skin is exposed during combat. If necessary, pants or bloomers should be worn under the skirt to ensure that no skin will be exposed.

10. Male fighters must wear rigid groin protection. Any holes large enough to admit a broken blade must be covered from the outside with "impenetrable" material. Female fighters are reminded that their breasts are in a prime target area and are encouraged to wear additional padding or protection.

WEAPONS

1. Rapiers: foil, epee, saber, double-wide epee, theatrical rapier and fibreglass blades (such as the An Tir fibreglass rapier) may be used, subject to the following:

a. Foil and epee are the standard blades, subject to local kingdom restrictions. "Double-wide" epees will be classed with standard epees.

b. Saber blades, because of their lighter weight and greater flexibility will require separate authorisations before they may be used.

c. Theatrical rapier blades, because of their greater weight and limited flexibility will require separate authorisation before they may be used.

d. Fibreglass blades, because of their unique handling characteristics, will require separate authorisations.

e. Saber, theatrical rapier and fibreglass blades may be further restricted as desired by the individual kingdoms.

2. Regardless of blade type, all blade points must be capped with a rubber, plastic or leather tip. The tip must be firmly taped or glued in place. The tip or covering tape must be of a contrasting colour so that its absence is readily apparent.

3. The rapier blade shall have a single gradual curve. Any blade with kinks, multiple curves or cracks may not be used.

4. The rapier may have a hand guard such as a bell guard or quillons. Any guard with openings large enough to admit a rapier tip must have those holes covered with "impenetrable" material, so that a blade will not be caught. Quillons that could trap and break a blade are prohibited because they work. Guards and quillons used against theatrical rapier or fibreglass blades are exempt from this requirement. Quillons may not be longer than twelve inches (12") overall, and the ends must be blunt.

5. Orthopaedic ("Belgian" or "Pistol") grips are non-period and may not be used.

6. There shall be two classes of daggers:

1. Rigid daggers shall be made of rattan, CPVC, or "plunger style" (i.e. a telescoping design where some form of elastic band or spring provides most of the "give"). A rigid dagger may not be longer than twenty inches (20"). It shall have a standard SCA thrusting tip, with a minimum diameter of two inches (2"), and provide progressively resistant "give" without allowing contact with the rigid tip of the weapon.

b. Flexible daggers shall be made of fibreglass or metal (such as the American Fencing Supply "flex-dagger"). A flexible dagger may not be longer than twenty five inches (25"). The blade shall have a single, gradual curve. Any blade with kinks, cracks, or multiple curves will not be allowed. The point must be covered with a plastic, rubber or leather tip which must be firmly taped or glued in place. The tip or covering tape must be of a contrasting colour so its absence is readily apparent.

c. Daggers may not weigh more than one and one half pounds (1 1/2 lbs.).

d. The dagger may have a hand guard such as a knuckle bow or quillons. Any guard with openings large enough to admit a rapier tip must be covered with "impenetrable" material, so that the blade will not be caught. Quillons designed to trap or break a blade are prohibited. Dagger guards and quillons used solely against theatrical rapier or fibreglass blades are exempt from this requirement. Ouillons may not be longer than twelve inches (12") overall, and the ends must be blunt.

e. Rigid metal "parrying-only" daggers made from cut down foil or epee blades will not be allowed.

6. A buckler shall be constructed of lightweight material such as one quarter inch (1/4") plywood. The edges must be covered to prevent splintering. Any buckler that is designed to trap or break a blade is prohibited. The maximum size for a buckler is 315 square inches (20" diameter circle).

7. Cloak size shape and weight shall be left to the discretion of the user, as long as it is recognisably a cloak and not a whip or flail. A cloak may be weighted with soft material such as a rope or rolled cloth; it may not be weighted with a rigid material such as metal chain or fishing weights.

8. Other defensive equipment such as scabbards and parrying batons may be used subject to the rules of the local kingdom.

9. The decision to disallow a particular weapon may be appealed to the Kingdom Rapier Marshal and Crown in the usual way.

EXPERIMENTAL WEAPONS AND MATERIALS

Before any unapproved weapon or material can be used at Society activities a test plan must be submitted to and approved by the Society Marshal. This plan should include specifics on construction (i.e. materials used, how assembled etc.), an outline of the test and all restrictions that will be imposed on the test. It should also tell how long the test period will be.

It is the prerogative of the kingdom Earl Marshal to allow limited testing of alternate or unapproved materials and weapons within a kingdom. Limited testing means the weapon or material may be used at fighter practice tourneys, and in small melees after all combatants and marshals have been informed the weapon or material is being tested and that it is not approved for SCA use.

All combatants and marshals must consent to the use of the weapon or material before combat begins. If any of the marshals or combatants object to the use of the material or weapon, the material or weapon may not be used. All unapproved materials and weapons shall be marked with alternating bands of red and green tape totalling 6" (six inches) in length. Bands shall be visible during weapon usage.

At regular intervals through out the test period the Earl Marshal will update the Society Marshal on the progress and results of the testing.

At the end of the test period the Earl Marshal will provide the Society Marshal will a test summary. This summary should include a list of injuries that resulted from the use of the weapon or material and any concerns from fighters and marshals that resulted from the testing. The Society Marshal, after consultation with the Earl Marshals, shall determine if the weapon or material is suitable for SCA Combat-Related activities.

RESOLUTION OF GRIEVANCES

This section is currently being reviewed at the corporate level. Once the review is complete a new section will be issued.

Sanctions

Usually the combatants are more than willing to correct any problems, or breaches of the rules, which a marshal points out. This is the desired solution --- get the problem fixed. However, occasionally some action is required by the marshal. In the unhappy event that you find it necessary, here are your options (in order of preference):

1. Point out the violation (missing armour, grappling during combat, etc.) and ask the fighter to correct it.

2. In the case of missing or inadequate armour, do not allow the combatant onto the field until it has been fixed.

3. In the case of violation of the rules during combat, ask the combatant to leave the field, and do not allow combat to resume until he is off. This particularly includes removing from the field anyone who has lost his temper.

4. If you need support, call on (in order):

a. Any other marshals who are present, including especially the Marshal-in-Charge.

b. Any other fighters who are handy.

c. The local Seneschal.

d. The Crown.

5. If the violation cannot be stopped, convince the Marshal-in-Charge and the local Seneschal to end the event.

6. In extremity, you should stand forth in the centre of the field and, on your own authority, inform all those present that this is no longer a Society event and they are on their own. (This is actually only true if you are the Marshal-in-Charge, but it may shock people into paying attention.)

So far, it has never been necessary to go further than the other marshals present.

In the case where voluntary correction was not made when the problem was pointed out, a written report should be made to the Earl Marshal as soon as possible after the event

In addition to getting the would-be combatant off of the field at the times some long-term sanctions are available. These will normally be applied by the Marshallate of the Kingdom rather than by a local marshal.

They include:

Revoking the authorisation of the individual to fight with a particular weapon, (This sanction may be applied whether or not your Kingdom does authorisations by weapons-form.)

Revoking the authorisation of the individual to fight at all .⁴

Recommendation to the Crown to banish the individual from

participation in events for a while.

Recommendation to the Board to banish the individual from the

Society and its activities.

If any of these long-term sanctions is in prospects the Society Marshal should be informed. If authorisation has been revoked, it is probably desirable to inform the Earl Marshals of any neighbouring Kingdoms where the (ex-)fighter might travel. And once the long-term sanction has been applied, a report should be made to the Marshal of the Society,

4 Note that an authorisation from any Kingdom may be suspended/revoked in another Kingdom, should it prove necessary and appropriate. Such suspension/revocation means that the fighter may not fight anywhere in the Society until and unless it is resolved. Accordingly, the Earl Marshal should inform the Earl Marshals of the neighbouring Kingdoms.

Furthermore, if the fighter is subsequently re-authorised, the neighbouring Earl Marshals should again be notified