GUIDELINES FOR INTERCLUB COMBAT

*as agreed by the meeting of combatants at the Sixth Australasian Mediaeval Conference at Cataract, NSW 1991, with amendments from Glenfield, NSW 1993, Brisbane, Queensland 1995, Geelong, Victoria 1997, Bacchus Marsh, Victoria 1999, Macksville, NSW 2001, Porepunkah, Victoria 2003, Nagambie, Victoria 2005, Dunghaven, NSW 2007, Castle Mountain NSW 2009, Dunghaven NSW 2011 and Dunghaven NSW 2013 for use at the biennial conference and other interclub events at the discretion of the host body. They evolved from the discussions started at the Macquarie Conference in 1983.

Other versions of the rules are in the order of last use:

An alternate set of rules is used by the New Varangian Guard Incorporated at their events. The NVG combat rules can be found on http://www.nvg.org.au/.

as used at Cataract 1991

These rules have been superseded by the rules at http://www.coppergate.com.au/conferention/combat/combat.shtml.
Cataract used the then current NSW projectile rules.

No combatant is allowed on the field under the influence of perception changing or performance enhancing drugs.
All combatants must have signed the indemnity form before commencing combat.
Every combatant has the right to refuse to begin, or continue any combat for any reason.
All combat is voluntary.

Use your common sense. The rules are those generally used at the infamous Penrose Campaigns. The following combat rules have been agreed on by many clubs in New South Wales for inter-club combat in addition to their own rules. We recommend you use them.
Generally, they cover situations not normally found with ordinary club combat.

Protective Equipment:

All combatants must wear a decent helmet that protects the temples and has sufficient padding to absorb a blow. Gauntlets of steel, mail or leather must be worn on exposed hands which cover the tip of the fingers to the wrist, of satisfactory standard.

It is recommended that all combatants wear some form of body protection.

Weapons:

All weapons must be clean, free of sharp edges or dags. Points should be rounded.

No sharp weapons of any kind may be carried by warriors into combat.

Blows against Opponents:

Blows should be controlled in such a way that upon striking your opponent, you do not injure them. Spear points should not travel above the breast line. No blows with any weapon are to be aimed at the joints, the neck, face, crotch, spine or below the knee.

Decent blows from sword, dagger, saex or spear against mail or similar armour counts as a killing blow against the torso and a disabling blow to the limbs.

Mail, scale and lamellar protect the warrior from light slashes.

Killing blows should be taken honestly and with good grace.

Plate Armour in Combat:

Plate armour, coat of plates and double armoured warriors (scale or lamellar over mail) are proof against light single-handed weapons.

Plate armour and similar are not proof against two-handed cutting weapons, maces, or heavy single-handed weapons capable of punching plate.

A knight or similar can be felled by a blow to the crest of the helm with a lighter style sword or axe. This does not count if the victim is equipped with a great helm or similar.

Personal experience has shown that the best way of killing heavily armoured knights is to knock them off their feet.