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 Porepunkah, 2003

Table of Sections

1 Application

2 Structure

3 Requirements

Figure 1 - Prohibited Targets

Guidelines for Projectile Weapons

1 Application

a) Combat will be organised either by the combat sub-committee of the Conference Association or as displays by individual clubs. The former is referred to as "organised combat" and the latter as "display combat" for the purposes of these rules. "Non-organised combat (impromptu combat organised by individuals or clubs) may also occur and is bound by the same rules as organised combat unless otherwise agreed to by the marshals.

b) These guidelines shall be applicable to all organised and non-organised combat and all combatant displays, and shall be subject to the Constitution and By-Laws.

c) In any place where these rules are found to be either insufficient or indistinct, common sense should prevail.

2 Structure

a) Organised combat shall be divided into two types; those with head blows and those without. An announcement will be made regarding the type of combat by the marshals, immediately prior to each combat.

b) Organised combat will occur only in defined areas. Each of these areas will be defined as a "field of combat".

c) A marshal's meeting shall be held with club training personnel prior to combat to clarify any rules in question. The marshal representing each group will then be responsible for answering the questions put forward by them.

d) A marshal's area will be set aside so that non-organised combat can be reported to and cleared by the marshal's. Non-organised combat will occur only with the approval of the marshals.

3 Requirements

a) Only those proficient and safe in the use of a weapon may employ that particular weapon in combat.

b) Weapons will be inspected by the marshals from the respective clubs before combat, all sharp edges, hooks, spikes or rust must be removed.

c) No sharp or pointed weapons of any type may be carried on to the field of combat.

d) No weapon of any type, such as maces or flails, banned under the Control of Weapons Act , shall be used in any capacity in any combat under the auspices of the Association unless a valid permit has been attained and presented to the marshals for inspection.

e) No combatant will be admitted to the field of combat under the influence of alcohol or any perception changing or performance enhancing drug or medication. Further, no alcohol or aforementioned drugs shall be taken prior to or during the combat.

f) All combatants should have current tetanus and hepatitis immunity.

rule 3f) was repeated here...

f) All combatants should have current tetanus and hepatitis immunity.

g) Any bleeding combatant must leave the field of combat immediately and must not return until the wound is covered and the bleeding stopped.

h) No person may join any combat once that combat has commenced.

i) No person is required to give a reason for refusing to fight any other person.

j) At any point during combat, a combatant, marshal, or other participant may call:

"HOLD".

All combat will cease immediately and the combatants shall await instructions from the marshal.

Figure 1
Click on graphic for a larger view.

Shaded areas are no strike zones.

4 Marshalling

a) Marshals will be nominated by each individual club, from the most experienced members, and will be easily identified by a distinctive tabard and armbands. Their powers will be: to start and finish the combat; to stop the combat for reasons of safety, or to intervene to stop dangerous action taking place; to calm combatants or to request that they modify their behaviour; to require that dangerous combatants or equipment be removed from the field.

b) There will be a minimum of four marshals for each organised combat.

c) All combatants will follow the instructions of any marshal. The marshal shall have complete control of all organised combats.

d) Each marshal will carry a whistle. All combat will cease immediately the whistle is blown and the combatants shall await instructions from the marshal.

e) All disputes in combat will be resolved by the marshal. Discussion on any decision will be left until after the combat.

f) Marshals are non-combatants and will not be touched or struck with any weapon.

5 Protection

a) Minimum protection of a helmet and gauntlets must be worn during organised combat. Padding is recommended. Protection is left to the participants in display combat.

Another rule 5a) appears here, but is a continuation of the previous rule:

a)
In recent discussions of Protection it has been proposed that minimum protection standards be adopted. These standards are highly recommended by the committee for all combatants. During the State of the Movement discussion a vote will be taken as to whether these standards should be required by all combatants. These standards are:

Minimum protection of a tunic or padding is to be equal to at least 2 layers of good wool plus a linen shirt, must be worn during combat.
All combatants are required to have all target areas covered by the above minimum protection. This excluded the lower leg as it is not a target area but does include the forearm and head. Shoes are also required.

There will be two categories of protection for 'Dark Age and Medieval' combat.

Non-Armoured - Regarded as wearing no armour.
This category includes combatants wearing gambesons and similar padded armour. A non-armoured combatant shall accept all blows regardless of their potential force.

Armoured - Regarded as wearing mail.
This category includes combatants wearing mail, scale or lamellar. An armoured combatant may only accept blows to the body that have substantial potential force (ie. that are delivered with long sweeping strokes). An armoured combatant need not accept glancing, slicing or flicking blows.

For all other periods of combat, armour will be assumed to protect the wearer from harm exactly as it would in the period in which it was worn.

c) Protection for the neck, chest, mouth and spine areas is strongly recommended for all combatants.

d) Groin protection is required.

6 Blows

a) No blows are to be aimed at or below the knees, at the groin, head, spine, joints or hands, except where qualified below. No weapon may be used in a thrusting manner at the circled areas shown in Figure 1.

b) All blows connecting with a combatant must be fully under control and slowed in such a way that upon contact with the combatant you will not injure them. Grappling is permitted only if blows are fully controlled.

c) A blow delivered to the crown of the head shall be deemed the only legal head blow and then only in head blow combat. No stab or thrust may be delivered to this area. Spears and other stabbing weapons may not be used in this manner.

d) Any combatant that received a killing blow shall immediately fall to the ground and shall not participate in further fighting for the duration of that combat. No "dead"or "dying" combatant may be struck with any weapon.

e) Any legitimate blow to a limb shall be deemed as incapacity or loss of the limb, depending on the type of weapon and the type of blow. Combatants may continue to fight, but should avoid using the part that has been struck.

f) Loss of helm due to poor design, breakage, or deliberate removal counts as an immediate "death".

g) Blows, stabbing weapons, no strike is to be delivered to above armpit. All thrusts to be horizontal or downward for safety.

h) No weapon to be pointed at the face.