PROJECTILE COMBAT RULES

as used at Porepunkah, Victoria 2003

These rules have been superseded by the rules at http://www.geocities.com/legviiii/javnvg.htm.
Porepunkah also had its own combat rules, which have been superseded by the rules at http://www.geocities.com/legviiii/combat.htm.
The clause numbering is as published in the conference booklet.

Other versions of the projectile rules:

• Current NSW rules
• Current Victorian rules
• Nagambie, VIC 2005
• Porepunkah, VIC 2003
• Bowraville, NSW 2001
• Rowsley, VIC 1999
• Sokil, VIC 1997
• Brisbane, QLD 1995 used both the NSW and NVG rules.
• Cataract, NSW 1991; Glenfield, NSW 1993

All combatants and participants on the field of combat (including marshals) must wear armour as specified in the 'Projectile Combat Armour Standards'. Spectators may not be present unless they are wearing suitable armour or are confined in an area of suitable protection.

The use of all hand to hand weapons during projectile combat shall conform to the requirements of melee combat. A combatant armed with a projectile weapon may use a hand to hand weapon provided their equipment conforms to the standards for melee combat. A hand to hand weapon shall never be used to intentionally strike or block a projectile weapon or projectile.

Projectile Combat Armour Standards

The minimum Armour required to participate in projectile combat shall be the same as for melee combat with the following additions:

1. A projectile combat helm in place of a standard helm.
2. Throat protection.
3. Females shall wear breast protection.
4. Combatants who do not use hand to hand weapons may wear leather gloves in place of gauntlets.
5. Additional Armour is always recommended.

Projectile Combat Helm

Projectile combat helms shall conform to the standards for helms in addition to the requirements set out below.

1. The helm shall be fitted with a woven wire mesh visor that extends past the temples and below the chin. The visor shall be supported be a rigid steel frame and shall be firmly and rigidly attached to the helm. The woven wire mesh shall be a maximum of 6 mm and a minimum wire diameter of 1.4 mm A closed face helm need only have woven wire mesh attached to any openings that exceed 6 mm diameter.
2. An aventail shall be fitted or a coif and arming cap shall be used in conjunction with the helm. The aventail is to be securely fitted to the helm and visor so that they effectively become one piece and a projectile may not pass through the gap.
3. Due to the necessity for protection during projectile combat, it is impractical to require that helms should conform to historical styles and construction. It is therefore acceptable to construct a helm specifically for the purpose of projectile combat, that does not represent any specific historical style. Combatants, however, are encouraged to attempt to hide or disguise the historically inappropriate additions to the helm in any conveniently and practical manner.

Throat Protection

1. The minimum requirement is a 3 mm thick sole-leather collar covering the throat area from above the larynx to below the breastbone in one continuous piece.
2. The collar is to be lined with sheepskin a minimum of 6 mm thick and a maximum of 12 mm thick.
3. When worn, the collar and padding will have a minimum of 10 mm clearance from the throat when facing forward.
4. Lamellar and scale collars both offer acceptable throat protection but must be securely attached to the armour.

Breast Protection

1. Commercially available, rigid, one piece breast protectors shall be the preferred standard.
2. Breast cups, as used in fencing, do not provide an acceptable level of protection and shall not be used.
3. Combatants may opt to wear a rigid armour, such as a breast plate, scale corset or lamellar corset, as their breast protection.

WEAPON STANDARDS (Projectile Weapons)

Bow

1. Long bows, short bows, and recurve bows made from wood, fibre-glass, or laminate may be used.
2. Compound bows and take-down bows are not acceptable.
3. Sights, stabilisers, adjustable arrow rests, release aids and any other accessories not appropriate to tile period shall not be used,
4. Bows shall have a maximum draw weight of 30 pounds at 28 inches (30# @ 28").
5. Wherever possible, bows should be made to look historically authentic by any suitable means.
6. The bow shall have some form of permanent marking so that it may be readily identified with its owner. The owners initials are not acceptable.

Arrow

Arrows shall meet the following criteria:

1. The minimum standard shall be a wooden shaft of 11/32nds of an inch diameter. Aluminium, fibreglass, and carbon shafts shall not be used.
2. Arrows shall be a maximum of 28 inches in length as measured from the nocking point to the back of the rubber blunt.
3. The end of the shaft which will be inserted into the rubber blunt shall have it's end rounded.
4. It is recommended that shafts be taped with Scotch 898, or equivalent, fibreglass tape from the base of the fletching to the tip of the shaft.
5. Each shaft shall be securely fitted with a rubber blunt. HTM and Riverhaven MKII style blunts shall be the preferred standard. Plastic blunts are not acceptable and shall not be used.
6. Each shaft shall have some form of permanent marking so that it may be readily identified with its owner. The owners initials are not acceptable.

Javelins

Javelins shall meet the following criteria:

1. The shaft shall be a maximum length of 1.8m and a minimum length of 1 m.
2. The shaft shall be a maximum diameter of 25 mm and a minimum diameter of 16 mm
3. The shaft shall be made of wood, bamboo, or other suitable materials. Metal, fibreglass, and carbon shafts shall not be used.
4. The preferred blunt shall be a well fitted black rubber chair leg or walking stick stoppers of a minimum of 2 mm thickness.
5. The overall weight of the javelin shall be a maximum of 500gm. The head of the javelin shall be padded to at least 7cm diameter.

Slings and Sling Projectiles

1. Slings and staff slings may be constructed from any historically accurate material to any historically accurate pattern.
2. Sling projectiles shall have a maximum weight of 75gm and made from any no rigid, malleable materials, that shall be able to be compressed when reasonable pressure is applied with one hand.

Rocks

1. Rocks shall have a maximum diameter of 40 cm and a minimum diameter of 20 cm.
2. Rocks shall have a maximum weight of 800gm and made from any no rigid, malleable materials, that shall be able to be compressed when reasonable pressure is applied with two hands.

Siege Engines and Siege Engine Projectiles

1. Siege Engines may be constructed from any historically accurate material to any historically accurate pattern.
2. Siege Engine projectiles may not be fruit or water/paint/flour bombs.
3. Siege Engine projectiles shall have a maximum diameter of 30 cm and a minimum diameter of 15 cm.
4. Siege Engine projectiles shall be a maximum weight of 600gm and made from any no rigid, malleable materials that shall be able to be compressed when reasonable pressure is applied with two hands. Fruit, water, paint, or flour bombs shall not be used.

All other weapons shall conform to the standards for melee combat.

PROJECTILE WEAPON USAGE

Prior to combat, all projectile weapons and projectiles shall be inspected by marshals to determine their suitability for the combat. The use of all projectile weapons and projectiles are at the marshals discretion at all times of combat.

Prior to 'each' combat, arrows and other projectiles shall be checked for cracks, splits, and damage to the rubber blunt. Any projectile that is found to be defective shall be discarded. No projectile that has been previously used shall be collected and re-used during a given combat.

A projectile weapon shall not be intentionally aimed at the groin, spine, throat, or hands of another combatant. A projectile weapon shall not be intentionally used to block or strike during combat.

The only type of armour that is considered 'proof' against a projectile is a shield. The effects of projectiles striking particular areas on the body are the same as for the effects of hand-to-hand weapon blows. The exception to this is for siege-engine projectiles for which a shield is not considered 'proof' and a strike to any area is considered a killing blow.

A ricochet blow from a projectile (off a tree, shield, fence, etc.) is still considered a legitimate blow. The exception to this is a ricochet off the ground, a weapon, or another combatant; in which case the blow is ignored. To be considered a ricochet blow, the projectile must not change it's original direction of travel by more than 45 degrees, and the projectile must still strike with acceptable force.

Minimum Ranges

• Bow and Arrow: Full Draw: 10 meters, Half (14 inch) Draw: 5 meters.
• Javelin: 3 meters.
• Sling: 10 meters.
• Siege Engines: 10 meters.
• Rocks: There is no minimum range for a rock.

A combatant may move away from a prospective target to achieve the minimum distance. If a combatant is closer than the minimum range of another combatants projectile weapon, the combatant with the projectile may acknowledge an automatic kill by dropping to the ground and the opposing combatant need not strike them.

Rocks

Rocks shall only be used during fortified combat and shall only be considered a legitimate blow when dropped or thrown from above the opponent. A rock may not be thrown at an upward angle.

Siege Engines

The siege engine shall not deliver a projectile at a vertical angle of less than 45 degrees. Care should be taken to ensure that the projectile shall not come in contact with a combatant until it has reached the descent stage of flight. If a siege engine is struck by a siege engine projectile, the siege engine is considered inoperative for the duration of that combat. A siege engine may only be operated by combatants who are proficient with the particular siege engine and have permission from the owner of the siege engine.

Bow and Arrow

A bow and arrow shall only be used during 'Projectile Combat'.

Crossbows and Darts

The use of crossbows and darts during target and combat events will not be permitted.