Fencing Rules for the Kingdom of Ansteorra.

Introduction

The goal of Ansteorran Rapier Combat is to recreate the sword play of Europe in the15th and 16th centuries using rapiers and such weapons and secondaries as were commonly used with rapiers. Such combat could be one-on-one or involve many fighters en melee. It could be fought to the death, to first blood, or anything in between.

Rapier blades were long, stiff and very sharp on both point and edges. The fighters did not wear armor, so any blade contact was likely to prick or cut. Fighters should strive to re-enact the effects of a real blade as far as possible.

I. Rules of the Field

1. Fighters must be at least 18 years of age to participate in Ansteorran Rapier Combat. Fighters must be authorized by the marshallate to participate as a fighter or marshal outside of practice.
2. Fighters need not be authorized to practice, but one authorized marshal must be present.
3. The entire body is a legal target.
4. Blows are to be struck by thrusting with the point (thrust), sliding the edge of the blade by drawing (draw cut), sliding the edge of the blade by pushing (push cut) or placing the tip and then drawing it across an opponent (tip cut).
   1. Chopping or saber-type cuts are not permitted.
   2. When using tip cuts, care must be taken not to chop or whip when placing the tip.
   3. Tip cuts and push cuts are optional. If any fighter chooses not to face these cuts no tip or push cuts will be used in that bout or melee. A fighter who does not wish to face tip or push cuts will inform his opponent(s) and the marshals before combat begins.
5. Each fighter must determine the effects of cuts and thrusts that strike him according to the following rules:
   1. Any thrust that strikes with 4 pounds (1.8kg) of force This is also the amount of force it takes to flex a #5 French foil by 2 inches (5cm) or a #5 epee by ½ inch (1.5cm) is a good blow.
   2. Any cut that the fighter perceives against himself that travels 5 inches (12cm) of the blade or on the body is considered a good blow.
   3. The effects of a good blow from a cut or thrust are:
      1. A good thrust to the torso, neck or head is a killing blow and ends the fight.
      2. A good cut to the neck, the brachial artery (under the arm between the armpit and the elbow), the femoral artery (inside of the thigh between the groin and the knee) or the abdomen (between ribs and hips, front or back) is a kill.
      3. A good cut or thrust to an arm disables that arm.
      4. A good cut or thrust to a hand disables the hand, but the arm may still be used.
      5. A good cut or thrust to a foot or a leg disables that leg and makes it impossible for the fighter to stand or use his legs to move about.
      6. A cut to the head or chest may be acted out as the fighter sees fit.
   4. For blow calling purposes, fighters are considered to be wearing light clothing, such as a shirt and hose or a skirt. No blow will be disregarded because of actual clothing worn. Any protection or clothing that prevents a fighter from properly calling a blow will not be allowed.
   5. Blows that strike a fighter's mask or gorget will be counted as though they had continued on and struck whatever part of the fighter is behind the mask or gorget. Thus a thrust to a fencing mask will be counted as though it struck the head.
   6. Fighters may call blows as having a greater effect than is required by the rules. Thus a fighter might decide that a cut he received to the head was fatal.
6. If anyone calls HOLD the fighters must stop at once and assume a non-threatening position with their weapons pointed away from their opponents.
7. If a fighter becomes blinded for any reason, all combat will stop immediately and hold will be called.
8. Some actions are not allowed because they are unsafe. These include:
   1. Punching, kicking, shoving, tripping, throwing or grabbing an opponent or his weapons.
   2. Wrestling for control of a weapon or grappling.
   3. Whipping or chopping at a fighter with a rapier or other equipment.
   4. Striking or pressing an opponent with rigid equipment or any part of a weapon not approved for such use.
   5. Throwing a weapon at an opponent, unless the weapon is specifically approved for such use.
   6. Striking with excessive force.
   7. Any action the marshals feel is unsafe.
9. Conduct that is obstructive to normal rapier play such as consistent ignoring of blows, deliberate misuse of the rules (such as calling HOLD whenever pressed) or any other action the marshals feel is obstructive will not be allowed.
10. It is the responsibility of the fighters to assure that all fighters know what weapons each is using and that any questions are resolved before combat.
    1. Fighters are expected to discuss and agree on which weapons each will use.
    2. If the fighters cannot reach agreement they will not fight.
    3. If this occurs in a tournament, the marshal in charge of the tournament will decide how this will affect their standing in the tournament.
11. No real weapon will be allowed upon the field at any time during Combat.
12. Throwing weapons will only be used in melees.
13. A fighter must not attack from the side of or behind an opponent who cannot turn to face him, such as an opponent who has taken a leg wound.
14. During a melee:
    1. A fighter must not strike an opponent who is unaware of his presence.
    2. A fighter who approaches an opponent from behind must not attack until after that opponent has turned to where he can see the fighter.
    3. If a scenario allows killing from behind, a fighter can defeat an opponent by pressing his weapon or open hand lightly against his opponent from behind while calling out "DEAD!" in a loud, clear voice.
15. At no time shall Armored Combat and Rapier Combat be conducted on the same field at the same time.
16. Engaging in Rapier Combat with the deliberate intent to inflict injury on an opponent is strictly forbidden.

II. Equipment

A. General

1. All combatants, prior to combat at each and every SCA event or practice, will insure that their equipment is safe, in good working order and has been inspected by an authorized member of the marshallate.
2. The marshals will reject any weapons or equipment they feel is unsafe.

B. Protective Equipment

1. The face and sides of the head back to and including the ears must be protected with a minimum of a 12-kilo fencing mask. Masks should be tested periodically with a 12-kilo mask tester. 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 mesh flexes significantly, it is not strong enough. The mask must be securely fastened so that it cannot be removed or seriously dislodged during combat.
2. Anyone who is fighting against a schläger or fiberglass rapier blade must wear additional throat protection such as a gorget. It must cover the throat, the sternal notch and the cervical vertebrae At a minimum, it shall consist of 8-ounce leather with the throat area backed by at least ¼ inch (6mm) of open-cell foam. It must not have openings large enough to permit an untipped blade to enter any of the covered areas.
3. "Impenetrable" material is defined as any fabric or combination of fabrics that will withstand a punch test performed in a manner approved by the marshallate.
   1. Kevlar is not an acceptable material.
   2. "Impenetrable" material is required on the back of the head, the entire neck and the torso (including the chest, back, abdomen, sides and groin).
4. Resistant material is defined as material that will withstand normal combat stresses (such as being snagged by the unbroken blade) without tearing.
   1. Nylon tights or stockings and cotton gauze shirts are examples of unacceptable materials.
   2. Broadcloth, a single layer of trigger cloth or sweat pants are examples of acceptable materials.
   3. Resistant material is required on the arms, legs and other areas not specifically mentioned in these rules.
5. There must be no skin showing, or easily accessible. There should be at least 3 inches (7cm) of overlap between separate pieces of protective clothing, regardless of the fighter's stance.
6. Hands shall be protected by leather gloves that overlap any sleeve openings by at least 3 inches (7cm). 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.
7. 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 should consider wearing additional padding or protection for the groin and chest as they determine suits their needs.
8. Any substitutions for standard protective gear (such as helms to replace masks or metal gorgets to replace leather gorgets) must provide at least as much protection as the gear it will replace. In particular, it must provide impenetrable and rigid coverage in the same areas. Such substitutions must be approved by the marshallate.

C. Weapons and Secondaries

1. Sharp points are not allowed anywhere on any weapon or secondary.
2. Any equipment that is likely to break a blade or damage other equipment is prohibited.
3. Blades: Foil, epée, double-wide epée, schläger, fiberglass and flexidaggers may be used, subject to the following:
   1. All metal blades (foil, epée, flexidagger, schläger) must be commercially produced. These blades will not be altered by grinding, cutting, heating or other actions that could significantly alter their temper, flexibility or durability. Normal combat stresses and blade care do not violate this rule. Exceptions are:
      1. The tang of the weapon may be altered as needed.
      2. Schläger blades may be shortened so long as it does not make them too stiff.
      3. The ends of schläger blades must be flattened (90 angle to the blade).
   2. Fiberglass and schläger blades must be reasonably flexible. The only schläger blades allowed are practice schläger blades that are oval in cross section. Schläger blades will not be used against foils or epées.
   3. Saber blades are not allowed.
   4. Regardless of blade type, all blade ends must be capped with rubber or plastic tips.
      1. Tips will be at least 3/8 inch (9mm) in diameter.
      2. Tips on schläger and fiberglass blades must be of durable, soft rubber and have a flat striking surface of at least ½ inch (13mm) diameter.
      3. Tips must be firmly taped or glued in place. The tip or covering tape must be of a contrasting color so that its absence is readily apparent.
   5. Any blade with kinks, sharp bends, multiple curves or cracks will not be used. Foil and epée blades shall have a single gradual curve. Metal blades that kink or develop sharp bends cannot be repaired and must be retired.
   6. Rapiers may have a hand guard such as a cage hilt, bell guard, knuckle bow and/or quillons. Quillons will not be longer than 12 inches (30cm) overall, and the ends must be blunt and of at least ¼ inch (6mm) in diameter.
   7. Orthopedic ("Belgian" or "Pistol") grips will not be used unless the fighter is approved to do so by the Kingdom Rapier Marshal for medical reasons.
4. Any equipment that has small rigid openings large enough to admit a rapier tip or that is likely to trap a blade will not be used against a foil or epée.
5. Any bladed weapon of 25 inches (65cm) or less in overall length will be considered a dagger. 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:
      1. will not be longer than 20 inches (50cm).
      2. shall have a thrusting tip with a minimum diameter of 2 inches (5cm), and provide progressively resistant "give" without allowing contact with the rigid tip of the weapon.
   2. Flexible daggers shall be made of fiberglass or metal. A flexible dagger will not be longer than 25 inches (65cm) and must be reasonably flexible. Metal daggers shall have a single gradual curve and must comply with the rules for metal blades. Fiberglass daggers must comply with the rules for fiberglass blades.
   3. Daggers will not weigh more than one and 1½ pounds (680g).
   4. Hand guards for daggers are subject to the same restrictions as hand guards for rapiers.
   5. Rigid metal "parrying-only" daggers such as those made from cut down blades will not be allowed.
6. Various secondaries for defensive use only such as shields, canes, scabbards, cloaks and batons will be constructed using the following guidelines.
   1. Defensive secondaries will be made of sturdy, lightweight materials. They will have no sharp edges or corners or exposed wood edges that can splinter.
   2. A shield, such as a buckler, and other rigid defensive secondaries, such as scabbards or batons, will not weigh more than 3 pounds (135g), can not be longer than 4 feet (120cm) in the longest dimension, and can not exceed 255 square inches (1640 sq. cm) of surface area, the same surface area as an 18 inch (45cm) diameter circle.
   3. Soft, non-rigid secondaries such as cloaks may be made of cloth, foam, leather and similar materials. They may be weighted with soft material such as a rope or rolled cloth; they will not be weighted with a rigid material including metal, chain and fishing weights.
   4. Secondaries that are likely to cause excessive tangling of equipment, such as whips and flails, are not allowed.
   5. Secondaries must reasonably mimic the characteristics of some real period object that might have been used for parrying or blocking.
7. All other weapons and secondaries will be considered non-standard and must be approved by a marshal designated by the Kingdom Rapier Marshal in addition to the regular inspection process. Such items include but are not limited to mugs, bottles, bar stools and offensive bucklers.
   1. Equipment that will be used to strike an opponent, should be made of soft flexible materials such as cloth, tape, foam and golf tubes.
   2. All equipment must be free from any sharp points or edges and must be able to safely withstand combat stresses.
   3. Equipment that is likely to trap or entangle weapons is not allowed.

III. Marshalling

1. Before any combat, marshals must inspect the gear of all the fighters who will participate to ensure it is safe and functional. Before any bout, the marshal(s) on the field should take a moment to glance over each fighter to be sure his equipment is properly in place and to assure that no real weapons are carried on the field.
2. Any bladed weapon that is inspected and found to be safe shall be tagged with a dated, temporary sticker on the forte of the blade near the guard. The sticker is good for that date only, and will be removed at any time the owner or a marshal decides the blade is no longer safe.
3. Two authorized marshals must be on the field for any tournament bout. Melees must have enough authorized marshals on the field to keep the fighters safe.
4. One marshal is required for any practice bouts. That marshal is not required to be authorized provided that one of the fighters is an authorized marshal. This is to allow marshals to be trained.
5. One marshal on each field will be designated as the Controlling Marshal and all other marshals will be Assisting Marshals. The Controlling Marshal will be responsible for starting bouts and taking any disciplinary actions.
6. Before the marshals may begin a bout or melee, they must receive a verbal acknowledgment from all fighters declaring that they are ready to begin.
7. Anyone who sees an unsafe situation on the field should call HOLD. The marshals should see the problem is corrected before continuing. The marshal(s) should be particularly alert for such situations. These include:
   1. An injury occurs on the field.
   2. A blade breaks or a tip comes off a weapon.
   3. Any weapon, protective gear or other equipment fails.
   4. Anyone on the field trips or falls.
   5. A person or animal wanders onto the field.
   6. Combatant(s) move out of field boundaries.
   7. A weapon is grabbed or becomes entangled
   8. A cloak becomes tangled about the head or face of either fighter, or about one of the weapons.
   9. Dangerous conduct by either or both combatant(s)
   10. To issue a warning.
   11. Any situation that the marshal feels is unsafe.
8. Because of the nature of the weapons used, marshals and fighters should pay special attention to missing tips or broken blades.
9. The Marshallate shall establish standards and procedures for authorization which ensure the individual is familiar with the rules and conventions of rapier combat and that the fighter is not a safety hazard either to himself or to others.
   1. Because of their unique handling characteristics, fiberglass and schläger blades will require separate authorizations.
   2. Fencing authorizations from other SCA kingdoms will be considered valid in Ansteorra for a period of not more than 3 months. The fighter will only be authorized with those weapons for which a fighter is authorized in his home kingdom. Ansteorran rules will otherwise apply.

IV. Disciplinary Actions

1. A marshal will issue a fighter a warning or remove a fighter from the field anytime he feels circumstances warrant that action. The following should be considered guidelines.
   1. If a fighter's actions violate the rules but do not create a dangerous situation the marshals should caution the fighter, making sure he understands the violation.
   2. If violations are repeated, if the marshal feels they were deliberate, or if they create a dangerous situation the marshal must issue a warning to the fighter.
   3. If a fighter loses control of himself, ignores a marshal's instructions or warnings, refuses to obey the rules, a violation creates a very dangerous situation, or someone is injured as a result that fighter must be removed from the field. Removals from the field will be immediately reviewed by the marshal in charge of a tournament or practice.
2. The marshal in charge of a tournament or practice may bar any fighter from all rapier fighting for the remainder of that event if circumstances warrant. Normally, this is done when a fighter has received multiple warnings or has been removed from the field. Any fighter who receives three warnings in one tournament or practice must be barred from further fighting.
3. A regional rapier marshal, the Kingdom Rapier Marshal or an at-large deputy of either may suspend a fighter from all SCA rapier combat if circumstances warrant. He should specify the length of the suspension when it is issued. Normally this will occur after serious violations.
4. Marshals who fail to do their job or who create a dangerous situation on the field will be subject to the same disciplinary actions as fighters.
5. Those who wish to appeal any marshallate actions must appeal to the next person up in the chain of command. That chain is:
   1. Marshal in charge of the field / Inspecting marshal
   2. Marshal in charge of the tournament or practice
   3. Local Rapier Marshal for the group hosting the event
   4. Regional rapier marshal
   5. Kingdom Rapier Marshal
   6. Earl Marshal
   7. The Crown
6. Decisions must be appealed UP the chain. Thus one inspecting marshal cannot overrule another inspecting marshal and one regional rapier marshal cannot overrule another regional rapier marshal.
7. All injuries and all disciplinary actions except cautioning the fighter (warnings, removal from the field, barring the fighter, suspensions) must be reported timely.
   1. Marshals on the field must report to the marshal in charge of the tournament or practice and the minister of the list, if any.
   2. The marshal in charge of the tournament or practice must report these actions to the local or the regional rapier marshal.
   3. The local marshal must report in writing to his regional rapier marshal.
   4. The regional rapier marshal must report to the Kingdom Rapier Marshal in writing.
   5. The Kingdom Rapier Marshal must report to the Kingdom Earl Marshal and the Deputy Society Marshal for Rapier Combat in writing.
   6. If any injuries or suspensions occur, they must be reported to the Kingdom Rapier Marshal within 24 hours. This report should be by phone or in person.
   7. Failure to report may result in loss of marshalling privileges.

Addendum

The Deputy Society Marshal for Rapier Combat has granted Ansteorra permission to experiment with large rigid defensive secondaries. Some examples are square and round targets (shields). These items will not be used against foils or epées, will not weigh more than 6½ pounds (300g) and can not be longer than 4 feet (120cm) in the longest dimension. The surface area can not exceed 453 square inches (2920 sq. cm), the same surface area as a 24 inch (60cm) diameter circle. In all other ways they will comply with the standard rules for defensive secondaries.

These rules were signed into kingdom law on October 25, 1997 by TRM Kein and Alisha, King and Queen of Ansteorra.