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SECTION 2. - CONVENTIONS OF COMBAT FOR ARMORED COMBAT ("HEAVY WEAPONS")

I. THE USE OF WEAPONS AND SHIELDS

A. Standard Weapons and Shields:

1. All weapons and shields will be used in accordance with their design (i.e. spears may only be used for thrusting, swords may be used only for striking unless equipped with an approved thrusting tip, etc.). A Combatant may use such a weapon to defend and block blows.

2. 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 Single Combat bout where a thrusting weapon is to be used, the opponent and Field Marshals will be informed that such a weapon is on the Field and the thrusting tip will be shown to the opponent upon request.

3. Shield hooks built on "thrust only" spears will not be used against an opponent's person. They may be used only for the hooking of shields or to immobilize/parry other weapons.

4. The striking surface of a weapon may not be grasped at any time nor may it be trapped in contact with the Combatant's body as means of preventing the opponent's use of the weapon or to impede a blow. Inadvertently bringing the hands in contact with the striking surface of a weapon will not be considered a violation of this convention.

5. Blows repeatedly blocked by a weapon in contact with a Combatant's helm, body or shield at the moment of impact may, at the Sovereign's discretion, be considered to have been broken. This may force a Combatant to yield the bout, unless a secondary weapon is carried or the opponent chooses to allow the Combatant to re-arm with another weapon. If the weapon being struck is a secondary weapon, passively attached to the Combatant, that weapon will be considered to have been broken at the first occurrence and will be removed from the field.

6. A shield or buckler may be used to displace, deflect or immobilize an opponent's shield, buckler, or weapon, so long as such use does not endanger the safety of the Combatants. Deliberately striking an opponent with a shield or buckler is forbidden, unless that shield or buckler is designed to be used as a weapon. A shield or buckler designed to be used as a weapon will be considered a non-standard weapon, and will be subject to special approval requirements.

B. Non-Standard Weapons:

1. All non-standard weapons must be approved by the Sovereign and/or the Earl Marshal.

2. Before any Single Combat bout where a non-standard weapon is to be used, the opponent and Marshals will be informed that such a weapon is on the Field and the weapon will be shown to the opponent and explained upon request.

3. Any opponent may refuse to face any non-standard weapon and may request that the Combatant re-arm with an acceptable weapon. (Note that a Combatant may not refuse to face any standard weapon that has been approved.) If at all possible, weapons should be discussed and agreed upon by the Combatants prior to taking the Field for Combat.

4. Single Combat bouts where the opponent and Marshals were not informed about the presence of such a nonstandard weapon may be re-fought if the opponent was directly defeated by the non-standard weapon and chooses to protest.

5. Under no circumstances may a non-standard weapon be approved for use in large melees or war situations. This is due to the fact that approval from all possible opponents of the weapon cannot property be obtained.

II. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF BLOWS ("Blow Calling")

A. In judging the effect of blows, all Combatants are presumed to be Fully Armored (see definition). Special Tournaments or Combats may be held which may re-define what areas of the body are considered to be armored, and to what extent, so long as all the Participants are made aware of the special conditions prior to the start of the Combat.

B. A blow, delivered to a legal target with effective technique for the particular type of weapon used, that strikes property oriented (with the assumed lethal area of the weapon) and with sufficient force to negate the presumed protection, will be considered a valid blow. Such a valid blow will be acknowledged by the Combatant so struck.

1. A valid blow to the head, neck or torso will be judged to have been fatal or totally disabling, thus rendering the Combatant incapable of further Combat.

2. A valid blow from an axe, mace, pole-arm, great sword, or other such mass weapon, which lands on the hip above the hip socket, or strikes the shoulder inside of the shoulder socket, will be judged to have been fatal or totally disabling. Mass weapons do not glance or skip.

3. A valid blow to the arm, one inch or more above the wrist, will be judged to have incapacitated that arm. The wounded arm will then be considered useless to the Combatant, and may not be used for either offense or defense.

4. A valid blow to the leg, two inches or more above the kneecap, will be judged to have incapacitated that leg. Such a wounded Combatant will then fight from their knees and be considered grounded.

5. A blow struck directly, using moderate force, to the face or visor area will be considered a valid blow. A moderate blow is to be considered a blow struck with sufficient force as to move the head.

C. All Combatants are expected to take into account the nature of the weapons being used by their opponent(s) and the location of the point of impact of those weapons when judging the validity of any blows delivered. Combatants are also expected to take into account the timing of the blow and the collision of the weapon with any object other than the Combatant's presumed protection.

1. The fact that a blow struck a shield or another weapon before striking the Combatant may be a reason why the blow was not valid. However, a blow which strikes a legal target with sufficient force and proper weapon orientation will be considered valid regardless of what it hit prior to striking the Combatant.

2. Sometimes a valid blow which would normally be acknowledged occurs at almost the same moment as an event which would have caused the Combat to be stopped (i.e. a HOLD). If the blow was begun prior to the occurrence of the event which would have caused the Combat to be halted, it will be deemed a valid blow and therefore acknowledged. If the blow was begun after the occurrence of the event, it will be deemed an illegal strike and therefore need not be acknowledged.

3. A blow that includes the dropping of the weapon before or at the same instant as, the impact need not be acknowledged. However, dropping of the weapon after the impact has been delivered will not be cause to ignore the blow.