ANST - Boffer guidelines...

[Dennis Grace]

Salut Cozyns,

Lyonel aisai.

Okami makes the following suggestions:

>>Rule #8
>> During melee combat there will be no blows counted from behind. Any 
>>inadvertent blows shall not be counted. Any repeated offense will 
>result 
>>in the removal of the combatant.
>
>I'm assuming this is a safety arguement, and a direct corelation with 
>the other fighting standards of the SCA.  Having played with 
>full-contact (other than head and neck shots), full speed boffer 
combat, 
>attacks from behind, if done with descretion, are safe.  Yet shouldn't 
>be included, so as not to reinforce tactics that wouldn't be used in 
>other forms of SCA combat.

Precisely.  This isn't so much a safety issue for the boffer fighters as 
it is for the armored combatants they will one day grow to be.  We want 
to indoctrinate these kids with methods suitable for adult combat.

>>BOFFER YOUTH DIVISION DESCRIPTION: Age 6 through 9 years
>>
>>Required protective armor:
>>* Marshalate approved-helmet (minimum leather or plastic) with 
>chinstrap 
>>and face and neck protection. Full coif is recommended
>
>What is the coif to be constructed of?  Will this be similar to the 
>Rapier hood?

Yes.

>>* Hand and feet protection is required
>
>Gloves of some sort?

Gloves and close-toed shoes should suffice.

>>Weapons Construction:
>>* All weapons will be made of non-reinforced foam rubber.
>
>I would suggest the use of Funoodles as the foam to be used.  You could 
>even include a 1/2" os diameter hollow fiberglass kite tube as a core.

Fun noodles, yes.  Solid core, no.  

>There is more than adequate padding around the core, and with no 
>thrusting, you wouldn't have to worry to much about the tips getting 
>bent out of shape and dangerous.

Yes, but we're talking about six-year-olds.  We'll have to tell them 
again and again that they're not allowed to thrust.  

>>* Weapons may be covered with single layer, loosely wrapped duct tape 
>>for support.
>
>I suggest using a cloth cover, it is lighter, and will sting less on 
>impact to bare, or cloth covered skin.  It will also last longer than 
>tape.  Tends to look nicer as well.

Yes, it will sting less, but we're not using a solid core, so that won't 
matter.  I don't like the look of the cloth covered boffers.  They tend 
to look loose and sloppy.

>>LIGHT WEAPONS YOUTH DIVISION DESCRIPTION: Age 10 through 12 years
>>
>>Required protective armor:
>>* Marshalate-approved helmet (minimum converted sports helmet) with 
>>chinstrap
>
>Converted how?  Possibly with paint, cloth, leather, or foam, they 
could 
>be made to look somewhat more period.  Individual tastes would be 
>reflected in the construction.

I'd also like a little more information on these conversions.  I've seen 
ABS helms and 18 ga. steel helms used by kids for boffer, but I've never 
seen a "converted sports helm."  Any help here, Thegn Duncan?

>>* Protection is required for elbows, knees, feet and hands.
>
>I'm assuming elbow/knee pads, and shoes and gloves.

I was assuming the same.  I don't think these kids need anything rigid 
on their joints yet, do they?

>>* Sternum protection is to be added if single-handed thrusting weapons 
>>are to be used.
>
>This shouldn't be neccesary, but might be a safe percaution.  
Especially 
>considering the coordination level of the young fighters.

I have precisely the opposite critique.  We're talking about a very 
aggressive age group.  I think we should just make ternum protection (at 
least over the xyphoid process) mandatory--period.

>>Weapons Construction:
>>* All swords/ non-thrusting type/ must consist of:
>>a. 1/2 inch I.D. PVC minimum.  
>
>I suggest that the max psi rating to be no more than 400 psi.  I 
>personally recommend using 315 psi.  Another alternative is Fiber glass 
>tubing, but that tends to be light.

Okay, but why 400 psi?  Weight? Rigidity?

>>b. Two layers of glass strapping tape.
>>c. 1/2 inch foam extending 1 and 1/2 inch past tip of PVC
>
>How much foam between core and striking edge.  The minimum I would 
>suggest is 1.25" to 2".  

Why would you want 3" and 4" thick swords?  I've never seen anyone use 
more than 1" thick pipe insulation.

>>* All shielding devices:
>>a. MAY NOT BE USED AS OFENSIVE WEAPONS.
>>b. Materials: wood, plastic, or aluminum.

>I would suggest against wood.  Plastic/aluminum snow disks, and 
trashcan 
>lids make great round shields.  Plastic packing crates or other forms 
of 
>plastic or aluminium could be used for heaters and other similar long, 
>or bigger shields.  Madu's would be possible also.

What's wrong with wood?  If treated properly, 1/4 inch plywood will be 
adequate, will lok better, and will last forever against boffers.  

As for madhus, why teach our children bad habits?  We're recreating 
medieval Europe, not the African bush.  Madhus would be terrific if our 
opponents weren't armored.

>>c. All edges must be covered by tubing, leather, or foam.  
>
>I would recommend at least 3/8" or more of padding on the front and 
>edges of the shield.  Padding will decrease any possible harm, but 
>accidental contact, plus it won't tear up the boffers as quickly.  I 
>also recommend that a cloth cover be used as well, just like the 
swords.  

We don't need to pad the face of the shields, and the loose cloth covers 
Amptgarders use detract from the appearance of the shields.

>>b. Foam and tape to be a minimum 2 and 1/2 inch in diameter and extend 
>>3 inches past PVC
>
>3" might be a bit much, the tip will have a tendency to bend over at 
>that length.  1.5" to 2" should be enough.

I was think the same thing.  2" shoul be plenty.  These kids aren't 
wielding fibreglas spears.

>>MULTIPLE WEAPONS YOUTH DIVISION DESCRIPITION: Age 13 through 15
>>
>>Required protective armor:
>>
>>* Helmet (minimum converted sports helmet) with secured heavy 
chinstrap 
>>and attached gorges.
>>* Gorget must be constructed to prevent access to the face or throat 
>>from underneath the faceplate.
>
>Is gorget attached to the helm?  Is it made of leather?  

No, a gorget is usually separate from the helm.  The material is 
unimportant as long as it meets the requirement of "preventing access."  
I think leather, ABS, or 18 ga. steel are our best alternatives.

>>* Full rigid frontal thrusting and lateral protection required, e.g. 
>>heavy leather, scaled leather, or metal or Kydex plate armor;
>
>This shouldn't be needed.  I've played for 13 years, and have never 
>needed it for myself.  I've seen youths from 14 years and older playing 
>without any armor at all, and the most damage a boffer weapon has ever 
>caused was a bruise, and occasionally a scrape, if the core poked 
>through the foam.  

I'm not convinced.  We're trying to protect our kids and protect 
ourselves from culpability.  I don't see any problem with requiring 
cuirasses.  When they're 18, if they so desire, they can drop to minimum 
armor.  For now, they can cover their ribs.

>>* Two-handed thrusting weapons, e.g. spears, axes, glaives, etc. will 
>be 
>>used in this Youth division only.
>>* All two-handed, thrusting type weapons must consist of:
>>a.  Leather or rubber, covering 12 inches of thrusting end of PVC with 
>a 
>>secured capped, tipped, or balled end.
>>b. Foam and tape to be a minimum 2 and 1/2 inch in diameter and extend 
>3 
>>inches past PVC. Striking tip shall also include one half split tennis 
>>ball end or equivalent over foam on end.
>>* Thrusting weapons require inspection for wear and cracks immediately 
>>before each use.
>
>All good, except for the 3 inch extension past the core.  Will probably 
>not need the tennis ball as long as the leather and foam is covering 
the 
>tip of the core.

In this case, no.  Now we're talking about two-handed weapons.  Three 
inch thrusters is not excessive.

lo vostre por vos servir 
Sir Lyonel Oliver Grace

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