ANST - The new Corporate Rapier Rules

[Brent & Susan Rachel]

Please forgive multiple postings, etc.  I sought widest possible
dissemination to fencers and marshals.

The following are the newly passed Corporate Rapier Rules.  They will go
into effect in Feb 2000 after publishing in the Tournaments Illuminated.

It is predicted that we, as a Kingdom, will have approx 6 months to come
into compliance with them.  However, we are already working to alter our
rules as necessary to meet these rules by the time they are published.

Besides NOT YET being implemented.., THESE are corporate "minimums" and
"maximums" and do NOT replace our rules as such.  Our rules will be
altered to meet the restriction in these Corporate rules, and may be
more restrictive in some areas (Corporate rules will allow some
regulated blade-grabbing, whereas Ansteorra DOES NOT), therefore do not
misconstrue the below as Ansteorra's Rules.

There are some appendices to these rules that are currently being
re-written to meet requirements by the Board of Directors of the SCA.
These appendices will contain specific criteria for testing protective
gear and weapons, as well as regulations on Kingdom testing of new
weapons and techniques.  When these appendices are passed, I will post
them. If you are interested in seeing the draft for comment, write me
for a copy.

Thanks,

Kazimir Petrovich
Kingdom Rapier Marshal

Here they are:

CORPORATE RULES FOR RAPIER COMBAT IN THE SOCIETY FOR CREATIVE
ANACHRONISM,
INCORPORATED

INTRODUCTION

These rules set fundamental standards for rapier combat in the SCA.
They
are designed to allow use by the Kingdoms of the Society as basic rules,
to
which Kingdom-specific preferences (such as the weapons used) can be
added.
In keeping with Corpora, Kingdoms retain the right to add rules which
establish more restrictive standards.  All fighters and marshals are
responsible for knowing these rules, as well as the additional rules of
their Kingdom.

Rules are designed to promote safe rapier combat in the Society.
However,
no matter how clear or accurate, rules cannot replace common sense, good

judgment, and concern for the participants. If a question arises when
applying these standards, choose the answer that promotes the greatest
degree of safety for all participants.

CONVENTIONS

1.  GENERAL INFORMATION

A.  Rapier Combat shall be conducted in accordance with the Rules of the

Lists of the SCA, Inc., these rules, and such further rules as are
established by the Kingdoms.

B.  All combatants, prior to every combat or practice, shall ensure
their
equipment is safe, in good working order and has been inspected by a
member
of the Kingdom Marshallate authorized to inspect rapier gear.

C.  At interkingdom events, for any given Kingdom's tourney, guest
combatants shall meet SCA standards for protective gear, but shall
comply
with whatever weapons standards are being used by the host kingdom for
that
tourney.

D.  Unless otherwise directed by Kingdom Law, the Crown's representative

upon the field and in all matters dealing with Rapier Combat is the Earl

Marshal, then the Kingdom Rapier Marshal, then, by delegation, members
of
the Kingdom Rapier Marshallate.

2.  BEHAVIOR ON THE FIELD

A.  All fighters shall obey the commands of the marshals overseeing the
field, or be removed from the field and subject to further disciplinary
action.

B.  Disagreements with the marshals overseeing the field shall be
resolved
through the established mechanisms outlined in the Marshallate
Procedures
of the SCA, Inc.

C.  Each fighter shall maintain control over his or her temper and
behavior
at all times.

D.  Striking an opponent with excessive force, or with deliberate intent
to
injure, is forbidden.

E.  Upon hearing the call of "HOLD" all fighting shall immediately stop.

The fighters shall freeze, check for hazards in their immediate
vicinity,
and then assume a non-threatening position with their weapons pointed
away
from their opponents.

F.  Conduct obstructive of normal rapier combat, such as consistent
ignoring of blows, deliberate misuse of the rules (such as calling HOLD
whenever pressed), or the like, is forbidden.

3.  USE OF WEAPONS AND PARRYING DEVICES

A.  Blows are struck by: thrusting with the point of the blade (thrust);

sliding the edge of the blade by drawing (draw cut) or pushing (push
cut);
or by placing the tip of the blade upon, and then drawing it across an
opponent (tip cut).

B.  Chopping or hacking blows are never permitted.  Fast circular
movements
(such as moulinets) may, however, be used to place a blade for tip, draw
or
push cuts.

C.  Parrying devices may be used to move, deflect, or immobilize an
opponent's weapon or parrying device, so long as such use does not
endanger
the safety of the combatants.

D.  Striking an opponent with any part of a weapon or parrying device
not
approved for that purpose is prohibited.

4.  ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF BLOWS

A.  In judging blows, all fighters are presumed to be wearing common
civil
attire of the period, not armor.

B.  Tourneys may be held which define areas of the body as if armored,
and
to what degree, so long as all the participants are made aware of these
special conditions prior to the start of combat.

C.  In rapier combat, blows will be counted as though they were struck
with
a real blade, extremely sharp on point and edge. Any blow that would
have
penetrated the skin shall be counted a good blow. Any blow that strikes
a
mask, helm or gorget shall be counted as though it struck flesh.
Kingdoms
shall not alter this standard.

D.  A good thrust to the

--head,
--neck,
--torso
--inner groin (to the fighter's hand width down the inner limb), or
--armpit (to the fighter's inner hand width down the limb)

shall be judged incapacitating, rendering the fighter incapable of
further
combat.  Draw cuts to these locations shall be judged incapacitating.
Tip
cuts may be considered incapacitating to any or all of these regions, as

Kingdoms see fit.

E.  A good blow to the arm will disable the arm.  A good blow to the
hand
shall render the hand useless; Kingdoms may decide whether the arm above

the incapacitated hand may be used to parry.

F.  A good blow to the foot or leg will disable the leg.  The fighter
must
then fight kneeling, sitting, or standing on one leg.

G.  Parries may be performed with weapons, parrying devices, the gloved
hand, or any other part of the body.  Though the gloved hand may be used
to
parry, it shall not be used to push, grasp or strike an opponent.

H.  Fighters may choose to grasp, rather than parry, heavier types of
blades (i.e, schlagers and fiberglass blades). If the blade that is
grasped
moves or twists in the grasping hand, that hand is deemed disabled.
Grasping techniques shall be used only to immobilize a blade, not to
bend
it or wrest it from the opponent's grip.

I.  If an effective blow is thrown before, or on, the same moment as an
event that would stop a fight (a "HOLD" being called, the fighter being
"killed" himself, etc.), the blow shall count.  If the blow is thrown
after
the hold, killing blow, or other event, it shall not count.

WEAPONS AND PARRYING DEVICES

1. Sharp points, edges or corners are not allowed anywhere on any
equipment.

2. All equipment must be able to safely withstand combat stresses.

3. Equipment that is likely to break a blade or damage other equipment
is
prohibited.  Any equipment that has small rigid openings large enough to

admit a rapier tip will not be used against fencing-type blades, as
defined
in this section (e.g., small holes in bell guards, small openings in
cage
or swept hilts, any design which has acute angles where a blade could
easily be wedged and bent).  Knuckle bows ARE DEEMED SAFE for use with
fencing-type blades.

4. BLADES:

A.  The following classes of blades are used:

i.  "Fencing type" rapiers:
--Foils
--Epees
--Doublewide epees

ii.  "Heavier type" rapiers:
--Oval bladed schlagers
--Diamond bladed schlagers
--Del Tin Practice Rapiers
--Fiberglass blades

iii.  Dagger blades:
--flexidaggers
--fiberglass rods
--rattan
--non-rigid plastics

B.  All are subject to the following:

i. Any blade in a given rapier class may be used against any other blade
in
that same class, but NOT against blades of the other class.  Daggers may
be
used against either class of rapier blade.

ii. Steel blades must be manufactured by commercial suppliers.  Artisans

desiring an exception must apply to the Deputy Society Marshal for
Rapier
Combat and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

iii.  Steel blades will not be altered by grinding, cutting, heating,
hammering, 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:

                a. The tang of the weapon may be altered.

                b. Heavier-type blades may be shortened so long as it
does
not make them too stiff.

iv. All steel blades must be reasonably flexible.  Rigid steel
"parrying-only" daggers such as those made from cut down blades will not
be
allowed.

v. Except as below, all blade ends must be capped with rubber, plastic,
or
leather.

                a. Tips will have a blunt striking surface, presenting a

cross-section of at least 3/8 inch  (9 mm) diameter.

                b. Tips must be firmly taped or glued in place. The tip
must be of a color contrasting with the blade so that the tip's absence
is
readily apparent.  If tape is used, it must contrast with both blade and

tip.

                c. Tips on rattan daggers shall provide progressively
resistant "give", by a 1" (2.5 cm) diameter head which compresses
without
allowing contact with the rigid tip of the weapon.

                d.  Non rigid plastic daggers, if used, must provide
progressive "give" by virtue of the material used.

vi. Any blade with kinks, sharp bends, or cracks shall not be used.
Steel
blades that develop these defects cannot be repaired and must be
retired.
Fencing type rapiers or flexidaggers with "S" curves shall not be used
unless they can be properly re-curved.

vii.  Weapons may use a hand guard such as a cup hilt, swept hilt or
quillons and knucklebow.   The ends of quillons must be blunt.

viii. Orthopedic (or "Pistol") grips will not be used unless the fighter

has approval for medical reasons, supported by documentation from their
health care provider.

5. PARRYING DEVICES:

A.  Solid parrying devices will be made of sturdy, lightweight
materials,
resistant to breakage and splintering.

B. Soft, non-rigid devices such as cloaks may be made of cloth, foam,
leather and similar materials. They may be weighted with soft material
such
as rope or rolled cloth; they shall not be weighted with any rigid
material, nor with materials which are heavy enough to turn the device
into
a flail or impact weapon.

C. Devices that predictably cause entangling of an opponent or their
equipment, either by design or by repeated mishap, are not allowed.

D. Offensive bucklers will be considered non-standard devices.  These
devices must be approved on a case by case basis, in accordance with
rules
established by each kingdom's Rapier Marshallate.   An opponent may
decline
to face non-standard devices without forfeiting a bout.

E. Offensive bucklers shall be made of soft flexible materials such as
cloth, tape, foam and golf tubes.

6.  PROJECTILE WEAPONS:  Kingdoms may permit combat archery, throwing
weapons, and/or mock-gunnery gear (such as rubber-band guns) to be used
in
rapier melee combat, as long as safety standards for those arts are met.

A.  The use of any projectile weapon is forbidden within formal rapier
Tournament lists (single combat), or in any situation where spectators
cannot be separated from the potential line of fire by more than the
effective range of the projectile weapons to be used.

PROTECTIVE GEAR

1.  In order of increasing resistance:

A. Abrasion-resistant material: material that will withstand normal
combat
stresses (such as being snagged by an unbroken blade) without tearing.
Examples include, but are not limited to:

--broadcloth
--a single layer of heavy poplin cloth (35% cotton, 65% polyester;
"trigger" cloth)
--sweat pants
--opaque cotton, poly-cotton, or lycra/spandex mix  tights.

Nylon pantyhose and cotton gauze shirts are examples of unacceptable
materials.

B. Puncture-resistant material:  any fabric or combination of fabrics
that
will predictably withstand puncture.  Examples include, but are not
limited
to:

--Four-ounce (2 mm) leather;
--four layers of heavy poplin cloth;
--ballistic nylon rated to at least 550 Newtons;
--commercial fencing clothing rated to at least 550 Newtons.

Kevlar is not an acceptable material, as it degrades rapidly.  These
materials need only be tested at the marshall's discretion; all other
materials must be tested the first time new gear is used, or if no
marshal
on the field knows a given piece of gear to have been tested.

C.  Rigid Material: puncture-resistant material that will not
significantly
flex, spread apart, or deform under pressure of 12 Kg applied by a
standard
mask tester, repeatedly to any single point.  Examples of rigid material

are:

--  22 gauge stainless steel (0.8 mm)
--  20 gauge mild steel (1.0 mm)
--  16 gauge aluminum, copper, or brass (1.6 mm)
--  one layer of heavy leather (8 ounce, 4 mm)

2.  The following are the Society norms for protective gear.  Kingdoms
enacting more stringent standards shall weigh the benefits of more
rigorous
penetration coverage against the risks of heat illness, exhaustion, and
stroke due to heavier or more confining gear.

A.  HEAD AND NECK:

i. The front and top of the head must be covered by rigid material to
below
the jaw line and behind the ears.  Standard 12 kg fencing masks are
known
to meet this standard.  If built to this standard, fencing helms are
also
acceptable.

ii.  The face must be covered by either 12 kilogram mesh (e.g, a
standard
fencing mask) or perforated metal.  Such metal must not have holes
larger
than 1/8" (3 mm) in diameter, with a minimum offset of 3/16" (5 mm) and
shall also meet the definition of rigid material.

iii.  Masks and helms must be secured to the fighter, so that they
cannot
be easily removed or dislodged during combat.  The combination of snug
fit
and the spring-tongue in a conventional fencing mask is NOT sufficient,
by
itself, to secure the mask to the fighter.

iv.  Both modern fencing masks and rapier helms, when inspected, shall
comply with the rigid material standard, provisions on facial coverage,
and
shall show no evidence of impending failure (e.g, rust which weakens the

metal involved, dents or other defects which spread open mesh, broken
weld
points, etc).  If there is concern about the face mesh of a modern
fencing
mask, it should be tested using a standard commercial 12kg mask punch.
Marshals doing the testing shall be trained in the use of the punch.
The
Kingdom Rapier Marshals may elect to designate certain deputies to
administer such testing.

v.  The rest of the head and neck must be covered by at least puncture
resistant material.  If heavier-type rapiers are being used, additional
throat protection is required; it shall consist of rigid material, as
noted
above, covering the entire throat, and shall be backed by either
puncture
resistant material (as a hood), one quarter inch (1/4") (6 mm) of
open-cell
foam, or their equivalents.  The cervical vertebrae shall also be
protected
by rigid material, provided by some combination of gorget, helm, and/or
hood insert.

B.  TORSO AND OTHER KILLING ZONES

i.  The entire torso (the chest, back, abdomen, groin, and sides up to
and
including the armpits) must be covered with puncture-resistant material.

ii.  Acceptable minimum armpit coverage is provided by a triangle
extending
from the armpit seam, covering the lower half of the sleeve at the seam,

and extending down the inner/under arm, one-third the distance to the
fighter's elbow.

iii.   Male fighters shall wear rigid groin protection. Any ventilation
holes large enough to admit a broken blade must be covered from the
outside
with at least puncture-resistant material. Female fighters shall wear
puncture resistant groin protection.

C.  ARMS AND LEGS

i. Hands shall be protected by gloves, made of abrasion resistant
material,
that overlap any sleeve openings as below. Feet shall be protected by
boots, shoes, or sandals, comprised of at least abrasion-resistant
material.

ii. Abrasion-resistant material is required on arms (save as noted above

for armpits), legs, and any area not otherwise mentioned in these rules.

iii.  No skin shall be bared. There shall be sufficient overlap between
separate pieces of protective clothing, regardless of the fighter's
stance
or movements, that the minimum protection for that body area be
preserved.

MARSHALLING CONCERNS IN RAPIER COMBAT

1.  AUTHORIZATIONS:  Competence in other SCA combat styles does not
automatically mean competence in rapier. Separate warrants and
authorizations in rapier combat are required.

2.  BROKEN BLADES:  Marshals and fighters shall pay special attention
for
missing tips or broken blades.

3.  CLOAKS:  When cloaks are used, "HOLD" should be called if the cloak
becomes tangled about either fighter, or about one of the weapons such
that
the weapon cannot be withdrawn.  "HOLD" need not be called if the cloak
is
merely near the face, deflecting a weapon (assuming that the Kingdom
rules
allow use of the cloak for blocking or deflection), loosely draped over,
or
weighting down the blade.

4.  BLADE GRASPING:  If a heavy bladed rapier has been grasped by an
opponent,  "HOLD" shall be called if wrestling about the blade occurs.

5.  EXCESSIVE IMPACT:  Combat in the Society poses risks to the
participant.  This recognition, however, does not excuse fighters from
exercising control of their techniques. If a fighter throws blows which
force their opponent to retire from the field, from a real injury (even
one
which only causes brief incapacitation), the marshal responsible for the

field shall take such steps as are appropriate to stop the problem from
recurring.

6.  MELEE:  Melee combats present special challenges to all involved.
Society norms are as below:

A.  In melees, fighters are engaged with all opponents immediately upon
the
call to lay on.

B.  Fighters may strike any opponent with any legal blow if they are
within
the 180 degree arc of the opponent's front.  A fighter who approaches an

opponent from behind shall not deliver a blow until he is within that
frontal arc.  A fighter may never strike an opponent from behind.

C. Killing from behind is allowed if it has been announced beforehand.
The Society norm for "death from behind" in melees shall be: If a melee
scenario allows killing from behind, a fighter does so by laying the
rapier
blade over the opponent's shoulder, to at least a third of the blade,
while
calling "Dead, my lord" (or other short, courteous phrases) in a loud,
clear voice.  Reaching around the neck is forbidden.  The opponent will
be
deemed "killed" from the instant the blade touches his shoulder and
shall
not attempt to spin, duck or dodge away.  Note:  If death from behind is

not allowed in a given melee, a fighter who deliberately ignores an
attacker behind them, or repeatedly manouvers to keep their back to an
attacker (thereby preventing any attack on them) may be considered
misuse
of the rules and obstructive behavior.

D. In special scenario melees (e.g., bridge or town battles), additional

restrictions may be imposed by the marshals as needed.

7.  MINORS:  The minimum age for training and authorization in rapier
combat is 14.  When fighters under the age of 18 undertake training and
authorization, the Kingdom Rapier Marshal (or his designated
representatives) shall ensure that the minor's parent or legal guardian
has
observed rapier combat, is aware of the risk of injury inherent in this
martial art, and has signed a statement explicitly acknowledging the
above.

8. PERIODIC TESTING OF PROTECTIVE GEAR:  Kingdoms shall require all gear
to
have been formally tested (including fabric and mask tests, as
appropriate)
at least once every two years.  Compliance is the responsibility of the
individual fighter.  Any protective gear may be formally tested if there
is
concern that the gear may have lost protective ability due to age, wear
and
tear, or other factors.

9.  UNFORESEEN SITUATIONS:  Should a situation arise not explicitly
covered
by Corporate or Kingdom rapier combat rules, the marshals should NOT
assume
that the situation is forbidden or inappropriate.   Again:    However,
no
matter how clear or accurate, rules cannot replace common sense, good
judgment, and concern for the participants.


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