Context of the Play
This ruleset mimics a small interaction within the broader context of two pike lines closing with each other, in the style of Swiss and Landsknecht combat of the late 15th and early 16th centuries. That moment, when the pikes are interacting with one another and the mass of infantry on each side is pressing forward into close combat, was referred to in period sources as “The Bad War”. It assumes a half armor of the style depicted in the example photograph, implying an open face helmet, high gorget, breastplate with faulds and long tassets, and a maille shirt.
The weapons will be short pikes (6′ length of rattan with modified Cold Steel synthetic spearhead) and katzbalger (modified Rawlings arming sword).
Bouts will be conducted in single passes to a total of three points.
Any scoring action is worth 1 point. Points accrue against the fencer who is struck.
Doubles will score against both fencers.
An afterblow will only be scored if it occurs within a single tempo from the original strike received.
Overall standing will be determined by Overall Points (OP), meaning the differential of each bout will accrue against the person who received more strikes. For example, if a bout goes 1 to 2 (for a total of three), where Fencer A received 1 point against and Fencer B received 2 points against, then Fencer A accrues zero OP against, while Fencer B accrues 1 OP against.
Total OP in this manner will be divided by total number of bouts, and fencers ranked by average differential per bout. In the event of a tie, the initial tiebreaker will be total points against, and the secondary tiebreaker will be total dominant bouts (bouts wherein no hits against were received).
Any further tiebreaker will go to coin toss, to simulate absolute bad luck, like a stray arquebus bullet on the battlefield.
The spear only scores by thrust to one of a handful of viable targets: the face or the whole arm including hand and axila. The face is considered to be the mesh of the fencing mask. Thrusts to the face, hand, or forearm only need to touch to score. Thrusts to the upper arm or axila must land and press. Driven thrusts to the head will be penalized as excessive force. Create crossings, move to narrow measure, and touch with control. The spear may score by striking with the butt to the hands. In order for such a strike to be considered quality, it must produce an audible sound.
ANY STRIKES THAT RESULT IN THE MESH OF THE FENCING MASK INJURING ANOTHER FENCER (WAFFLING) WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE BLACK CARD AND EJECTION. Strikes with the haft to the head in any manner are prohibited altogether, and will be penalized. You may beat their weapon with the heel, strike their hand, or push their body with the heel. You may choke up on the head of the spear and use it in the manner of a dagger, which may be useful when closing distance. Other creative actions with the spear may be penalized.
The katzbalger only scores by cut from the elbow to the tips of the fingers, or by a cut or slice with lands on the mesh of the fencing mask.
This event disallows throws of any kind. Wrestling at the weapons and arms is allowed with no time limit. Wrestling at the body (pressing corps a corps) will have a 5 second count, at which point the fencers will be separated back to the starting distance with 1 point against each. Rushing in to wrestling at the body, eschewing actions on the weapon or wrestling at the arms, will be penalized. Knocking another fencer to the ground will be penalized as either a red card or a black card, depending on severity. There may be some pushing to facilitate fencing actions, but undue force will be penalized. Control your body at all times.
Equipment Requirements
Weapons will be provided. All fencers must provide their own belt or rigging system for carrying the katzbalger. Fencers without historical armor must wear all of the normal equipment for longsword. The plastron will be worn over your fencing gear, to create a slick surface for deflecting thrusts. We will have three loaner breastplates which may be worn in lieu of the plastron. Steel historical body armor is encouraged. For example, if you have a maille shirt and breastplate, you may wear both. You may not wear a closed face helmet, steel gauntlets, or steel arm harness. Hard elbows and forearms must be worn over historical arming clothing, as well as hard knees and shins.
Summary
Scoring: bouts are conducted in passes to a total of five point, scored by thrust with the spear (touch to face, hands, or forearm | driven to the upper arm or axila), by cut from the katzbalger (to the hands or forearms only), or by strike with the haft (to the hands only).
Penalties: stiff strikes to the head with the spear point, any haft strike to the head, rushing in to wrestle at the body, knocking another fencer to the ground, waffling another fencer (immediate ejection), any other safety issue with or without warning at judge’s discretion.
You know what dumbass behaviour is, don’t do it.
Supplementary Actions
- Falls: If a fencer loses their footing, their opponent will be awarded a point
- Ringout: In order to avoid sumo-style pushing, ringouts are the responsibility of both parties. A ringout will be called a double and reset the pass, unless one fencer willfully moves to ring themselves out to avoid a valid point from the opponent.
- Circling: If the fencers circle to opposite sides, the judge calls hold and resets the fencers. If it happens a second time, the pass is ended as a double. Circular recovery after a hit is acceptable.
Penalties and Cards
Technical penalty
A fencer who conducts any disallowed action immediately receives a technical penalty of – 1 VP. There is no limit on the number of technical penalties and they do not escalate so long as unsafe behavior does not occur. A fencer cannot score, and their hits will not be considered in a pass where they receive a technical penalty (though their opponent can). If a scoring action does not also occur, the fencers are reset out of distance, in the area of the ring they were located in before the halt was called. Disallowed actions include the following:
- Imitation of offensive actions during hold
- Incidental hit to illegal targets
- Groin
- Back of the head
- Behind the knee
- Spine/Back of the torso
- Shin and feet (in longsword)
- Inside of the hand
- Top of the thumb
- The floor
- Flying attacks: Any forward motion where both feet leave the ground
- Exposing the back of the head: Failure to look at the opponent during fencing
- Communication with the judges: Any attempt to influence the judges, call or decline points from the fencer or their corner. If a fencer has a question regarding a decision made by the judge they may raise their hand or ask their corner coach/teammate to intercede on their behalf. When this occurs the judge can be asked for clarification on the call and the rule. A corner coach may dispute the execution of the rules (ie which action has priority) but they may not influence the judge’s assessment of the actions which occurred.
- Excessive Celebration: Cheering after a hit or other action.
Cards
Are separate from technical penalties and will be awarded for any potentially unsafe behavior and are cumulative throughout the event. Actions which will immediately receive a card include:
- Excessive force: Any action which exceeds the amount necessary to deliver a hit and which can be used to threaten injury to the opponent.
- Strike with crossguard or pommel
- Intentional attack to illegal target
- Punching, headbutting, kicking
- Attempting to throw the opponent
- Unsportsmanlike conduct
Yellow Card: 1st infraction, -1 VP in the current pool.
Red Card: 2nd infraction, -3 VP in the current pool.
Black Card: 3rd infraction, immediate ejection from the tournament. Fencer can enter other tournaments, but will start at red card level. Judges reserve the right to immediately escalate any card as they see fit. Additionally, any fencer which injures the opponent such that they cannot continue the bout will immediately receive a black card.