This event will put pre-registered teams of fencers into simulated fights against each other with a random selection of weapons and scenarios. Weapons, as well as ancillary props, will be provided by organizers. This is a small, bracketed tournament. Participants will compete in teams of 3.
FIELD:
Matches will take place in a 40’x30’ rectangular ring, with a marked centerpoint and endzones.
STAFF:
- Director (1):
- responsible for explaining scenario conditions, monitoring match safety, and calling end of match via time or winning condition
- Line Judges (2):
- responsible for monitoring match safety and ensuring eliminated fencers leave the field of play
- Table (2):
- responsible for keeping track of bracket & weapons
TEAMS:
- Teams will be made of 3 participants each.
- Teams will be self-selected on the day of the tournament, with a champion elected in case of a tiebreaker..
- Teams will draw a team name on the day of the tournament.
MATCH SETUP:
Director will reveal the scenario and explain the winning conditions to participants. Teams will then report to the table to draw their three weapons. Teams may decide amongst each other who wields which weapon from what they have drawn, but there should be no swapping weapons once the match begins.
- At the director announcement, teams will have one minute to assume their position and make tactics.
- Once both teams are in position, the director will start the match and teams will enter combat attempting to fulfill their winning condition.
- Participants will be eliminated by 1HKO (a hit on any valid target area is an elimination). Upon elimination, participants will raise their weapon above their head with both hands and safely walk off the field.
- If a participant drops their main striking weapon at any time and for any reason other than safety, they will be considered disarmed, and are eliminated. Dropped weapons must be removed from the field, and cannot be picked up by remaining fencers.
- Participants will be eliminated by 1HKO (a hit on any valid target area is an elimination). Upon elimination, participants will raise their weapon above their head with both hands and safely walk off the field.
- The director or judges may call “HOLD” to pause the match for safety reasons (a fencer has fallen over, letting eliminated fencers leave the field safely, etc).
END OF MATCH:
Matches proceed until win conditions have been met, or until the time limit runs out.
- The time limit is 3 minutes per match.
- In the event of the time limit running out, the team with the most standing participants wins the match.
- In the event that both teams have the same number of participants left standing after the time limit is reached, the captains of the two teams will fight a 1v1 1 hit KO match.
The winning team advances through the bracket, and the losing team is eliminated.If the match has been paused, it will be resumed via countdown.
EQUIPMENT:
Protective Gear: For the safety of participants, all weapons require the participant to wear full longsword kit (unless otherwise noted), which is defined as:
- Fencing mask
- Back of head protector
- Rigid throat protection
- Rigid chest protection
- Puncture-resistant fencing jacket with sufficient padding
- Rigid elbow protection
- Rigid forearm protection (gloves which extend over the entire forearm are sufficient)
- Plated hand protection (soft gloves may only be used in concert with a buckler as needed)
- Rigid knee protection
- Rigid shin protection
- Puncture resistant thigh protection (Newton rated fencing skirt or trousers, padded or rigid thigh armor, multi-layered fabric garments, such as a historical kilt, etc.)
- Full skin coverage (including the calves and palms of hands)
Weapons: Two of each weapon will be provided and competitors will draw lots prior to their match. participants within each team may swap weapons with each other. Participants are permitted to use their own weapons, so long as they adhere to the safety standards listed below:
- Steel Longsword:
- Cuts, thrusts (one and two handed), slices1, and control via grappling2 will score
- Arming Sword + Buckler:
- Participants may choose to wear a soft/light glove on their buckler hand
- Cuts, thrusts, slices1, and control via grappling2 will score
- Stave + Rondel Dagger:
- Staves may only be used to parry- no strikes. Thrusts with the rondel dagger will score
- Spear:
- Spears may only be used to parry and thrust. Thrusts may only made with the spearhead- no strikes with the side of the weapon or the butt of the shaft
- Military Saber:
- Cuts, thrusts, and control via grappling2 will score
- Cloak + Parrying Dagger:
- Contact with the cloak is allowed, but will not score. Cuts and thrusts with the dagger will score
- Slices must have a clear placement and follow up action; passe thrusts may not be treated as slices.
- Absolutely no strikes are allowed after control has been established. Doing so is a cardable action.
Target Areas:
Valid scoring actions (as defined above) will score to any are of the body, excluding the following:
- Back of head
- Back of body/ spine
- Groin
- Feet
PENALTY:
There will be 4 levels of penalty for this event. Depending on the reason for penalty and risk of safety judges may halt play or award them at the end of the match. Penalties and their consequences are as follows:
- Verbal Warning: No penalty
- Yellow Card: The offending individual(s) are removed from the current match, but may participate in their team’s next match.
- Red Card: The offending individual(s) are eliminated from the tournament, and may not participate in their team’s future matches. The remaining members of the eliminated individual’s team may continue participating in future matches.
- Black Card: The offending individual(s) and the rest of their team(s) are eliminated from the tournament.
Cardable Actions:
- Running in combat, or any jumps/lunges that bring both feet off the ground
- Turning to expose the back of the head during a pass
- Striking any off target area (back of head or body, groin, etc.)
- Striking with the pommel, strong of the blade, hilt, or crossguard
- Failing to cease all action when a Hold is called
- Performing a revenge strike (immediately subject to Black Card)
- Performing any action that a judges deems to be reckless, dangerous, or excessive, including, but not limited to:
- Striking an opponent with too much force
- Making leaping or jumping attacks
- Pushing or shoving an opponent
- Attempting to throw an opponent
- Removing protective gear during a pass
- Performing any other illegal action, as defined within this Ruleset
- Arguing with or disobeying a judge
- Influencing judges (as defined below) may be considered disobeying judges if done repeatedly
- Exhibiting any other conduct within the ring which creates a hostile or unsafe environment for spectators, staff, or other fencers
- Throwing gear
- Insulting or yelling at other persons
- Responding with excessive anger to ranking or judge decisions
- Violating the IGX Code of Conduct
Judges may also assign a card for any action they deem unsafe which does not explicitly meet criteria given here but otherwise poses a safety risk.
SCENARIOS:
Scenarios will be drawn at the start of each match. Available scenarios reset after either side of a bracket is completed.
- THE RETREAT: Team A begins in the center, with Team B split between the sidelines at center and one member starting from their endzone. Team B must eliminate all members of Team A to win. Team A must get at least one member out of bounds at their endzone to win.
- THE BODYGUARD: Team A begins between center and their endzone. Team B begins in their endzone. Team A has a dummy to protect, which cannot move. To win, Team A must defeat all of team B with their dummy unharmed. Team B must “kill” the dummy (one clean hit or falling impact to the head) regardless of how many of Team A survive.
- THE HOSTAGE: Team A begins in the center of the ring, Team B on their side. Team A has a dummy they can move, but one member must keep their hands on them at all times. To win, one team must carry the dummy back to their side unharmed (If the dummy “dies” (one clean hit or falling impact to the head) both teams lose and are eliminated).
- THE CARAVAN: Team A starts in their endzone with a “cart,” and Team B starts on the long sides of the field, in any arrangement from center to their endzone. To win, Team A must bring the cart to the opposite side of the field unharmed. Team B must either eliminate all of Team A, or take the cart back to the Team A endzone.
- THE STANDOFF: Both teams start in their endzones, with one elected leader from each team wearing a crown attached to the top of their mask as an indicator. Losing conditions are the loss of a leader, loss of the leader’s crown, or full team elimination. Retreating actions count as a ring out and result in fencer elimination.
- THE SKIRMISH: Both teams start in their endzones. To win, both teams must eliminate all members of the other team
THE BIG FANTASY FINALE: This scenario will be for the finals match only. Both teams may recruit up to 3 eliminated individuals from other teams, for a maximum of 6 participants per team (recruited members need not be from the same eliminated team). Both teams start in their endzones, with a trophy in the center. To win, one member of a team must lift the trophy overhead for a judged count of 3 seconds without being hit. All other eliminated teams will be given 1 Magic Missile each (Paper Airplane, folded by team prior to match start), which they may throw at participants on the field. Being hit by a Magic Missile counts as a 1HKO.