These rules have been superseded by the rules at http://www.oocities.org/legviiii/combat.htm.
The minutes of the 2001 combatant's meeting were lost in a hard drive crash, so the rules are at best a reconstruction of the changes from that meeting. To highlight the uncertainty, changes have been shown in dark red text.
The organisers of the subsequent conference at Porepunkah felt this version of the combat rules was so contentious, and the recovered information so unreliable they used a different version similar to those used at Sokil in 1997.
Other versions of the rules are in the order of last use:
Schedule 1 - List of Restricting Acts by State
Addendum A - Guidelines for Projectile Weapons - NSW Rules
Addendum B - Guidelines for Projectile Weapons - Victorian Rules
a) Combat will be organised either by the combat sub-committee of the Conference Association or as displays by individual clubs. The former is referred to as "organised combat" and the latter as "display combat" for the purposes of these rules. "Non-organised combat" (impromptu combat organised by individuals or clubs) may also occur and is bound by the same rules as organised combat unless otherwise agreed by the marshals.
b) These Guidelines shall be applicable to all organised and non-organised combat and all combatant displays, and shall be construed subject to the Constitution and By-Laws.
c) In any place where these rules are found to be either insufficient or indistinct, common sense should prevail.
a) Organised combat shall be divided into two types: those with head blows and those without. An announcement will be made regarding the type of combat by the marshals, immediately prior to each combat.
b) Organised combat will occur only in defined areas. Each of these areas will be defined as a "field of combat".
c) A marshal's meeting shall be held with club training personnel prior to combat to clarify any rules in question. The marshal representing each group will then be responsible for answering the questions put forward by the group.
d) A marshal's area will be set aside so that non-organised combat can be reported to and cleared by the marshals. Non-organised combat will occur only with the approval of the marshals.
a) Only those safe in a weapon may employ that particular weapon in combat.
b) Weapons will be inspected by the marshals from the respective clubs before combat; all sharp edges, hooks, spikes and rust must be removed.
c) No sharp or pointed weapons are permitted on the field of combat.
d) No weapon of any type, such as maces and flails, banned under state legislation shown in Schedule 1, may be used in any capacity in any combat under the auspices of the Association unless a valid permit has been obtained and presented to the marshals for inspection.
e) No combatant will be admitted to the field of combat under the influence of alcohol and/or any other perception changing and/or performance enhancing drug or medication. Further, no alcohol or aforementioned drugs shall be taken prior to or during combat.
f) All combatants should have current tetanus and hepatitis immunity.
g) Any bleeding combatant must leave the field of combat immediately and not return until the wound is covered and the bleeding stopped.
h) No person may join a combat once that combat has commenced.
i) No person is required to give a reason for refusing to fight any other person.
j) At any point during combat, a combatant, marshal or any other participant may call:
"STOP - MAN DOWN".
All combat will cease immediately and the combatants shall await instructions from the marshal.
a) Marshals will be nominated by each individual club from their most experienced members, and will be easily identified by a distinctive tabard and armbands. Their power will be:
b) There will be a minimum of four marshals for each organised combat.
c) All combatants will follow the instructions of any marshal. The marshals shall have complete control of all organised combats.
d) Each marshal shall carry a whistle. All combat will cease immediately the whistle is blown and the combatants shall await further instructions from the marshal.
e) All disputes in combat will be resolved by the marshal. Discussion on any decision will be left until after the combat.
f) Marshals are non-combatants and will not be touched or struck with any weapon.
a) Minimum protection of a helmet, gauntlets and padding must be worn during organised combat. Protection is left to the participants in display combat.
All combatants will be required to have all target areas covered by padding. This excludes the lower leg as it is not a target area but does include the forearm and head. Shoes are also required.
The thickness of the padding varies depending on one factor:
b) There will be two categories of protection for "Dark Age and Mediaeval" combat:
Non-Armoured - Regarded as wearing no armour.
This category includes combatants wearing gambesons and similar padded armour. A non-armoured combatant shall accept all blows regardless of their potential force.
Armoured - Regarded as wearing mail.
This category includes combatants wearing mail, scale or lamellar. An armoured combatant may only accept blows to the body that have substantial potential force (ie. that are delivered with long sweeping strokes). An armoured combatant need not accept glancing, slicing or flicking blows.
For all other periods of combat, armour will be assumed to protect the wearer from harm exactly as it would in the period in which it was worn.
c) Protection for the chest, mouth and groin areas is recommended for all warriors.
a) No blows are to be aimed at or below the knees, at the groin, head, spine, joints or hands, except where qualified below. No weapon may be used in a thrusting manner to the shaded areas on Figure 1.
b) All blows connecting with opponent must be fully under control and slowed in such a way that upon striking your opponent you will not injure them. Grappling is permitted only if blows are fully controlled.
c) A blow delivered to the crown of the head shall be deemed the only legal head blow. No stab or thrust may be delivered to this area. Spears and other stabbing weapons may not be used in this manner.
d) Any combatant that receives a "killing" blow shall immediately fall to the ground and shall not participate in further fighting for the duration of that combat. No "dead" or "dying" combatant may be struck with any weapon.
e) Any legitimate blow to a limb shall be deemed as incapacity or loss of the limb, depending on the type of weapon and type of blow. Combatants may continue to fight, but should avoid using the part that has been struck.
f) Loss of helmet due to poor design, breakage or deliberate removal counts as immediate "death".
Figure 1
Click on graphic for a larger view.
a) The maximum length for a spear used in "Dark Age and Mediaeval" combat will be 2.7 metres.
b) All weapons with metal edges shall meet the following requirements:
c) Pikes and over length spears may only be used in "later period" combat.
| When in: | Governing Act |
| New South Wales |
Weapons Prohibition Act 1998 No 231 of 1998 (NSW)
Maces and flails are prohibited weapons under this act |
| In New South Wales, care should also be taken to comply with: |
Summary Offences Act 1988 No 25 of 1988 (NSW) Section 11B
A person shall not, without reasonable excuse (proof of which lies on the person), have in his or her custody an offensive implement in a public place or a school. Section 11C(iii) provides a reasonable excuse is participation in a lawful entertainment, recreation or sport. Section 11E(I) provides anyone using or carrying a visible knife "in a manner that would be likely to cause a person of reasonable firmness present at the scene to fear for his or her personal safety is guilty of an offence" and further states "(ii) No person of reasonable firmness need actually be, or be likely to be, present at the scene." Section 3 of the act defines a knife as " (a) a knife blade, or (b) a razor blade, or (c) any other blade" but provides exemptions under section 14 of the regulation for "(b) any blades, other than knife blades or blades forming part of any of the following: (i) machetes, (ii) cleavers, (iii) swords." |
| Victoria |
Control of Weapons Act 1990 No 24 (Vic)
Control of Weapons Regulation (Vic) The act provides that a "lawful excuse" to possess a "regulated weapon" includes participation in any lawful sport, recreation or entertainment". The Regulation lists daggers having a blade length greater than 8cm with cutting edges along both sides as a proscribed weapon. Flails, morning stars, swords, falx, clubs, crossbows and pretty much all knives including picnic cutlery are regulated weapons under the Regulation. |
| Queensland |
Weapons Act 1990 (Qld)
Weapons Categories Regulation (Qld) It should be noted that maces are category "R" weapons and Flails are restricted weapons in Queensland under the Regulation. |
| Western Australia |
Weapons Act 1999 (WA)
Weapons Regulation (WA) Similar restrictions to the other states, there are two classes of weapons: prohibited and controlled. Schedule 2 of the regulation states the controlled weapons include: Bow (including arrows); crossbow; dagger; bayonet; halberd; spear; any studded weapon or glove; sword; weighted chain weapons, such as a flail. Section 6(3) provides an out for weapon smiths/manufacturers... "A person does not, by doing or attempting to do something referred to in subsection (1), commit an offence against that subsection if it is for the purpose of fulfilling a contract for the provision of a prohibited weapon to a person who may lawfully possess it.". Section 7(3) of the act states that a lawful excuse "to carry or possess a controlled weapon does not include the excuse that the weapon is carried or possessed for defence.". Some further exceptions are listed in section 10, notably a subsection providing blanket exceptions for... "something done by the person in the performance of the person's functions as -- (a) the Western Australian Museum constituted under the Museums Act 1969, a Trustee, member of staff or employee of the Museum or a person engaged to provide a service to the Museum whether for remuneration or not; or (b) a person establishing or maintaining a museum recognized under Part IV of the Museums Act 1969 or a person employed in or engaged to provide a service to such a museum whether for remuneration or not." |
| South Australia |
Rather than the usual two-tier regulation system, SA uses a three-tier system.
There are three classifications of weapons: Offensive Weapons, Dangerous Articles
and Prohibited Weapons.
Summary Offences Act 1953 (SA) The relevant sections are 5, 15 and 85. Summary Offences (Dangerous Articles And Prohibited Weapons) Regulations (SA) Section 15 of the act provides a list of weapons and lawful excuses, such as religous reasons for owning a dagger. Exemptions are provided under section 15 (2a)... "(d) a person who has possession of, or uses, a prohibited weapon for the purpose or in the course of providing a lawful form of entertainment of other persons that reasonably requires the possession or use of the prohibited weapon; (e) a person who has possession of, or uses, a prohibited weapon for the purpose or in the course of participating in a lawful and recognised form of recreation or sport that reasonably requires the possession or use of the prohibited weapon; Under the act, Section 15(3) '"offensive weapon" includes a rifle, gun, pistol, sword, knife, club, bludgeon, truncheon or other offensive or lethal weapon or instrument but does not include a prohibited weapon;' and refers to the regulation for prohibited weapons. The regulation contains a list of dangerous articles and prohibited weapons which includes: Dangerous Articles: Bayonet; Prohibited Weapon: Dagger; Morning Star; throwing knife; Another thing to be aware of is that Manufacturers have to register with the Commissioner of Police (Schedule 3, section 14). |
| Australian Capital Territory |
Weapons Act 1991 No 8(ACT)
Prohibited Weapons Act 1996 No 75 (ACT) Weapons Regulation (ACT) Maces and flails are prohibited weapons under the PWA, while the Regulation provides exemptions for performers in a production being staged by a theatrical, dramatic or historical society, or is a member of the society staging a production in which a restricted weapon or a dangerous weapon is used; and has the weapon in his or her possession for the purposes of the production. |
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Prepared by Wayne Robinson,
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