United Empires of the Middle Ages
Medieval Reenactment Society
Marshall Tome
VERSION 1.0
Copyright (c) 2000
Copies may be made by members of the, UNITED EMPIRES OF THE MIDDLE AGES, for circulation to other members, so long as no changes are made and the copyright statement is included.
APPENDIX 1: DEFINITIONS
The definitions that follow apply throughout the Guide, unless specifically stated otherwise. They are intended to clarify usage and establish a frame of reference for the various materials used in UEMA combat.
Armor Materials:
- Bars: When used in the face guard of helms, should be minimum 3/16 inch (4.5 mm) in diameter mild steel, or the equivalent. If the distance between cross-bars is 2 inches (5 cm) or less, 1/8" (3 mm) bars may be used.
- Closed-cell foam: The type of foam used for out door sleeping mats.
- Equivalent: Refers to the impact resistance, impact distribution, and impact absorption characteristics of the specified material --- not to the physical dimensions.
- Foam: Any open- or closed-cell foam, including foam rubber, foam neoprene, polyurethane etc.
- Gauge: U.S. sheet metal standard. Note that 16 gauge is officially 1/16" (.0625" or about 1.6 mm), but commercially available sheet frequently is rolled to .058 or even .055" --- much too thin for helms.
- Heavy Leather: Stiff oak-tanned leather 1/8", or more thick. Often referred to as belt leather or 8 oz. leather.
- Mail: Any fabric of small metal components either linked together (e.g. chain) or attached to a flexible backing (e.g. ring or scale).
- Padding: quilted or multi-layered cloth material, such as mattress pads, moving carpet, felt, or equivalent.
- Plate: Large components of rigid material (e.g. steel of no less than 18 gauge, aluminum of no less than 1/8", (3mm) or equivalents).
- Resilient Foam: Dense, plastic, closed-cell foam such as ethyl polymer.
- Rigid Material:
- Steel of not less than 22 gauge (.045"). (There is a tendency for sheet steel to be rolled significantly thinner than its nominal thickness, as noted above. 24 gauge, even if sold as 22 gauge, is the stuff of beer cans and not sufficient.)
- Aluminum of not less than 18 gauge.
- Other metals of sufficient thickness to give similar rigidity to those listed above.
- High impact resistant plastics such as ABS or polyethylene of sufficient thickness to give similar rigidity to those listed above.
- Heavy leather that has been hardened in hot wax, soaked in polyester resin (properly catalyzed), etc.
- Two layers of untreated heavy leather.
- Thick, deep pile carpet that has been soaked in polyester resin (properly catalyzed).
- Two layers of untreated, thick deep-pile carpet.
- Steel: cold or hot rolled mild steel or equivalent ferrous material.
Weapons:
- Swords: Single- or double-edged bladed cutting weapons (including swords with thrusting tips).
- Mass weapons: Maces, axes war hammers or other weapons which are designed to smash or punch holes (on account of the weight of the real weapons), rather than primarily to cut (on account of sharp edges on the real weapon).
- Missile weapon: Any weapon which is intended to deliver a blow without being held in the hand (e.g. arrows, javelins, quarrels, or various soft projectiles from catapults etc.) (See the Missile Combat rules and standards below).
- Pole arms; Hafted weapons, generally long, designed to be swung with two hands. Includes glaives, halberds, etc.
- Spears: Hafted weapons designed for thrusting only.
- Progressively resistant "give": As used in discussions of thrusting tips, this means that the Marshall can push on the tip with his hand and it does not bottom out, bend aside to expose the end of the blade or haft, etc.
Other Definitions:
- Authorization: A procedure which determines that the individual fighter has, at minimum, read and become familiar with the rules of combat and been observed while fighting to assure that he does not constitute an exceptional safety hazard (either to himself or to others).
- Battle: A single combat event in a war or war game wherein a specific scenario is enacted.
- Grand Marshall of the Empires (GME): The Marshall in charge of the Safety for the United Empires of the Middle Ages.
- Eric: The boundary line around the edge of the fighting field.
- Full-Contact Combat Archer: A combatant equipped in armor meeting at least the minimum requirements for combat in Class 3 combat and who will be using archery equipment in combat.
- Class 4 Fighter: A combatant equipped in armor meeting at least the minimum requirements for combat in Class 4.
- Class 4 Weapons: Rattan weapons including, but not limited to, swords of all length, great weapons, mass weapons, pole arms and spears. Other weapons in this class exist and have been used including shields designed for thrusting.
- Class 1, 2, and 3 Fighter: A combatant equipped in armor meeting at least the minimum requirements for combat using NERF foam bats, or foam covered PVC weapons and who will be using these weapons in combat.
- Marshall: Someone who is monitoring the conduct of combat on the field. (The Marshall-in-Charge of an event shall be a Authorized Marshall; the other individuals doing Marshalling may or may not be, so long as the Marshal-in-Charge finds them competent to do the job.)
- Non-Contact Combat Archer: A combatant equipped in armor meeting at least the minimum requirements for Class 3 combat and who will be using archery equipment in combat.
- Tactical Limits: The body of rules and definitions which apply to a specific battle, such as the description of real or imaginary terrain features, obstacles, weapons limitations, allowable conduct, and scoring.
- War: A declared state of feigned hostility between two or more Empires, branches, or other recognized UMEA groups, for the express intent of holding group combat.
- War Maneuvers: Group combat events not involving a state of declared hostility, usually with both sides drawn from all of the Empires, branches or other recognized UEMA groups participating.
