EQUIPMENT RULES

Combatants are assigned a unique player number during the check-in process. The registration team will provide each combatant with 4 stickers displaying their player number. One sticker goes over the heart, with the other 3 stickers placed low at the sides and back of the mask. See diagram below.

Combatants must display their player number stickers in order to participate in the games!

New Pre-Check Process

Friday, all combatants must dress for fighting and report to the gear-check station for inspection before joining the fight activities. Due to the rolling start, fighters may arrive at any time; there will not be a scheduled gear check.

Saturday, after the opening presentation, gear check will begin with a brief huddle with one representative from each group. If we are able, in good faith, to vouch for qualified safety captains from visiting groups, they will be authorized to perform the safety inspection for their own group-mates. This will save a lot of time, allowing the event officials to inspect the remaining groups and unaffiliated combatants.

Equipment Inspection

All protective equipment and weapon simulators must meet the specifications in these rules. Equipment must be suitable for team fighting with mixed weapons. All equipment must be in good repair, free of any sharp, jagged, or splintered surfaces.

ALL outside bows, arrows, and throwing weapons must be inspected by the BVI officials. 

• Bow draw weight will be checked with a luggage scale. Draw length limits or safety tests may be imposed for hot bows.

• Unfamiliar or questionable arrow types will be tested. If any archer is unwilling to receive a test shot from their own arrow, those arrows will be banned from the event.

• The weight of Javelins and all other throwing weapons will be checked as needed on a digital benchtop scale.

Safety Testing

Combatants may be required to pass a safety test to use weapons such as projectile weapons, pole arms, spears, and/or steel axes. The test involves striking live targets with acceptable control, intensity, and quality.

Completing Safety Check

Upon completing the safety check, non-contact archers will receive a yellow ring of tape around their mask. The tape should be placed high enough on the forehead that it does not obscure upper peripheral vision.

Guidelines

• Axe head size must be proportionate to the handle length

• Hand axes and Dane axes (broad axes) must be sturdy rubber/synthetic or steel.

• Polearm heads must be rubber/synthetic. Thrusting points and billhooks must be appropriately forgiving.

  • We can recommend the Purpleheart Armory Rubber Partisan and Halberd.

• Spear heads must be responsive rubber. 

  • We can recommend the Purpleheart Armory Rubber Spear Tip

  • Note on Cold Steel spear head trainers:

    1. The newer, firmer, thermoplastic spear trainers are allowed. The head must be fitted tightly and the neck must not bend.

    2. The older, floppy, rubber spear trainers are not ok, unless reinforced to prevent them from "no-clipping" through parries (see diagram below). If they are too soft to fence with, leave them at home.

• All one-handed spears 2.5 pounds or less may be used as javelins, and all Javelins may be used as one-handed spears. (See section 5, projectile weapons.)

• No ultra-light "win sticks"

• No ultra-heavy "waffle makers"

Total weapon length limits

• Hand axes: one half-wingspan (sternum to fingertip)

• Dane axe: 2 m (6’6¾”) 

• Polearm cutting blades / lateral spikes: 2 m (6’6¾”) 

  • top spike may exceed the 2 m limit.

• One-handed spear max. 1.8 m (5’10⅞”)

• Two-handed spear max. 2.5 m (8’ 2⅜”)
  
  

Axe bit length specification

• Hand axe min. 6 cm (2⅜”) 

• Long axe min. 15 cm (5⅞”)

Floppy old rubber Cold Steel spear head simulators:

Pole weapons diagram:

Archery

• Bows must be analogous to historical types and constructed of durable material

• The maximum draw weight is 25 lbs / 11.4 kg. 

• Archers with a little bit heavier bows may qualify for an exception after completing safety testing

• Arrows must have field tips removed and replaced with boffer heads or reinforced rubber blunts.

Javelins

• Javelins may be used as one-handed spears.

• All one-handed spears 2.5 pounds or less may be used as javelins.

• Length limit: 1.8 m (5’10⅞”)

• Weight limit: 1.14 kg (2.5 lbs)

• Javelin heads must be rubberized yet responsive. No steel heads.

• We recommend the Purpleheart Armory Rubber Spear Tip.

• Note on Cold Steel spear head trainers:

  1. The newer, firmer, thermoplastic spear trainers are allowed. The head must be fitted tightly and the neck must not bend.

  2. The older, floppy, rubber spear trainers are not ok, unless reinforced to prevent them from "no-clipping" through parries (see diagram below). If they are too soft to fence with, leave them at home.

• Javelin shafts must be made of sturdy wood. We don't want to see any javelins breaking into shards.
  
  

Floppy old rubber Cold Steel spear head simulators (for Javelins):