SCA Period Fencing Rules for the East (September 1992) I. Age and Other Requirements A. Minimum Age - As per the Laws of the East Kingdom, the minimum age for anyone participating in any official East Kingdom fencing activity, including regular local practices, will be 18 years of age, or the youth must provide proof that he/she is an emancipated minor. B. Medical Condition - Gentles having medical conditions which may affect or be affected by fencing must provide written permission from their physician before being allowed to participate. Said documents must be put on file with their local group and regional marshal. II. Armor Requirements Note: Any armor that prevents its wearer from properly calibrating blows will be disallowed. A. Fencing Mask - The mask must cover the front and sides of the head, and be fastened on in such a manner as will prevent its coming off during a bout. Marshals cannot require a punch test, but a warranted marshal has the right and responsibility to refuse any mask that he or she deems to be in danger of failing to protect against a hard thrust with an epee. Upon the wearer's request, a mask may be punch-tested if the equipment is available. B. Thrust-Resistant, Resilient Padding for the Throat and Neck To the level of the collar bone. The minimum is 4 oz. leather with at least 1/4 inch resilient padding or equivalent. The bib on a modern fencing mask by itself is not sufficient. Additional protection for the throat may be a high, stiff collar, a gorget or cowl, a scarf wrapped several times around the throat, or the equivalent. C. Thrust-Resistant Padding for the head - The head must be covered by a skullcap of 4 oz. leather or an equivalent material, as per SCA-wide rules. As an alternative, the open back of the mask may be covered with a piece of 4 oz. leather or an equivalent material, firmly attached to the mask frame, and extending low enough to cover the back of the neck. With the head tilted back, no skin shall show at the neck. D. Torso and Arm Armor - The minimum is 4 oz. leather or equivalent in a tight weave fabric. This armor shall cover the body from the level of the shoulder to below the waist. If closed at the front, the edges must overlap, or a placket of 4 oz. leather or equivalent material must be placed beneath the closure to prevent the entry of a blade. A modern three-weapon fencing jacket is acceptable if it covers the areas required but it should be concealed beneath period-style costume if at all possible. Extra protection for the underarm area is required to the level of the elbow, and must be 4 oz. leather or the equivalent in tight-weave material. The lower arms must be covered with at least one layer of tight-weave material. E. Gloves - Leather gloves must be worn on both hands. They must cover the wrist openings of the sleeves, and any cuff opening or slashing on the sleeves. Three-weapon or saber gauntlets are recommended. If gloves designed for electric equipment are used, the openings for wires must be sewn shut. F. Groin/Breast armor - Male fencers shall wear a cup underneath the lower extremity armor. Additional breast armor for female fencers is left to individual discretion. However, female fencers are strongly encouraged to wear additional breast armor of at least 1/4 inch resilient padding or an equivalent, such as modern fencing breast protectors. G. Lower Extremity armor - Trousers or skirts of canvas, leather, or heavy denim, or the equivalent shall be worn. All portions of the lower extremities must be covered with at least one layer of tight-weave fabric. Leather boots are an acceptable equivalent for the portions of the legs that they cover. Footwear must be worn, and must completely enclose the foot. H. Equivalents - 4 layers of twill trigger cloth, 2 layers of 14 oz. denim, or 2 layers of 12 oz. cotton duck cloth. Other fabrics of similar density may also be used as an equivalent for 4 oz. leather; however, marshal's discretion on the safety of any armor worn into the list will be standard. III. Weapons Specifications: A. Rapiers 1. Only foil and epee blades are allowed. 2. Points must be capped with standard plastic or rubber fencing tips or equivalent, and must be taped in place with tape that contrasts in color with the blade. 3. Foil, epee and sabre bells are permitted. Bells with openings large enough to admit a standard, capped sword point must be blocked by a rigid material. Quillons can be no longer than 3 inches beyond the outside edge of the bell. The ends must be blunted and all edges rounded. Quillons must be fixed in place. Orthopedic and pistol grips are not allowed for reasons of safety and non-period style. 4. Blades may have a single, gradual curve. Sharp bends, or more than a single curve are cause for prohibiting the use of the blade. 5. All rapier weapons shall be fought as light two-edged weapons with a point. 6. Marshals may disqualify weapons that are in danger of breaking. B. Daggers: 1. The allowable maximum blade length, hilt to tip, is 20 inches. 2. Maximum quillon width, tip to tip, is 12 inches and must be firmly fixed in place, blunted and rounded. 3. Standard thrusting daggers shall be AFS flex blades, or shall be made from shortened foil and epee blades. The point of such blades shall be bent into a loop and covered with a padded tip at least 3/4 inch in diameter. Flex Daggers shall be capped as standard foil and epee blades (see 3A.2 above). Daggers made of foam and retracting PVC blades may also be used on an experimental basis for thrusting with the approval of both combatants. 4. Daggers made of shortened foil or epee blades may be used for parrying and broken-wrist attacks ONLY, not full, straight thrusts. 5. Blows to the head and neck are not allowed with any dagger. 6. Flex daggers score touches in the same manner as foils or epees. 7. Parrying daggers are to be made from shortened foil or epee blades in the same manner as standard thrusting daggers. C. Bucklers: 1. The allowable maximum for any dimension is 20 inches. 2. Bucklers shall be constructed of light weight rigid materials, such as 1/4 inch plywood. 3. Buckler edges shall not be jagged or rough. 4. Striking with the buckler is strictly illegal. D. Cloaks: 1. Cloak size, shape, and weight are left to the discretion of the user, subject to the condition that it be actually wearable as a cloak. 2. Hem weights are permitted, but shall be padded; large rigid weights such as bars, rods, chains, or strips of metal are prohibited. 3. The cloak may be used to entangle an opponent's weapon. It may not be used against parts of the body. 4. Cloaks will be allowed to take multiple hits without being considered to have sustained damage. However, if the marshal sees things getting out of hand, he or she may step in and advise the fencer that the cloak is no longer useful. A direct thrust will penetrate a cloak. E. Other Parrying Weapons 1. Virtually any object may be used as a parry item. For instance, sword sheaths, riding crops, coiled whips, beer mugs, etc. may used provided that they pose no threat to the safety of the combatants. NOTE: Marshal discretion regarding the safety of the parry item is the deciding factor as to whether or not it will be permitted into the list. IV. Weapons Forms: A. Rapier - The form shall consist of a single rapier, with the second hand empty. A fencer may use the empty hand for defense. B. Two Rapier - The form shall consist of two rapiers, one held in each hand. C. Rapier and rigid blocking implement - The form shall consist of one rapier and one rigid blocking implement, such as parrying dagger, buckler, mug, etc. D. Rapier and thrusting dagger - The form shall consist of one rapier and one thrusting dagger. E. Rapier and non-rigid blocking implement - The form shall consist of one rapier and one non-rigid blocking implement, such as a cloak, hat, etc. V. Conduct Rules: A. Fencing Rules: 1. The standard of calibration shall tend toward the lightest touch which a fencer can reasonably expect to feel. The maximum allowable bend is 2 inches in a standard #5 foil. 2. All fencers are considered to be wearing cotton, linen, or wool street clothing of the period that these rules are intended to simulate. Skirts are to be no longer than ankle length. Corsetting, bum rolls, or anything that drastically changes the form of the body is prohibited. 3. All fencing is to be done in the round. 4. Any portion of the body from the top of the head to a line one inch below the knees is a legal target. 5. A fleche or any other running attack is prohibited. 6. Cuts should be performed as draw-cuts using wrist action, not as full arm-and-shoulder cuts. Whipping, hacking, and modern sabre cuts are prohibited. Draw cuts, push cuts, and tip cuts are all considered to be valid cuts. 7. Wrestling with the opponent is prohibited. 8. Striking any portion of the weapon other than the blade is prohibited, as are other street fighting techniques such as kicking, whipping with the cloak, and chopping with the buckler edge. 9. Combat between fencing weapons and SCA tournament weapons is prohibited. 10. A fencer is considered armed so long as one offensive weapon is retained. 11.Holds will not be called for dropped weapons. A fencer who disarms his or her opponent will have the option of allowing that opponent to retrieve his or her weapon. 12.Open-handed parries are permitted and are not considered as wounding so long as the blade, not the point, touches the glove. Pushing the opponent's hand aside is permitted under this rule, so long as the hand is not grasped. 13.Except as noted above, the rules of SCA tournament combat and the conventions of honorable combat will be enforced. B. Qualifications for Authorization 1. The fencer will be familiar with the rules and armor requirements of SCA fencing, and particularly of the SCA Period Fencing Rules for the East. 2. The fencer poses no threat of injury either to his opponent or to himself. 3. The fencer can define and demonstrate some defensive capability (a minimum of two or three parries). 4. The fencer can define and demonstrate some offensive capability other than just a direct attack. 5. Rapier and dagger, rapier and rigid parry object, rapier and non-rigid parry object, and two rapier are considered to be advanced forms with separate authorizations, and therefore, cannot be the first form to teach beginners. C. Scoring 1. Before each round in a tournament, calibration between unfamiliar opponents will be mandatory. 2. A Kill is considered to be one thrust to the torso, head, or neck, one draw cut to the neck, groin, or the area below the ribcage and above the hip bone, or two draw cuts to other regions of the torso and the head. 3. An arm, hand, or leg is rendered unusable after a single thrust or two draw cuts to it. If an arm is lost, it cannot be used. If a hand is lost, it may not be used and must remain limp. If a leg is lost, a fencer may continue standing on the unwounded leg or may kneel. If a fencer is thrust to the hip joint or in the buttocks, or is draw cut twice to the same region, the fencer must sit on the floor or ground. 4. A fencer is disabled if he or she loses the use of two limbs. A hand is not considered to be a limb unless the other arm or hand is also lost. 5. Any blow may be counted by the recipient as heavier than technically required if, in his or her opinion, it would have caused a disabling wound. However, no blow may be counted as less effective than the above rules require. D. Marshalling: 1. Marshals shall be specifically trained and warranted for period fencing, and shall be qualified in a minimum of three weapons forms. 2. The marshal inspecting and allowing the use of materials, other than those specified in these rules, as equivalents to the specified materials is primarily responsible for the results of his/her decision. 3. Marshals shall thoroughly inspect and test fencers' weapons and equipment for compliance with SCA and Kingdom standards prior to allowing their use. 4. The Kingdom Marshallate shall institute such standards and procedures for authorizing participation in fencing at SCA events and for the warranting of fencing marshals as shall be deemed necessary. 5. All bouts shall have at least one warranted fencing marshal present. An additional marshal or marshal-in- training is strongly encouraged. 6. The marshal of a bout has absolute say on a fencer's conduct on the field, and may summarily eject any fencer who is guilty of misconduct or unsafe behavior. 7. Fencing marshals are not subordinate to knight marshals. They are a separate entity. 8. Marshals shall be thoroughly versed in the SCA Period Fencing Rules of the Society and the East, and shall practice such rules during any Society fencing activity. VI. Melee Rules: A. No killing from behind, but experimentation is allowed under joint agreement of all participants. B. For groups attacking each other, charging is not allowed. C. All disabled fencers should remove themselves from the melee field. (September 1992 East Kingdom Period Fencing Rules)