3.     Types of Combat and Damage

3.1.    In combat, common sense supercedes perceived loopholes.  These rules are as plain, straightforward, and detailed as possible, but not every angle of every situation has been covered.  In all manners concerning these rules Heralds on the field shall have final say.  When resolving rules questions, Heralds shall consider the matter according to the following criteria: safety first, playability second, and realism third. If there is a question of what is meant by a rule, a decision will be made based upon what was implied or intended when that rule was written. 

3.2.    Weapon Combat: To kill someone in Dagorhir, you must use a weapon.

3.2.1. All weapons must be checked and marked by weapons checkers appointed by the event organizer before they may be used in combat.

3.2.2. There are five classifications of weapon types: Blue, Red, Green, Yellow and White that are designated by proper colored tape on the shaft or pommel. The weapon type is decided at the discretion of the weapons checker.

3.2.2.1. Blue weapons: Weapons marked with blue tape are one handed hacking and smashing weapons and cannot be considered a red weapon even when used with two hands.

3.2.2.2. Red Weapons: Weapons marked with red tape are two handed hacking and smashing weapons.  A red weapon must be used with both hands to count as a red weapon. If used with a single hand, it counts as a blue weapon.

3.2.2.3. Green weapons: Weapons marked with green tape are stabbing weapons, such as spears, sword points, daggers, and stabbing points on pole arms.

3.2.2.4. Yellow Weapons: Weapons marked with yellow tape are projectile weapons, which are arrows and javelins.  Arrows may never be used as hand weapons.

3.2.2.5. White weapons: Rocks and other head only projectile weapons.

3.3.    Hit Locations: Hit locations include Torso, Leg, Arm, Head and Neck, Feet and Hands.

3.3.1. Torso: Includes shoulders, chest, stomach, crotch, sides, back, and buttocks.

3.3.2. Leg: From the ankle to the torso (below the buttocks). A hit to the ankle counts as a leg hit.

3.3.3. Arm: From wrist to torso or shoulder socket.  A hit to the wrist counts as an arm hit.

3.3.4. Head and Neck:  Off limits to all but yellow and white projectile weapons.

3.3.5. Hands and Feet: Unaffected areas if on the ground or wielding a weapon. When not holding anything they are considered an arm. Feet are unaffected only when on the ground, otherwise they are a leg shot.

3.4.  Weapon Damage: Weapons do varying amount of damage depending upon where they strike and whether the target area is armored.   A hit from a hand-held weapon counts when the weapon strikes solidly with substantial force.  A hit from a projectile (yellow) weapon counts when the head of the weapon merely strikes the target, stopping or being slightly deflected.

3.5.    Shields:

3.5.1. Shields are defined as any rigid object that is padded on the front and sides, equipped with handles and used as a defensive device.

3.5.2. All Red weapons when used two-handed can destroy a shield with two solid blows.  Light or glancing hits to a shield do not count.

3.5.3. A shield is a shield is a shield. Meaning that a shield maybe used in any manner, and it will still remain a shield. 

3.5.4. A warrior may use only one shield at a time.

3.5.5. A red hit is a red hit is a red hit. If a person is able to deliver a red hit while wielding a shield, then it counts as a red hit.

3.5.6. Shield spikes do no damage.

3.5.7. When a shield is destroyed, the wielder must immediately drop it. If a third hack is delivered before the shield is dropped, the wielder loses an arm. A fourth hack to the shield results in death. These third and fourth blows may be made with any type of weapon; the shield is already gone. 

3.5.8. A shield may not be taller than the distance between the wielders chin and their ankle nor wider than 3 feet.

3.5.9. The minimum dimension on the face of a shield is 12 inches.

3.5.10. Shield Kicking: Players are allowed to kick shields, provided the kicker keeps one foot on the ground. (No flying kicks!) Shield kicking must be done with regard for the safety of other players and will be monitored carefully by the Heralds.

3.6.    Grappling

3.6.1. Grappling is defined as wrestling in a safe and reasonable manner, individuals struggle hand to hand, attempting to subdue or unbalance the other without strikes, throws or joint/nerve holds. A good example is high school wrestling.

3.6.2. A person in armor may never initiate a grapple.

3.6.3. Rigid plastic safety equipment is considered the same as armor when it comes to grappling

3.6.4. Grappling from behind should be done with great caution and will be closely judged by heralds for safety.

3.6.5. A good clean body check is allowed.  

3.6.6. No person may initiate a grapple while carrying a bow and/or arrows.

3.7.    Bashing

3.7.1. A shield bash is defined as using a shield to strike an opponent starting from a distance further than 2 steps away.

3.7.2. A shield check is defined as using the shield to strike an opponent starting from a distance less than two steps away.

3.7.3. You may shield bash an opponent in their front or side quadrants.  Bashing an opponent in the rear is prohibited.

3.7.4. You may shield check an opponent from any direction.

3.8.    Miscellaneous

3.8.1. Anvilling, the act of laying one's weapon on a shield or body part to avoid taking damage, shall not be permitted.

3.8.2. If a blow strikes a sheathed weapon (i.e., one that is hanging from your belt or over your back), the

attack is considered to have hit you anyway. A weapon must be in your hand to intercept an attack.

3.8.3. Intentionally blocking a blow with a hand or foot results in the loss of the limb the appendage is attached to. 

3.8.4. Gripping the blade or point of your opponents weapon with your hand results in the loss of that arm.

3.8.5. Whenever you strike an opponent from behind with a non-blue weapon, simultaneously call out the color of your weapon so that your opponent will know how to react.

4.     Weapons

4.1.    General

4.1.1. All weapons are subject to rejection for any safety or construction discrepancies at the discretion of the weapons checker appointed by the event organizers.

4.1.2. A safe weapon is one that will not leave bruises, break bones or noses, or knock out teeth when an unarmored person is struck with a full-strength baseball bat style swing. 

4.1.3. All weapons must have cloth coverings on all striking surfaces. 

4.1.4. Two and one-half inch rule—No surface on a striking edge (sword tip, arrow head, spear head, javelin head, etc.) whether designed for stabbing or not, shall pass more than 0.5 inch through a 2.5 inch hole; swords with a semicircular tip, with a minimum 1.5 inch radius are exempt from this rule. 

4.1.5. The flat (non-striking surface) of bladed weapons must be safely padded. 

4.1.6. Hafts on axes, morning stars, maces and the like must be safely padded except for a reasonable area for a handhold. 

4.1.7. Single-edged weapons such as sabers and cutlasses must have their non-striking edge clearly marked with a 12-inch piece of silver tape.

4.1.8. Restrictions:

4.1.8.1. The pommel must not easily go through a two-inch (2.0) diameter hole.

4.1.8.2. All weapons must conform to the following:

4.1.8.2.2. Blue weapons must weigh a minimum of 12 ounces.

4.1.8.2.3. Red weapons must weigh a minimum of 24 ounces.

4.1.8.3.1. Minimum dimensions of 1.25 inch by 3 inches along its entire striking surface.

     4.1.8.3.2. Minimum dimensions for single edged bladed weapons are 1.25 by 2.5 inches

4.1.8.4. The shaft or blade of a weapon may not flex greater than 45 degrees.

4.1.8.5. Weapons cores may not be constructed with baseball bats or axe handles.

4.1.8.6. Weapons may not have metal cores.

4.1.8.7. No weapon may have a spike or blade at the butt (pommel) end.  This includes double-ended daggers.

4.1.8.8. No swung weapon may have more than 1/3 of its length unpadded. No swung weapon may have more than thirty unpadded inches.

4.1.8.9. Double-ended weapons such as quarter staves are considered to be blue weapons.

4.1.8.10.    All hafts of wood weapons must be taped, including bamboo and rattan.

4.1.8.11.   Disallowed weapons: Nets, lassos, pungi sticks, nunchucks, tonfas, double-ended daggers (this is not an exhaustive list).

4.2.    Blue Weapons

4.2.1. Blue weapons are one handed edged (hacking) or mass (smashing) weapons.

4.2.2. Blue swords have a minimum blade length of 12 inches and a maximum blade length of 36 inches.

4.2.3. Blue weapons may have green stabbing tips.

4.2.5. Morning stars and flails:

4.2.5.1. Flail heads must weight a minimum of 4 ounces and minimum circumference of 16 inches measured on separate axes.

4.2.5.2. The end of morning star must follow the 2 1/2 inch rule.

4.2.5.3. The maximum chain length is 6 inches.

4.2.5.4. The rope or cloth of the flail chain must be covered with segmented foam (rings) to reduce risk of

the chain wrapping a weapon or limb.

4.2.5.5. Morning stars and flails are always blue weapons regardless of length.

4.2.6. Double-ended Weapons

4.2.6.1. Double-ended weapons must not be more than 7 feet long.

4.2.6.2. Double-ended weapons must have a minimum of 18 inches in length of a cylindrically padded striking surface on each end and both ends must pass as green or neither end will pass as green. 

4.2.7.  The minimum length of a blue weapon is 12 inches from above the handgrip to the tip or end of haft.

4.3.    Red Weapons

4.3.1. Red weapons are two-handed edged (hacking) or mass (smashing) weapons.

4.3.2. A red weapon used with one hand is considered a blue weapon.

4.3.3. Red weapons may have green stabbing tips.

4.3.4. Red weapons ignore armor when used two handed.

4.3.5. All Red weapons when used two-handed can destroy a shield with two solid blows.  Light or glancing hits to a shield do not count.  The wielder of the shield determines the validity of the hit.

4.3.6. A swung weapon (sword, axe, mace, glaive, halberd, etc.) 48 inches or longer is considered a red weapon.

4.4.    Green Weapons

4.4.1. Green weapons are stabbing weapons, such as spears, sword points, daggers, and stabbing points on pole arms.

4.4.2. One hand green thrusts do not penetrate armor.

4.4.3. To penetrate armor, a green weapon must be thrust with both hands from the beginning of the thrust until it has connected solidly with the target.

4.4.4. Spears must have 1/3 of the haft covered.

4.5.    Yellow weapons

4.5.1. General

4.5.1.1. Arrows and javelins must be half-drawn/thrown at half-force under 20 feet.

4.5.1.2. Heralds will check all missile weapons on a daily basis.

4.5.1.3. A yellow weapon must travel its own length to count as a yellow hit.

4.5.2. Javelins

4.5.2.1. The maximum weight of a javelin is 1.5 pounds. 

4.5.2.2. The maximum length of a javelin is 7 feet. 

4.5.2.3. The minimum length of a javelin is 4 feet.

4.5.2.4. All javelins must pass standards for both yellow and green classifications, no yellow-only javelins.

4.5.2.5. All javelins must have a yellow cover on the head (not on the pommel). No non-missile weapons may have a yellow cover.

4.5.2.6. Javelins are exempt from weapon flex rule 4.1.8.4. and instead must not flex more than 90 degrees.

4.5.2.7. Any block that stops the head of the javelin from striking its target is a legal block.

4.5.2.8. Javelins must be padded along their entire length. 

4.5.3. Archery

4.5.3.1. All bows must have a draw weight of 35 pounds or less at 28 inches draw.

4.5.3.2. No compound bows.

4.5.3.3. Crossbows must have a maximum draw weight when loaded of 15 pounds or less.

4.5.3.4. Arrows must always be shot; they can never be used as hand weapons.

4.5.3.5. If an arrow hits a weapon and had that weapon not been there and a hit would have occurred, the hit is considered good on that location.

4.5.3.6. The only things than can stop arrows are shields and/or head armor. Arrows cannot be caught, blocked, deflected, or knocked out of the air by anything else, including hands, feet and weapons.  If an arrow is blocked intentionally with anything other than a shield or helmet, the warrior doing the blocking is dead automatically. 

4.5.3.7. If an arrow strikes a limb that has already been hacked off, the arrow is considered to have continued as if the limb were not there, hitting whatever is in its path. 

4.5.3.8. If the arrow is deflected it is considered to have hit. 

4.5.3.8.1. An arrow must strike with its head to cause a hit.

4.5.3.9. Once an arrow has hit an object (changed its path) it is harmless. An arrow cannot strike multiple targets. 

4.5.3.10.   You may not ever carry another warrior's arrows around without their express permission. You may return fire with arrows that have been shot at you, but if you leave the immediate area where the arrows were fired, you may not take any arrows other than your own with you.

4.5.3.11.   Bows may be used to turn aside thrusts without suffering any damage. However, if a bow is hacked or smashed by a red or blue weapon, or used to stop a thrust, the bow is considered broken.  A healer may heal a bow.

4.5.3.12.   Archers are allowed to call shots for clarity.

4.5.3.13.   Arrows

4.5.3.13.1.   A draw stop is required to prevent an arrow from being drawn more than 28 inches.

4.5.3.13.2.   Arrows may not easily pass  (> 0.5 inch) through at 2.5-inch diameter hole. No part of the arrow face may be less than 2.5-inch in any direction.

4.5.3.13.3.   All arrows must contain a perpendicular penny secured at the end of the shaft, unless it is a golf tube shaft. In this case, a washer slightly larger than the golf tube's rolled edge must be used instead.

4.5.3.13.4.   All arrow striking surfaces must be constructed of open-cell foam

4.5.3.13.5.   All arrows must have at least two full fletchings (feathers) and a nock.

4.5.3.13.6.   Only duct (cloth) or strapping tape may be used in arrow construction.

4.5.3.13.7.   All wood and fiberglass arrows must have their shafts wrapped in tape.

4.5.3.13.8.   There can be no tape on the face of an arrow

4.5.3.13.9.   The head of the arrow must not be able to be moved from side to side.

4.5.3.13.10.   No arrow using a golf tube shaft may have a yellow cover.

4.6.    White Weapons

4.6.1. Rocks must be at least 4" in diameter and constructed of foam with a little tape as possible.  

4.6.2. The maximum weight of a rock is 1.5 pounds. 

5.     Armor

5.1.    General:

5.1.1. All types of armor provide the same level of protection.

5.1.2. Armor protects only the area it covers.

5.1.3. Helmets and neck armor protect from yellow/white weapon hits to the head and neck when worn on the head.

5.1.4. The front, back and sides of the torso are considered a single strike zone for armor coverage.

5.1.5. All armor within a strike zone counts as a single piece of armor no matter how many separate pieces of armor are actually present.

5.1.6. Armor may not be concealed. It must remain visible to other players. You may wear a surcoat or tabard over armor as long as that the armor must be visible from all sides.

5.1.7. The first hit from a blue weapon to an armored strike zone has no effect.

5.1.8. The second blue hit:

5.1.8.1. To an armored torso results in death.

5.1.8.2. To an armored limb results in loss of the limb.

5.1.9. A one-handed green thrust has no effect on armor, even if previously struck with a blue weapon.

5.1.10.  Armor protection against blue weapon strikes is not eliminated due to a previous two hand green or yellow weapon hit.

5.1.11.  Armor does not offer protection against red weapons or two-hand green thrusts.

5.1.12.  Rigid plastic safety equipment for knee and elbow protection is permitted but should be concealed under clothing.  It does not count as armor.

5.1.13.  No one in armor may initiate grappling.

5.1.14.  Rigid armor including helmets must not protrude more than 0.5-inch from the body.

5.1.15.  Rigid armor including helmets must have no points (must be penny round).

5.1.16.  Rigid armor including helmets must have blunted edges.

5.1.17.  Armor must not catch any appendages. Fingers should not catch in armor.

5.1.18.  Armor must be passed by heralds from two separate realms, assuming an inter-realm event.

5.2.    Metal armor:

5.2.1. Metal armor may be made of iron, steel, bronze, brass, copper or titanium.  Aluminum and other modern alloys are not allowed, with the exception of titanium.

5.2.2. The minimum thickness of non-plate metal armor is 16-gauge.

5.2.2.1. The minimum thickness of plate metal armor is 18-gauge.

5.2.3. The maximum thickness of metal armor is 1/8 inch.

5.2.4. Acceptable Standards for 4:1 European Weave Chain mail

5.2.5. No metal knee or elbow armor with the exception of ring or chain mail.

5.2.6. Metal helms may only be constructed with 18- to 16-gauge. Helms may not have non-period grills. All other armor standards apply.

5.2.7. Any corners should be rounded to at least 1/2" radius.  

5.3.    Leather armor:

5.3.1. The minimum thickness for leather armor is 3/16 inch. The minimum thickness requirement can be achieved by layering several pieces of thin leather.

5.3.2. Studded, scaled, or brigandine armor can only be counted as armor if 2/3 of the area is covered by metal, or the studs/rings/plates are no more than 1/2" apart.

5.4.    Armor may not be constructed of plastic or other non-period materials.

6.     Wounds and Healing

6.1.    If asked a warrior must accurately describe their current armor damage and wound status.   You may never fake death or wounds during a battle to mislead your opponent.

6.2.    When you lose an arm drop anything that is in that hand and put the arm behind your back. Note: If the arm was hacked off, any other strike to the same arm counts as a torso hit, because in real life the arm would not be there to intercept the blow, arrow, etc.

6.3.    If you lose a leg, you must kneel on the knee of the leg you have just lost. To move from place to place you must either crawl, dragging the injured leg, or have comrades carry you. Hopping around on the good leg is not allowed. However, you may make a lunge off the good leg towards an opponent. Any strike to a leg that has already been lost does not count.  If both legs are wounded, the warrior must either drag themselves by their arms or be carried in order to move.

6.4.    If both knees are on the ground, and the leg wound is from a hacking or smashing weapon then any hit to either leg is considered a hit on the good leg.

6.5.    If the target is lunging/rolling around and has a wounded leg (hacking or smashing) and is hit in either leg (even the one already hit) it is considered a hit on the good leg.

6.6.    Crouching is allowed as long as neither knee is touching the ground.

6.7.    When killed fall to the ground.  

6.8.    Two limb rule: if you lose two limbs to either red and/or blue weapons, the result is death.  Wounds from green and yellow weapons do not count towards this count.

6.9.    At no time may the dead speak to the living.

6.10. Healing : Heralds will announce healing at the beginning of the battle and identify all healers.
6.10.1.  The Healer cannot heal her/himself or their own equipment.

6.10.2.  To heal a person, the Healer must be in direct physical contact with the injured person.

6.10.3.  A healer may not heal a person while either are under direct attack.

6.10.4.  A Poem of Healing must then be recited or read aloud.  The minimum length of a poem of healing is 180 syllables and must be approved at weapon check-in.

6.10.5.  When the healer completes his poem, all wounds and items are healed or repaired (i.e. armor, bow, shield, etc.)

6.10.6.  If the Healer or injured person is attacked or distracted, or contact is broken for any reason, the entire Poem of Healing must be read or recited again.

6.10.7. Healers may only heal one person at a time.