Armoured Combat:Previous Change Logs

The changes from the previously published edition are held in the Change log.

Minor changes v3.3 Fighters Handbook and v2.2 of Marshals Handbook

• 1 June 2023 - Procedures for changes to these rules updated to include the Earl Marshal, and indicate the order that approvals should be sought. This isn't a functional change, just accounting for the fact that the Kingdom Armoured Combat Marshal exists.

Changes announced 13 April 2022

The following changes were approved by the Board and Committee, and announced in court at Rowany Festival by Leofric and Sabine II.

4. Conventions of Combat

4.6 Boundaries

• Changed 4.6.4 to specify 2m boundary for spectators from tournament list field and 5m from war field. This is to accommodate the new rule allowing the waiving of lanyards on single-handed weapons in war combat.
• Updated 4.6.5 to include "throwing weapons".

6. Target Areas and Acknowledgement of Blows

• Corrected hyphenation of open-faced for consistency.

7. Armour Requirements

7.9 General

• Updated 7.9.1 to specify "Viscoelastic polymers and non-newtonian padding (i.e. Zoombang) are considered equivalent padding." As per most recent Society Marshals' handbook updates. This is due to the inability to inspect and ensure the effectiveness of Zoombang as equivalent body armour.
• Updated 7.11.1.b.iii to specify that "kendo, lacrosse and street hockey gloves are not equivalent, but may be used as padding." in line with recent Society Marshals' handbook updates.

8. Melee Weapon Standards

8.1 General

• Added ability to waive the need for lanyards in war, as per the recent Society Marshals' handbook update.

8.3 Fibreglass Spears

• Added 8.3.4 banning the use of 2” Mandrake™ thrusting tips on fibreglass spears as per the recent Society Marshals' handbook update. This is due to a design fault in the item that allows them to deform and potentially enter faceplates.

8.4 Thrusting Tips

• Added 8.4.3.5 repeating the ban of the use of 2” Mandrake™ thrusting tips on fibreglass spears as per the recent Society Marshals' handbook update, in this equally relevant area.

10. Missile Weapon Standards

10.1 General

• Corrected hyphenation of "sling-staffs" for consistency.

13. Glossary

Weapons

• Changed to "Approved rigid material" in line with the recent Society Marshals' handbook update.
• Added "Haft" definition.
• Added "Handle" definition.

Changes approved - July 2021

The following changes were approved by the Crown (Guillaume d"Oze and Miriam de Mont Noir) and Kingdom Seneschal, the Board of SCA Australia Ltd, and Committee of SCA NZ Inc, and published in Pegasus July 2021.

1. Classes of participant and combat

• Updated minimum ages for participants - war is an armoured combat activity. No person under the age of 16 can authorise for armoured combat according to Society rules.
• Updated heavy to armoured combat in its relevant contexts throughout.
• Some simplification of language

2. Combat authorisation requirements

• Updated heavy to armoured combat in its relevant contexts throughout.

2.1 General

• Updated 2.1.1 to make this more specific to armoured combat and refined definition of armoured combat
• Updated 2.1.2 to include renewals being the same process as authorising for the first time, and that the requirement to demonstrate ability means there must be a practical component to all authorisation tests. Clarified which bits you needed to be able to apply (eg know while fighting, and which bits you could look up
• Updated 2.1.5 to reword for clarity, and to include Siege Marshals being able to do Siege authorisations
• Added 2.1.6 to remind people that they need to send in their own signed form.
• 2.1.7 reminds senior marshals that they must have their card back from Lists before they can perform authorisations - they can't do it from their own paperwork, they must be a valid senior marshal in the system on the date they perform someone else's authorisation.
• 2.1.9 The Kingdom Lists Officer doesn't need to provide the Earl Marshal with a list of current authorisations as the database is accessible to the Earl Marshal.

2.2 Age restrictions

• Updated 2.2.1.b to include participants in the age restriction.
• Removed 2.2.1.c - Persons between the ages of 14 and 16 may be authorised as plumed auxiliaries. Banner bearing is part of armoured combat according to Society Rules - 14-16 as plumed auxiliaries is no longer allowed by Society rules.
• Removed 2.2.1.d - No person below the age of 14 may be authorised for any form of SCA combat-related activity. Not relevant for this rule set
• Updated rule 2.2.1.e (now c) for under 14s not being allowed to train/swing an armoured combat weapon to be specific for this rule set.

2.3 Minor authorisation

• Updated 2.3.1 to 16 years from 14 years
• Updated 2.3.1.a to make it clear that the parent/guardian needs to talk to the senior marshal doing the authorisation.
• Updated 2.3.1.b to add the Kingdom Armoured Combat Marshal
• Updated 2.3.2 to be specific to this rule book.

3. Rules of the Lists

• Changes were made at Society level to the Rules of the List in Corpora in March 2021 - for gender neutral terms, to remove the right of the Sovereign to waive additional Kingdom standards (thanks to Lochac), and to be more consistent with terminology.

4. Conventions of combat

• Updated references to the Earl Marshal to include reference to their deputy, the Kingdom Armoured Combat Marshal
• Updated throughout to make more specific to armoured combat.
• Simplified language and changed to refer to you as the audience throughout
• Updated Marshal-in-Charge of the field to responsible marshal throughout
• 4.5.6. a and b - separated the information about nocking bows etc into two sub rules.
• 4.6.4 split into three rules.

5. The use of weapons and shields

• Updated throughout to refer to you as the audience and simplify language.
• 5.1.1 - added General heading to fix rules numbering collision.
• Added 5.1.1.5 - "Archers may have a backup weapon on them, but may not draw it until their bow/crossbow has been safely disposed of (taken off the field, discarded in a low traffic area, handed to another combatant, etc). Upon drawing a backup weapon to enter combat, hands must be appropriately armoured." This had been previously removed in the 2009 rules when we didn't allow non-plumed archers.
• Added 5.1.3 - Missile and Thrown Weapons - moved use of missile weapons rules out of Missile weapons standards section as these are about use not construction.
• 5.1.3.7 - clarified that bows and non-rigid quivers need to be inspected if they are struck by anything, not just missile fire, to allow for non-plumed archers who may be struck.
• Added 5.1.3.8 - "Archers may carry and use thrown weapons without need to discard their bow/crossbow or change hand armour". This had been previously removed in the 2009 rules when we didn't allow non-plumed archers.

6. Target areas and acknowledgement of blows

• Simplified language and updated to refer to you as the audience throughout
• Updated heavy combatant to armoured combatant
• 6.3.3 and 4 - appeared to have been misformatted as sub rules, now reformatted

7. Armour requirements

• Simplified language and updated to refer to you as the audience throughout.
• Updated heavy combatant to armoured combatant throughout.
• 7.2.3 - updated to specifically include training and pick-ups in needing armour inspections.
• 7.2.6 - updated to match Society requirement (VI.A) to disguise, cover or remove modern corporate logos and sport gear unless the gear is necessary for medical reasons
• 7.4.1.3 - updated to clarify that the metal for helmets needs to be at least 1.6mm thick when completed, also see 7.4.1.4.
• 7.4.1.4 - rephrased and updated include other construction techniques that thin the metal.
• 7.5.7.g - added "Maille used for screening must not have openings greater than 5mm."
• 7.5.8 - added a requirement for mesh to be secured against sideways movement, and vertical.
• 7.9.1 - updated to clarify that all kidney protection must have padding, unless it's Zoombang, as stated by Society Armoured Combat Marshal.
• 7.9.2 - removed gendered language

8. Melee weapon standards

• Updated to refer to you as the audience throughout, and simplified language
• 8.1.13 - clarification about crossguards and tsuba after question was raised - answer from Society Armoured Combat Marshal

9. Throwing weapons standards

• Updated to refer to you as the audience.
• 9.1.1 - separated into two rules - when you can use throwing weapons, and that some throwing weapons can be held in the had and used for striking.
• Updated shall to must for clarity

10. Missile weapons standards

• Moved 10.1.9-10, 10.3.9-13, 10.4.2-3 to a new sub section in the Use of Weapons and Shields as they were about use, not construction.
• 10.1.1 - updated to refer to you as the audience
• 10.1.7 - removed requirement from Kingdom to be written on projectiles - we are unlikely to take our projectiles to other kingdoms.
• 10.3.1 - added the Kingdom Armoured Combat Marshal and the Kingdom Archery Marshal.

11. Grievances and sanctions

• 11.1 - dispute resolution procedures copied from updated Kingdom Law, links updated.
• 11.2 - addition of Kingdom Armoured Combat Marshal to the chain

12. Procedures to change these rules

• Updated links to current Kingdom Law
• Updated to refer to Group Armoured Combat Marshal, include Kingdom Armoured Combat Marshal

13. Glossary

• Updated definition of armoured combatant
• Updated definition of Earl Marshal
• Added Kingdom Armoured Combat Marshal
• Updated rostered marshal