Acknowledgement of Blows

Suggested reformating

Presumed armour and weapons

1. In judging blows, all combatants are by default presumed to be wearing common civil attire of the period, not armour.
2. Tourneys may be held that define areas of the body as if armoured, and to what degree, so long as all the participants are made aware of these special conditions prior to the start of combat.
3. In combat, blows will be counted as though they were struck with a real rapier, extremely sharp on point and edge, or a real period firearm firing a lead ball. Any blow that would have penetrated the skin shall be counted a good blow. Any blow that strikes a mask, helm or gorget shall be counted as though it struck flesh. Any shot that hits or grazes shall be counted as the equivalent of a good rapier blow.
4. A combatant is considered armed so long as one offensive weapon is retained. When disarmed a combatant may, at the discretion of their opponent, recover a weapon/s. If permission is refused, they must yield, accepting a safe, honourable loss of the bout.

Valid Attacks

1. A valid thrust is an attack with the point of the offensive weapon that is firm enough to feel direct pressure against the body. A valid thrust is not negated or lessened due to sliding off after solid contact with the tip of the blade.
2. A valid draw or push cut occurs when the edge of an offensive weapon is placed against an opponent and slid with the blade maintaining noticeable and constant pressure against the opponent's body. Merely laying the blade on the opponent without pressure or movement is insufficient.
3. "Tip cuts" where the rapier tip is drawn across the target is an optional attack.
4. A percussive cut can only occur during Cut and Thrust rapier combat. A valid percussive cut with either the edge or tip of the offensive weapon is one that is firm enough for the opponent to feel direct pressure against the body. All cuts are to be delivered in a controlled manner using sufficient force for the blow to be felt by an opponent, without causing actual injury.
5. An attack must be acknowledged as valid if it is felt. There is no such thing as a "light" blow from either sword or shot. A valid shot is one that grazes or strikes a rapier combatant at any place on their body. It is not lessened by grazing as the impact is considered sufficient to disable that part of the body that contact was made with.
6. A good blow to the following areas shall be considered incapacitating, rendering the combatant incapable of further combat:
   • head
   • neck
   • armpit (to the combatant's palm width down the limb)
   • torso
   • inner thigh (to the combatant's palm width down the inner limb)
7. In Cut and Thrust rapier, any blow to the leg or foot shall be judged incapacitating, rendering the combatant incapable of further combat.
8. In rapier combat, a good blow to the leg or foot will disable the leg. The combatant must then fight without placing weight on the injured leg (for example, kneeling, sitting or standing on one leg only).
9. A good blow to the hand will disable only the hand (see 2.3.9a if parrying gauntlets are in use). The combatant must stop using the affected hand and close the hand to a fist (as if to stop the bleeding). The arm may still be used to parry. A second blow to the hand will be treated as a good blow to the arm (2.4.10)
10. A good blow to the arm will disable the arm, the arm can no longer be used to parry/block. Where possible the arm should be placed behind the fencers back.
11. If a thrust or cut is thrown, or a shot begun to be fired before, or on, the same moment as an event that would stop a fight (a "HOLD" being called, the combatant being "killed" himself, etc.), the blow shall count. If the blow is thrown or shot fired after the event, it shall not count (e.g. "Dying" attacks are not valid).
12. A bout shall be won by rendering one's opponent "disinclined to continue", for whatever reason. The opponent may concede the bout because of an incapacitating blow, because of a disabling wound or series of wounds, because of "accumulated blood loss", or even because of any small scratch, depending upon agreements previously made by the combatants or the scenario in which they are competing.

Optional Actions

Any or all of the following optional actions may be used in practice, tournament or melees by prior agreement of all combatants and the supervising Marshal. The following standards must be adhered to when using these optional actions.

Tip cuts

A valid tip cut is to draw the point tip of the blade a minimum of 10cm across an opponent's body. As with a push or draw cut, only minimal, but noticeable, pressure need be maintained. Tip cuts to the following areas shall be considered incapacitating:

• The face, including the forehead.
• The neck
• The armpit (to the combatant's palm width down the limb)
• The abdomen below the rib cage including the groin (does not include the legs or buttocks).
• The inner thigh (to the combatant's palm width down the limb).

Blade grasps

Combatants may choose to grasp, rather than parry, rapier blades. If the blade that is grasped moves or twists in the grasping hand, the grasped blade must be released immediately, and that hand is deemed disabled if a parrying gauntlet is not being used. Grasping techniques shall be used only to immobilise a blade, not to bend it or to wrest it from an opponent's grip. If an opponent has grasped a blade using this convention, "HOLD" shall be called if wrestling about the blade occurs.