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FightCamp 2011 will feature 3 tournaments - the rules below are provisional and may be subject to minor changes before the event.

  • The Eggleton Cup Tournament - Medieval style nylon sidearms, eg. longsword or sword and buckler.

  • The Pas d'Armes - Cumulative points recorded in the Barriers (sparring arena) over the course of the event.

  • The Assault at Arms - Basket-hilted nylon swords, to simulate backswords and sabres.

You only will be able to enter for the tournaments at the Reception Desk at FightCamp. 

Each tournament except the Pas d'Armes will have restricted numbers, to be announced at the event.

 

 

The Eggleton Cup Tournament rules - run by Matt Easton (Schola Gladiatoria)

The Eggleton Cup Tournament is fought in memory of a much-missed member of Schola Gladiatoria, Matthew Eggleton, who tragically died in early 2009. It is held every year at Fightcamp and is intended to provide a competitive demonstration of skill at arms with medieval sidearms (nylon simulators thereof).  The winner is awarded an Eggleton Cup (an engraved pewter cup), only one of which is made per year.  Mark Gilbert won the first Eggleton Cup tournament in 2009 and Neil Shallcross won it in 2010.

Overview:

- The High Judge has the final say on all matters of safety and conduct.
- Competitors are expected to exercise reasonable control at all times, avoiding attacks to the throat, groin, knees, back of head and neck.

- Competitors are expected to conduct themselves with good manners at all times. Un-gentlemanly behaviour will be penalised.

- The rules are a framework to play to - the aim is for realistic and sensible fencing, showing good skill. Judges will favour good fencing over playing to the rules.
- Competitors will use Knight Shop nylon sword simulators (proline extreme).

- Competitors may fight with longsword, sword and buckler, sword and dagger, double sword or sword alone.

- Weapons can be provided for competitors (except bucklers), but they are welcome to use their own if they are deemed acceptable by the High Judge. 
- All equipment will be checked by the Judges.
- Basket-hilts and other complex hilts are not allowed.

 

Protective clothing:

Minimum protective clothing is: 1600N fencing mask (preferably with protection for the back of the head), reinforced gloves, fencing jacket/light gambeson/padded jacket or top, box/cup (for men), chest protector (for women). Gorgets (throat protectors) and men's chest protectors are highly recommended. More protection may be worn, eg. shin or knee guards, however, competitors who wear too much protection (such as heavy gambesons with bits of plate armour attached) may be asked to remove specific pieces. Steel plate armour is not allowed because of the injury it can cause and too much protection is discouraged because it invariably leads to 'kamekaze' fencing and poor displays of skill. No protective clothing can be provided for competitors, so please make sure you have what is required to compete - at least two of the traders on site will be selling this equipment, so there is no excuse not to have it.

Specifics:

- Competitors will be partnered by random draw.
- It is a direct elimination pyramid-style tournament (no round robins or pools).
- Competitors will start, pause and stop fighting when the High Judge blows a whistle.

- Competitors not stopping on the sound of the whistle may be penalised.
- The High Judge will be assisted by two Line Judges.
- The High Judge will stop the fighting each time a clear valid hit is given.
- The first rounds will be decided by one person achieving 3 valid hits.

- The Semi-Finals and Final will be decided by the first person to achieve 5 valid hits on their opponent.
- A valid hit = contact which the High Judge deems would have wounded through clothes with sharps – not a touch, bruise or scrape.

- The entire body is a valid target, including hands, with safety restrictions noted (avoid throat, groin, back of head, neck and knees).

- Weapons may not be thrown.
- Blade edges and points, cross guards and pommels may be used and may score, at the Judges' discretion.

- Strikes with the limbs and body are allowed, but must be controlled and safe.

- Grapples are allowed, but must be controlled and safe. Grapples will be stopped on the whistle.

- Attacks with the body will not usually score, but may do so at the discretion of the High Judge.
- Double hits do not score but are recorded and 3 double hits in one fight will result in a double elimination.
- Competitors are allowed the after-blow - that is, they are allowed to immediately strike back after being hit, within one tempo, with no more than one foot movement. The after-blow will however only be counted at the discretion of the Judges and must be a valid hit (no scrapes). An after-blow will not be allowed after a strike to the head with the edge or point of a weapon - head hits are therefore automatic point scorers. A successful after-blow will result in a double hit being recorded and no score.

- Competitors will only stop when they hear the whistle, and the judges will decide if a clear hit was made, a double hit or no hit and score accordingly.

- Competitors are allowed to concede a valid unanswered hit by holding a hand up, if the judges missed it, and will be applauded for doing so.
- If two people reach 3 points through a double hit, then both will be out.
- The High Judge’s decision is final and absolute.

 

 

The FightCamp Pas d'Armes - run by Paul Bennett (Schola Gladiatoria)

- Paul Bennett will have final say on any and all issues.
- All bouts will take place entirely within the barriers.
- Only 2 fighters per bout.
- All bouts will have a judge. The judge will volunteer or be appointed by Paul Bennett.
- Bouts will be fought to 5 points (10 points for dagger).
- A point will be a clean hit, submission, or where the judge has decided there is a clear martial advantage (eg, a throw or disarm where one fighter could not reasonably continue to press an attack).
- Double hits are not counted.
- A hit to any target other than the head may be followed with an immediate after-blow.  No step may be taken by the person executing the after-blow and it must be delivered in the same tempo as the initial strike.
- If an after-blow lands, it shall be considered a double hit.
- Any other individual rules for individual bouts may be instituted by agreement of the fighters and judge.
- Any weapon combinations are permitted, however the material must be the same (ie steel with steel, plastic with plastic).

- Protection must be adequate for the weapons and material used.
- Bouts in full harness must be between 2 fully armoured fighters.
- Steel impact weapons (eg. maces, warhammers) are not allowed.
- Sharp weapons are not allowed.
- All results must be relayed to Paul Bennett immediately after each bout.

 

Point system for the Pas d'Armes:
On the completion of each bout:
1 point will be awarded for participation (Valour)
2 points will be awarded for a win (Glory)

Prizes will then be awarded for the highest points for Valour and Glory.

The fighter with the highest combined points total shall be named "King/Queen of FightCamp 2010".

 

 

FightCamp Assault at Arms - run by Matt Easton (Schola Gladiatoria)

This tournament is primarily for backsword and sabre fencers. It will be conducted in a gentlemanly manner.

Weapons:
The only allowable weapons will be Knight Shop nylon swords with a closed basket-hilt, to simulate a backsword or military sword/sabre. There will be a number provided for entrants, but people owning their own Knight Shop swords may of course use those.

Protective equipment:
Minimum equipment is gloves (both hands), fencing mask, groin protector for men, chest protector for women. Arm/elbow guards, throat protectors and men's chest protectors are also recommended.  Fencing jackets / light gambesons are acceptable. The Judges may ask Competitors to remove some items of protection if they are deemed to be too bulky.

Format:
The format will be a simple knock-out tournament, no round robins or leagues.
In early rounds the winner will be the first to score 3 clean hits with edge or point.
The semi finals will be first to 5 hits.
The final will be first to 7 hits.

Specifics:
A hit is defined thus:
- A blow with the edge or point of the blade against the opponent's head, torso or limbs.
- A hit with the pommel or hilt to the opponent's head, a punch or similar hand blow to the opponent's head may score a point at the judges' discretion.
- A disarm, or grapple that ends in either a submission or either of the opponent's knees, hands or any point of their torso or head contacting with the ground.
- Kicks will not be allowed.

- Grapples are allowed, but any grapple where both fighters go to ground will be stopped.
- Double hits will be called at the discretion of the Judge and will score for neither party. 3 double hits will result in both fighters being knocked out of the competition.

- An after-blow will be allowed and will result in a double hit being recorded, at the judges discretion, unless the original hit is to the head, in which case no after-blow will be recognised.

- An after-blow must land immediately after the initial blow in order to be recognised, and with with no more than one step.
- Fighters will only start or stop fighting when instructed to do so. Ignoring this rule may result in disqualification.
- Participants may inform the judge that they were hit.  Any participant attempting to inform the judge that they were not hit, or that they hit their opponent will be offered a warning.  If this happens again they will be excluded from the rest of the competition and the fight will be awarded to their opponent.
- The judges decision is final and no discussion will be entered into.
- The judge may stop a fight and award it to one participant at any point if (s)he feels that it would be unsafe to let the fight continue.

 

 

All of the above tournament rules may be subject to change before or during the event, but the final rules will be explained at the opening of each tournament.

 

 

 

     

Email: fightcamp@googlemail.com