Except where explicitly stated below, all the Rules of Lists stated in the beginning of this document
apply to Light Weapons fighting.
A) All light weapons fighters shall be considered to be unarmored. No blow shall be assumed to have its effects negated due to clothing or armor worn with the exception of legal shields. Any single handed blow that does not maintain a full hand on the hilt within 3" of the hand guard may be discounted.
B) A light weapons fighter shall be considered armed so long as he/she retains at least one offensive weapon.
C) Grappling and tripping are not allowed.
D) Weapons shall not be thrown.
E) Fighters shall not aim the point of their weapon inside their foe's outline. This implies that the danger of a thrust is present and presents a hazard to the fighter's opponent when no thrusting is allowed. If a fighter aims his weapons inside his opponent's outline he shall be warned by the marshal. If the fighter is warned two times in the same bout for this infraction and repeats the infraction a third time, he shall be considered to have lost the fight. The passing of the point from one side of the opponent's outline to the other shall not be construed as aiming the point at the foe unless a threat with the tip is clearly intended.
F) Thrusting with a weapon is forbidden and shall result in a loss by the fighter performing the thrust. Repeated thrusting during an event is grounds for a Marshal's Court.
G) Pole weapons may not be swung with both hands together in a 'baseball' or 'axe' style. For guidance, assume that hands must remain at least 6" apart.
H) If both combatants agree, the marshal of a light weapons combat may be determinant.
I) Blows struck to the wrist, hand, ankles and feet are illegal and not counted. Repeated striking of blows to these areas is grounds for a Marshals Court.
J) A blow that is blocked by a weapon or shield is considered ineffective and a new deliberate blow must be started before a touch is to be considered good.
K) A CUT that results from a levering action shall result in an ineffective blow. If the blow is levered and drawn, the blow shall be considered an effective slice.
L) A killing blow started before receiving a killing blow from the fighter's opponent shall be considered good provided it was in the last half of its travel. Any blow started after a killing blow was received or a "Hold" called, shall be considered ineffective.
M) If a fighter is struck in the leg, the fighter may continue to fight either from his knees or by hopping. If both legs are struck the fighter must continue while sitting on the ground. If an arm is lost, it shall be held or secured behind the fighter.
N) If a weapon is broken on the field, it may be replaced by a weapon of the same type one time unless the fighter brought a secondary onto the field, in which case he/she may use the secondary. A secondary weapon brought onto the field should normally be given to the marshalate to hold during the fight. Any secondary weapon worn into combat and struck shall be considered broken and does not prevent the blow that breaks it from being considered good.
O) It is considered a courtesy to turn a legless opponent so that he/she does not face into the sun.
P) Failure or loss of a face mask during combat shall result in the immediate death of the combatant.
Q) Pole arms, shields and two swords shall not be used in Lists combat unless specifically allowed by the Lists scenario or with the prior consent of the opponent.
R) All light weapons fighters must be authorized by the Marshalate using established procedures indicated in this text by a duly authorized Lights Marshal or Senior Marshal of the Kingdom of Caid.
2) Dropping a weapon outside the eric drops it off the edge of the world. and it is not recoverable for that combat.
3) Fighters whose armor becomes sufficiently dislodged or broken so as to not meet the published armor standards shall be considered dead and shall leave the combat area. If a helm or face mask is the offending piece of armor, it must be inspected by the Marshal-in-Charge before being allowed to re-enter combat.
4) "Holds" called for broken weapons and equipment shall be lifted as soon as the offending fighter is removed from the area of combat. Broken weapons shall be removed from the field of combat. Weaponless fighters are not considered dead until actually struck or until they yield as they may be able to recover a weapon from another live or dead fighter.
5) Holds are not called for lost weapons unless it is the fighter's or marshal's opinion that the disarmed fighter is not safe.
6) Fighters that are chased out of bounds or fall or retreat into water during a combat are considered dead or routed and may not return to the fleld of battle for that combat. This rule can be waived if the scenario rules permit.
7) Opponents must be engaged before being struck unless they are part of an opposing coherent formation that is engaged with the attacker's unit. It Is permissible (but not recommended) to strike an opponent from the rear if they are part of an opposing formation that is engaged with your own formation (remember, this is a 'touch' sport). This is the same rule as is in place for heavy weapons and is placed here to maintain consistency between forms.
8) If a fighter slips or falls and his opponent can place a weapon blade against him before he assumes a defensive posture (with weapon ready), he can optionally be considered to have been killed or may be taken captive. To take an opponent captive, he must be held with the weapon against him for a slow count of 10. During this time the captive opponent may not make any attempt to defend themselves or escape. If the capturing individual can be engaged by a rescuer before the 10-count is completed, the defensive opponent is free to assume a defensive posture and attempt escape. Once a capture count is started it cannot be changed to 'killing' the fighter if he are on the verge of being rescued. Once captured, the captor must accompany the captive to the edge of the flghting area where they will remain captive. If the captive is left unattended (more than 20 feet) before being escorted off the fleld he is assumed to have escaped. If the captor is engaged while holding a captive, the captive does not escape unless the captor is defeated or forced more than 20 feet from the captive. Normally, taking a captive would be considered two or more 'deaths' for the opposing stde depending on the scenario.
9) Fighters that have been defeated shall leave the combat area with their weapons held over their heads, and after having reached the boundary shall remove their helms .
Blow Standards for Light Weapons
1) Light weapons combat is primarily a touch sport. The requirement that even a touch is
to be considered an adequate blow does not absolve the combatants from using good form. If the
combatant delivers a blow that does not maintain a full hand on the hilt within 3" of the
hand guard and at least one hand-width above the mid-point of the handle, the blow may be
considered inadequate (no 'fishing'). Blows should not be struck at more than a 90 degree angle.
2) An acceptable blow is defined as a deliberate touch with at least one hand firmly on the weapon that is felt on the body or head and does not cause excessive pain in the individual struck.
3) Any flghter who is given two warnings for use of excessive force by the Marshal, shall be removed from the field after the third warning. This action shall trigger an automatic Marshals Court and shall be reported in writing to the Earl Marshal
Killing zones are the head, torso, abdomen and groin.Wounding zones are the arms to within 3" of the wrist; the legs to point of the ankle; the hips, including the bikini area, pelvic girdle and buttocks.
Illegal target zones are the hands up to 3" from the wrist and the feet up to the point of the ankle. The use of hands and feet to block shots shall be considered to invalidate their non-target status and the appropriate limb shall be considered struck. If a flghter attempts to block with a shield or buckler and is struck in a hand as a result, the arm 1s considered to have been struck and lost.
If a wounded arm is struck a second time, the fighter shall be considered to have taken a torso shot and shall be considered defeated.
If a wounded leg is struck a second time, the blow shall be considered the equivalent to a hip shot and the fighter shall lose the option of 'hopping' or rising up while on his/her knees.
2) Authorizations for Light Weapons are run in a similar manner to the testing for heavy weapons but with more emphasis on control and accuracy. Before performing the test, the testing marshal shall hold a shinai suspended between two fingers and have the tested fighter alternately strike the right and left sides of the held shinai. The testing marshal must be confident of the authorizing flghter's control and accuracy at this point before continuing with the test.
3) With the assistance of an already authorized light weapons fighter (it is permissible to authorize two fighters against each other, but extra care must be taken by the authorizing marshal), perform the following:
a) Have the tested fighter defend only while the other fighter attacks. Have the tested fighter call out the quality of all blows but do not fight from the knees or fight without an arm. The marshal is looking for blow acknowledgment problems in this test.
b) Have the tested flghter attack while the other fighter only defends. Have the other flghter call all blows. The marshal is looking for excessive force or control problems in this test.
c) Have both flghters attack and defend normally but call blows rather than 'dying', fighting from the knees or without an arm. If the fighter appears marginal, continue the combat but have the tested fighter work both from his or her knees and against a fighter on his or her knees . The marshal is looking for problems that only arise when the fighter is pressed or otherwise occupied in the combat.
d) If both the marshal and the already authorized fighter agree that the tested fighter is safe in both offense and defense, he or she should be authorized. Fill in the appropriate lines on the New Fighter Form and return the form to the tested fighter to have it signed by the Lists Officer and mailed to the Earl Marshal for inclusion in the fighter database. Generally, the testing marshal should not retain the New Fighter Form.
| Caid Combat Handbook - Volume II | 8/30/95 |
