Armored Combat:Conventions - Acknowledgement of blows - Effects of missiles

Effects of missiles and thrown weapons

General

1. Due to the safety limits placed on these weapons, including the low mass of the ammunition, missiles will typically strike with less force than a handheld weapon.
2. Missiles and thrown weapons do not need to strike with the same force as a handheld weapon to be an effective blow.
   1. You are not expected to acknowledge a blow that you are not aware has occurred.
   2. This does not transfer the responsibility of judging the effects of blows to the archer, as it is left to your honor as the combatant being struck to judge the effects.
3. The effects of a blow from a missile depends on the type of munition (e.g. siege or combat archery) and where it strikes you.
4. Missiles (e.g. siege munitions, arrows and bolts, and thrown weapons) are considered spent when they strike their first target, the ground or a battlefield structure.

Siege-class missiles

1. Siege-class missiles that have struck you can be identified as siege-class missiles as they are primarily yellow. They include ballista bolts and simulated rocks (1 pound (450 g) foam or 4-tennis-ball clusters).
2. A blow from siege class missile to your shield is fatal or completely disabling, unless otherwise specified by scenario rules.
3. A strike by siege-class munitions from another siege engine destroys the struck siege engine.
4. Handheld weapons struck by siege-class missiles are considered destroyed and unusable.
5. Standing pavises are destroyed by a single hit from siege-class missiles.
   1. If you are behind a pavise that is struck by a siege-class missile, you are not killed, but the pavise must be immediately removed from the field or dropped flat.

Small-arms munitions

1. Small-arms munitions include single tennis balls and tubular-shafted combat archery arrows and bolts.
2. Small-arms munitions fired from siege engines have the same damage and effect as combat archery projectiles, and are effective against the legal target area they strike.

Combat archery arrows and bolts

1. Combat archery arrows and bolts are effective against the legal target area they strike.
2. If you are a ranged combatant, you should be aware that missiles launched against especially heavy armor or from a low-powered bow or crossbow might not be noticed by your target. In which case, give your target the benefit of doubt.
3. If your missile strikes with anything other than the point, you should call, "No good!" or "Haft!" to your opponent.

Thrown weapons

1. Thrown weapons are effective against the legal target area they strike.
2. Thrown weapons must strike properly oriented (i.e. with the point, blade or striking surface) to be effective.