Armored Combat:Equipment standards - Missiles

Equipment standards - Missiles

Combat archery ammunition

General

1. All ammunition must have the owner's name (not initials), branch, and kingdom displayed clearly on it in English characters.
2. You must not use any metal in the construction of any ammunition.
3. All ammunition has a maximum length of 28 inches (711 mm) from the back of the head/blunt, to where the string rests on the nock.
4. Your ammunition is allowed to have fletches as long as they are securely attached and made of a soft material.
   1. Fletches must not project more than 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) from the shaft if they are less than 1 1/2 inch (38.1 mm) thick, so they cannot penetrate a face guard more than 1/2 inch (12.7 mm).

Light ammunition

General requirements

1. Light ammunition can only be used in light bows and light crossbows.
2. Light ammunition must have a fiberglass shaft, a blunt (either commercially manufactured or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW)) and an anti-penetration device (APD) (either commercially manufactured or high-density polyethylene (HDPE)).

Fiberglass ammunition shafts

1. Fiberglass used in ammunition must be:
   1. solid pultruded fiberglass of between 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) and 3/8 inch (9.5 mm) diameter.
   2. able to withstand significant "bending" pressure without breaking.
2. The shaft must be covered with a sturdy tear-resistant tape, such as strapping, electrical, or duct tape, from behind the blunt to the front of the anti-penetration device (APD).

Anti-penetration devices (APDs)

General requirements

1. All arrows and bolts must have an anti-penetration device (APD) designed to prevent the back end of the arrow or bolt from penetrating a legal face guard of a helm.
2. APDs must be attached no further than 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) from the end of the arrow or bolt (including nock).
3. APDs must be attached securely using tape, glue, cable ties, etc. The method does not matter as long as it is securely attached and will not come off during normal use.
4. Attachment is tested by grabbing and pulling on the APD with moderate force while twisting it slightly. If it detaches or moves lengthwise along the shaft, then it fails.
5. APDs must not have major cuts or cracks in them. If anything can be inserted into a crack, then the APD fails.

HDPE (High-density polyethylene) APDs

1. The APD must be constructed of HDPE pipe from materials meeting ASTM D2239 (minimum of 1 inch (25.4 mm) inner diameter), or ASTM D2737 (minimum of 1 1/4 inch (31.8 mm) outer diameter) and manufactured of PE3408, PE3608, PE3710 or PE4710 resin, or equivalent. 100 PSI up to 160 PSI is approved.
2. The length of the top edge of the APD must be at least 1 1/4 inches (31.8 mm) if the front is cut square, or 5/8 inch (15.9 mm) if the front is cut at a 45-degree angle.
3. The APD is allowed to have a channel routed in the bottom, and/or cuts made in the front and back edges for helping tape attachment.
4. All sharp edges must be eased.

Asgard APDs

1. Asgard APDs can only be modified by:
   1. cutting the nock off flush for use on a crossbow.
   2. making small holes for helping attachment.
   3. roughing the interior surfaces for gluing.

Other APD designs

1. All other designs or manufacturing techniques for APDs must be approved in writing by the Society Marshal's office before use. Contact the Deputy Society Marshal for Combat Archery for details for submission and testing of experimental combat archery missiles.

Blunts

General requirements

1. All arrows and bolts must have a blunt designed to prevent the front end of the arrow or bolt from penetrating a legal face guard of a helm.
2. All blunts must be securely attached using tape, glue, cable ties, etc. The method does not matter as long as it is securely attached.
3. One piece of sturdy tear-resistant tape, such as strapping, electrical, or duct tape, must extend over the blunt and be securely attached to the shaft on both sides.
4. Attachment of the blunt is tested by grabbing and pulling on the blunt with moderate force while twisting it slightly. If it detaches or moves lengthwise along the shaft, then it fails. (Twisting around the shaft is okay.)

UHMW (Ultra-high molecular weight) polyethylene

1. UHMW polyethylene cores are constructed of at least 1 1/4 inch (31.8 mm) diameter UHMW polyethylene rod with a hole drilled in it to accept the shaft.
2. The shaft hole must be at least 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) deep, and there must be at least 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) of polyethylene in front of the shaft.
3. At least 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) and at most 1 1/4 inch (31.8 mm) of padding must be added in front of the UHMW core. This padding must have progressively resistant give and be at least the same diameter as the blunt after taping.
4. The head must also have padding that provides progressively resistant give that extends from the tip of the padding to at least 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) over the UHMW core that brings the total diameter of the head to at least 1 1/2 inch (38.1 mm) after taping.
5. The front edges of the blunt must be rounded over.
6. All sharp edges must be eased.
7. As long as all other requirements are met, the blunt is allowed to have material removed for aerodynamic or weight-reducing purposes.

Commercially manufactured blunts

1. Commercially manufactured blunts must:
   1. be designed for use with fiberglass shafts, with a 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) shaft acceptor.
   2. only be used with 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) shafts.
2. The only commercial blunts allowed are:
   • Baldar (2-piece mold only)
   • Fathead
   • Fathead 2
   • Star
3. Commercial blunts are not allowed to be modified.
4. The parting line on Baldar blunts:
   1. must be visible. If no parting line is seen the blunt cannot be used.
   2. have no delamination along the parting line.
   3. is tested by attempting to insert a fingernail with light force into the parting line. If the fingernail can penetrate the blunt, then it fails.

Other blunt designs

1. All other designs or manufacturing techniques for blunts must be approved in writing by the Society Marshal's office before use. Contact the Deputy Society Marshal for Combat Archery for technical details for submission and testing of experimental combat archery missiles.

Heavy ammunition

General requirements

1. Heavy ammunition (for use in heavy bows, heavy crossbows, light bows, or light crossbows) must consist of a tubular shaft and approved head.

Tubular ammunition shafts

1. The shaft must be constructed of HDPE pipe from materials meeting ASTM D2239 (minimum of 1 inch (25.4mm) inner diameter) or ASTM D2737 (minimum of 1 1/4 inch (31.8 mm) outer diameter) and manufactured of PE3408, PE3608, PE3710 or PE4710 resin, or equivalent. Either 100 or 125 PSI is approved.
2. The tail must be left solid for at least 1 inch (25.4 mm). Cuts are allowed to be made beyond that in order to install fletches, if desired, but must have holes drilled at the ends of each cut to keep the cut from spreading. The tail is allowed to be slit if a 1 inch (25.4 mm) or longer section of HDPE pipe is reinserted at the end and laced in place.
3. A nock is allowed to be cut into the tail end but must not be deeper than 1/2 inch (12.7 mm).
4. Wooden nocks can be installed as long as they are securely attached by drilling and lacing with string.

Heads

1. Regardless of the construction method, the head must be firmly attached by the use of tape and/or string.
2. Head attachment is tested by pulling on them with a moderate level of force and twisting slightly. If the head shows signs of loosening, it fails inspection.
3. Resilient padding of at least 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) and at most 1 1/4 inch (31.8 mm), after taping, must be added in front of the core of the head and be at least the same diameter as the head. This does not apply to tennis ball heads.
4. The head must also have padding that provides progressively resistant give that extends from the tip of the padding to at least 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) over the core of the head that brings the total diameter of the head to at least 1 1/2 inch (38.1 mm) after taping. This also does not apply to tennis ball heads.

Rubber stopper head

1. A rubber stopper, size 6.5, is placed in the end of the tube such that it enters the tube at least 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) and is well attached.

Baldar blunt head

1. Baldar blunts can be used by cutting the support fins away so that the blunt slides over the HDPE pipe and attaches securely.
2. Any classic style of Baldar blunt can be used in this manner, whether 1 or 2-piece mold or designed for fiberglass or wood.

Crutch tip head

1. A crutch tip is placed on the end of the tube such that it covers the tube at least 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) and is well attached.
2. Ensure there is no metal in the crutch tip, as metal must not be used in ammunition construction.

Tennis ball head

1. A tennis ball is placed at the end of the pipe and attached using tape and/or string.
2. The ball must not be perforated as this allows dirt, water or other debris inside of it.
3. Regulation tennis balls are allowed to be used as ammunition heads, as is, with the following restrictions:
   1. The ball must weigh less than 3 ounces (85 grams).
   2. The ball must not be covered in tape.
4. Dyes or stains can be used to change the color.

Fellwalker bolts

1. Fellwalker bolts must only be used with heavy and light crossbows.
2. Fiberglass used in Fellwalker bolts must be:
   1. solid pultruded fiberglass of between 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) and 3/8 inch (9.5 mm) diameter.
   2. able to withstand significant "bending" pressure without breaking.
3. The core of the blunt is made from UHMW polyethylene rod that is at least 1 1/4 inches (31.8 mm) diameter with a hole drilled in it to accept the shaft.
4. The shaft hole must be at least 1 inch (25.4 mm) deep, and there must be at least 1 inch (25.4 mm) of UHMW polyethylene in front of the shaft.
5. At least 1 inch (25.4 mm) and at most 1 1/4 inch (31.8 mm) of padding must be added in front of the UHMW core. This padding must have progressively resistant give and be at least the same diameter as the blunt after taping.
6. The head must also have padding that provides progressivley resistant give that extends from the tip of the padding to at least 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) over the UHMW core that brings the total diameter of the head to at least 1 1/2 inch (38.1 mm) after taping.
7. The tail end must have an anti-penetration device of a disk of UHMW polyethylene that is at least 1 1/4 inches (31.8 mm) diameter, at least 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) thick, and drilled at least 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) deep to accept the shaft.
   1. It must be attached securely with tape, glue, cable ties, etc. The method does not matter as long as it is securely attached and will not come off during normal use.
   2. This is tested by grabbing and pulling on the anti-penetration device with moderate force while twisting it slightly. If it detaches or moves lengthwise along the shaft, then it fails.
8. The shaft must be covered from behind the blunt, to the front of the anti-penetration device, in a sturdy tear-resistant tape, such as strapping, electrical, or duct tape.
9. All sharp edges must be eased.

Siege munitions

1. Siege-class munitions are indicated by being primarily yellow, and include:
   1. Ballista bolts
   2. Simulated rocks - 1 pound (450 g) foam or 4-tennis-ball clusters.
2. Small arms siege munitions are equivalent to arrows and bolts in regards to damage and targets. They inlcude:
   1. Single tennis balls
   2. Heavy tubular-shafted combat archery arrows and bolts.