Armored Combat:Expected behavior and responsibilities

Expected behavior and responsibilities

1. You are responsible for, and must have control over your behavior, actions, and techniques at all times.
2. You must follow the rules in this handbook, and the instructions and decisions of the marshals. If you do not, you can be removed from the field, excluded from the activity, or face further actions. (See Managing misconduct.)
3. If you have a disagreement with the marshals, leave the field or wait until after the activity, then use the appeals process described in this handbook. (See Managing misconduct.) Do not let your disagreement get in the way of the activity continuing.
4. You are expected to behave in a courteous and chivalrous manner to everyone else.
5. You must not take deliberate unfair advantage during an activity, including:
   1. taking advantage of an opponent's chivalry or safety-consciousness
   2. breaking or misusing rules to gain advantage
   3. ignoring well-struck blows
   4. calling "Hold!" when you are at a disadvantage
   5. engaging in other forms of cheating.
6. You must not take part in any Society martial activity with intent to harm a person or deliberately damage equipment.
7. Since fighting with real weapons is forbidden at Society events, threatening the use of such weapons is also expressly forbidden.
8. If you do something that leads to actual injury of another participant, it must be reported to the marshals, and you could face further action.

Armored combat (rattan) specific

1. Striking an opponent with excessive force is forbidden.
2. You must not deliberately strike a helpless opponent.
3. Depending on the scenario or tournament rules, you may be allowed to declare a helpless opponent dead, ask them to yield, or allow them to regain the ability to continue safely.
4. If you obtain an unfair advantage by repeatedly becoming "helpless" (for example, by falling down or losing your weapon), the marshals on the field will warn you may force you to yield the fight at the next occurrence of such behavior. The onus of this is on the marshals. However, your opponent can ask the marshals to let the fight continue.
5. Grappling, tripping, throwing, punching, kicking, and wrestling is not allowed. Contact between you and your opponent's bodies, shields, and weapons is expected in corps-a-corps or mêlée situations, so controlled contact is allowed during these engagements
6. Deliberately striking your opponent's head, limbs, or body with a shield, weapon haft, or any part of your body is forbidden. Incidental contact with your opponent's shield, and weapons is expected.
7. Grasping your opponent's person, shield, weapon's striking surface, or bow/crossbow is prohibited.
8. Intentionally striking your opponent outside the legal target areas is forbidden. Missiles can inadvertently strike outside target areas because of the nature of the weapon used.
9. Intentionally striking a combat archer's bow/crossbow, or a siege engine, is prohibited.
10. Intentionally blocking a strike or projectile with a bow/crossbow is prohibited.