Avacal--Armored Combat:Expected behavior and responsibilities

Expected behavior and responsibilities

General

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 and 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.

Avacal's conventions for behaviour on the field

Language and temper

These are two things you must never lose control of on the field.

1. If you feel yourself getting angry at your opponent, whatever the reason, you should get a grip on your temper or call "Hold", and tell the marshals that you are becoming angry and why, if you wish, and ask them to take action or postpone the fight until you have had a chance to cool down.
2. You should also control your words.
   1. Use of foul or abusive language on the field is grounds for marshal sanctions.

Saluting

1. Saluting is done at the beginning of every fight, usually three times:
   • First to the Crown (or sponsoring noble),
   • then to the one for whom you fight that day,
   • and last to your opponent.
2. Examples of two basic types of salutes:
   • One is like a fencing salute where you raise the weapon vertically in front of your face, and then sweep it downwards and away to one side.
   • The other is slapping one's shield with one's weapon. There are many other variations.

Favours

1. Favours are bestowed upon a fighter by the one for whom they fight, or by friends.
   1. One is a commitment to fight for a given person for a given event, or until you return their favour. If you wish to fight for someone else, you should talk to the one who first gave you a favour.
   2. Friendship favours are worn as a token of esteem, support, or someone just likes you. They may be bestowed on the spur of the moment or permanently.