Post by schlager7 on Feb 3, 2009 18:55:08 GMT -6
from my email...
Here are the complete rules as of February, 2009:
The Broadsword League
Broadsword, Backsword, Heavy Sabre and Singlestick
Rules for Conducting Challenges
(Revised February 2009)
Our goal is to use a rule system that is as simple and flexible as possible, to avoid bureaucracy and gamesmanship and maintain a martial spirit in our competitions.
1- All bouts are to be conducted in the spirit of an encounter with sharps, and the rules are not to be construed in such a way as to permit techniques that would not be possible in a fight with sharps. Manipulating the rules is specifically forbidden, and grounds for the match to be voided and a complaint to be filed with the League.
2- When a challenge has been given and accepted, the Broadsword League is to be informed of the date, time and place of the match, as well as the names and current rankings of the two principals, and the names of their seconds. No two members of the League may fight more than one official bout with each other per calendar week.
3- Each fencer is to bring one second to the match. The job of the seconds is to witness the match and verify the score. This requirement may be waived by mutual agreement if there are no seconds available, but only if the fencers agree to accept full responsibility for both the safety of the match and the results. This is called an "honor system" bout. In the event of any disagreement or dispute in an honor system bout, the match is to be considered void.
4- Fencers are to wear a minimum of a three-weapon mask, glove and jacket as protection during the bout. They may fence with any blunt broadsword or backsword, wooden, aluminum or otherwise appropriate waster, modified shinai or singlestick, but their weapons must be of the same type. Whatever type of weapon is used, the fencers must wear sufficient safety gear to avoid injury. The seconds must prevent the match if, in their judgment, the safety gear is insufficient.
5- Either second may stop the match at any time, either before or during the bout. If a second feels that the fencers are not fencing safely for any reason, it is his responsibility to call "halt." Once the safety issue has been addressed, the bout may resume. If a throw or fall occurs for any reason, or if a mask is knocked off, the bout is halted and the fencers are to return to the starting point, salute, and resume the bout. This rule applies no matter which type of bout is being fought. Seconds may also call a halt to inquire if their own or the opposing fencer was touched, however the judgement of the fencer in question is to be accepted except in egregious cases. If either second feels that the opposing fencer did not call touches accurately or otherwise observe the rules, the match is voided.
6- The fencers, through their seconds, must determine the type of bout to be fought. The following points must be determined:
1)- Will thrusts be allowed, or only cuts?
2)- Will the action of the bout stop on a touch? If the fencers agree to stop on a touch, the fencers are to re-center and resume the bout after the halt.
3)- Will grips be allowed? If grips are allowed, the fencers may grip each other in order to get a touch or a disarm, and may grip the opposing blade if they can do so in such a way that it would not cut them if the blades were sharp. If grips are allowed, the seconds are to call a halt and re-center the fencers if they get caught up in an extended clinch. In this type of bout, a disarm or a throw is to be counted as a touch. If grips are allowed, the action must stop on a touch.
4)- The fencers must determine whether the match shall be fought in an open area, on a fencing strip, or in a circle of any convenient size. If the bout is fought in a circle, stepping outside the circle with either foot is counted as a touch against.
7- The bout will begin after both fencers have saluted. A valid touch, anywhere on the body, must be acknowledged by the fencer who has been touched, and noted by his second. Each second has the responsibility of recording the touches against his own principal.
8- A valid touch is defined as a touch that, in the judgement of the affected fencer, would have drawn blood on him if the weapons had been sharp. Flat or grazing touches that would not have drawn blood are not counted, but should be acknowledged with the words "flat" or "light."
9- Bouts will continue for five minutes. At the end of the bout, the Broadsword League is to be informed of the results, along with the contact information for both principals and both seconds so the results may be confirmed. The ratings of the two fencers will be adjusted by the League according to the following method:
The seconds record and report the number of touches against each fencer. Each fencer receives 25 points for participating in the bout, minus one point for every touch scored against him, plus ½ point for every touch scored against his opponent. ½ points are rounded down from the final score, and negative final scores are adjusted to zero points.
Example: Fencer X and Fencer Y have a broadsword bout. Fencer X is touched 10 times and Fencer Y is touched 13 times. Fencer X receives 25 points for fencing, minus 10 points for the ten touches against him, plus 6 points for the touches he scored against Fencer Y. He receives a total of 21 points, to be added to his official ratings. Fencer Y receives 25 points for fencing, minus 13 points for the thirteen touches against him, plus 5 points for the touches he scored against Fencer X. He receives a total of 17 points, to be added to his official ratings.
10- The following types of special bout may be fought by agreement. Both types of special bout may also be combined into one.
1)-Off-Hand: Each fencer may choose a second weapon to use in his off-hand, such as a target, buckler, dagger or second sword.
The off-hand weapons used by the fencers need not be identical. The seconds are not to allow the use of any unhistorical off-hand weapon.
2)- Five-Touch: This bout is scored differently than a standard Broadsword League bout, and is intended to allow for classical heavy saber matches within the Broadsword League framework. In this type of bout, the default rule is that double touches are to be disregarded. However, the fencers may voluntarily agree to fence the bout according to any mutually acceptable set of classical saber conventions. The fencer who first receives five touches has lost the bout. In a five-touch bout, Broadsword League points are earned according to a special scale. If the score is 5-0, the winner earns 26 points and the loser 16. If the score is 5-1, the winner earns 25 points and the loser 17. If the score is 5-2, the winner earns 24 points and the loser 18. If the score is 5-3, the winner earns 23 points and the loser 19. If the score is 5-4, the winner earns 22 points and the loser 20.
International, National and Regional Championships
Note: In the first year of the League's existence, the international championships were awarded on a different basis than what is described below. The Gormon was awarded to whoever earned the most points for the year, and the McBane to the holder of the best overall average.
The rules described below went into effect on January 1, 2008.
To claim any Regional Championship title, you must have fought at least five bouts in that region, and you must have the highest average of points earned per bout of any fencer in that region for the previous year. The region in question can be a city, state, province or any other division of territory.
For instance, if you are a Broadsword League member in New York City, and you have fought at least five bouts in the city since you joined the League, and your average for 2007 was the highest of any League member in New York, then you can describe yourself as the Broadsword League Champion of New York City for 2007.
The same principle applies to National Championships, except that you must have fought at least ten bouts in a particular nation in order to claim to be its champion.
Regional and National Championships are not actually awarded by the League- they are simply claimed, under the conditions described above, by whichever swordsman can earn the title.
The Broadsword League awards three International trophies, along with the title of "Broadsword Champion." These trophies are the Gormon, the McBane and the Figg. These three championships are named after great Stage Gladiators of the 18th century.
The Gormon is awarded at the end of each year to the fencer with the best year-to-date average who has fought at least 20 Broadsword League bouts for the year. The McBane is awarded at the end of each year to the fencer with the best year-to-date average who has fought at least 5 but less than 20 Broadsword League bouts for the year. If the winner of the Gormon and the winner of the McBane agree to meet for a challenge match, the fencer who earns the most points in that match will be awarded the Figg, as well as the title of "Broadsword League Grand Champion."
Here are the complete rules as of February, 2009:
The Broadsword League
Broadsword, Backsword, Heavy Sabre and Singlestick
Rules for Conducting Challenges
(Revised February 2009)
Our goal is to use a rule system that is as simple and flexible as possible, to avoid bureaucracy and gamesmanship and maintain a martial spirit in our competitions.
1- All bouts are to be conducted in the spirit of an encounter with sharps, and the rules are not to be construed in such a way as to permit techniques that would not be possible in a fight with sharps. Manipulating the rules is specifically forbidden, and grounds for the match to be voided and a complaint to be filed with the League.
2- When a challenge has been given and accepted, the Broadsword League is to be informed of the date, time and place of the match, as well as the names and current rankings of the two principals, and the names of their seconds. No two members of the League may fight more than one official bout with each other per calendar week.
3- Each fencer is to bring one second to the match. The job of the seconds is to witness the match and verify the score. This requirement may be waived by mutual agreement if there are no seconds available, but only if the fencers agree to accept full responsibility for both the safety of the match and the results. This is called an "honor system" bout. In the event of any disagreement or dispute in an honor system bout, the match is to be considered void.
4- Fencers are to wear a minimum of a three-weapon mask, glove and jacket as protection during the bout. They may fence with any blunt broadsword or backsword, wooden, aluminum or otherwise appropriate waster, modified shinai or singlestick, but their weapons must be of the same type. Whatever type of weapon is used, the fencers must wear sufficient safety gear to avoid injury. The seconds must prevent the match if, in their judgment, the safety gear is insufficient.
5- Either second may stop the match at any time, either before or during the bout. If a second feels that the fencers are not fencing safely for any reason, it is his responsibility to call "halt." Once the safety issue has been addressed, the bout may resume. If a throw or fall occurs for any reason, or if a mask is knocked off, the bout is halted and the fencers are to return to the starting point, salute, and resume the bout. This rule applies no matter which type of bout is being fought. Seconds may also call a halt to inquire if their own or the opposing fencer was touched, however the judgement of the fencer in question is to be accepted except in egregious cases. If either second feels that the opposing fencer did not call touches accurately or otherwise observe the rules, the match is voided.
6- The fencers, through their seconds, must determine the type of bout to be fought. The following points must be determined:
1)- Will thrusts be allowed, or only cuts?
2)- Will the action of the bout stop on a touch? If the fencers agree to stop on a touch, the fencers are to re-center and resume the bout after the halt.
3)- Will grips be allowed? If grips are allowed, the fencers may grip each other in order to get a touch or a disarm, and may grip the opposing blade if they can do so in such a way that it would not cut them if the blades were sharp. If grips are allowed, the seconds are to call a halt and re-center the fencers if they get caught up in an extended clinch. In this type of bout, a disarm or a throw is to be counted as a touch. If grips are allowed, the action must stop on a touch.
4)- The fencers must determine whether the match shall be fought in an open area, on a fencing strip, or in a circle of any convenient size. If the bout is fought in a circle, stepping outside the circle with either foot is counted as a touch against.
7- The bout will begin after both fencers have saluted. A valid touch, anywhere on the body, must be acknowledged by the fencer who has been touched, and noted by his second. Each second has the responsibility of recording the touches against his own principal.
8- A valid touch is defined as a touch that, in the judgement of the affected fencer, would have drawn blood on him if the weapons had been sharp. Flat or grazing touches that would not have drawn blood are not counted, but should be acknowledged with the words "flat" or "light."
9- Bouts will continue for five minutes. At the end of the bout, the Broadsword League is to be informed of the results, along with the contact information for both principals and both seconds so the results may be confirmed. The ratings of the two fencers will be adjusted by the League according to the following method:
The seconds record and report the number of touches against each fencer. Each fencer receives 25 points for participating in the bout, minus one point for every touch scored against him, plus ½ point for every touch scored against his opponent. ½ points are rounded down from the final score, and negative final scores are adjusted to zero points.
Example: Fencer X and Fencer Y have a broadsword bout. Fencer X is touched 10 times and Fencer Y is touched 13 times. Fencer X receives 25 points for fencing, minus 10 points for the ten touches against him, plus 6 points for the touches he scored against Fencer Y. He receives a total of 21 points, to be added to his official ratings. Fencer Y receives 25 points for fencing, minus 13 points for the thirteen touches against him, plus 5 points for the touches he scored against Fencer X. He receives a total of 17 points, to be added to his official ratings.
10- The following types of special bout may be fought by agreement. Both types of special bout may also be combined into one.
1)-Off-Hand: Each fencer may choose a second weapon to use in his off-hand, such as a target, buckler, dagger or second sword.
The off-hand weapons used by the fencers need not be identical. The seconds are not to allow the use of any unhistorical off-hand weapon.
2)- Five-Touch: This bout is scored differently than a standard Broadsword League bout, and is intended to allow for classical heavy saber matches within the Broadsword League framework. In this type of bout, the default rule is that double touches are to be disregarded. However, the fencers may voluntarily agree to fence the bout according to any mutually acceptable set of classical saber conventions. The fencer who first receives five touches has lost the bout. In a five-touch bout, Broadsword League points are earned according to a special scale. If the score is 5-0, the winner earns 26 points and the loser 16. If the score is 5-1, the winner earns 25 points and the loser 17. If the score is 5-2, the winner earns 24 points and the loser 18. If the score is 5-3, the winner earns 23 points and the loser 19. If the score is 5-4, the winner earns 22 points and the loser 20.
International, National and Regional Championships
Note: In the first year of the League's existence, the international championships were awarded on a different basis than what is described below. The Gormon was awarded to whoever earned the most points for the year, and the McBane to the holder of the best overall average.
The rules described below went into effect on January 1, 2008.
To claim any Regional Championship title, you must have fought at least five bouts in that region, and you must have the highest average of points earned per bout of any fencer in that region for the previous year. The region in question can be a city, state, province or any other division of territory.
For instance, if you are a Broadsword League member in New York City, and you have fought at least five bouts in the city since you joined the League, and your average for 2007 was the highest of any League member in New York, then you can describe yourself as the Broadsword League Champion of New York City for 2007.
The same principle applies to National Championships, except that you must have fought at least ten bouts in a particular nation in order to claim to be its champion.
Regional and National Championships are not actually awarded by the League- they are simply claimed, under the conditions described above, by whichever swordsman can earn the title.
The Broadsword League awards three International trophies, along with the title of "Broadsword Champion." These trophies are the Gormon, the McBane and the Figg. These three championships are named after great Stage Gladiators of the 18th century.
The Gormon is awarded at the end of each year to the fencer with the best year-to-date average who has fought at least 20 Broadsword League bouts for the year. The McBane is awarded at the end of each year to the fencer with the best year-to-date average who has fought at least 5 but less than 20 Broadsword League bouts for the year. If the winner of the Gormon and the winner of the McBane agree to meet for a challenge match, the fencer who earns the most points in that match will be awarded the Figg, as well as the title of "Broadsword League Grand Champion."