Suit of Swords Kit Requirements and Rules

 

Kit requirements and rules are based on those used by the Wessex League and Albion Cup, with permission from Emilia Skirmutt

 

Kit

All fencers must be kit checked by a referee before participating in competition. If a fencer’s kit changes during the tournament, they must inform a referee and have the updated kit rechecked. Any intentional evasion of these rules is grounds for disqualification.

Note that there must be no exposed bare skin, including at the nape of the neck, the back of the shins, the palms, and the wrist.

 

Fencing Mask: FIE 1600N masks. Masks must not show signs of distress/damage that will impact on their use, like dents or rusting. Masks must be worn with an overlay with back of head protector.

Back of Head Protection: The back of the head needs to be covered by a solid, rigid protector, without significant gaps.

 

Gorget: We require a throat guard covering the front of the throat, worn under the mask and jacket, and including a rigid plate (soft foam alone is not sufficient). Gorgets with plastic like Red Dragons, PBT etc are permitted. 

 

Jackets: A well padded HEMA jacket, minimum 350N. If fencers choose one of the lighter jackets available they must ensure sufficient other protection is worn, and should be aware that reduced padding increases risks of bruising or injury. 

 

Jacket should have a blade catcher at the collar. 

 

Fencers may wear hard plates that are securely pointed onto the jacket.

Protection should cover the points of the hip when arms are raised – if jacket does not, then fencing trousers or skirt should.

 

Jackets should be in good repair with no holes.

 

Jackets must fasten with a zip with significant overlap, or buttons at the back or side of jacket with significant overlap not leaving any gaps.

 

Chest protector: Required for mixed weapon tournament, due to the presence of thrust-only weaponry in the weapon pool. For longsword and sabre, it is strongly recommended for all fencers. 

 

Gloves: longsword, Open Hilted One handed swords: heavy gloves designed for longsword fencing, such as SPES Heavy gloves, Thokk Gloves with longsword overlay, Kvetun Xiphosura, or Sparring Gloves. Metal gauntlets are not allowed. Red Dragon or similar gloves are not suitable.

Sparring Gloves must be worn with undergloves, as no skin may be left exposed.

 

Gloves: Closed Hilted Sabre/Sidesowrd: Red Dragon gloves (or similar robust lacrosse gloves) represent the minimum level of protection. Leather or kevlar gloves with minimal padding are insufficient. We suggest wearing additional fingertip protection where possible. No bare skin may be exposed at the wrist so additional protection may be required to cover this area. If gloves do not overlap the sleeves of the jacket additional protection should be worn.

Fencers are highly encouraged to wear heavier gloves where possible. 

 

Gloves: rapier/smallsword: padded sport fencing gloves are the minimum level of protection. Gloves must overlap the sleeves of the jacket.

 

Elbows: Solid protection is required. 

 

Forearms: Solid protection is required.

 

Knees: Solid protection including the sides of the knee is required for all weapons.

 

Shins: Solid protection required for all weapons.

 

Trousers: 350N rated fencing breeches, trousers or padded skirts that cover from knee to hip are required.

 

Socks are mandatory if breeches are worn, as no skin may be left exposed.

 

Groin Guard: Strongly recommended for all fencers, mandatory if your anatomy requires it. This must be worn under trousers or breeches.

 

Mixed Weapon Tournament

The following weapons are permitted within the lady luck tournament. Please refer to bellow section for weapon specifications 

- Feder

- Sabre

- Messer

- Rapier 

- Sidesword

- Arming sword

- Smallsword*

Off Hand Options

- Buckler

- Dagger

- Cloak

 

Weapons:

• All tournaments are conducted on a “Bring Your Own Sword” basis.

• All swords need to be checked and cleared by the head ref of your pool. The tournament organisers get final say on what does or does not pass requirements.

• You may not use a sword which has previously suffered a serious deformation and been re-straightened. 

• All weapons must be an approximate and fair match to weapons commonly used by participants in any given tournament. Though we have length and weight parameters, any weapon that is deemed to offer a unique and unfair advantage might be refused regardless of it meeting these parameters on paper eg. a sword that only passes weight requirements due to excessive weight added to the grip.

 

Sword tips

• All smallswords, rapiers, and sideswords are required to have thermoplastic tips that are securely fastened to the point of the sword with tape.

• All other swords are required to have spatulated or rolled tips. Rounded or blunted tips are explicitly not allowed.

• Thermoplastic is available at the event, but we strongly encourage fencers to tip their swords in advance. You must tip your sword at least 45 minutes before you are fencing to allow the plastic to set.

• Rubber tips are not allowed, as they grip masks and increase the chance of injury, while also being susceptible to being “pierced through” by the sword point, or otherwise breaking in use.

 

Longsword/Feders:

Longsword “blunts” or styled feders are explicitly not permitted e.g. Sigi King.

• Blade length maximum: 105cm

• Blade length minimum: 90cm

• Weight maximum: 1700g

• Weight minimum: 1200g

• Flex maximum: 20kg

• Edge thickness minimum: 2mm

• Side rings of reasonable size are allowed. 

• Cross-guards and schilts must be well rounded and not prominently pointed.

• Eg. Regenyei ‘Tulip or similar, are not allowed.

Rapier:

Weight and balance should be representative of a sword capable of cutting and with reference to the point.

• Epee or long “musketeer” type epee blades are not allowed. 

• Maximum blade length is 115cm, measured from the crossguard. 

• Blade length maximum: 115cm

• Blade length minimum: 95cm

• Weight maximum: 1500g

• Weight minimum: 850g

• Flex maximum: 12kg

• Edge thickness minimum: 1.5mm

 

Daggers:

Open Hilted, Sail dagger Reivers Dagger /Ale House dagger are all permitted 

• Blade length maximum: 45cm

• Blade length minimum: 30cm

• Weight maximum: 950g

• Weight minimum: 400g

• Flex maximum: 20kg 

• Edge thickness minimum: 1mm

 

Sabre:

Weight and balance should be representative of a sword capable of delivering effective cuts. Simple crossguards are allowed, but a longsword level glove must be worn. Full basket hilts are permitted to use light gloves

• Blade length maximum: 89cm

• Blade length minimum: 76cm

• Weight maximum: sabres 1000g/ broadswords 1.3kg

• Weight minimum: 750g

• Flex maximum: 15kg (2025) 14kg (2026)

• Edge thickness minimum: 1.5mm

 

Arming sword or sidesword. 

Weight and balance should be representative of a sword capable of delivering effective cuts as well as thrusts. 

• Blade length maximum: 95cm

• Blade length minimum: 80cm

• Weight maximum: 1300g

• Weight minimum: 900g

• Flex maximum: 15kg 

• Edge thickness minimum: 1.5mm

 

Buckler

- Maximum diameter 40cm

- Circular design only

- No sharp/protruding edges

- Steel, plastic and leather are all acceptable materials

 

Tournament Rules

The tournament will use HEMA Scorecard software to run the event

 

Mixed Weapon - UNRATED

- All hits score 1 point, regardless of type of attack or number of hands on the weapon (feders only)

- Doubles and afterblows are discounted

- Only clean hits score

- Matches are to 3 minutes, or a 5 point cap

- Participants may bring their own weapons from the list above (see kit requirements)

o We may have swords to borrow on the day, however this is not guaranteed

This event will be Swiss Pairs, with weapon pairings being decided on the day

Each fencer will select a card (cards assigned to weapons NOT available to the fighter will not be included in their draw) which decides their weapon for the match

There will be no elimination/medal matches in this event

- The winner is the fencer with the most points scored/fewest points against

- Unless there is a draw, in which case a tie-breaker match will be fought

 

Longsword + Sabre

Strikes will score as follows:

For Longsword + sabre

• 3 points for a cut, slice or thrust made to the head.

• 3 points for a thrust to torso.

• 2 points for other valid hits (cut or thrust to a limb, or cut to torso)

• Longsword: One handed strikes- outside a grapple score one point less than equivalent strike performed with two hands (i.e. 2 points for strike to head or thrust to body, 1 point everything else). During a grapple (ie. while using the other hand to control the opponent) one handed strikes score fully.

• Longsword only: 2 points for pommel strikes. These can only be made with the end of the pommel (not by swinging sideways) and only to the mesh of the mask. Pommel hits should be executed in a controlled manner. Hits should be placed or indicated ONLY

- Sabre: false edge cuts. These will score one point less (i.e. 2 points for strike to head, 1 point everything else).

- Afterblows and doubles: both scores weighted against each other.

 

Other ways to score points:

• 3 points for disarm. Disarming an opponent will score if the opponent’s control of their weapon is removed, control of one weapon (either fencer’s) is kept, and grappling distance is broken, or control of the grapple is clearly established. Dropping a primary weapon or losing it in contact will usually be scored as a disarm.

 

Note on grappling

Grappling is allowed but must be controlled. Throws, joint locks and kicks are NOT allowed. This is a safety consideration. To score in a grapple, fencers must either strike with the weapon or achieve a clean disarm.

If grappling lasts for a long time without any scoring hit, or if any fencer is on the ground, the referee will call “Halt” and reset the exchange. The referee may also interrupt grappling at any time if they judge it is becoming dangerous.

 

Structure

Longsword

- Fighters will be placed into pools

- Each fighter will fence everyone in their pool

- The top fencers from each pool will go onto the elimination round

 

Sabre

- This will done as Swiss pairs

- Each fencer will be assigned 5 fights

- These may not be the same 5 fights as any other fencer

- Once all fights have concluded, the top fencers will continue to the elimination rounds

 

Illegal targets/actions

- Buckler strikes

- Basket strikes

- Strikes with the crossguard

- Back of head

- Groin

- Feet

- Back

- Backs of knee