Handbook Combat

= Combat =
“Stop hitting me in the head!”
- Goblin Warrior
A shrill war cry echoed throughout the valley. Man and monster faced off in a clash of weapons. The goblin, clad in skins and crusted with layers of dirt, fought fiercely to defend his lands from the unwanted trespasser. The knight wanted nothing more than to pass through without incident, but he never suspected that his course had taken him across the ancient burial ground of the goblin horde. Steel blade met with iron axe and blood was shed with each successive blow. A vicious slash to the leg staggers the knight, but he responds with a firm strike to the goblin’s arm. The next blow from the goblin glances off the knight’s shield, but the heavy iron axe is too slow to parry the knight’s counter-attack to the goblin’s protruding snout. The goblin is dazed and clearly unhappy at his attacker’s bad form. Even goblins know to avoid blows to the nose.
Combat happens! At some point on Campaign, you will probably be forced to attack a foe or defend yourself from ruffians. You could always run away or hide, but you still need to be familiar with the combat rules if for no other reason than to remain safe from injury. Where combat is concerned, safety is the most important factor of the game. As such, every player must attend a Campaign seminar once every calendar year, before they can play.
The Campaign seminar will detail the combat system, including proper and improper attacks, the best method to control your fighting, and the more specific function of the Campaign combat system. This section of the Handbook will focus on rules of safety, the basic nuts and bolts of the combat system, and the construction of baffee weapons.
== Safety First ==
=== Weapons Check ===
A half hour before a Campaign game begins weapons are checked to make sure they are constructed properly. If you do not arrive in time for the weapons check, you will need to find a member of the Combat Subcommittee to approve your weapons. If the game is already in progress, please accomplish this discretely. You are not allowed to use weapons unless they are approved. Every weapon must be approved before each game on which it is used.
A safe weapon meets the following criteria:
• It is made with foam.
• It is sufficiently rigid so that swinging and suddenly stopping it does not create a whipping effect.
• Any bashing device (e.g. mace head, pommel, fake rock, etc.) will be of a sufficient pillowy nature.
• Large items (e.g. mauls, war hammers, great axes, etc.), when swung will not have the mass to knock the wind out of a target.
• Striking surfaces will be of a non-gripping nature e.g. no sandpaper covered blades, or certain types of unglossed latex that tends to stick to the skin causing friction burns.
• No sharp points or other potentially hazardous protuberances.
• No weapons that are designed to grab, entangle, snare, or catch other players or other weapons (i.e. flails, whips, shepherd’s crooks, etc.).
=== No Real Weapons ===
No real weapons may be used against another player for any reason, combat or otherwise, at any time during Campaign. This is an important safety consideration and as such, there are no exceptions. Violators will no longer be able to attend any Campaign event - ever. You may, however, bring an axe to chop wood or a knife to eat with.
=== Halt ===
If you are injured during combat or must stop for some non-game reason (lost contact lens, asthma attack, unsafe ground, etc.) you should call out “halt”. The game actions around you will stop until you are able to continue or remove yourself from the scene in a safe, expedient fashion. Any person has the ability to stop or move a fight due to hazardous circumstances. When conditions are safe again, the phrase “game on” will signal everyone involved to resume play.
*This is commonly called CAUTION in other LARP groups* 
=== No Hand to Hand Combat ===
Players may not grapple in any way, as the risk for accidental injury is too high. This includes grabbing another player’s weapon. Staged fighting is an exception that may be made only with the consent of all the players involved. All actions should be done at half-speed and announced moves are recommended.
=== Legal and Illegal Hits ===
A controlled strike with a baffee weapon causes damage when it makes solid contact with the arms, legs, torso, or back. Avoid thrusting because of the increased possibility of injury. Dramatic half-speed skewerings are acceptable.
The following areas are illegal to hit:
• Head
• Neck (front or back)
• Groin
=== Control ===
Attacks must be controlled and safe. They should be dealt with enough force to register, but not enough to hurt. Even a foam sword can hurt if swung with too much force.
Control also means no wild swings (nothing greater than 180 degrees) and no “drum-rolling” attacks (rapid repetitive blows to the same target area). A good rule of thumb is to limit your blows to at least one strike per second.
=== Downed Characters ===
A player cannot be attacked if they are on the ground or postured with at least one knee on the ground. This includes monsters as well as characters. Using this action to avoid an attack, however, is considered extremely bad form.
If you are the downed character and you choose to fight from this position for dramatic purposes, announce to your opponent to continue the fight. Half-speed actions are recommended in this situation.
= Combat System =
The combat system on Campaign has been developed to be fun, dramatic, and uncomplicated. Counting lost body points is easy and recovering them is about as simple as keeping track of the time.
== Damage ==
Damage is anything that results in the loss of BP (Body Points) or AP (Armor points). Damage comes in a variety of types and delivery methods.
=== Weapon Damage ===
All weapons, regardless of size, type, or frightening nature cause one point of damage. For each “hit” you receive from another player, you subtract one BP. If you have AP, subtract those before you begin to subtract your BP.
=== Arrow Damage ===
Arrows and crossbow bolts ignore armor and subtract directly from your BP. For example, if you are hit with five arrows and you only have five BP, your character will fall unconscious regardless of the fancy armor that you carefully crafted from foam and latex. Arrows blocked by shields or weapons, however, cause no damage.
=== Magikal Damage ===
Some mage spells can cause damage. If you are “hit” by a damage causing spell, the mage who cast it will announce the BP loss and other pertinent information. While a spell is being explained, the characters involved cannot be attacked, nor can they attack others. Magikal damage heals at the same rate as weapon damage.
== Armor ==
AP are the number of “hits” your armor will absorb before you begin to lose BP. In other words, armor will only take so much damage before it no longer protects its wearer. For simplicity, we have divided all types of armor into three categories: leather, chain, and plate.
=== Leather armor ===
Leather armor represents the lightest and most flexible armor, but it provides only one AP of protection from attacks.
=== Chain Mail ===
Chain mail, traditionally made with hundreds of interlocking metal rings, provides two AP of protection from attacks.
=== Plate Armor ===
Plate armor, which provides three AP of protection from attacks, is theoretically constructed from solid steel plates. As such, plate armor is the most protection a character can expect from armor.
== Armor Materials ==
The armor worn on Campaign does not need to be real. In fact, most of the armor used in-game only represents actual armor. For example, chain mail can be anything from a knitted sweater (dyed gray for effect) to a shirt made with shimmery silver fabric. Likewise, leather armor can be constructed from brown fabric and plate armor can be forged with sheets of foam and covered with gray duct tape or latex.
To receive full AP you should at least have an armored chest piece. Your armor’s AP will be determined by which category of armor it most closely approximates, but may be limited by your character’s class. AP will be assigned to your armor when it is pre-approved during weapons check before a game. For simplicity’s sake, AP apply to your entire body, not just the parts covered by your armor.
Role-playing Tip:
An armored character deducts AP before BP when they are hit. However, if your armor only covers certain body parts, you can choose to deduct BP damage instead when you are hit in an exposed area. You might sustain lethal injury without taking a hit to your armor, but you’ll earn the respect of the person with whom you are fighting.
== Repairing Armor ==
When your armor is hit by a weapon or damage causing spell it loses AP. Damaged armor has to be fixed in order to recover lost AP. Armor with zero AP is useless until repaired. Characters who know how to repair armor by skill or a magik spell are the only ones who can restore AP to damaged armor.
== Shields ==
A shield does not add to your AP, but can deflect some magikal and all physical attacks. Weapon damage, damage causing spell balls, and arrows that are blocked by a shield cause no damage to you or to the shield. The break shield spell, however, is an obvious exception. There are also other spells that might affect you whether or not your shield is used.
A shield cannot be used to push, attack, or in any other way knock about your opponent. It is to be used exclusively to ward off attacks from other weapons. Shields cannot be used by full mage class characters.
= Combat Example =
Tara is engaged in mortal combat with Castus. Tara has five BP and two AP (for the chain mail she spent hours making). Castus has five BP and zero AP (he wears no armor). Tara gets hit by Castus’ mace, so she subtracts one AP (armor takes damage before the body does). Tara hits Castus with her sword. Castus subtracts one BP, leaving him with four BP. Tara has a total of six HP (five BP, one AP). Castus gets really lucky and hits Tara twice in a row. Tara subtracts her last AP and one BP, and is down to four HP. Tara decides she should have spent more time practicing with her sword and less time constructing her fancy chain mail. She withdraws from battle to fight another day.
== Role-playing Tip: ==
During a fight you should role-play your injuries so that your opponent will know that you are taking damage. Some creatures are unaffected by certain attacks and you do not want to be mistaken for one of them! Try to have a reaction to every successful blow struck. Every BP you lose theoretically causes you to bleed and feel pain. Other players will not know how many BP you currently have, but they should be able to make a good guess based on how you role-play your injuries.
= Post Combat =
These are some of the options you will have typically at the end of a combat session. You may find yourself looting the bodies before all the opponents fall or you may be knocked to Zero in the middle of the fight.
== Zero Body Points ==
If your BP reach zero, your character is considered unconscious. You may not act, move, speak, cast spells, mime, or do anything. You are at the mercy of those around you.
Your character will regain consciousness after sixty seconds. After that you may get up and do as you please, but remember, you still have zero BP and little strength left. If you get hit again you will be unconscious for ninety seconds (add 30 seconds each time you are hit until you regain a BP by magik or rest).
When you do revive it is more realistic to act groggy than to jump to your feet and charge back into battle.
== Healing ==
After a battle you may find that you have lost some BP. Not to fear. BP may be regained in three ways: resting, healing skills, or healing magik. BP can be restored immediately by a willing mage who casts a heal or bless spell on you or by imbibing a heal potion (maximum of one BP per spell or potion). A character skilled in the healing arts may be able to bind or stitch your wounds, or help set a bone. You may also wait for your wounds to heal on their own at your character’s recovery rate.
== Recovery ==
Most characters recover 2 BP per hour. Fighters recover 3 BP per hour (up to 4 with experience). That means for most characters a BP is recovered every 30 minutes while fighters recover one every twenty, or even 15 minutes!
== Searching a Person ==
When a character is unconscious or otherwise immobilized, you may search their body for valuables or other items in one of two ways:
1. The searcher tells the player of the unconscious character “I am going to search you.” The searcher then states where they will search the victim. The player of the unconscious character then tells the searcher what in-game items are in that location. If the searcher has trouble finding the item, the unconscious person may lend them a hand before going back to unconscious bliss.
Example: Biskit the kobold says to the unconscious Risha, “I’m going to search your belt pouch.” Risha then tells Biskit what in-game items his belt pouch contains.
2. The unconscious person allows the searcher to actually look through their pockets and find what they may. They do this by saying to the searcher something on the order of “Forsooth, you’ll have to do it by hand.”
Both forms of searching continue until the searcher no longer wishes to search the victim or the victim wakes up. Any in-game items found may be taken.
= Special Circumstances & Calls =
== Waylay ==
A “waylay” is defined as a one-shot knock out. Any character can waylay another character. In order to waylay, you must be behind the victim at an arms reach away for a minimum of two seconds. The victim has to be completely immobile or unaware of your presence. Gently place your hand or a baffee weapon on top of the victim’s shoulder and state “waylay” aloud (it can be whispered to them). The victim is then rendered unconscious for 5 minutes. The victim’s BP remain the same, they have just been knocked unconscious. If a Waylaid character is attacked while unconscious, they will wake immediately. Attempting to killing blow a character will also wake them immediately.
If you are attempting a waylay during combat, it is entirely at the victim’s discretion as to whether or not they are surprised.
If a waylay is attempted and unsuccessful (always determined by the victim) the target takes one BP of damage as if it was a successful attack. A character wearing a helmet cannot be waylaid, unless they choose to be for role-playing purposes.
== Assassinate ==
Some thieves have the skill to Assassinate other characters. The rules for Assassinate are the same as waylay, except your attacker will say “Assassinate” instead. A successful assassination reduces a victim to zero BP making them susceptible to killing blows. Unlike waylay, helmets do not protect against Assassinate.
The target of a successful assassination will fall unconscious for 30 seconds. If the target has not been killed after 30 seconds, they are no longer unconscious. The target will remain at zero BP until they recover normally or are healed.
If a character is killing blowed after a successful assassination, the deceased character has 60 minutes in which to be brought back to life.
== Death ==
The only way to die in combat on Campaign is as follows:
Someone approaches a character with zero BP (who is immobile or unconscious) then safely places their weapon upon the soon to be deceased and repeats a “killing blow” phrase in a normal speaking voice (or louder) three times. A killing blow phrase must include the words “killing blow” (for example: “killing blow once, killing blow twice, killing blow three times”). A killing blow phrase less than six seconds total does not result in the death of the victim.
After the third phrase is completed without interruption, the victim is dead. Finished. An ex-character. Unless of course your friends know a specialized healer, priest, or mage who can resurrect or immolate.
Dead is dead. That character, if not returned to the living, is retired from Campaign and cannot normally be played again.
Killing a character is bad form. Remember that players have spent a great deal of time and energy developing a character, so don’t kill them without at least some forethought. It should only be done for a really good reason.
= Monsters, Beasties, and Other Nasties =
In the world of Campaign, your character will not go long without encountering a monster or two (or six or seven). This section will provide basic descriptions of the most common monsters of Xaria. Your character will have plenty of chances to learn more about these and other creatures of Campaign when they attack you!
== Goblins ==
Goblins are humanoid monsters with red skin. Their prominent features are long noses and large, pointed ears. They are smart, cunning, and usually well armed. Tales have been told of some goblins who have learned to speak the common human language and others who can cast magik.
== Hobgoblins ==
Hobgoblins are similar in appearance to the goblins, except their skin is more orange than red in color. Like the goblin, they are smart and very creative.
== Kobolds ==
Kobolds are brown monsters with large pointed ears, small sharp teeth, and small black, dog-like noses. Kobolds are not that smart or sophisticated.
Since they are smaller and weaker than most monsters, kobolds tend to be mostly bothersome, though a large group of kobolds can be a serious threat. They are not known to have any magikal abilities.
== Lizardmen ==
Lizardmen look like humanoid lizards. They range from green to brown in color and commonly have yellow or brown spots and fins atop their heads. Lizardmen seem fairly intelligent, have small sharp teeth, and large reptilian eyes.
== Ogres ==
Ogres are gray skinned monsters. They have large, sharp protruding teeth, and large ears. Larger than most humans, ogres are exceptionally strong, often knocking their opponents to the ground.
Ogres seem to possess some intelligence, though few adventurers have ever told stories of an ogre who could cast magik.
== Orcs ==
Orcs are green skinned monsters with pig noses and large teeth. They don’t seem to be that smart and are sometimes easily distracted or tricked. Whether orcs have any magikal abilities is not known for certain.
== Spirits ==
Ghost stories tell of fallen souls returning to haunt the living. They are always described as pale, colorless visages frightening to behold.
= Making Baffee Weapons =
A “baffee” weapon is a combat safe replica made with soft foam striking edges. The most important thing to consider when constructing one is the safety of the person you will be hitting.
To build your own baffee sword follow the directions below. If there is any aspect that seems confusing, there are many experienced foam-smiths on Campaign who will be willing to lend you a hand.
The most common weapon on Campaign is a normal sword. Other types of weapons can be made, but the sword is the first one you should try. In order to build your own baffee sword, you will need all the materials listed below.
== Materials ==
Some of the following materials may be purchased through other Campaigners. See the Campaign website if you can’t find them locally, which can sometimes prove to be difficult. Shop early!
=== Graphite Kite Spar ===
This is a fiberglass tube. Use 3/8” outside diameter. This will make the spine of your sword. They come in various lengths. Choose one that is at 3’-4’ long. You can find these at kite stores, but be careful since there are many diameters to choose from.
=== Camp Mat ===
This is 3/8” thick closed-cell foam. This makes the striking edge and overall shape of your sword. Camp mats are found at surplus or sporting goods stores and are typically used as padding under a sleeping bag.
=== Spandex Material ===
This stretchy cloth covers your blade and gives a nice color to your weapon. Spandex can be found at a fabric store (don’t forget the thread!). If you don’t have access to a sewing machine, an inexpensive pair of tights will work just as well, although the colors may be limited.
=== Contact Cement ===
Preferably use Barge brand, which is made for attaching the soles to shoes. Contact cement is available at craft stores and some hardware stores. You will need a small or medium sized can.
=== Duct Tape ===
It’s the stuff that holds the world together. Fortunately it’s cheap and can be found at any hardware store.
=== Aquarium Tubing ===
3/8” inside diameter Tygon tubing slides snugly over the ends of your kite spar to help keep it from poking through the foam. You can usually find this stuff at a hardware store. Buy a 1’ length of it.
=== Tools ===
The following list of tools will be needed to construct your baffee weapon. They can all be found at hardware stores (except the sewing machine, which can be found at mom’s).
Safety goggles and dust mask
Accidents happen and you shouldn’t go blind playing any game, especially this one. Even in a well ventilated area, dust and contact cement can be harmful. Please read and heed the manufacturers warnings.
Hacksaw
Used to cut your spar to the proper length.
Ruler or Tape Measure
Used to measure the width of your foam and the length of your spar.
Disposable Brush
Used to apply your contact cement.
Razor Blade or Utility Knife
Used to carve the foam.
Sewing Machine
Used to sew the spandex cover for your blade.
== Step by Step Instructions ==
Construct your sword by following these steps:
=== Kite Spar Support ===
Cut your kite spar to an appropriate length. An average sword is 32”-42” in length, tip to pommel. 10”-12” of that length will be your handle and pommel. Wrap the spot to be cut with a little tape to keep the dust down. Try to keep the dust created away from yourself as it can be irritating to the skin.
Wrestle a 1” piece of aquarium tubing onto each end of the spar. Push it on far enough to stay put, but leave about 1/2” of the tubing overhanging for protection.
=== Foam Edges ===
Next cut four pieces of your mat foam. All the pieces will be 2 1/2” longer than your cut spar length. The foam you are cutting will become both the blade and the handle, which is why it is so long.
• Cut two of the pieces at 1” width (minimum 3/4”). These two pieces will become the “cutting” edge of your weapon.
• Cut two more pieces at 1 1/2” width (minimum 1 1/4”). These two pieces comprise the flat sides of the blade.
Apply contact cement to the entire kite spar and to one of the thin edges of each of your 1” foam pieces. Wait for the glue to dry before continuing.
Laying the spar on a flat surface, apply your two 1” foam pieces to each side of the spar. Let the foam overhang the tip by 1 1/2” and the pommel by 1”. This will create a sandwich of the spar between the two foam pieces. The resulting piece will be 2 3/8” wide and only as thick as the kite spar.
Now center and glue one of the 1 1/2” pieces of foam to the face of your sandwiched piece. This will cover the spar completely on one side and still leave a fairly flat shape.
Repeat on the other side.
Once finished you will have three layers. As it lies on the table, it will have a 1 1/2” piece topped with the two 1” pieces and the spar in the middle. The third layer consists of the final 1 1/2” piece of foam.
Using your razor blade, cut the tip of your sword into a rounded point.
At the base of the sword, cut away some of the foam to form a handle that fits your palm. Wrap the handle in duct tape to secure it.
=== Crossguard ===
Take a separate piece of foam and cut out two identical pieces to make your crossguard. This is the part of the sword that is located between the blade and the handle that sticks out in order to protect the hand. Apply contact cement to one side of each of your crossguard pieces as well as the portion of the blade that it will cover. Let the glue dry, then apply the pieces over the blade and to each other.
=== Blade ===
Next you need to sew a cover for the blade. Take your spandex, fold it over and lay it on your working surface. Make sure that the side of the fabric you want to see is on the inside of the fold and is not visible. Take the blade and lay it on the fabric so one edge is parallel to and touching the fabric fold. Trace the shape of your blade onto the spandex. The pattern should be slightly smaller than the blade width so when it is placed over the blade, it will stretch and leave no wrinkles.
Keeping the fabric folded, cut out the traced pattern leaving an additional 1/4”-1/2” edge. Stitch the open edge along the traced line to create a tube and sew a point at the top for your sword point. Sewing will be easiest if you pin the fabric together before you cut.
Turn the tube inside out and pull it over the blade. Secure the bottom with a thin strip of tape or thread.
=== Handle ===
You can cover the handle anyway you choose. You can also add a covering to the pommel to make it more interesting, but it is not required.
The process of making these types of swords requires a little patience, but once you try it you will find it is fairly simple. Just about every player on Campaign has constructed a sword or two and would be happy to answer any questions or impart a few helpful hints.
== Other Baffee Weapons ==
Most any type of weapon is allowed on Campaign, as long as it is properly foamed, safe to use, and approved before each game.
=== Staves ===
Staves are commonly made from 1/2” diameter kite spar or 1/2” PVC pipe. Take a 5’ length and wrap it in foam pipe insulation or a foam “pool noodle”, leaving about 2” on each end overhanging the core. Glue or duct tape a cylinder of open-cell foam onto each end as a cap. Wrap the whole thing in brown duct tape, wood grain contact paper, or spandex and you’ve made a baffee staff.
=== Daggers ===
Daggers and knives are made out of foam only. Flat sheets of closed-cell foam work best. Cut the shape you like, then pad the hilt, and cover it to look metallic and you’ve got yourself a baffee dagger.
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