Treatise of War

### The Rule of Honor

Hearthlight is a game of honor, especially on the battlefield. In Hearthlight combat, common sense should be used at all times, and unforeseen loopholes within the Treatise of War are to be rejected by Event Staff, Heralds, Garb/Equipment Check Personnel, and other combatants. When enforcing these rules, all Event Staff will do so under the tenets of "Safety, Game Balance, and Immersion," and will have final say in all rule decisions.

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1.0 - Garb

2.0 - Weapons + Other Equipment

2.1 - General

2.2 - Weapon Classifications

2.3 - General Weapon Construction

2.4 - Light Weapon Construction

2.5 - Heavy Weapon Construction

2.6 - Thrusting Weapon Construction

2.7 - Missile Weapon Construction

2.8 - Thrown Weapon Construction

2.9 - Other Equipment

2.10 - Armor

2.11 - Restrictions

3.0 - Combat

3.1 - General

3.2 - Strike Zones

3.3 - Judging Strikes

3.4 - Heavy Weapons

3.5 - Thrusting Weapons

3.6 - Missile Weapons

3.7 - Thrown Weapons

3.8 - Other Equipment

3.9 - Grappling

3.10 - Healing

3.11 - Armor

## 1.0 - Garb

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All participants of combat must adhere to the guidelines of the Garb and Aesthetic Standard.

## 2.0 - Weapons + Other Equipment

### 2.1 - General

2.1.1 - Weapons and other equipment must be checked for violations of the Treatise of War by event-appointed equipment checkers using the Equipment Checking Guide. Any equipment violating these regulations shall be rejected for combat until it is repaired and re-checked.

2.1.2 - Weapons and equipment used for combat may not cause broken bones or teeth, or severe bruising (e.g., welts) when used as intended.

​2.1.3 - Weapons, armor, and other equipment must follow the Garb and Aesthetic Standard.

​2.1.4 - Equipment checking staff and Heralds have final say in determining whether any weapon or piece of equipment passes the standards set in the Treatise of War and the Equipment Checking Guide.

​

### 2.2 - Weapon Classifications

2.2.1 - Light: Short melee weapons designed for slashing and crushing. These weapons are identified by and required to have blue tape on the handle or pommel.

​2.2.2 - Heavy: Longer melee weapons designed for slashing and crushing. These weapons are identified by and required to have red tape on the handle or pommel.

​2.2.3 - Thrusting: Melee weapons of any size that are designed to thrust and stab, including the stabbing tips of Light and Heavy weapons. These weapons are identified by and required to have green tape on the handle or pommel.

​2.2.4 - Missile: Missile weapons designed to be loosed, shot, or thrown at any body part. These include arrows, crossbow bolts (herein referred to as "arrows"), and javelins. Javelins are identified by and required to have yellow tape on the handle or pommel.

​2.2.5 - Thrown: Weapons designed to be thrown at the head. Thrown weapons do not require tape for identification due to their unique appearance.

​

### 2.3 - General Weapon Construction

2.3.1 - Weapons must have cloth or soft non-latex rubber coating (e.g., Plastidip) covering their striking surfaces. The cloth or non-latex rubber coating may not have large (>1") tears, or flaking. A striking surface is defined as any location on a weapon intended to cause in-game damage to opponents.

​2.3.2 - The non-striking components of weapons, such as the haft, crossguard, pommel, or a non-striking tip, may not pass more than 0.5" through a 2" diameter circular template when tested perpendicular to the striking surface or shaft in accordance with the Equipment Checking Guide.

​2.3.3. - The striking surface of a weapon may not pass more than 0.5" through a 2.5" diameter circular template when tested parallel to the striking surface in accordance with the Equipment Checking Guide.

​2.3.4 - The non-striking surface of weapons must be safely padded to prevent injury from strikes. The hafts on weapons marked only as Thrusting are not required to be as heavily-padded as that of Light or Heavy weapons.

​2.3.5 - Light and Heavy weapons may not have more than 1/3 of their overall length unpadded, nor have more than 30" unpadded.

​2.3.6 - Single-edged weapons must have their non-striking edge clearly marked with a 12" long, 1" wide piece of silver/gray tape, or contrasting coloring tape, cloth, or paint.

​2.3.7 - Light and Heavy weapons must have a minimum striking surface of 6".

​2.3.8 - Light and Heavy weapons must have a balance point within the haft or striking surface, above the non-padded handle section.

​2.3.9 - Light and Heavy weapons must not flex greater than 45 degrees when the weapons is swung in accordance with the Equipment Checking Guide.

​2.3.10 - Thrusting-only weapons and javelins may not flex greater than 90 degrees when tested in accordance with the Equipment Checking Guide.

​2.3.11 - Weapons with wooden, bamboo, and rattan cores must have the entire core covered in tape.

​2.3.12 - Light weapons, Heavy weapons, and javelins may have Thrusting tips on the end of their striking surface.

### 2.4 - Light Weapon Construction

2.4.1 - Light weapons must be a minimum total length of 12", and a maximum length of less than 48".

​2.4.2 - Light weapons greater than 18" in length must weigh at least 12 oz.

2.4.3 - Flails and double-ended weapons are always considered to be Light weapons, but may be 48" or longer.

​2.4.4 - The ball of a flail must have a minimum weight of 4 oz.

2.4.5 - The chain of a flail must be 6" or less in length.

​2.4.6 - The chain of a flail must be covered in foam rings throughout its entire length. All rings must have no more than 0.5" of space in between them.

​2.4.7 - Double-ended weapons must have a maximum length of 7' or less.

​2.4.8 - The striking surfaces of a double-ended weapon must be at least 18" in length, and must pass as striking from all sides.

​2.4.9 - Both ends of a double-ended weapon must pass as Light. If either end of the weapon does not pass for Thrusting, then neither side can.

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### 2.5 - Heavy Weapon Construction

2.5.1 - Heavy weapons must be at least 48" in total length, and do not have a maximum length.

​2.5.2 - Heavy weapons must weigh at least 24 oz.

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### 2.6 - Thrusting Weapon Construction

2.6.1 - Thrusting-only weapons may not have more than 2/3 of their overall length unpadded.

​2.6.2 - Thrusting tips on any weapon may not pass more than 0.5" through a 2.5" circular template in accordance with the Weapons and Equipment Checking Guide.

​

### 2.7 - Missile Weapon Construction

2.7.1 - A "draw stop" is required to prevent arrows from being drawn more than 28". Draw stops are typically made with a ring of tape. Draw stops must be placed between the 27" and 28" mark on the shaft, measured from the inside of the nock.

​2.7.2 - The face of an arrowhead must be at least 2.5" in all directions. This can be tested by putting a 2.5" circular template up to the tip in accordance with the Equipment Checking Guide. The base of the arrow (under the open-cell tip), must be at least 2" in diameter where it meets the open-cell tip foam.

2.7.3 - All arrows must contain a circular metal disk measuring at least 3/4" in diameter and 1/16" thick (the size of a penny) secured perpendicularly (flat) at the end of the shaft.

​2.7.4 - All arrow striking surfaces must be constructed of open-cell foam.

2.7.5 - All arrows must have at least two full vanes/fletchings (feathers) and a nock.

2.7.6 - Duct, cloth, or strapping are the only types of tape that may be used in arrow construction.

2.7.7 - All wooden arrows must have their shafts wrapped in tape.

2.7.8 - There can be no tape on the striking surface of an arrow.

2.7.9 - The head of the arrow must not be able to be bent easily from side to side.

​2.7.10 - The maximum weight of a javelin is 24 oz.

2.7.11 - Javelins must be between 48" and 84" in length.

2.7.12 - Javelins may be used as both Missile and Thrusting weapons, and therefore all javelins must pass both Missile and Thrusting specifications.

2.7.13 - Javelins must be padded along their entire length.

2.7.14 - The striking surface of a javelin may not be less than 3.5" in diameter in all directions. This is checked in accordance with the Equipment Checking Guide. The base of the striking-surface foam must be at least 3" in diameter where it meets the open-cell foam.

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### 2.8 - Thrown Weapon Construction

2.8.1 - Thrown weapons must be at least 4" in diameter and constructed of foam with as little tape as possible. No part of a Thrown weapon may pass more than 0.5" through a 2.5" wide circular hole template.

2.8.2 - The maximum weight of a Thrown weapon is 24 oz.

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### 2.9 - Other Equipment

2.9.1 - All bows must have a draw weight of 35 lbs or less when drawn at 28".

​2.9.2 - Crossbows must have a maximum power stroke of 420 inch-pounds. This is calculated by the following formula: (Distance between resting position and cocked position of the string) x draw weight. For example, a bow that is drawn back 12" from its resting position may have a draw weight of up to 35 lbs.

​2.9.3 - Shields must be safely padded on their front and all edges. Any dangerous protrusions (bolts, handles, etc.) on the rear must be taped and/or padded for the user's safety.

​2.9.4 - A shield must not be taller than the distance between the wielder's chin and their ankles, nor wider than 3' when measured across the face of the shield.

​2.9.5 - Shields may be virtually any shape, but must have handles and/or arm-straps. Equipment checkers and Heralds have the final say in determining what is a shield versus what is armor.

​2.9.6 - Shields must be covered in cloth or a non-latex-based soft plastic sealant (e.g., PlastiDip).

​2.9.7 - A Healing Staff must be padded for accidental contact, must be between 60" and 84" in length, and must be constructed with a solid core.

​2.9.8 - A Healing Staff can be identified by three white bands placed near the center of the staff. These bands must be no more than a single inch apart from each other.

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### 2.10 - Armor

2.10.1 - The use of armor does not absolve participants of the need to wear garb, unless any modern clothing is completely covered by said armor.

​2.10.2 - Armor must be constructed and recognizable as armor. Items that have functions other than armor, such as bandoleers, boots, pouches, scabbards, straps, quivers, etc... (this is not an exhaustive list) do not count as armor for the purposes of combat.

2.10.3 - Armor may not have rigid projections that pass more than 0.5 inches through a 2.5 inch circular template.

2.10.4 - Armor may not have rigid spikes or points of any size, and must have its corners rounded and edges blunted or rolled in accordance with the Equipment Checking Guide.

2.10.5 - Armor must not be able to pinch or snare any appendages such as fingers.

2.10.6 - Armor that is made with metal studs, scales, plates, or rings that are attached to a non-armor backing must not have more than 3/4" of space in between each stud/scale/plate/ring. The non-armor backing must be made of cloth or leather. This can be easily tested by moving a penny around the surface of the armor. If at any time the penny is completely flat on the backing without touching any studs/scales/plates/rings, the armor fails.

2.10.7 - Metal armor must be made of iron-, steel-, bronze-, brass-, copper-, or titanium-based alloys.

2.10.8 - The minimum thickness of non-chainmail metal armor is 0.8 mm (usually called 20 gauge).

2.10.9 - Chainmail must not be able to have its weave penetrated by a 3/8" thick rod (dowel) in order to pass as armor.

​2.10.10 - The maximum thickness of metal armor is 1/8".

2.10.11 - Rigid metal hand armor must have a smooth, non-jagged surface so as to reduce damage to weapons that are blocked with a closed hand.

2.10.12 - Rigid metal knee and elbow armor must be rounded and smooth, and may not have "fans", in order to prevent damage to weapons and combatants.

2.10.13 - Helmets may not have face grills that violate the Garb and Aesthetic Standard.

2.10.14 - The minimum thickness of leather armor is 4 mm (usually called 10 oz).

### 2.11 - Restrictions

2.11.1 - No weapons may have their core material made of metal. The only exceptions to this are for metal tape, metal rods, metal sheeting, etc. (this is not an exhaustive list), that are attached onto the inside or outside of the core of the unpadded handle or pommel to counterbalance the weapon.

2.11.2 - No weapons may have a striking surface on the pommel of a weapon. This does not apply to double-ended weapons, which have no pommel.

2.11.3 - Examples of disallowed weapons: Double-ended daggers, lassos, nets, nunchucks, punch-daggers, tonfas, and compound (pulley) bows. (This is not an exhaustive list).

2.11.4 - Weapons of any sort (even in sheaths or cases) that have not been passed for Treatise of War standards by event staff may not be worn or carried during combat.

2.11.5 - Cleats and shoe spikes are not permitted on the battlefield.

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## 3.0 - Combat

### 3.1 - General

3.1.1 - "Combat" or "in combat" is defined as being present on the field of battle while "lay on" is called.

3.1.2 - Heralds are appointed event staff that act as combat coordinators and referees. Their word is final in regards to combat instruction, rules, and discipline.

3.1.3 - In order to "wound" and "kill" someone in combat, you must use a weapon which has passed inspection at an Equipment Check.

3.1.4 - Damage and death are handled via strikes to various Strike Zones (defined in section 3.2 - Strike Zones). A strike to an unarmored limb causes the loss of that limb. A strike to an unarmored torso results in death. A strike to the unarmored head or neck with a weapon that is legal for such strikes results in death. The loss of any two limbs results in death.

3.1.5 - When killed: scream, act out your death, and fall to a prone position on the ground. If the combat situation is deemed too dangerous to fall on the ground, shout "DEAD!", and lay your weapon or hands across your head to symbolize your death. Any fighter who is clearing the field while dead should place their weapon or hands on their head.

3.1.6 - When a combatant's arm is lost, they must immediately drop whatever gear they are holding in that hand, and place that arm behind their back.To avoid confusion during combat, any subsequent strikes to the lost arm are considered strikes to the torso.

3.1.7 - When a leg is lost the combatant must immediately kneel to the ground on the lost leg. In order to move around, a combatant must either use their disabled leg's knee to "walk" on, lunge using a non-disabled leg, crawl, or have other combatants carry them. A combatant may carry another by placing a hand on their shoulder, while both fighters are limited to a standard "walking pace." Hopping around on an uninjured leg is forbidden.

3.1.8 - Any subsequent strikes to a leg that has been lost are treated as strikes to the torso with the following exception: when a combatant has the knee of their lost leg firmly planted on the ground, the knee of their unlost leg is not touching the ground, and they are in a semi-stable position (not rolling around, being carried, or in the middle of falling down), the lost leg is immune to all damage.

3.1.9 - When a fighter strikes another combatant from behind with a non-Light weapon, they should simultaneously call out the classification of the weapon so the opponent will know how to react. For Thrusting weapons, shout "Single!" if it was a single-handed thrust, or "Double!" if it was a double-handed thrust. If the attacking fighter does not call out the class of weapon, and the receiver cannot tell what class was used, the receiver of the strike should act as though they were struck with a Light weapon.

3.1.10 - Weapon strikes that are intercepted by garb or weapons that are not being gripped in the hand are considered to have passed through and strike as if they were unimpeded.

3.1.11 - The act of "Anvilling" is not permitted. Anvilling is defined as "laying a gripped weapon against a shield or body part in order to avoid taking damage to that shield or body part". Holding a weapon close to a shield or body part to block is permitted, but if sufficient force is delivered through the block, the struck fighter will count the strike.

3.1.12 - The act of "Magic-Switching" is prohibited. Magic-Switching is defined as using a disabled arm to assist moving your weapon into your other arm. If a fighter is able to, they may attempt to catch a weapon that has been dropped by their disabled arm, using their non-disabled arm.

3.1.13 - A combatant must accurately describe their current armor and body damage status, if asked. A fighter may never feign death or wounds in order to mislead opponents.

3.1.14 - Kneeling during combat is not allowed unless the leg is disabled, since this is how damage is represented for a leg. Crouching is permitted so long as neither knee touches the ground.

3.1.15 - The dead do not speak to the living. Combatants who have died may not communicate scenario-based information to living combatants, or loud enough for living combatants to hear. Non-scenario based communication, such as a safety warning, is permitted.

3.1.16 - Combatants may bodycheck other combatants. A body check is defined as blocking the movement of an opponent's body using one's own body.

3.1.17 - Punching and kicking are strictly forbidden, except the in the case of shield-kicking, as discussed below in section 3.8.6.

3.1.18 - Rigid plastic safety equipment is permitted, but does not count as armor, and must be concealed under clothing or armor.

3.1.19 - Receiving a strike to a hand that is not gripping a weapon, the handle of a shield, a bow/crossbow, or a Healing Staff results in the loss of that arm. In regards to this rule, the "hand" is defined as the tips of the fingers, until (but not including) the wrist.

3.1.20 - Receiving a strike to a foot which is not on the ground results in the loss of that leg. In regards to this rule, the "foot" is defined as the tips of the toes, until (but not including) the ankle.

3.1.21 - Gripping the striking surface of an opponent's weapon results in the loss of the arm or leg used to grip said weapon. With regards to this rule, "gripping" is defined as intentionally using any part of the arm or leg to pin a striking surface against another body part, including an opponent's body part.

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### 3.2 - Strike Zones

3.2.1 - Strike Zones are areas of the body able to be struck with weapons to produce wounds and death. Each Strike Zone is limited in which classification(s) of weapon(s) may strike it, and are listed in the rule below.

3.2.2 - Leg: Defined as the area starting from the foot, up to but not including the hip in the front, and up to but not including the buttocks in the back. May be struck with any class of weapon.

3.2.3 - Arm: Defined as the area starting from the hands, up to the shoulder socket. May be struck with any class of weapon.

3.2.4 - Torso: Defined as the area starting at the collar bone, down to the arms and legs as previously defined, including the groin. May be struck with any class of weapon.

3.2.5 - Neck: Defined as the area starting just above the collarbone, following that line around the back to the spine, and up to the head. May only be struck with Missile and Thrown weapons.

3.2.6 - Head: Defined as the entirety of the skull area. May only be struck with Missile and Thrown weapons.

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### 3.3 - Judging Strikes

3.3.1 - A strike from a swung or thrusted weapon counts when the striking surface of said weapon makes contact with "sufficient force" on a strike zone.

3.3.2 - Sufficient force is best described as a "solid thump or jab". Light taps, grazing, and glancing shots do not count as sufficient force. A combatant is responsible for their own honor and deciding on their own if they were struck with sufficient force. No other combatant may decide for another fighter if they were properly struck. A herald is the only exception to this rule.

3.3.3 - Archers are allowed to "call shots for clarity". This is defined as letting their target know the location of an arrow strike, and if they were properly struck. Combatants are also allowed to "call for clarity" on javelin strikes, as in the heat of combat it is often difficult to tell if a javelin struck true. This is done by shouting "Point!" for a strike, or "Haft!" for an invalid strike. The combatant who is struck still determines for themselves if the arrow/javelin struck properly.

3.3.4 - A strike from a Missile weapon counts when the head of the weapon makes contact with the target, causing the weapon to stop or be slightly deflected.

3.3.5 - The damage a weapon does is dependent on the weapon type, and any armor the target may be wearing. For a quick overview, reference the Combat Damage Reference Chart.

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### 3.4 - Heavy Weapons

3.4.1 - A Heavy weapon that strikes a target with a single hand holding it is considered to do Light damage.

3.4.2 - Heavy weapons can destroy a shield with two solid blows from the striking surface. Blows that are light, glancing, or mostly blocked by another weapon do not count as solid, "shield-breaking" strikes. A solid blow is not required to be a "baseball bat swing". The fighter holding the shield decides if the blows were solid, "shield-breaking" shots. However, the physical size of the fighter striking the shield should be considered in judging strike. For example, "solid" strikes from a smaller, lighter person will generally feel lighter than from a larger fighter.

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### 3.5 - Thrusting Weapons

3.5.1 - A Thrusting weapon that is thrust with one hand gripping the weapon, including a "pool-cue" type thrust, does no damage to armor or the body part behind it.

### 3.6 - Missile Weapons

3.6.1 - Missile weapons must be loosed at half-draw (in the case of arrows), or thrown with "half-force" (in the case of javelins) at ranges closer than 20' from the target.

3.6.2 - A Missile weapon must travel a distance at minimum equal to its length through the air after it has been released in order to count as a legal strike.

3.6.3 - A combatant may never carry another fighter's missile weapons outside of the immediate area they were picked up in without the owner's permission. A combatant may return fire with missiles they pick up off the ground, but any other missiles should be left in the immediate area for the owner to pick up. Combatants must always return an owner's missiles upon request from that person.

3.6.4 - A javelin may be blocked/knocked out of the air by any body part or equipment, including catching it by the shaft.

3.6.5 - Arrows may not be used as handheld thrusting/melee weapons; they must always be used with a bow/crossbow.

3.6.6 - In order to be an archer at any event, a combatant must bring at least two passing arrows to the field.

3.6.7 - If an arrow is deflected by a valid strike zone, even minutely, it is considered to have struck.

3.6.8 - An arrow must hit with its head to result in a strike.

3.6.9 - An arrow that has struck an object and changed its path is considered harmless. Arrows cannot cause damage to multiple targets in a single flight.

3.6.10 - The only objects that may block an arrow are shields and head/neck armor. Arrows cannot be purposefully caught, deflected, or knocked out of the air by any other object or body part. This is to better simulate the speed and power of real arrows in flight, and also prevents a serious safety hazard. A combatant that purposefully intercepts an arrow in a forbidden way is to be declared dead automatically.

3.6.11 - An arrow that strikes a limb that has been removed with a Light or Heavy weapons is considered to have continued its flight as though the limb was not there, striking whatever object was next in its direct path.

3.6.12 - An arrow that is accidentally blocked by a weapon is considered to have struck the target anyway. The fighter who accidentally blocked the arrow is not required to "call dead".

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### 3.7 - Thrown Weapons

3.7.1 - Thrown weapons must be thrown, and may never be used while held to strike an opponent.

3.7.2 - Thrown weapons only cause damage if they strike the head.

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### 3.8 - Other Equipment

3.8.1 - Bows may be used to block and parry weapons. However, if a bow is struck with a Light or Heavy weapon, it is considered to be broken and cannot be used.

3.8.2 - A shield may be worn and used in any manner while still remaining a shield. Examples: A shield may be carried in the hand, strapped to the arm or leg, strapped to the back, or propped up against a combatant. (This is not an exhaustive list).

3.8.3 - A fighter may only wear, carry, or use a single shield at a time while in combat.

3.8.4 - Whenever a shield is destroyed by a Heavy weapon, the user must immediately drop the shield if possible. Any subsequent strikes from any type of weapon to the shield before it is dropped count as though the shield is no longer there.

3.8.5 - Combatants may use any weapon(s) while wielding a shield.

3.8.6 - Combatants may choose to kick a shield, so long as the kicker maintains contact with one foot on the ground. Any type of kick (such as a drop-kick) that involves both feet leaving the ground is strictly prohibited. Shield-kicking must be done using common sense and with safety kept first and foremost in mind, and should be carefully monitored by Heralds.

3.8.7 - Combatants may "shield-check" or "shield-bash". A shield check is defined as when a combatant uses their shield to strike an opponent from a distance of two steps or closer. A shield-bash is defined as when a combatant uses their shield to strike and opponent from a distance of more than two steps.

3.8.8 - Combatants are permitted to shield-check an opponent from any direction (including fighters who have lost a leg).

3.8.9 - Combatants are permitted to shield-bash a standing opponent from the front or side. Shield-bashing a fighter who has lost a leg is not permitted.

3.8.10 - Striking a combatant in the head or neck with a shield is strictly prohibited.

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### 3.9 - Grappling

3.9.1 - Grappling is defined as the act of wrestling, grabbing or entrapping the body part of another combatant with your own body part. Examples: Grabbing an arm, wrapping both arms around someone's body, wrapping your leg around someone's arm. (This is not an exhaustive list). Grabbing the weapon of an opponent is not grappling.

3.9.2 - Grappling must be conducted in a safe and reasonable manner. This means attempting to subdue or unbalance an opponent without using strikes, uncontrolled throws/takedowns, chokes, or joint/nerve damaging holds. A "controlled throw/takedown" is defined as a throw or takedown in which the attacker never removes their hands from their opponent until said opponent has been safely laid on the ground.

3.9.3 - A combatant wearing armor or rigid plastic safety equipment on their arms or torso may only initiate grapple with someone who is wearing the same, or higher, armor tier on their torso. For this rule, rigid plastic safety equipment is considered to be Light Armor. (Ex: Someone wearing chainmail may initiate grapple with someone in plate metal, but never with someone in leather or no armor). A combatant carrying a bow or arrows may never initiate grapple.

3.9.4 - An unarmored combatant may initiate grapple with any opponent.

3.9.5 - Combatants are not permitted to initiate grapple from more than two steps away from the target.

3.9.6 - Grappling combatants from behind should be done with caution and should be closely monitored by Heralds.

​

### 3.10 - Healing

3.10.1 - Combatants may read or recite Healing Poems in order to heal wounded players and damaged equipment.

3.10.2 - Combatants may use a Healing Staff in order to increase the effectiveness of their healing. This staff must not be swung at other combatants. A combatant may block strikes with a Healing Staff.

3.10.3 - A combatant must be holding a Healing Staff in their hand in order to gain its advantages, and may not have weapons or a bow on their person at any time while holding the staff.

3.10.4 - A Healing Poem must be a minimum length of 180 syllables.

3.10.5 - A Healing Poem must consist of themes appropriate to the game’s aesthetic, may not include counting, and may not have any lines that repeat more than four times.

3.10.6 - A combatant may not heal themselves or their own equipment. A healer may not heal more than a single combatant at one time, with the exception of the situation laid out in 3.10.8.

3.10.7 - In order to heal a combatant/equipment, a healer must be physically touching that combatant/equipment with their hands or Healing Staff. If this connection is broken, the healer must start their Healing Poem over for that combatant to be healed, and the healing will not be successful until the Healing Poem has been completed.

3.10.8 - Any number of combatants/equipment in need of healing may be healed by a Healing Staff. As long as a combatant/equipment has touched the staff before a Healing Poem was started, and remains touching it until the poem is completed, it is successful.

3.10.9 - If a combatant is performing a Healing Poem and comes under direct attack, the Poem must be started from the beginning. If a combatant being healed comes under direct attack, the Poem must be started from the beginning in order to heal that combatant. “Direct attack” is defined as being struck on the body, or grappled.

3.10.10 - Once a Healing Poem has been recited to completion, all wounds and equipment held by the wounded fighter(s) are healed or repaired.

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### 3.11 - Armor

3.11.1 - Armor must be secured to the body.

3.11.2 - Armor offers different types of protection based on a combination of Resistance and Immunity.

3.11.3 - Resistance is defined as being able to receive 1 extra strike to an armored area before that area is affected (either by the loss of a limb, or death). Resistance may only afford 1 extra strike to a strike zone regardless of armor layout or layering.

3.11.4 - Immunity is defined as an armored area not being subject to damage.

3.11.5 - If an armor has neither Resistance or Immunity to a type of weapon, then all damage affects the area as though it were unarmored.

3.11.6 - When a combatant is struck by a weapon that their armor has Resistance to, they will ignore the first strike and loudly state "Armor!" along with the location that was struck (Torso, Arm, Leg, Head, etc.). All subsequent strikes to that strike zone are treated as though the strike zone no longer has Resistance of any type.

3.11.7 - When a combatant is struck by a weapon that their armor has Immunity to, they will ignore that strike and loudly state "Immune!" along with the location that was struck (Torso, Arm, Leg, Head, etc.).

3.11.8 - Light armor is defined as all leather armor, and chainmail armor made of rings that do not meet the thickness requirements for metal armor. Light armor has Resistance to Light weapons and Immunity to single handed thrusts from Thrusting weapons.

3.11.9 - Heavy armor is defined as metal armor or chainmail armor that meets the thickness requirement for metal armor. Heavy armor has Resistance to Light and Missile weapons, and Immunity to single-handed thrusts from Thrusting weapons.

3.11.10 - Any armor worn on the head or neck grants that area Immunity to Missile and Thrown Weapons.

3.11.11 - Strikes to areas that are both armored and unarmored must be taken to the unarmored area. Gaps in armor coverage of 3/4" or less shall be ignored.

3.11.12 - Armor may not be concealed and must remain visible to other fighters. Players may wear a surcoat or tabard over armor so long as the armor remains easily visible.

3.11.13 - Items of garb that appear to be armor may not be worn on the field. This call may be made at the discretion of the event's armor checkers, garb checkers, or any herald.

This document is hosted on Hearthlight's website. That version is the authoritative version.

1. ↑ https://www.hearthlightgame.org/rules