Each combatant is expected to arrive in panoply. That is, knights preceded by their squire, in harness, and under a banner or standard proclaiming their arms and device. Squires should be dressed in appropriate manner for the 14th or 15th century. If a pavilion is brought, it should be erected prior to the Deed proper (time will be allotted upon site opening). Intrusive modern elements should be kept to a minimum. Cameras and phones are allowed, but should be positioned within designated photography areas so as to give both combatants and other photographers several clear lines of sight without modern intrusions, so as to maintain the atmosphere.
All combatants are guaranteed three trials of arms against another combatant at a minimum. After all such passes have been completed, combatants are free to challenge one another until time has run out.
The field of combat shall be approximately 30’x40’ with gates centered in the middle of one long end. Banners of all armored participants shall be displayed along one long end, the other long end will be the area for spectators. Chairs, benches, or pavilions may be erected in the spectator area for comfort. However, only medieval tents or pavilions may be placed on the other sides, so as to maintain atmosphere.
ARMING REQUIREMENTS
Participants in the Tournoi du Faucon Noir are required be to armed at all points, as befits a man (or woman) at arms of the epoch specific to the combat art studied. To wit: harnessed cap à pied in the style of the late 14th or 15th century in good steel, and appointed in heraldic fashion after one's own desire. If your harness is recognizable as peculiar in style to the region from which your chosen art originates, so much the better. Specific standards are listed below.
General
Unless otherwise specified, all mail or plate should be of steel, well articulated with no obvious gaps, and in good repair. As this Deed is meant to be reflective of the chivalric origin of our chosen combat arts, all participants should strive to present a clean, polished appearance consistent with the pride evinced by knights at tournament. Aluminum, kydex, or other types of plastic armor are not acceptable for use, even if they are covered and out of sight.
Helmet
- Closed-faced (bascinet, armet, great helm, close helm, etc…)
- Visor must have a locking pin or other means of keeping it closed
- No "wolf's rib" style tourney visors
- Protective mesh/perf plate beneath oculars (or shatterproof safety goggles worn beneath helmet)
Throat
- Mail standards should be padded and equipped with rigid trauma plate
- Mail aventail by itself is insufficient; it must be combined with some form of rigid protection or augmented with a standard beneath
- Plate gorgets are acceptable
- Gorget integral to helmet (as with a great bascinet) is acceptable, if throat is covered from upward-thrusting angle
Torso
- Minimum of a jack of plates or brigandine style armor over mail
- Chest protector (for women, if not wearing a solid breastplate)
Groin and Legs
- Cup must be worn (for men)
- Cuisses must be a minimum of heavy leather
- Poleyns must be of steel
- Lower legs must be covered with a minimum of schynbalds (cased greaves preferred)
Feet
- Sabatons or sollerets not required (encouraged for safety, but hey--they're your toes)
- Period footwear required--no tennis shoes or combat boots
Arms
- Spaudlers required (pauldrons acceptable if within chronological scope of harness)
- Rerebrace must be a minimum of heavy leather
- Couter must be of steel
- Lower arms must be covered with a minimum of bracer (canon preferred)
Hands
- Gauntlets must be of steel throughout; "Wisby" style at a minimum
WEAPONS STANDARDS
Consistent with the English influence of the host school, weapons choice is based upon those recorded in 14th and 15th century Deeds as preferred by English knights either at home or abroad, both "to play, or else for to fight." To wit: the long sword in two hands, the lance on foot, and the pollaxe. Daggers should be worn, and used as distance or circumstance dictate. Arming swords may be worn, as well, and used as circumstance dictates. Though the host school will strive to provide enough weapons to serve as replacement at need, all participants should bring their own weapons. Specific standards are listed below. All weapons carried to the field must be armes courtois--that is, blunted and without sharpened points.
Sword
- "Two Hand" (i.e., longsword)
- Arms & Armor Fechterspiel minimum
- Due to the nature of armored combat, unarmored trainers with thinner blade profile, including most “Feders” are judged to be at risk for breaking
- Edges smoothed (minimal/no burrs)
- Points rounded
Spear
- Standard rubber tip (such as Purpleheart "spear tip") or blunted steel spear with ball point (or bird blunt rubber tip)
- Stave no longer than 9 feet
- No cracks or splits in stave prior to each fight
Pollaxe
- Helgi PoleAxe head (preferred), or equivalent
- Rubber thrusting tip (or equivalent) on butt end of cue.
- 6 feet long shaft (6' 6" with all pieces attached)
- No cracks or splits in stave prior to each fight
Dagger
- Sufficiently flexible so as to not cause injury
- Point capped with rubber blunt
- Standard rondel or ballock dagger
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
All participants shall be responsible for their own safety first, and that of their opponent second. Each match shall be governed by a pair of marshals whose role is to track hits against their own assigned knight, and to watch for safety issues. Marshals shall call hold only in the event of a safety issue to either the combatants, or to bystanders, or when the victory conditions for a match have been met.
Combatants shall conduct themselves in a manner consistent with that of knights in a formal Deed of Arms: that is, courteous, honest, and with preux. Once the magister has raised the baton, combatants shall not hold except by call of the marshals or magister. Squires shall act in a support role to fix armor or bring replacement weapons. Heralds shall announce the names of the combatant, the weapons, and the victor.
Very simply, the rules are these:
1
Combatants shall begin more than a quarterstave's reach apart from one another in the lists, and may not begin until the magister has confirmed understanding of the rules, opponents have saluted, and magister has called allez!
2
Combatants shall use matched weapons (i.e., long sword vs long sword, etc...)
3
Victory shall be achieved in the following ways:
- The first combatant to score a total of 5 good hits on their opponent wins
- The first combatant to drive their opponent against the barriers twice wins
- The first combatant to completely disarm their opponent wins
- This means that all combats may potentially progress from axe to sword to dagger if each of the prior weapons is taken and the disarmed combatant can quickly draw their "backup" weapon. A disarmed opponent must have lost their dagger to be considered completely disarmed. (This rule is negated if a “full course” is challenged)
- The first combatant to throw and control their opponent wins
- Control is defined as holding the opponent on the ground or in a position three points of contact on the ground, with a joint locked, or with a weapon point in line to deliver a potentially killing stroke.
- Opponents may choose to fight a “full course.” That is, three strokes of the pollaxe or spear, three strokes of the long sword, and one stroke of the dagger.
- The abovementioned strokes are counted in the same manner as the five to which combatants would normally fight. That is, the first combatant to score three “good” hits against their opponent wins that part of the bout, and both challengers retreat to their corner so that their squires may arm them anew (with alacrity, so as to minimize interruption). Disarming your opponent in any of the sections of the full course is a victory condition and ends that section of the full course.
4
A "good" hit is defined as:
- A strike with the hammer face or back-spike of the pollaxe to any area of the body
- A strike with the edge of the sword (two-handed) to the hands, elbows, or neck
- A thrust with the spear, dagger, pollaxe spike or queue, or point of the sword to any unarmored spot, or a spot covered in mail (if the thrust is delivered with sufficient force and “driven”), or to the visor
- A slice with the sword (two handed), to any area covered only in fabric
- A strike with the pommel or the cross of the sword to the face or neck
5
All combat shall cease as soon as combatants hear the word "hold!" called. Marshals and the magister may call hold when a safety issue has been raised, or when the match has reached conclusion.
6
Marshals shall keep track of strikes against their own assigned combatant, and shall call hold when their own combatant has taken five good strikes. A combatant may acknowledge their own strikes as well, to be added to the sum kept by their own marshal.
7
A combatant may--at any time, for any reason--call a halt to the combat as well. If this reason is for equipment malfunction or safety, combat shall resume at the direction and discretion of the marshals once the malfunction has been corrected. If the combatant simply wishes to call an end to combat, then they may forfeit their round with a call of pax. If repairs can not be effected in a timely manner, the match is forfeit.
8
Once the magister has dropped the baton and called arrêt, the victor's herald shall announce their victory. Both combatants shall then salute each other again, and depart the field.
UNARMORED COMBAT
ARMING REQUIREMENTS
Participants in the Tournoi du Faucon Noir as escuier are required to be dressed and armed in fashion appropriate to the late 14th or early 15th century. To wit: a good gambeson of sturdy make, protection for the head and hands, and dressed beneath as befits a man or woman of medieval military origin. Specific standards are listed below.
General
Unless otherwise specified, all mail or plate should be of steel, well articulated with no obvious gaps, and in good repair. As this Deed is meant to be reflective of the chivalric origin of our chosen combat arts, all participants should strive to present a clean, well-ordered appearance consistent with the pride evinced by squires at tournament. Aluminum, kydex, or other types of plastic armor are not acceptable for use, even if they are covered and out of sight (unless directly specified in standards below).
Helmet
- Close-faced, such as a Windrose "Fiore" helm
- Visor must have a locking pin or other means of keeping it closed
- No "wolf's rib" style tourney visors
- Protective mesh/perf plate beneath oculars (or shatterproof safety goggles worn beneath helmet)
- Minimum standard is a padded HEMA fencing mask such as the Deluxe Absolute Force type
Throat
- Mail standards should be padded and equipped with rigid trauma plate
- Mail aventail by itself is insufficient; it must be combined with some form of rigid protection or augmented with a standard beneath
- Plate gorgets are acceptable
- Gorget integral to helmet (as with a great bascinet) is acceptable, if throat is covered from upward-thrusting angle
Torso
- Minimum of a heavy medieval-style gambeson (not a modern padded coaching jacket)
- Chest protector (for women, if not wearing a solid breastplate)
Groin and Legs
- Cup must be worn (for men)
- 14th or 15th century style hosen (BFSA uniform hosen are acceptable)
- Knee and shin protection highly recommended
- Visible modern plastic defenses are strongly discouraged.
Feet
- Period footwear strongly encouraged
- If modern shoes are worn, neutral colored and unobtrusive
Arms
- Couters of steel or heavy leather preferred--modern pads acceptable under gambeson
- Lower arms must be covered with a minimum of heavy leather bracer
- Visible modern plastic defenses are strongly discouraged.
Hands
- Steel gauntlets preferred
- If modern protective gloves are worn, they must provide comparable protection, and be unobtrusive in appearance
WEAPONS STANDARDS
Consistent with the English influence of the host school, weapons choice is based upon those recorded in 14th and 15th century combat encounters as preferred by English squires either at home or abroad, both "to play, or else for to fight." To wit: the long sword in two hands, the falchion, and the sword and buckler. Daggers should be worn, and used as distance or circumstance dictate. Though the host school will strive to provide enough weapons to serve as replacement at need, all participants should bring their own weapons. Specific standards are listed below. All weapons carried to the field must be armes courtois--that is, blunted and without sharpened points.
Sword
- Long sword of medieval style
- No Renaissance-era "greatswords" such as Spadone, Bidenhander, or Montante
- Edges smoothed (minimal/no burrs)
- Points rounded
Arming Sword
- Short sword of late medieval style
- No Renaissance-era cage-hilted swords, no Migration-era "Viking" swords
- Edges smoothed (minimal/no burrs)
- Points rounded
Falchion
- Short one-edged sword of medieval style
- Messers allowed from our Germanic friends
- Edges smoothed (minimal/no burrs)
- Points rounded
Buckler
- Steel or hardened leather
- No larger than 12" diameter
- Edges smoothed and rounded
No boss-spikes (although slightly pointed is fine)
Dagger
- Sufficiently flexible so as to not cause injury
- Point capped with rubber bird blunt
- Standard rondel or ballock dagger
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
All participants shall be responsible for their own safety first, and that of their opponent second. Each match shall be governed by a pair of marshals whose role is to track hits against their own assigned knight, and to watch for safety issues. Marshals shall call hold only in the event of a safety issue to either the combatants, or to bystanders, or when the victory conditions for a match have been met.>
Combatants shall conduct themselves in a manner consistent with that of squires in a formal Deed of Arms: that is, courteous, honest, and with preux. Once the magister has raised the baton, combatants shall not hold except by call of the marshals or magister. Heralds shall announce the names of the combatant, the weapons, and the victor.
Very simply, the rules are these:
1
Combatants shall begin more than a quarterstave's reach apart from one another in the lists, and may not begin until the magister has confirmed understanding of the rules, opponents have saluted, and magister has called allez!
2
Combatants shall use matched weapons (i.e., long sword vs long sword, etc...)
3
Victory shall be achieved in the following ways:
- The first combatant to score a total of 5 good hits on their opponent wins
- The first combatant to drive their opponent against the barriers twice wins
- The first combatant to completely disarm their opponent wins
- This means that all combats may potentially progress from sword to dagger if each of the prior weapons is taken and the disarmed combatant can quickly draw their "backup" weapon. A disarmed opponent must have lost their dagger to be considered completely disarmed
4
A "good" hit is defined as:
- A strike with the edge of the sword to any area of the body.
- A thrust with the sword or dagger to any area of the body.
- A slice with the sword to any area of the body covered only in fabric.
- A strike with the pommel or the cross of the sword to the head or face.
- A strike with the edge of the buckler to the face.
5
All combat shall cease as soon as combatants hear the word "hold!" called. Marshals and the magister may call hold when a safety issue has been raised, or when the match has reached conclusion.
6
Marshals shall keep track of strikes against their own assigned combatant, and shall call hold when their own combatant has taken five good strikes. A combatant may acknowledge their own strikes as well, to be added to the sum kept by their own marshal.
7
A combatant may--at any time, for any reason--call a halt to the combat as well. If this reason is for equipment malfunction or safety, combat shall resume at the direction and discretion of the marshals once the malfunction has been corrected. If the combatant simply wishes to call an end to combat, then they may forfeit their round with a call of pax. If repairs can not be effected in a timely manner, the match is forfeit.
8
Once the magister has dropped the baton and called arrêt, the victor's herald shall announce their victory. Both combatants shall then salute each other again, and depart the field.
