SCA Heavy Combat - Rules

Rules

Heavy combat within the SCA uses a body part target location system. If a limb is hit with what the recipient determines to be a blow with significant force, it cannot be used thereafter. If the torso or head are hit with significant force, the combatant is deemed dead. If a leg is hit with significant force to disable it, the combatant must fight on his or her knee thereafter. Different weapons can have different effects, simulating the effect of the period weapon (e.g. a mace hit upon the shoulder has a more severe effect than a sword, to simulate the effect of the mace as a mass weapon).

Several of the rules make it clearly abstracted from real historical combat. For instance, one must not strike an opponent from behind, tripping and wrestling are not allowed, and one must not strike from one inch before the wrist to the end of the hand nor from one inch above the knee to the end of the leg. The winning shot of the bout is acknowledged by the defeated participant, who will generally call the shot good (or die a dramatic death for good showmanship).

For the purposes of calling blows, all combatants are considered to be armoured in a mail hauberk, wearing an open-faced helmet with a nasal (nose protection) even if they are, in reality, wearing more or less armour than that listed. For that reason, a draw cut or glancing blow would have no effect, while a solid blow is considered to have defeated or penetrated the armour. Good strikes to the torso and head are treated as a 'killing blow'.

There are slight variations between regional SCA branches (known as Kingdoms) concerning combat rules.