ARMOR

(?.1) General Rules
(?.1.1) Armor must be safely constructed with the materials allowed for each specific Armor Rating. Helmets, coifs, and other head protection are allowed as long as they meet the proper safety and armor type requirements. All metal armor should have filed, rounded edges to avoid injuries and may not include any spikes, sharp flanges, or crests that may harm a player or a weapon. Armor should look and feel realistic, and must be approved by the Armor Judge.

(?.1.2) For safety reasons, metallic armor below a player’s wrist or on the hand itself may not be worn without express permission from the Judges Council.

(?.1.3) Armor protects only the area it covers: e.g., one hit from a standard 01 point weapon to an unarmored elbow results in the loss of that arm, even if the rest of the arm is armored.

(?.1.4) The front, back, and sides of any part of the body are considered a single strike zone for armor coverage. Hits anywhere on armor on the left leg are considered hits to the "left leg armor." The exception to this is the Torso. It ispossible to take out the armor on someone's chest and back independently. Sides of the torso count as either chest if the chest piece covers them, or back if the back plat covers them. If seperate plates, then the left will be considered back, and the right will be considered front.

(?.1.5) All armor within a strike zone counts as a single piece of armor no matter how many separate pieces of armor are actually present.

(?.1.6) Rigid plastic safety equipment for knee and elbow protection is permitted but should be concealed under clothing or armor. It does not count as armor.

(?.1.7) No one wearing armor or ridged safety gear may initiate grappling, with anyone of lesser armor than themselves. However, anyone my initiate grappling with anyone of equal or higher armor rating.

(?.1.7.1) No grappling unless all combatants (in one versus one or even versus one more), or all teams participating in the battle agree to it.

(?.1.8) Rigid body armor including helmets must not have projections which protrude more than 1/2 inch from the armor.

(?.1.9) Rigid armor including helmets must have no spikes or points and must have blunted edges.

(?.1.10) All metal armor edges that do not deform when struck by a legal foam padded weapon may not have no edges with points that are smaller or less rounded than a penny.

(?.1.11) Armor must not be able to catch any appendages such as fingers.

(?.1.12) Armor must be passed by certified judges from two separate groups, assuming an inter-group event.

(?.2.1) Padded Cloth:
Four (04) layers of cloth sewn together.

(?.2.2) Quilted Cloth:
Two (02) layers of cloth with padding in between sewn together.

(?.2.3) Light Leather:
Leather of at least 1/16 (0.0625) inch (1.5875 mm) thickness.

(?.2.4) Heavy Leather:
Leather of at least 3/16 (0.1875) inch (4.7625 mm) thickness.

(?.2.5) Chain Armors:
Must have an internal diameter of, at most, 3/8 (0.375) inch (9.525 mm). Baseline chain armor consists of butted links.

(?.2.6) Augmented Chain:
Chain augmented in some fashion from the standard ‘4 in 1,’ such as plates attached to each other by chain, or any of the Persian/Chinese weaves.

(?.2.7) Riveted Chain:
Chain in which all the links have been individually riveted together.

(?.2.8) Lamellar:
Plates that have all been joined in an overlapping fashion by cord or chain link.

(?.2.9) Brigandine:
Closely spaced or overlapping plates riveted between two layers of leather. Heavy cloth such as canvas or denim may be used instead of leather, but incurs a -1 penalty for sub-standard materials.

(?.2.10) Double Mail:
‘8 in 2,’ or a mail in which a standard pattern is woven with two rings replacing every single ring.

(?.2.11) Plate:
Solid metal armor with riveted metal articulations to increase mobility. Example: Lorica Segmentata.

No armor list can be completely exhaustive, and armors not mentioned should be ranked according to their composition (metallic vs. non-metallic) and their protective value relative to other armors in the table.

(?.3.1) Plates
Must be attached to each other or a backing in such a way that all four edges or corners are held into continuous rigid contact with each other or the backing. Plates may be made of 3/16 (0.1875) inch (4.7625 mm) hardened leather (instead of steel) and receive a -1 to the total armor value. Plates as defined here are those that are used in Scales, Brigandine, or other such armors and should not be confused with ‘Plate Armor.’

(?.3.2) Cuir Bouilli
The process by which leather is hardened using wax or other treatments to produce significantly harder leather.

(?.3.3) Studs
Composed of metal, and must be no more than 1.5 inches apart to receive the bonus. Studs may be added to metal armor, but would not improve armor rating.

(?.3.4) Rings
Composed of metal (not to be confused with chain mail), and must be at least 1/8 (0.125) inch (3.175 mm) thick, have an internal diameter of at least 1 inch and no greater than two inches, and be placed no further than 3/2 (1.5) inch (38.1 mm) apart to receive the bonus. Rings may not be added to metal armor.

(?.3.5) Scales
Composed of metal (+2) or 3/16 (0.1875) inch (4.7625 mm) hardened leather (+1), and must be overlapping. Scales may not be added to metal armor. Scales need only be attached to the armor along one edge.

(?.3.6) Gambeson (sometimes referred to as an arming coat)
Rresembles a quilted, close fitting tunic that minimally extends from the thighs of an individual to their elbows, excluding their head and neck. If worn under any type of chain mail, the wearer will receive a +1 bonus to the area that the chain mail covers. The gambeson may not be modified to increase this value. A gambeson must be the equivalent of at least quilted cloth with cotton batting padding in between the layers, and must cover the entire area of the hit location under the chain in order to grant a bonus.

(?.4.1) Non-Authentic Materials
Refer to materials that were not in use to create armor at the time, such as plastic. For comparison of metals, steel is the standard weight and toughness, so lighter or softer metals, such as aluminum, will incur this penalty, while stainless steel will not. Completely inappropriate materials may receive no points (i.e. aluminum foil, cardboard, etc).

(?.4.2) Poor Workmanship
Refers to an inexperienced or incomplete assembly by the creator – the use of non-period items such as hot glue, tape, or shoestrings to hold the armor together.

(?.4.3) Artificial Appearance
Refers to the overall appeal of the armor and its ability to accurately resemble historical armors.

(?.4.4) Heavy Gauge Material
Metal that is at least 15-gauge (1.71mm plates or 1.83mm wire) thick or leather that is at least 1/4 inch thick.

(?.4.5) Superior Construction
Reflected in the overall construction and function of the armor as compared to other armors of its type, and is awarded on a case-by-case basis.

(?.4.6.1) Example 1
A person with two points of torso armor covering his chest and back is struck in the back with a regular sword: One point of armor is removed from the torso armor, leaving two points on the armor covering the chest and one (01) point covering the back.

(?.4.6.2) Example 2
A person with two points chest armor and no back armor is struck in the back with a sword: Person is dead.