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Blademasters Academy Official: lightweight and universal HEMA ruleset that is simple to understand for fencers, referee friendly and easily scalable for larger competitions!

Summary:

  • Fights last up to 9 exchanges or 3 mins or 20 points cap, whichever comes first.
  • Clean Hit Scoring: 5 (deep) or 3 (shallow)
  • Double/Afterblow Scoring: fully weighed, hits deducts points from each other
  • Long Afterblow Rule = defender is allowed one afterblow action within one step range with no time limit

Bout:

  • Each fight will consist of up to 9 exchanges with a 3 mins time limit and a cap of 20 points (points gained in the last exchange can go above 20, to max of 24 (19+5) for a deep target)
  • Final exchange called at 10 secs mark (no time limit)

Scoring:

  • CLEAN HIT (no afterblow or afterblow is parried):
    • 5 points for a clean hit at deep target area (head, torso)
    • 3 points for a clean hit at shallow target area (arms, legs)
  • DOUBLE/AFTERBLOW (both sides hit, valid afterblow delivered within one step):
    • Fully weighed afterblow: hits deducts points from each other:
    • 5 Red 3 Blue = 2 Red
    • 3 Red 5 Blue = 2 Blue
    • 5 Red 5 Blue = 0 no score
    • 3 Red 3 Blue = 0 no score
    • 0 Red 0 Blue – 0 no score (no quality or unclear exchange)
  • QUALITY:
    • What counts as valid strike:
      • Cut made with at least 45 cm travelling arc with proper edge alignment
      • Thrust made with enough impact to make the bend of the blade visible
      • Slice made with at least 45 cm slicing (in or out) motion with proper edge alignment
    • What does not count as a valid strike and should be rejected:
      • Cut/Slice executed with a flat or poor edge alignment
      • Thrust executed lightly/without visible bend of the blade
      • Cut/Slice resulted in edge travelling less than 45 cm
      • Light taps, scratches, hits at the outer protecting layer that otherwise would have missed the body
  • Strikes with the body and wrestling do not score any points but can be used (in controlled manner) in order to facilitate scoring with a weapon (blade or pommel). Joint locks and throws/takedowns are not allowed!
  • Disarms can score only if used in control manner and will be awarded with 5 points, grabbing the blade is allowed but only on the strong half of the blade,
  • One handed strikes (cuts and thrusts) outside of grappling will be awarded one point regardless of the location,,
  • Pommel Strike (only to the mask) and Ring out (only with both feet and only if the other fencer didn’t step out as well) are also awarded 1 point
  • Disallowed targets: groin area, back of the head & spine area, back of the knee, ankle and feet

Exchange:

  • Each fighter starts an exchange in their dedicated corner
  • Only one designated person (Second) is allowed in the corner
  • Main referee will call the start (Fight) and stop (Hold) of the exchange
  • After the HOLD command both fighters need to stop immediately and go back to their corners
  • Parrying a late attack is allowed but attacking is not.
  • Any attack made after the HOLD command is nullified
  • Fencers can appeal referee decisions through their Seconds (one appeal per bout, not including self calls)
  • Fencers are allowed to self call hits, by raising the arm up when in corner and showing hit location
  • Main referee will always make the final call, after consulting with fighters and side referees

Penalties:

  • There will be a Warning/Yellow/Red Card system in place to be used as a penalty system.
  • Official Warning can be given for lesser offenses (multiple warnings possible at ref’s discretion),
  • Yellow Card will be given for repeated / serious offenses and will nullify the points gained within the same exchange,
  • Red Card disqualifies fighter from the tournament (2nd Yellow Card automatically becomes Red Card)
  • Warning and further penalties will be used by referees in order to control the order of bout and fighters behaviour during the event. Excessive force, dangerous behaviour, time delaying tactics, presenting lower value targets and any other forms of gaming the ruleset will result in a warning/yellow card penalty.