V. "GROUP BATTLES 5 VS 5" - Regulations

1. The Knight marshal invites two teams to the list, followed by announcing next two teams to get ready.

2. Both teams show up on the list within 1 min.

Important! Knight marshal may ask fighters to enter the list with their helmets off after the invitation. Fighters will be given time (approximately 30 sec) to put helmets on and get ready for combat after their identities are verified against participants list. squires can help the fighters to put on their helmets over the list fence, while fighters may not leave the list till the beginning of the battle to exclude the possibility of fighter replacement.

A ‘technical defeat’ is imposed on a team if all its members fail to show up on the list or not ready for the battle within 3 minutes after invitation.

3. Teams pass historical, aesthetical and technical inspection of all their gear. Functions of the historical and technical committee on the list are performed by field judges, linesmen and the Knight marshal. They examine both teams that have come to the list before the beginning of each battle.

4. The Knight marshal inquires readiness status of linesmen, field judges and fighters

5.  The Knight marshal starts the battle on the list between opposing teams with the command “Fight!”.

6. Linesmen (4 - 8 individuals) track the battle in their local sectors of the list, while being on the other side of the fence from where battle takes place. They register any observed violations without interfering with the battle.

Important! Linesmen may interfere with the battle ONLY when commanded by the Knight marshal or field referees.

7. Field referees (2 - 4 individuals) observe the battle in the list across its entire area by moving around within and tracking violations of rules. Field referees may take measures about bringing fighters back into the battle, who were put out while violation of rules occurred; as well as separate fighters during dangerous moments or long lasting and unclear clinches (over 10 s). Field referees observe attentively all actions on the list.

8. The Knight marshal observes course of events and judges general actions of teams and fighters on the list.

9. A timekeeper observes time of rounds and records information from the Knight marshal for the secretariat.

10.  Knight marshal announces the command “Stop Battle!” at the end of the round.

11. Fighters take their initial positions on the list.

12. Field Referees approach teams and ask if they have any comments or complaints towards opponents or referees. Team can give no comments or ask in a verbal form to correct whatever inaccuracy had occurred with accordance to the  rules, as well as apply for an appeal (refer to “Unified International Rules for Full Contact Historical Medieval Battles - 6. Appeal Process”.

13. All the field referees approach the Knight marshal and report on registered warnings and violations if any. Based on these reports from field marshals, own observations and clarifications from linesmen, if needed, the Knight marshal:

• makes a decision about the result of the round;
• considers appeals if any;
• gives verbal warning and/or gives yellow, and/or red cards;
• announces round score. 

14. The secretariat of the tournament records round results into the rating.

In the result of the round one marks the following:

• Win in the round;
• The round score (Number of fighters, number of active fighters of a victorious team remaining at the end of the battle);
• Yellow and red cards are also recorded into the rating table.

15. The Knight marshal announces the second round. Second (and in case of a draw, the third) round is held according to the regulations of the first one.

16. The winner of the battle is announced when one of two teams obtains victory in two rounds.

17. The winner gets the primary victory point for the rating – it’s 1 point for a win in the battle. All the other points of the rating (wins in rounds, points for the rounds and yellow cards) are considered ONLY when the number of victory points is equal and they give extended overview of the battles’ rating.

Disclaimer

Above rules were originated by "Battle of the Nations" - World Championship of full contact medieval martial arts and adopted for North America by Scallagrims Medieval Martial Arts Centre. Scallagrims Medieval Martial Arts Centre does not take any liability for any use or missuses of above rules outside of its training sessions and events.