Martial Activities

SCA recreates many forms of martial activities.

Armoured Combat

Also known as ‘Heavy Combat’ or ‘Heavy Fighting’, armoured combat uses rattan weapons that generally approximate the sword-and-shield, greatsword, spear, glaive and halberd of the High Middle Ages.

Fighters (also known as Heavies) recreate armour (that also meets safety standards of 16G steel).

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Rapier / Fencing Combat

SCA fencing rules differ substantially from Olympic fencing rules. Instead of fencing for points, fencers attempt to ‘disable’ or ‘kill’ their opponent by striking at target areas. Rapier combatants are considered to be wearing street clothes and leather gloves, so both thrusts and cuts are accepted as attacks.

SCA rules do not recognize lanes or right of way. Opponents fight “in the round”. Body-to-body contact is prohibited, but hand-on-blade contact is allowed, so the off hand becomes an important factor.

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Archery and Thrown Weapons

Combat Archery

Combat Archery occurs only in war or melee scenarios. The arrows used have specially designed rubber tips and tails for safety, and the equipment has limits placed on how powerful it can be.

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Target Archery

Target archery takes place on an archery field that is marked out with period and modern field targets. There is no limit on the power of the bows used.

SCA allows the use of traditional longbows, period bows, recurve bows, and horse bows. West Australian law does not allow the use of crossbows.

SCA does not allow for compound bows or any modern aids to be used, including:
– release aids
– stabilisers
– guides
– sights

Further rules can be found in the latest version of the Target Archery Handbook, which is accessible via the SCA document library.

Thrown Weapons

We have recently expanded into the use of approved axes and knives, thrown against a wooden target.

Further rules can be found in the latest version of the Thrown Weapons Handbook, which is accessible via the SCA document library.