BAM 4: RULESET

BAM 4 - Mixed Weapons Fighting Ruleset

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I) BAM Regulation Weapon Choices

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The following synthetic weapons are provided for use in BAM 4:

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• HEMA: Saber

  • Ryker-Style basket hilt broadsword

  • Blade Length: 32 inches

• FMA: Espada y Daga Pairing

  • Main Hand: Sansibar (Blade Length: 26 inches)

  • Off Hand: Knife (Blade Length: 11 inches)

• JSA: Katana

  • Synthetic Katana (Blade Length: 29 inches)

  • Note: Can be used one or two-handed interchangeably.

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II) General Officiating Requirements​

 

All judges must:

• Actively fence, regularly and at intensity.

• Ideally, actively compete, or have competed in the past.

• Have completed a BAM officiating course.​​​

 

III) Lead Judge Requirements​

 

Lead judges must have:

• Extensive tournament judging experience.

• Extensive historical fencing/FMA/JSA coaching and teaching experience.​

 

IV) Important Terminologies

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• Insufficient Contact (IC): A blow landed with no rotation, on the side, or flicked toward the opponent to make a touch, but that would not result in a fight-ending blow.

• Revenge Hit: A late afterblow made with a great deal of force to punish or intimidate opponents.

• Faulted Double: A double that occurs when a party drives in with no respect for the weapon of their opponent.

• Rule Gaming: An attempt to exploit a potential flaw in the ruleset to one's advantage.

• Flat Hit / "Flat!": A blow with the flat of the blade (i.e., insufficient contact).

• Tip/Tap: A tap with the blade which would not constitute a fight-ending or potentially fight-ending blow (i.e., insufficient contact).

• Weak: Not sufficient contact.

• Continue: Continue fencing.

• Hold: All action stops.

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V) Scoring Actions and Point Allocation​

 

Total points to victory: 9​

 

Blow Calling & Validity

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• All blows are expected to have sufficient rotation and deliver adequate force to the intended target, as per our demonstration video and pre-tournament fighter briefing.

• Sport fencing-type touches and tip taps will not be scored. Fighters and coaches may be reprimanded if warnings are repeatedly ignored.

• Thrusts must make definitive contact, not be at full body extension, and would have achieved deep target penetration with a sharp sword, thus being martially valid.

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Self-Calling (Elective Practice)

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In the interest of promoting honor and fairness:

• Fighters, once at their corner, can elect to self-call if they feel their hit on an opponent was invalid, or if a valid blow landed on them.

  • Note: This is entirely an elective practice and is not mandatory.

  • Note: Fighters are absolutely prohibited from signaling, protesting, or calling blows landed on an opponent for themselves. Penalties will be leveled for this sort of behavior.

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Valid Point Allocation​

 

Cuts

 

• Head: 3 points

• Weapon Arm: 2 points

• Torso: 1 point

• Non-Weapon Arm/Legs: 1 point

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Thrusts​

 

• Controlled Thrust: 4 points (A thrust landed where the opponent's weapon is controlled and an afterblow with a weapon is not possible. This can be achieved through controlling through a blade-on-blade action or through grappling a stopped blade or weapon arm.)

• Uncovered Thrust to Head, Torso, Thigh, or Bicep: 1 point

  • Note: Thrusts that land below the knee or elbow will not be counted.​

 

Miscellaneous​

 

• Disarming an opponent (or opponent loses weapon): 3 points

• Ring Out: 1 point

• Hand Parry: 1 point, or full target value if the hand parry prevented the cut from continuing to a superior target (e.g., head cut).

• Standard Afterblows: -1 point deduction from a valid hit. If the first hit is determined to be invalid or insufficient, full value may be given to the afterblow.

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Doubles​

Standard Double

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• After 3 doubles, the match ends (except in elimination rounds).

• Each double is worth -2 points to a fighter's score.

• In elimination rounds, all doubles after 3 result in a cumulative negative point score for the following round.​

 

Faulted Double

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• Happens when a fighter makes no attempt to defend and launches a suicidal attack resulting in a double hit. In this scenario, the fighter who ignores the danger receives the penalties.

• Each faulted double is worth -6 points to the point score.

• Two faulted doubles will result in a competitor losing the match.

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VI) Forbidden Targets and Actions

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Forbidden Targets

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A competitor is expected to have the skill to correctly and accurately choose their targets. The following target areas are prohibited:

• Foot

• Back of the head

• Clear intention to strike the groin

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Forbidden Actions​

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• Turning the back of your head towards the opponent.

• Spin moves, or moves that deliberately expose the back of your head are prohibited and may result in a warning, point deduction, point award to the opponent, or even expulsion from events in repeated occurrences.

• Willfully accepting a blow. This is often done to game the afterblow rule. If one is observed to accept a blow without an attempt at defense just to return a hit to an opponent.

• Revenge blows. Hitting an opponent after "Hold" is called (e.g., striking an opponent after "Hold" has been called and they are walking back to the corner).

• Blade catching. A blade that is not moving may be seized in a grapple; one that is moving cannot be seized.

• Blatant rules gaming/Manipulation. Any attempt to circumvent the spirit of the rules by attempting to use a loophole to gain an advantage will be quickly and swiftly dealt with. Rules gaming is not looked upon kindly in our tournaments, and a warning will be issued and may or may not come with a point deduction, loss of match, or ejection from the event.

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VII) Competitor/Coach/Team Conduct

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Harmonious Event Rules

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The following on jackets and equipment is permissible:

• Club patch and Affiliation patch (aka club back patch, club arm patch).

• National Flag/Country or Country abbreviation.

• Name.

• Rank (if applicable).

• Sub-team logo (if applicable) (fight team, etc.).

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No political symbolism on any jacket, equipment, or clothing at our event, including dinner. This means no political flags, pamphlets, or paraphernalia at our event. Anything deemed as symbolism by our leadership team will need to be removed and put away for the remainder of our event or covered in black duct tape (if available).

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VIII) Gear

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Swords

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All swords will be synthetic and provided by the organization.

• Basket Hilt (Broadsword): Approximately 32-inch blade length.

• Espada y Daga: Sansibars (26-inch blade length) + Cold Steel Laredo Bowie Trainer.

• Katana: 28-29 inch blade, can be used in one or two hands.

• Fighters may choose between Espada y Daga, One Katana, or One Broadsword.

• Fighters are only limited to their choice for the duration of the match.

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Jackets

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• Recommended (not required for stick series):

  • Spes - Light (AP and others), Officers, etc.

  • Combat hoodies or motorcycle jackets.

  • Arnis padded shirts or overlays.

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Masks + Overlay

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• Note: All mask overlays must be in good working order and have no protrusions (like on some SF mask covers).

• Good examples are:

  • Wukusi Cobra.

  • PBT HEMA.

  • AF HEMA Mask.

  • Leon Paul Coaching mask.

• All gear must be relatively clean, be in good working order, and masks must have minimal damage (i.e., be in decent condition to ensure the greatest protection available).

• Hard plates or plates for the back of the head are required to appease safety concerns.

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Other Clothing

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• Please make sure there is no exposed skin in our tournaments. Wear long pants, or socks that cover the skin and go past the line of your shorts.

• Shoes should be made for sport, with soft soles and non-marking. Combat boots, cleats, or other similar type gear is not permitted.​

 

Hard Armor​

 

• Required:

  • Elbows and forearms.

  • Gloves (hockey, lacrosse, or equivalent).

  • Knee protection.

  • Throat protection.

  • Groin protection.

  • Breast protection (women).

  • Fencing Plastron/or HEMA jacket.

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• Recommended:

  • Ankle protection.

  • Small plates for shoulder and upper arm (like on pro SPES jackets).

  • Soft "SPES" skirt protector.

  • Shin protection or greaves, baseball legs (protection from knee down).

  • Clavicle plates.

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• Not Allowed:

  • Full pauldrons.

  • Full armor made of plastic, leather, or other materials.

  • Metal Armor.

  • Full helmet (non-mask).

  • Fantasy-looking or LARP armor.

  • Sport Fencing whites.

  • LARP or Costume-style mask protection.

  • Combat, Cowboys, or high-heeled boots.

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BAM 4 - Junior Division Fighting Ruleset

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I) Age Requirement

 

Only fighters age 10 to 14 are allowed to participate.

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II) BAM Junior Division Regulation Weapon Choices

 

The following synthetic weapons are provided for use in BAM 4:

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• Olympic Saber​

• HEMA Smallsword+Parrying Dagger​

III) Scoring Actions and Point Allocation

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Cuts and Thrusts 

 

• Head: 3 points 

• Torso: 2 points

• Weapon Arm: 2 points

• Non-weapon arms/legs: 1 point

• Covered thrust: 4 points

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IV) Gear

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• No exposed skin

• Sport Fencing whites are allowed.

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Thank you for reading, fight at your best and enjoy.