Slavs’ and Vikings Festival in Wolin – regulations of fights and tournaments
Present terms and conditions apply to all battles, tournaments and reenactments which use weapon replicas. Details regarding individual tournaments are listed below.
Protective gear
Gear must be accurate to the geographical location and historical era (IX to XI century). All equipment must be in good condition and non-accurate elements must be hidden. Using modern protective gear e.g. masks, jaw guards etc. are allowed but cannot be visible. It is recommended to use a combination of modern (hidden guards e.g. eye and face protection, bracers, knee pads, elbow pads, torso guards and groin guards) and historical protective gear.
The organiser is not responsible in case of injuries when a participant decides not to wear recommended gear.
The minimal necessary gear includes a helmet, hat or hood under the helmet, forearm guards hidden under the armour and protective gloves. Without those elements, the judges or organisers will eliminate the participants immediately.
Participants that use one-handed weapons can use wooden shields. Shields have to be historically accurate to the era and location mentioned by the regulations and have to be at least 40 cm in diameter.
Weapons
Weapons must be accurate to the geographical location and historical era mentioned by the regulations (IX to XI century). Tips of swords and axes must be rounded to prevent stabbing the opponent. The spearheads must be rounded, bent or have a permanent element attached to prevent stabbing the opponent. They must be in good condition and without chipped edges. Furthermore, the edge should be blunt to not cause harm to the opponent and must be at least 2mm thick.
Allowed one-handed cutting weapons include: swords, sabres and long knives weighing at least 950 grams.
One-handed axes and pickaxes are allowed.
Two-handed spears (no longer than 250 cm) and axes (no longer than 170 cm) are allowed.
Using other blunt weapons than axes is forbidden.
Using one-handed spears is forbidden.
Using other two-handed weapons other than the ones listed above is forbidden.
Participants who use two-handed weapons cannot wear shields on their stomachs or chests.
Using any kind of thrown weapon is forbidden.
Every participant wielding two-handed spears and axes is obliged to verify their skills in using a given weapon to guarantee they can safely use their weapon. As proof of passing the test, the participants will be given ribbons to put on their weapons in a visible place.
Organizers or judges have the right to verify the historical accuracy (time and place) of the weapons and protective gear. The designated people can demand an exchange of gear that does not meet the expectations for one that does. If a participant does not obey the rules they can be excluded from the battle or tournament.
Hitbox
Hitbox or so-called “wolin zone”
For one-handed weapons and two-handed axes: a bowl of the helmet meaning the skull part excluding the face and neck, trunk, shoulders and arms above the wrist and legs above the knee.
For two-handed spears: trunk from the armpits and lower and legs above the knee.
The hitbox has been shown in the picture attached to the regulations.
In the 1v1 tournament, the hitbox additionally includes the hands.
Attacking with the tip or hilt of one-handed weapons and two-handed axes and hitting with a shield is forbidden.
One-handed attacks using a polearm are forbidden.
It is forbidden to hold a two-handed spear with an underhand grip.
Overhead attacks (fishing) using a Dane axe are forbidden.
Grabbing arms, legs or necks with a Dane axe is forbidden.
Targeting the neck or face is forbidden.
Targeting an opponent’s spine when they are facing away is forbidden.
It is forbidden to punch, headbutt, kick (the shield is okay), throw, choke or use any form of a chokehold.
Judges
The jury will consist of people designated by the organiser, mostly members of groups that are a part of Liga Sędziów (the League of Judges). The jury can make decisions regarding the safety of participants, viewers, allowed weapons, fair play and obeying the rules of the tournaments.
The jury will be dressed accordingly to distinguish themselves from the participants (for example taking off their shirts).
The jury will be using long poles which they can use to hit (on the helmet, armour, weapon or shield) participants if they ignore verbal warnings and they keep breaking the rules.
In case a participant is breaking the rules and poses danger for example holds a spear underhand or hits overhead with a Dane axe, the jury will give a warning. If there is no reaction the participant will be disqualified and escorted out of the battlefield.
A participant can be denied if the jury decides they are in bad physical condition (e.g. drunk, tired), pose danger or do not have the minimal gear necessary.
The jury has the right to demand a weapon change in case it does not meet the safety or historical requirements.
The jury has the right to demand a proof of passed safety test like a ribbon or other official proof.
The jury has the right to tell a participant to lie down in case they were hit and continue to fight.
They can immediately escort a participant out of the battlefield if they fight in an unsafe manner.
The jury can temporarily half the battle or end it early in case of danger to the participants or the viewers or in case of a medical emergency and the need to safely involve the paramedics.
A member of the jury can be an active warrior but cannot participate in the same tournament they are taking part in as a judge.
The jury cannot judge a tournament under the influence of alcohol or other substances nor can they drink during the tournament.
Main judge
– they are the leading ones and only they can stop and resume the duel
– they give the signal to start the next duel
– in case of stopping the duel the main judge raises their arm and waits for the decision of the additional judges
– only the main judge can talk to the participant, trainers or the audience if he decides it is necessary
– the main judge doesn’t influence the score, they only announce it
– the only decision the main judge can make on their own is in case of foul play or other dangerous behaviour
– in case of foul play or other dangerous behaviour the main judge can immediately stop the fight and disqualify the participant
Additional judges (positioned on lines around the field)
– they can only move along their line of the border
– they are mute, they cannot talk to anybody during the whole duration of the fight, including a technical break of up to 3 minutes
– they announce their verdict by signs e.g. flags, they can speak only when the main judge clearly asks for it
– the only case, when they can signal without the main judges’ sign, is in case of a foul play
Signals, announcements, rules:
- one flag raised is a signal that the participant landed a hit
- two crossed flags mean that there was no landed hit, the judge didn’t see if the hit happened or that both participants simultaneously landed a hit
- two flags crossed overhead means a foul play happened
Points are given based on the majority of votes if at least two judges decide to give the point to the same participant.
In case of the same amount of votes for both participants, a tie happens as if both hit simultaneously.
In case of communicating foul play, the main judge will talk with the side judge get an explanation and then announce a verdict.
Participants can appeal the jury’s decision in the following cases:
-if the participant felt the hit and decided that they were indeed hit – the main judge will stop the duel and only the main judge grants a point to the participant who landed the hit and explains the situation to the audience
– hits that land on the pieces of clothing – if the participant that landed a hit admits to hitting just clothing, the main judge will stop the duel and only the main judge grants a point to the participant who landed the hit and explains the situation to the audience
warning – is given in case of a hit or behaviour dangerous but seemingly accidental breaking of the rules. If the participant is given two warnings during the same fight it might be recognized as foul play. The organiser can also give a warning for hitting a body part listed as off-limit.
The warning does not add up across all of the duels.
Foul play – is given for landing an especially dangerous hit, even if accidental.
The foul play count does sum up across the duels.
Second foul play immediately stops the duel and the participant is disqualified from the tournament.
Battle
If no alteration to the tournament has been made, the usual rules of sport apply and every participant who gets hit has to lie down as “dead” until the fight is finished.
During the battle, participants have to pay special attention to the safety of other participants, and the audience and they must respect the jurors’ decisions. A participant who will ignore jury warnings and commands will be escorted out of the battlefield. In the worst case, they will not be allowed to attend future festivals.
Before the battle, the jury can count members of both sides and mix the team to even out the numbers.
Before the battle, the jury will be doing a weapon check as well as a welfare check to ensure the good psychophysical state of the participants and everyone’s safety.
All participants using two-handed weapons must have on themselves a sign of passing the test mentioned above.
The individual tournament
The individual tournament takes place on two days of the festival: on Friday – one or more rounds of qualifications, on Saturday – the final. The objective of the tournament is to pick the best warrior of the festival.
Only people who registered at the organisers office can take part in the tournament. The number of participants from one group will be based on the overall number of members registered from the given group
Participants can use a one-handed weapon and a shield or two one-handed weapons.
A participant who will hit the opponent three times in the designated area will be the winner. In the final fight, the number of hits will go up to five. In case of both participants being hit at the same time, none will get the point.
In individual tournaments hands are additionally counted as a hitbox.
The point will be given for correct and strong hits with the blade of the weapon. In the case of leaning the blade on the opponent, only a distinct cut motion will be given a point. To clear any misunderstanding, an effective hit must be seen, heard and felt, similar to any hit that would help defeating a foe in a real battle.
Each correct hit will be given one point.
Losing a weapon means losing one point.
Hits with the broadside or pointy end of a blade, aswell as hits to hanging pieces of clothing or parts of the protective gear (that stick out) will not be given points.
The duel takes place on a designated square-shaped field.
The duel will be supervised by a main judge and four additional ones.
The winner of each duel goes on to the next round, in case of an odd number of participants the jury can randomly pick “lucky losers”, so the participant who lost goes on to the next round.
Tournament “Battle of the Bridge”
The tournament takes place on two days. On Friday the qualifying rounds and on Saturday the finals of the tournament. The objective of the tournament is to find the best five-man team for the festival.
Only the groups that registered at the organisers office can take part in the tournament. The number of teams from one group will be based on the overall number of members registered from the given group.
The gear is up to the team’s liking, as long as it follows the general rules of the festival. Participants wilding two-handed weapons are obliged to have proof of passing a safety test.
The battle takes place on a “bridge”, which is a designated plank path on a field. A participant who steps off the plank with one foot is counted as defeated.
To win the fight all of the enemy team has to be hit or pushed off the bridge.
Each battle consists of three fights. The team scoring two wins wins the battle.
The winner of each battle goes on to the next round, in case of an odd number of participating teams the jury can randomly pick “lucky losers”, so a participant who lost goes on to the next round.
The jury can decide that in case of three teams in the final round, all of the groups fight each other. The winner will be the team that won the most individual fights.
The jury consists of six to eight judges – two or three on each side of the “bridge” and one behind each team.
Hits are called out using verbal commands or directly by using a long pole.
The judges can decide on repeating the fight in case of unsafe behaviour or continuing to fight after being hit or falling off the bridge.
Raven tournament
Raven tournament is organised by Bractwo Wojowników Kruki and judges from the League of Judges and other people designated by the organiser of the festival.
All of the rounds take place on Saturday.
By organising the tournament we want to portray an early medieval battle as realistically as we can. Only a small number of warriors died on the battlefield. If historical leaders sacrificed their warriors as carelessly as they do on modern-day battle reenactments, there would be no men left to fight.
Raven Tournament pays attention to detail, to present a faithful picture of a battle in which the objective was not only to win but also to survive. Winners could face another foe with only the strength and weapons left from the previous fights. That’s exactly what we want to depict, at the same time providing entertainment and fun for the participants. The better the team the smaller the loss.
In our tournament the team with better skills, better tactics and better strength management wins. To win, all of the enemy team has to be defeated or the leader has to be taken down.
Most importantly: the team progresses with only the surviving members to the next round.
The team that won the fight progresses to the next round, if the number of teams is odd, the lucky loser rule applies. The lucky loser team can join with the same amount of teammembers as the least numerous winning team.
The prize for each participant from the winning team is a special dedicated pendant.
All teams participating declare that in case of scoring second place in the tournament, they consent to having to eat their prize right away on the battlefield – the prize being a can of Surstromming.
Rules of the Ravens Tournament:
General rules
- Each team consists of a maximum of 15 people, 10 on the battlefield and 5 in active reserve. Organisers can decide to lower the number to 12, 8 on the battlefield and 4 in active reserve.
- Each round is one match only but the jury can decide to repeat the round.
- In case of a repeat, the team uses members and gear from the previous match.
- On command or whistle that signals a stop, all participants have to freeze and wait for the jury to count them.
- A team goes to the next round with the members and gear remaining from the previous round.
- Every team has an assigned judge.
- A team that exchanges weapons or members without a clear signal from the assigned judge will be disqualified.
- Every participant that poses danger or cheats will be disqualified.
- Every participant has to follow and respect the judges commands. The judges decisions are binding.
- Every participant that got hit has to lie down and stay on the ground until the hit gets noted by the assigned jury.
- Every participant gets one “life” during the whole tournament.
Leader
- Each team has a designated leader. Taking the leader down or defeating all members of the team means a loss to the team, no matter the number of members in active reserve.
- Changing a leader is not possible.
- The leader has to take part in each round – they cannot go into active reserve.
FAQ
- Does the leader have more than one life?
No, they are also a human, only one life.
- Can a member of active reserve join the team immediately after the teammate’s “death”?
No, they have to wait for the round to end.
- Can you exchange “alive” members of the team for ones in active reserve?
Yes, but only in between the rounds.
- Does the leader have to take direct action in battle the whole time?
No, they can be protected by the rest of the team. The leader counts to the whole total of the members.