Welcome!
Historical Fencing Australia is glad that you are coming along to our event. We hope you enjoy it. Below is a collection of useful information that you should read before coming to the camp.
Contents
- Useful links
- Getting Here
- Spare Seat / Lifts
- What you need to bring
- Fencing Expectations
- Mentoring & Rated Challenge Matches
- War Games, Skirmish & Rated Challenge Rules
- The Tournament
Useful Links
Timetable and Class Descriptions – Feedback sought
List of Instructors – Instructors will be added as they are announced.
Code of Conduct
Getting here:
Arrival time:
Anytime from 5 pm on Friday – get in touch if you would like to come early to help set up.
Departure time:
Formal activities conclude at 2 pm on Monday and we ask that the site be tidied up, and everyone leave by 4 pm.
Address:
CYC Adanac
47 Hoddle Street,
Yarra Junction 3797
Exact Map Location
Adanac is located in Yarra Junction in Melbourne’s North East, about an hour from Melbourne CBD
Map of the site here
Do you have a spare seat in your car? Need help getting here?
We will be facilitating connections for lifts to the site. If you would like a lift make sure to include that info in your booking.
If you can pick people up from Lilydale station, the airport or somewhere else in Melbourne please let us know when you book.
What you need to bring
You need to bring all the things you need to have a good time at the camp.
You will definitely need the following:
- Clothes ,
- Bedding (including pillow case), make sure you have warm bedding e.g. sleeping bag,
- Towel, Toiletries, Sun Protection, and a drink bottle
- Fencing protective equipment (mask, gloves, jacket, elbow & knee protection, other stuff if you have it),
- Swords (there will be some loaners around but you should bring at least one sword so you always have something you can use).
We will provide: cutlery, crockery, food, mattresses.
DON’T BRING NUTS – the site is nut free to avoid allergy issues.
Fencing expectations
Fencing with people outside your sparring culture requires communication. If you are going to spar with someone you need to agree on the rules of engagement you want to play with first.
Fighters must wear protective equipment appropriate to the level of free play they are about to engage in, generally this means a minimum of a fencing mask for slow play but could be very comprehensive for other sparring conditions.
Fencing rules for the camp:
- No one is obligated to begin or continue fencing. If someone says no, accept their decision gracefully.
- All swords must be tipped with leather or plastic or rubber. See this video for details.
- Before fencing with someone check in and agree on: intensity, gear worn, allowed techniques, and anything else you aren’t sure about
- Call HOLD if you feel or see anything unsafe. Say TOO HARD if a blow against you is too hard.
- Fencers who cannot maintain adequate control will not be allowed to spar.
- Everyone must have read and then follow the code of conduct at all times, while at the camp!
Mentoring & Rated Challenge Matches
Everyone who wants one will be assigned a small team and mentor to help hone and refine each other’s competitive game over the camp. You can volunteer to be a mentor, and a mentee if you wish. Mentors will be assigned at semi-random making sure that they are skilled in the focus weapon, and that they are not part of your home club.
There will be dedicated times on the schedule to meet with your team to Improve your skills, identify and strengthen your weaknesses, and learn how to coach better. Then you can test yourself in the HEMA Rated challenge matches on Monday morning.
Everyone can take part in the rated challenge matches, you don’t have to join in with the mentoring program if you don’t want to. Challenge matches can be assigned to you if you ask or you can go forth and challenge your own nemesis.
War Games, Skirmish & Rated Challenge Rules
| Mask | Fencing mask – 350N minimum, an overlay, helmet, or additional padding is strongly recommended. |
| Back of head | Rigid protection covering the back of the head |
| Gorget | Throat protection that provides additional thrust protection to the throat. Protectors must be appropriately rigid. |
| Jacket/Torso Protection | A jacket specifically designed for historical fencing: well constructed and fit for purpose. The jacket must completely cover the torso and not have any uncovered area; the covered areas must also include in particular: the whole back, neck (not covered by mask, overlay, and gorget) and armpits. The entire jacket and the remaining defensive equipment of the torso must be protected for a minimum of 350N (or drop test equivalent) |
| Knees | Knees must be covered by rigid protection. Shin protection is recommended |
| Elbows & Forearm | Elbows must be covered with rigid protection. Additional padding is recommended for the forearm. |
| Gloves | Simple hilted swords e.g. Arming Sword, Longsword, Spear Appropriately protective, thickly padded or rigid shell gloves must be worn e.g. Sparring Gloves, Spes Lobsters, Thokk, Lacrosse, or Red Dragon gloves Complex hilted swords e.g. Rapier, Broadsword Gloves must be used which cover the entirety of the hand and wrist, more padding for exposed areas is recommended. |
| Groin/Chest Protection | Rigid groin protection to be worn to protect external genitalia. |
| Legs | The groin and upper thighs (up to a handspan down from the groin) must be covered by 350N penetration resistant material. |
| Shoes | All competitors must wear shoes. |
The Tournament
We are running a competition over the period of the camp. From 6 pm Friday to 12 pm Monday.
The winner will be the team, and the person that do the most sparring, classes, and chores over that time. Yes there are prizes 😉
Each class you participate in is worth 8 points
Each chore slot you complete is worth 10 points
Each unique sparring session is worth 1 point
To count as a unique sparring session you have to either fence someone for the first time at the camp or fence the same person with a new weapon combination.
Keep track of your classes and sparring sessions in your training notebook and then tell Gindi your total points each day to add to the leaderboard. Teams will be assigned by the sorting hat.