Combat Archery

Play safe and fair. We have a specialized weapons form that requires specialized skills, understanding and accommodations.

Help clear the field after battle – many hands make light work.

Thank the marshals, both CA and otherwise. They give freely of their time so YOU can play.

Lastly, consider becoming a CA Marshal-in-Training. You can find no better place to "see it all" than Pennsic. As our community grows, so too must its CA marshallate and you are welcome to be a part of that growth. Come to Inspection Point to volunteer!

Baron Friderich Swartzwalder

ALL Combat Archers at Pennsic 50 are REQUIRED TO READ all of these Regulations and information.

Combat Archery Equipment/Ammunitions Inspection Specifics

Knowledge of these Regulations will help ensure a safe and healthy war for all; failure to take the time and effort to understand them is both unsafe and unacceptable for not only yourself but to others on the field. Few changes have been made (although there are some) to existing Pennsic standards in an attempt to standardize these regulations for the benefit of the entire CA community over the next decade.

PROHIBITED EQUIPMENT AND FEATURES

These items are specifically prohibited at Pennsic War 50.

  1. Hand slings
  2. Stone bows
  3. Small pistol style crossbows
  4. Forward or rear style pistol grip(s)
  5. Combat archery crossbows which utilize a mechanical advantage cocking lever. (“goat's foot”, “cord and pulley” and “belt and claw” systems are a few examples)
  6. Chinese repeating crossbows or repeating crossbows of any type
  7. Split prod design for crossbows utilizing a center shot system (an individual prod on each side instead of a solid one).
  8. PVC bows or PVC crossbows.
  9. Non-Society period sights, spring/flipper rests, plunger buttons, stabilizers, clickers, or modern release aids.
  10. Compound bows and compound crossbows.

No Combat Archery Ammunition that has been fired may be re-fired again on the same day during Pennsic 50.

NO experimental combat archery equipment (bows and crossbows) or ammunition (arrows and bolts) will be permitted for use at Pennsic War 50.

  • All martial activities will halt if the heat index reaches 103.
  • Marshal point will be open from 9am - 4pm starting Wednesday August 2.
  • CA Marshal point will close 45 minutes before the start of each battle and re-open following the battles. Marshal point may stay open later if there are marshals available.
  • All CA marshals must go through an orientation before working at marshals point.
  • Gleaning of tubular ammo is permitted in the bridge and ca/siege battles only.
  • All ammo must have a PRINTED not hand written label covered with CLEAR tape. Label must have name and kingdom at minimum.
  • Light hand bows are limited to 20-30#.
  • Light crossbows are limited to 400-600”#.
  • Minimum shooting distance is clears the weapon plus 9’.

We need volunteers as inspectors and scribes. If you (or someone you know) wants to help, please come up and get trained!

If you plan on helping out as a Scribe or Inspector, please show up the first day we are open (Wednesday, August 2, if you are on-site). It takes a bit of time and effort to get volunteers signed in and to go through the orientation process. Last year we had the vast majority of folks check in on the first day and it really worked well.

VOLUNTEER as a SCRIBE!

  • Scribes write down information given to them by the people inspecting the bows, crossbows, and ammunition.
  • Anyone that can print legibly can go through a very short orientation of the forms used and where to write things.
  • You will be issued a "Scribe" badge that will allow you to come up any time during inspection of combat archery, sign in and help.
  • You only come up to help when you want and you will learn more about inspecting combat archery gear and ammo than most regular fighters do.
  • Your help will be greatly appreciated, and you'll be doing an important safety service at Pennsic. (We also have treats sometimes!)

VOLUNTEER to INSPECT!

If you have never worked at the Combat Archery Inspection Point, you have missed a great experience learning and working with some of the most knowledgeable combat archery folks in the Society. Show up and we will take care of the rest. You will not only learn how inspections are done for the ammo used in your Kingdom, but you will also learn about the many different types used around the Society. Your help will be greatly appreciated, and you'll be doing an important safety service at Pennsic. (We also have treats sometimes!)

Note - Inspectors can choose to inspect only specific categories (such as: fiberglass ammo but not tubular ammo; just ammo but not bows/crossbows). Also, though it helps to be a CA Marshal in your home kingdom, it is not required.

NO ONE may inspect combat archery equipment or ammunition until they have signed in, gone through orientation, and been issued a Pennsic 47 Combat Archery Inspector badge by the CA-MIC, Deputy CA-MIC, or their designee at the combat archery inspection tent. Orientation includes a review of ammo/equipment inspection processes (to ensure consistency) and the proper way to fill out the Pennsic inspection forms. Oriented CA Inspectors will then be issued a badge that will quickly identify what they are allowed to inspect at Pennsic 47. This badge MUST be worn by the CA Inspector in plain sight anytime they are inspecting CA equipment or ammo. NO EXCEPTIONS!

The Combat Archery Inspection Point will open on Wednesday, August 2, at 9 am.

Hours are generally 9 am – 4 pm, until the first day of battle. Check at Inspection Point for any changes to hours.

REMINDERS:

  1. It is your responsibility as a Combat Archer to check, sort, and repair your ammunition BEFORE bringing it to Inspection Point.
  2. It is strongly encouraged to get your Combat Archery ammunition inspected AT LEAST one day before any battle since showing up on the day of the activity will likely result in insufficient time to have equipment inspected.
  3. The owner of combat archery equipment/ammunition does NOT have to be the person that brings it to Inspection Point to be checked. Anyone may bring combat archery bows, crossbows, and ammunition to be inspected.
    • The person presenting the equipment for inspection will have their site token number recorded as the "point of contact" for the gear being checked.
    • If there is a problem with any of this gear on the field, we will find the point of contact to direct us to the owner.
    • With this in mind, there is no reason to wait until the last minute to get your combat archery gear inspected. Get it done as early as possible.
  4. Anyone who shoots combat archery ammunition is responsible to see that the proper initial and post-battle inspections are done. A person who shoots CA ammunition that has not been inspected can lose their fighting privileges for the remainder of Pennsic.
  5. Inspection of ammunition WILL NOT OCCUR between multiple portions of any extended battle (e.g. BETWEEN the portions of a Castle Battle) as there is neither appropriate time, oversight, nor focus to do so properly.
  1. All armor inspections shall occur at the Armored Inspection Point.
  2. All initial combat archery weapon and initial ammunition inspections shall occur at the Combat Archery Inspection Point during posted hours.
  3. The Combat Archery Inspection Point will be open the same hours as the main (Armored) Inspection Point (usually 9 am - 4 pm daily). Any changes in the inspection hours will be posted outside the Inspection Point as early as possible and will supersede the hours posted in the Pennsic Event Guide.
  4. Inspections will officially cease 45 minutes prior to the posted start time of any battle so that the marshals have time to get ready for the battle. Marshals not fighting may volunteer additional time but are not expected to.
  5. Ammunition shot will not be reinspected for use during the same day.
  6. All arrows or bolts must be inspected for a specific day's use, and be marked with the "color of the day".
  7. All combat archery ammunition must have a printed label (not handwritten) with the owner's name and Kingdom affixed to it. The label must be in English utilizing a legible/readable font and be completely covered with clear packing tape. No reinforced or strapping tape may be used to cover the label.
  8. If the combat archery ammunition is group ammunition, the group name can be used in place of the owner's name. If the group name is used, a point of contact within the group is required. Specifying the Kingdom is mandatory on all labels.

Ammunition shot during all battles is dead for the rest of the day.

There will be a series of Field Battles on Monday morning followed by Bridge Battles in the afternoon. Combat Archery will be allowed in some of the Field Battles and Bridge Battles (see elsewhere for details).

  • There will NOT be ANY reinspections during or between these battles.
  • All arrows/bolts on the ground at the end of the Field battles will be collected and put in a pile at CA Inspection point. They will be added to the ammunition collected at the end of the last Bridge battle for the usual post-battle inspection.
  • Any ammunition at the end of the day that does not have the owner (or their designee) present will NOT be inspected. CA Inspectors and Inspection Point will not be responsible for it.