Armoured Combat (also called Heavy Combat, Rattan Combat, or simply Heavy) is combat sport developed by the Society for Creative Anachronism in which participants in recreated medieval armour act fight with blunt rattan weapons. Armoured combat is not choreographed and combatants fight at full speed and power; all “kills” and “wounds” are determined through the honour system – that is, the fighter receiving a blow is on their honour to accept for refuse a blow honestly. If the blow received would have been in earnest with a real weapon, the fighter “acts out” the consequences: a wounded limb cannot be used, a “fatal” blow ends the bout, and so on.

Conduct on the field of armoured combat is governed by the Rules of the List and the Conventions of Combat with an emphasis on safety for all participants.

Armoured Combat occupies a central role within the SCA; Crown Tournament is an armoured combat tournament which determines who sits the Throne. Most events have an armoured combat element and regular fight practices are a feature of most local groups throughout the year.

New players looking to get involved in armoured combat are encouraged to contact their local group seneschal, marshal or chatelaine; most groups have “loaner gear” available to borrow.

Armoured Combat within Ealdormere can be broken into four main sub-groups which fall directly under the authority the Kingdom Earl Marshal:

• Tourney Combat
• Melee Combat
• Combat Archery
• Siege Combat

The related disciplines of Boffer Combat and Fencing are considered separate from armoured combat and are governed by their own set of rules under a Deputy to the Earl Marshals.

• List of People Interested in Armoured Combat

• Society Earl Marshal Page
• Rules of Armoured Combat
• Updates to the Rules of Armoured Combat
• Ealdormere's Rules of Armoured Combat