V9: Arrows & Bolts

This page is part of the Official Amtgard V9 Alpha-Playtest Rulebook.

• The Amtwiki is the official home and primary source for Amtgard V9 Rules as of February 25, 2023.
• These rules are currently in Open Alpha Playtest. See the Playtest Disclaimer for more details.
• To learn more about Amtgard V9 Development, please visit Amtgard.com.
• To view the current Amtgard V8 ruleset, please see the Amtgard V8 Rulebook.

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Arrows & Bolts

All forms of arrows and bolts follow the same rules.

1. Are Stabbing Projectiles.
2. Must meet the Universal Equipment Requirements.
3. Must be built to be fired from a bow or crossbow, as appropriate.
4. Must be safe to strike other players with the tip (see construction guide below).
   

Developer Note: For accessibility purposes, playtesters may continue to use Amtgard V8-Legal arrows during V9 playtest games until such a time that we can guarantee the investment in reconstruction will not be wasted effort. That said, we are deeply thankful and appreciative of everyone who chooses to invest their time and resources to build and playtest the construction rules below.

Arrow Gameplay Rules

1. All Arrows and Bolts are Armor Breaking and Weapon Destroying.
2. Specialty Arrows (or Bolts) will impart additional effects based on their Color-Code.
3. Players can only use a Specialty Arrow if they have an ability that allows it.
4. Players may fire multiple regular arrows at once however Specialty Arrows must be fired alone.
5. Multiple arrows fired simultaneously will count as separate strikes, even if they hit the same Hit Location.
   
   

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Arrow Construction Guide

Anatomy of an Arrow

Safety First
Before building your first arrows or bolts, take the time to learn from an experienced player or study an online construction tutorial. Poorly constructed, poorly repaired, or outright broken arrows/bolts can pose a serious safety hazard and may never be used for Amtgard combat.

Arrow Shaft Construction Rules
The shaft of the arrow or bolt is the stick portion to which the head is affixed.

1. Must be carbon, aluminum, or fiberglass.
2. Any real arrowheads or hunting tips must be removed.
3. Shafts longer than 28" must have a drawstop around the shaft to physically prevent drawing the arrow past 28".
4. The nock and any vanes/fletching present must be in good repair.
5. The orientation of vanes/fletchings (or the lack thereof) must not cause chaotic or unpredictable flight.
   
   

Arrow Blunt Construction Rules
The blunt is the reinforced tip of the shaft upon which the striking portion, the arrow head, will be constructed.

1. All blunts must be solidly built, stiff enough to carry anticipated loads without excessive deformation, and able to support typical Amtgard archery impacts repeatedly without failure or degradation.
2. The end of the shaft must be securely capped with a circular, impact-resistant disc at least 1" in diameter.
   • The disc must be centered over the end of the shaft.
   • If a metal disc is used, it must be at least 1/16" steel or equivalent.
   • Discs of any other material must be durable, impact-resistant, and at least 1/4" thick.
     
3. The blunt must then be further built up to at least 1.5" in diameter.
   • The non-disc portion of the blunt can be constructed from any material, including foam, so long as it ensures that the foam arrowhead built upon it is not able to move easily in relation to the shaft. This includes but is not limited to: plunging up and down, wobbling from side to side, twisting-without-return, etc.
4. The entire blunt can be a single unit (such as a 3D-printed piece) as long as the resulting structure is equivalent or safer than the above requirements.
   
   

Note: Arrows can be constructed in a wide variety of ways. You can help your equipment inspectors by keeping a single uncovered arrow available and, if applicable, an unmounted 3D-printed blunt or modular head for them to inspect. You can also keep an equipment reference sheet with details and photos about your build as well as any relevant testing credentials or testimonials. Help them help you!

Arrow Head Construction Rules
The arrow head is the Strike-Legal portion at the end of an arrow or bolt, after the blunt.

1. Must be Strike-Legal on all sides with a foam depth of at least 2" in front of the blunt.
2. Must have a circular cross-section of 2" or greater throughout the entire head.
3. Must have at least 0.5" of impact-resistant safety-grade foam immediately after the blunt. This foam must not deform around the arrow shaft or blunt on impact.
4. The physical striking surface of the arrowhead must include at least 1" comfort-grade foam with a circular diameter of 2.5".
5. Domed arrowheads are allowed but must be no sharper than a 2.75" hemisphere. The narrow tip of the dome does not need to meet the 2.5" cross-section as long as the head meets the 2" depth rule (see diagram).
6. Any additional foam used to meet the 2" depth requirement should be chosen with the goal of making the arrow as safe and comfortable to be struck by as possible, specifically in regards to accidental strikes to the face and eyes. When in doubt, use safety-grade foam.
   
   

Arrow Head Cover

1. Arrow heads must be covered in a durable, opaque cloth. Cloth tape may not be used.
2. Specialty Arrows must be covered with the appropriate Color Code.
   • Properly colored fabric strips may affixed to the shaft in lieu of colored head covers. These strips must be clearly visible from at least 20ft away and not impact the safe use of the arrow.
3. Covers for regular arrows must be a color or combination of colors that cannot be reasonably mistaken for a specialty arrow.
   • The colors reserved for specialty arrows are: Red, Yellow, Green, Purple, and Grey.

Caution: Risk of Eye Damage
Eye damage from accidental face strikes is the most common form on arrow-based injury in LARP. A safe arrow design must not damage the orbital bones or be able to put pressure directly on the eyeball. As a rule of thumb, arrows should be built to the point that their owners are willing to receive a straight shot to the face under test conditions without fear of serious injury.

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• Image Gallery
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  Anatomy of an Arrow

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  Example 2

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  Example 3

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  Example 4

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  Example 5