V9: Equipment Basics

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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Equipment Basics

General Rules

In Amtgard, the term ‘equipment’ refers to any physical gear or functional items that are used to directly influence gameplay. This includes, but is not limited to, weapons, shields, armor, helms, magic items, and portable game objectives. It excludes garb, non-combat items, non-functional props (instruments, books, etc.) and containers (quivers, pouches, bags, etc.).

1. All equipment is the personal property of the player that owns it.
2. Players may never handle or fight with the equipment of another player without first having their permission. Players may assist with the recovery of expended equipment (often projectiles) without permission however this must be done with utmost respect and permission can be revoked by the owner at any time.
3. Players should never knowingly behave in such a manner that would cause a reasonable player to fear for the safety of their equipment.
   
   

Universal Equipment Requirements

Every piece of equipment, regardless of type, must meet or exceed all of the following baseline requirements in order to be eligible for use in Amtgard combat. Equipment that does not meet or exceed all of these requirements cannot be used.

1. All equipment must be physically safe for the user and other participants to engage with during the course of combat, including incidental contact, falls, and crashes.
   • It is possible for a piece of equipment to meet the construction requirements presented in this rulebook and still be unsafe. Examples include: overly hard foam; areas with excessive tape; weapons with excessive mass; and so on.
2. All equipment must be durable enough to survive the rigors of Amtgard combat.
   • Equipment must not significantly degrade or fail during the course of combat, including incidental contact, falls, and crashes. Examples include: equipment so flexible as to risk failure; poor connection points; brittle materials; and so on.
3. Equipment must be easily recognizable as the type of equipment it is trying to be and not easily confused for something else. It must also be visually appropriate for the Heroic Fantasy theme of Amtgard.
4. Each piece of equipment must meet any construction standards relevant to its type.
5. Each piece of equipment must be regularly inspected for all of the above, especially potential hazards and conditions that could risk injury, malfunction, or catastrophic disassembly.
6. All weapons must also pass a Hit Test before their first use, and periodically thereafter.

Equipment Inspection

Each piece of equipment must pass an inspection before its use each day to ensure the Universal Equipment Requirements of safety, durability, recognizability, and any other type-specific construction standards are met.

Guidance for Equipment Inspectors can be found in the Equipment Inspection Guide. The following information is the essential knowledge that all players should have:

1. Equipment is inspected by an Equipment Inspector. Since equipment inspection is mandatory, this task is often a listed responsibility of one or more Officer positions, traditionally the Champion and/or Guildmaster of Reeves.
2. All inspectors are highly encouraged to follow the Equipment Inspection Guide.
3. All weapon inspections must include volunteer-assisted Hit Testing.
4. Equipment that does not pass inspection cannot be used in combat. Using uninspected or unapproved equipment on the battlefield is grounds for immediate suspension from play.
5. Equipment may be reinspected throughout the day as necessary.
6. New or inexperienced players wishing to use a weapon type they have never used before must also demonstrate Weapon Competency to ensure safe use on the battlefield. Players who demonstrate unsafe weapon use during this demonstration or at any point thereafter may have those weapon privileges revoked by a Rules Authority.

Inspections Do Not Guarantee Safety Passing an equipment inspection does not guarantee that a piece of equipment is 100% safe. Players should always remain vigilant for potential hazards and equipment being used in an unsafe manner.