V9: Equipment Inspection Guide
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- To view the current Amtgard V8 ruleset, please see the Amtgard V8 Rulebook.
Contents
Equipment Inspection Guide
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:
- 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.
- All inspectors are highly encouraged to follow the Equipment Inspection Guide.
- All weapon inspections must include volunteer-assisted Hit Testing.
- 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.
- Equipment may be reinspected throughout the day as necessary.
- 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.
Items You Will Need
- A copy of the Amtgard V9 Rules of Play
- A tape measure (minimum 12ft)
- 2.5” and 2” inner diameter rings (or equivalent templates)
- A Draw Weight Scale or Luggage Scale
- Designated areas to place passed, failed, and unchecked equipment.
- Colored Cloth or Flagging tape to directly mark equipment that has passed and/or failed, if desired.
- Hit-Test Volunteers (At least one other person)
- Either you or your volunteer must be willing to be struck and shot to assess weapon safety.
- Either you or your must volunteer be able to safely use a bow and/or crossbow.
General Guidelines
- Equipment must be inspected in an unbiased manner. If you feel you can’t assess something objectively, ask someone else to help.
- Equipment should be inspected in an efficient and orderly manner. Try to memorize the rules or create cheat sheets to speed up the process. Inspection becomes much more efficient the more you can commit to memory. That said, don’t hesitate to create cheat sheets, reference the rulebook directly, or even ask another player for help if you’re unsure about something. Never make blind guesses during inspections.
- Don’t damage or destroy equipment to during an inspection. When inspecting foam, use the pads of the fingers or the palm of the hand. Don’t dig in with nails or fingertips.
- Don’t be afraid to get a second opinion, especially for items that you feel are on the edge of passing or failing.
Hit Testing Guidelines
All weapons must pass a Hit Test prior to their first use, and periodically thereafter. Hit Tests help inspectors assess how it feels to be struck by the weapon in a controlled environment before it is allowed to be used in the uncontrolled chaos of an normal battle.
- A good benchmark for Hit Test failure is if there is significant residual pain for at least ten seconds after impact, or if a volunteer refuses to be struck by that weapon again.
- Low-strength hit tests should always be painless and comfortable.
- Medium-strength hit tests should be your bar for normal combat. You should be able to imagine yourself and other players being stuck by this over and over without worry.
- Heavy-strength hit tests are your gauge for accidents and cases where adrenaline runs wild. These hits should rarely occur on the battlefield normally so it is acceptable for them to be not as comfortable as light or medium hits, however they should still be within the 10s pain threshold listed above.
- Be careful not to strike naturally sensitive areas such as the groin, kidneys, or sternum during the Hit Test. That said, you must still consider that these locations may be struck by the weapon during the course of typical combat and figure that into your assessment.
- Remember that any weapon being assessed is a weapon that is intended for use on the battlefield. If no one wants to be hit with it in a controlled situation, then it should not be allowed to strike players in the uncontrolled chaos of an normal battle.
- Rotate your Hit Test volunteers, figuratively and literally. After a while of being struck in the same location, any hit will start to feel painful. Have your volunteers take hits in different locations and bring in new volunteers when the previous ones need to take a break from being struck.
- If a Hit test fails, consider retesting it with another volunteer. If it fails a second time (or there are no willing volunteers), then you can confidently fail the weapon.
- Occasionally you will come across weapons that appear to be on the border between passable and not. You may not feel perfectly comfortable allowing the weapon, but you also don't feel completely right disallowing it either. If a second opinion is unable to help make a confident decision either way, the weapon should be flagged as a potential hazard in a way that can be referenced during the course of the day (You can use different colored marking tape, or even a logbook!). This way, should an issue or complaint arise in regard to a flagged weapon, it becomes an easy decision to immediately pull it from use.
Note: This should not be used as a license to allow actual hazardous weapons on field. Safety should still be your number one concern. Clearly hazardous or unsafe weapons should never be approved for use.
Step-by-Step Equipment Inspection Checklists
Melee Weapons
- Look at the weapon. Is it visually suitable for the Heroic Fantasy theme of Amtgard? Is it easily recognizable as the type of weapon it is trying to be and not easily confused for something else? If you're unsure, show it to other players from 20ft away and ask what they think it is without any context.
- Measure the total length and all Padding proportions. Confirm the weapon classification and ensure all padding requirements are met. Ensure any substitutions for Stab-Only, Heavy Padding, or Super Heavy Padding are accurate. Reference the weapon construction section for specific details as necessary.
- Inspect each Striking Tip. Check the 2.5-inch rule. Check for stability and that the core cannot be felt. Ensure the foam is adequate enough to provide noticeable cushioning when used to stab a player. It is strongly recommended that weapons intended to regularly strike with a thrusting motion include greater cushioning than normal. Weapons designed for two-handed stabs, such as large pikes, may need even more padding than smaller, single-handed weapons.
- Using the pads of the fingers, move up and down the weapon checking for weak spots, excessive wear, or any indication that foam has been damaged or come loose.
- Assess all Incidental Padding. Ensure there are no unpadded areas that could reasonably come into contact another playing during combat. Inspect any padded areas covered with a non-abrasive coating (rubber, silicone, etc). It must not compromise the purpose of the padding, such as by making it too firm.
- Inspect the Non-Striking Tips. Check for stability. No core should be felt. Check the 2-inch rule.
- Make sure the cover is in good repair and foam is not exposed.
- Check to ensure that all strike-legal surfaces are clearly distinct from any non-striking surfaces.
- Assess the flex of the weapon. Flex is tested by holding the weapon low on the handle for maximum length and striking a shield or padded surface. Test with a light, medium, and reasonably heavy strike. A second person can estimate the flex.
- Perform Hit Test with a volunteer. Refer to the guidelines Hit Testing at the start of this section.
- For slashing weapons, test a slash against your own leg to assess impact. If acceptable, check against the back of a volunteer - assess a light and medium force swing. With permission from your volunteer, test a hard swing that could reasonably occur on field.
- Test a stab against your own thigh to assess impact. If acceptable, check against the back of a volunteer. Test one-handed, then one-hand with off-hand to stabilize, then two-handed. Assess light and medium force stabs for each method. With permission from your volunteer, test a hard two-handed stab that could reasonably occur on field. Make sure the tip does not deflect or fold over excessively when stabbing and always returns to its original position.
Flail-Specific Checks
Same as All Melee, with the following extra checks:
- Inspect the head. It should be entirely strike-legal and not contain a rigid core.
- Ensure no more than 0.5” of exposed rope/cloth between each foam segment along the chain.
- To check the required dimensions, put the handle between your legs and pull on the flail-head to gently stretch the chain portion taught. Have a second person help measure if necessary.
- Flails do not need to be Stab tested.
Madu-Specific Checks
Same as All Melee, with the following extra checks:
- Ensure any weapon segments are easily recognizable as weapons, and the shield portion is easily recognizable as a shield. The division between weapon and shield segments must be visually distinct.
- The weapon segments must be inspected as weapons and the shield portion must be inspected as a shield.
- Ensure the weapon and shield are securely affixed together in a way that is not dangerous or unwieldy.
- Inspect connection points between the weapon and shield for any indication that they might become separated by the forces placed upon them during combat.
- Ensure weapon segments are not extending outward from the face of the shield (or anything similar).
- Ensure there are no articulations or flail-like chains.
- Ensure the weapon segments are not mimicking, extending, or otherwise offering similar protective coverage to that of a shield. If this is a case, the offending segments will count as part of the shield, not a weapon, and should be inspected as such.
Javelin-Specific Checks
Same as All Melee, with the following extra checks:
- Ensure the core is straight with at most one Striking Tip at each end.
- Perform a Ranged Hit Test in addition to the Melee Hit Test. Refer to the Tips for Hit Testing at the start of this section.
- Throw against your own leg to assess impact. If acceptable, check against the back of a volunteer from 20’ away - assess a light and medium force throw. With permission from your volunteer, test a strong throw that could reasonably occur on field. Consider how it would feel to be accidentally struck in the face with this weapon.
Contact Projectiles
- Look at the weapon. Is it visually suitable for the Heroic Fantasy theme of Amtgard? Is it easily recognizable as the type of weapon it is trying to be and not easily confused for something else? If you're unsure, show it to other players from 20ft away and ask what they think it is without any context.
- Measure the total length and all Padding proportions. Confirm the weapon classification and ensure all padding requirements are met. Reference the weapon construction section for specific details as necessary.
- Using the pads of the fingers, move up and down the weapon checking for weak spots, excessive wear, or any indication that foam has been damaged or come loose.
- Confirm the center mass or structural core is appropriate for contact projectiles.
- Make sure the cover or cloth tape is in good repair and foam is not exposed. If cloth tape was used, make sure it is not curling, hardening, or otherwise becoming sharp or abrasive.
- Ensure any necessary Color Coding is appropriate. The necessary symbols should match the associated Color Code and be large and visible in relation to the item.
- Confirm the owner’s name and ensure labels are present, easy to find, and readable.
- Use rings or templates to check the 2.5” rule across all surfaces and tips.
- Perform Hit Testing with a volunteer. Refer to the Tips for Hit Testing at the start of this section.
- Throw against your own leg to assess impact. If acceptable, check against the back of a volunteer from 20’ away - assess a light and medium force throw. With permission from your volunteer, test a strong throw that could reasonably occur on field. Consider how it would feel to be accidentally struck in the face with this weapon.
Arrows & Bolts
When possible, arrow and bolt inspection should be aided by someone with knowledge and experience of safe arrow use and construction. Arrows and bolts are the most potentially dangerous aspect of our game and they should be treated as such during inspections.
- Before checking anything else, confirm with the owner that any real arrowheads or hunting tips have been removed. You must be 100% sure of this. If you believe there is any chance of a real arrowhead inside an arrow, you cannot allow it to be used in any way at an Amtgard function.
- Look at the arrow/bolt. Is it visually suitable for the Heroic Fantasy theme of Amtgard? Is it easily recognizable as an arrow or bolt and not easily confused for something else? If you're unsure, show it to other players from 20ft away and ask what they think it is without any context.
- Measure the total length and all padding proportions. Confirm all construction requirements are met. Reference the weapon construction section for specific details as necessary.
- Arrow shafts longer than 28” must have a draw-stop around the shaft physically preventing drawing the arrow past 28".
- Ensure shafts are free of cracks, bends, or splits.
- Ensure the nock and any vanes/fletching present are in good repair. The orientation of vanes/fletchings (or the lack thereof) must not cause chaotic or unpredictable flight during Hit Testing.
- Ensure the head has an appropriate amount of comfort-grade foam and that it is dense enough to provide noticeable cushioning when used to strike a player. Check for degrading foam and ensure the core or blunt cannot be felt when pressing down against the face with an open palm.
- Ensure the head has the required amount of 2.5" circular cross-section, then check the 2.5-inch rule against the tip.
- Using the pads of the fingers, move around the face and sides of the head checking for weak spots, excessive wear, or any indication the foam has broken apart or come loose.
- Ensure that the arrow cannot damage eyes by gently pressing it against your own eye socket. If it feels safe, attempt to stab your own eye with a small amount of force to see how the foam reacts. Be careful not to injure yourself. It doesn't have to be pleasant but a safe arrow should not cause you to worry about damaging your eyeball. Imagine being shot in the eye by this arrow.
- Make sure the cover is in good repair and foam is not exposed.
- Ensure any necessary Color Coding is appropriate. The necessary symbols should match the associated Color Code and be large and visible in relation to the item. Arrows & Bolts without Color Coding should not be easily mistaken as having a Color Code.
- If any tape was used, make sure it is not curling, hardening, or otherwise becoming sharp or abrasive.
- Confirm the owner’s name and ensure labels are present, easy to find, and readable.
- Inspect the head for stability. The head must not be able to move easily in relation to the arrow shaft. This movement includes but is not limited to: twisting without return, plunging up and down, wobbling from side to side, etc.
- If the head is modular (built separately from the shaft and attached afterwards), ensure that it is firmly affixed to the shaft and cannot twist out or become detached during combat.
- Perform Hit Testing with a volunteer and a competent archer. Refer to the Tips for Hit Testing at the start of this section.
- You may ask the owner to fire their own arrows or bolts.
- For arrows, use a bow that has a draw weight of 35lbs at a 28” draw if possible.
- For crossbows, use a crossbow that is rated at 450 inch-pounds if possible.
- Shoot at the back of a volunteer from a distance of 20’. The volunteer should not be able to see the arrows or bolts being fired. For safety, they should have one hand covering the back of the neck, and the other hand covering the kidneys.
- Check in with your volunteer after each shot. Do not fire again until they give a signal to do so.
- Watch for excessive bounce-back. Excessive bounce-back is the arrow or bolt hitting the volunteer and bouncing back 20’ or more in any direction.
Bows & Crossbows
When possible, bow and crossbow inspection should be aided by someone with knowledge and experience with that type of weapon. Archery is the most potentially dangerous aspect of our game and it should be treated as such during inspections.
Bows and Crossbows must be strung before being brought to inspection. Equipment Inspectors are not responsible for stringing other players’ bows or crossbows.
- Look at the bow or crossbow. Is it visually suitable for the Heroic Fantasy theme of Amtgard? Is it easily recognizable as a bow or crossbow and not easily confused for something else? If you're unsure, show it to other players from 20ft away and ask what they think it is without any context.
- Check to ensure no cracks or excessive warping of limbs.
- Ensure there are no excessive protrusions, such as stabilizers.
- Vertical Bows must have a draw weight of 35lbs or less at a 28” draw.
- Crossbows are limited to no more than 450 inch-pounds.
Shields
- Look at the shield. Is it visually suitable for the Heroic Fantasy theme of Amtgard? Is it easily recognizable as a shield and not easily confused for something else? If you're unsure, show it to other players from 20ft away and ask what they think it is without any context.
- Assess the size to confirm the size category. A shield’s size is determined by the surface area of its largest silhouette, measured on a flat plane. It's height and width, when necessary, are based on the same silhouette. Reference the shield construction section for specific details.
- Due to the complexity of some shield shapes, some measurements may be unable to empirically confirm in a timely manner. In these cases, confer with the owner or crafter (if present) and make your best judgment. Ask if they have an equipment reference sheet, however this should never be required to get a shield approved.
- Ensure all rigid or sharp-edged hardware is rounded off or padded in such a way that there are no burs or snags which could damage objects or players. Hard edges may not be exposed on any surface which can reasonably come into contact with another player or their equipment.
- For shield sizes that require them, ensure there is a distinct handle. The handle should be securely fastened.
- Ensure any straps are secure and will not come loose during combat.
- Inspect any visible core for cracks, breaks, or splits.
- Confirm that it cannot bend excessively by attempting to bring opposite edges together.
- Check the face of the shield. Ensure padding is stable and attached. Padding should wrap around the rigid edges of the core, if present. It should be impossible to feel or directly strike the user’s hand from the front when being held in the intended method.
- Any curves or recesses in the shield should not be deeper than half its width.
- The face of the shield may not have open holes that penetrate its silhouette.
- Ensure the cover is opaque, durable, and in good repair. Any non-abrasive coating applied (rubber, silicone, etc.) must not compromise the purpose of the padding, such as by making it too firm.
- Perform Hit Testing using a volunteer.
- Have a volunteer hold the shield in the intended manner by its handle or straps.
- Slash the shield with light and medium strikes. Slash around the edges from different angles. With permission from your volunteer, test a few hard swings that could reasonably occur on the field.
- Stab the shield with light and medium stabs. Stab closer to the outer edges to see how it bends. With permission from your volunteer, test a few hard swings that could reasonably occur on field, especially those that could tilt the shield while it is being held.
- A shield should fail if the expected impacts from combat could easily cause injury to the wielder, such as a handle or strap that might force their arm or hand to twist dangerously, or a rigid piece of hardware that is at risk of tilting and striking the user in the face if the shield is struck in the right way.
Armor
This is a guide for safety inspection. See Rating Armor to determine armor point totals.
- Armor should be worn to be inspected.
- Look at the armor from 20ft away. Is it easily recognizable as Amtgard armor and not easily confused for something else? If you're unsure, show it to other players from 20ft away and ask what they think it is without any context.
- Keep looking at the armor from 20ft away. Is it visually suitable for the Heroic Fantasy theme of Amtgard? Is any part obviously synthetic or mundane in appearance? If you're unsure, show it to other players from 20ft away and ask if they feel it's suitable or not. This can be a subjective assessment from park to park depending on the preferences of their player base.
- Armor that does not deform locally when struck must ensure all exposed corners are at least penny round (3/8” radius).
- Loose scales and similar components that move individually as part of piece that deforms locally do not need to be penny round.
- Rigid scales and similar components that are firmly affixed onto a shell must only be rounded if they protrude from the armor.
- Ensure there are no protruding edges. No spikes, thin ridges, sharp edges, burs or snags which could catch or damage equipment or players in the normal course of combat.
- Inspect Chainmail and other chain-linked pieces. Check for broken or separated links which could catch on equipment or players in the normal course of combat.
- Inspect surfaces, joints, and articulations for any risk of catching or pinching.
- Assess all plates and rigid surfaces to ensure they are not brittle or able to deform easily.
- Ensure gloves and gauntlets do not have any metal beyond the knuckles and are not at risk of injuring other players with accidental hand contact during combat.
Appendix Equipment Inspection Guide · Equipment Reference Sheets · Weapon Competency Assessments · Glossary
