In keeping with HACA’s belief in the value of martial exercises and the view that fewer rules create more fun, we will hold some unique free-playing. Two round-robin open-bouting contests will be held, one for Medieval long-sword and one for Renaissance Sword –which for the first time in the same event will allow either rapier & dagger or short-sword & dagger to face each other. Registration will take place at the event. This unarmored bouting will have no referees, judges, or awards, just fighters going until one or both lose, and then the next come up. When you lose you step aside for someone else, if you win you stay up for one more fight. The purpose of this form of contest is to enjoy fighting under a formal structure of adversarial competition and test yourself against unfamiliar opponents, but not worry about points and scoring. Each individual fencer has to appraise his own personal performance. When its over the better fighters, who will have stood out, will have their peers salute them. The top two fighters will receive a memento.

Fighter Guidelines: This is a contact fighting event not a full-contact one. Hit your opponent as hard as they need not as hard as you can, using good, firm, controlled blows. All fencers must sign a participation waiver. All weapons will be inspected. Approved weapons will be marked. For Medieval long-sword only HACA-style padded contact weapons will be allowed (see construction information). No "boffers", rattan, or shinai will be permitted. For Renaissance fencing any flexi rapier or dagger blade other than double-wide epees or sport weapons may be used (pending an evaluation inspection). Non-flexing replicas can not be used. Fencers may elect to not use dagger. Bucklers will not be allowed in these events. All rapiers must pass a safety check for a solid rubber safety tip. Padded short-swords (i.e., back-swords, arming-swords, side-swords, field-swords) must be regulation. A helm or mask and gorget is mandatory, but no other metal or hard-leather armor may be worn –including gauntlets. No padding gear other than gloves and knee or elbow pads may be worn. Groin protection and kidney belts are recommended.

There will be a regulation equipment check requirement and Marshalls to keep order and monitor safety and compliance, but nothing else. They will not judge wins or losses. Inspection will take place before each bout. The focus is on using your skills and learning. All cuts thrusts, and slices are allowed as well as seizures and disarms. Examples will be shown before hand of valid cuts, thrusts, and slices. These will be interpreted following what real weapons actually can and cannot do. Target areas will be the full body except the groin –and will include hands and feet. A single good hit (to any limb or body portion) is a kill following the defender’s acknowledgment. Unclear hits will be ignored. Mutual simultaneous hits will count against both. Excessively hard hits will be thrown out. Body contact actions and weapon seizures will be allowed and demonstrations of permissible and impermissible examples will be shown prior to bouts. However no take downs or wrestling throws will be permitted, but a fallen or tripped fighter may be struck. Fighters will immediately stop and break whenever the Marshal calls halt to any seizure or grappling that does not result in an immediate hit or disarm (i.e., "the 4-second rule"). A fighter dropping or losing his weapon may also be struck. No weapons may be thrown. A fighter twice moving out of bounds will lose the bout.

Fights will only be stopped when a valid "kill" is made or the combatants move out of bounds, one party yields, a mask is dislodged, a weapon malfunctions, grappling or wrestling ensues, excessive body contact occurs, a weapon is thrown, or the Marshal calls a safety stop. Fighters may be disqualified for: repeated excessive force, unchivalrous/unsportsmanlike conduct, repeatedly grabbing a blade, or ignoring orders to halt. Fighters causing three injurious excessive hits will be disqualified. Bouts will have a 3 minute time limit. Also, fighters receiving three injurious excessive hits will be discontinue from participation.

All fighters will form a circle, and starting at a randomly selected point and following in a clockwise direction, the first two fencers will move to the center and begin. Afterwards they will return to their same place in line. Each fighter will record his own wins and losses. The bouting will continue for a duration of two hours or until each combatant has fought at least 4 bouts. Participation is limited to 20 fighters in each contest. Each combatant will receive a Record of Participation certificate vouching