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Bicolline LARP Weapon Approval
I talked to you in a previous blog post about the upcoming 15th anniversary of Bicolline.
I’d like to talk now an issue crucial to the organization of a LARP: Weapon approval.
If you have already participated in a LARP, you will be aware that the approval of your arms is an important step. It is actually to allow the organizers to verify the safety of your weapon and to approve its use in the LARP.
As a manufacturer of weapons for LARP, we look at Bicolline as a reference for player approval of our products. With this in mind, this year Bicolline has updated the rules with regards to weapon approvals. The organizers and volunteers have worked hard and the result is a detailed document that I invite you to read in full before you prepare to make or buy a weapon to take to Bicolline this year.
Here is an excerpt from the criteria for approval for Bicolline for 2010: Criteria for approval (French only)
Bicolline 2010 Weapon approval Criteria 2010
(…) The most important characteristic of a weapon is to be safe. The following security criteria must be met for any weapon, whether homemade or purchased from a manufacturer.
- Weight: The weapon must be light. See the table of dimensions and characteristics of weapons.
- Density: A weapon must be padded up to the guard and should not be too hard. Particular attention should be paid to the tip of the weapon: the frame should not be noticeable, even by exerting pressure.
- Rigidity: A weapon must be able to bend slightly.
- Dimensions: The maximum dimensions are shown with each category of weapon, they indicate the total length of the weapon, pommel included.
- Construction: The construction of the weapon must follow the standards of manufacturing weapons of Bicolline.
- Load: shooting weapons and war machines must be calibrated according to standards of manufacturing weapons of Bicolline.
- Users: A weapon is no longer safe if used with too much force and indiscriminately. Each player must remember that it is the way it is used that counts, not the force it is used with (…)
Are Calimacil weapons accepted at Bico?
The Calimacil weapons have been used for over six years on the battlefield of Bicolline. It is important to remember that we have always worked with game standards to understand and adapt our products to the needs of players with one mission in mind: “producing the best LARP Arms.”
In all safety criteria, Calimacil passes with flying colors. However under the new rules of Bicolline for rigidity, it is required that a weapon must be able to bend slightly, which is not the case for our 2 handed bastard swords, because their bending is limited on the flat of the blade only. So they are flexible, but not in all directions.
So the answer is yes Calimacil weapons are accepted at Bicolline, but there are a few exceptions that I will explain in detail here.
The Whip Effect “and the stem hybrid”
With regards to rigidity, we have made the difficult choice to use a hybrid rod instead of fiberglass. The reason is to increase the handling, accuracy and performance for key weapons with a length over 112 cm. Based on our tests, a single rod of fiberglass consistently did not have enough strength for this type of weapon. Because of the length, the weight of the blade did bend the weapon, making it difficult to use in combat.
Over the years we have discovered that from a certain length (over 110 cm), the structure is too flexible and will cause a “whip effect”. For example, it is often observed that with the longer fiberglass rods, when a sword hits a shield which would normally protect the wearer the sword will bend to the point of hitting the defender’s head or shoulders, which is not very fair.
To correct this we chose a hybrid rectangular rod for a mass equivalent to the fiberglass, not curved in one direction only. Thus all our long arms or 2 handed bastards are now manufactured with a hybrid rod. It’s a difficult choice that we have made to offer the best weapons to players. Therefore we do not recommend that players attending Bicolline use our weapons over 110 cm or our two hand bastard sword at risk of being refused by the person inspecting them.
The most important criteria: The User
Calimacil Weapons are excellent in a well defined game where a solid hit is counted as a successful hit, as mentioned by the regulations of Bicolline. However, to reduce the risk and considering the possibility of over-enthusiastic players in massive battles, the approval council at Bicolline decided to tighten rules to prevent any unfortunate accidents. We can not subscribe to these new regulations completely but we stand behind the game experience and the experience of the Bicolline council. It is hoped nevertheless that this characteristic of the regulation on the stiffness will be adjusted in the future because I think in these cases the more important criterion is the user.
In summary, it is clear that for us all our weapons offer the level of security necessary for a LARP battle. Calimacil provides weapons for thousands of fans around the world in over 12 different countries and our weapons are universally well received. However, I ask you to listen to the warnings and recommendations from the safety officers at your LARP and receive regular approvals of your weapon. It is because of this that I felt it important to inform you of this change to Bicolline guidelines.
What if my weapon is refused?
If your weapon is denied at Bicolline or another LARP following a purchase, I invite you to contact us or visit us for an exchange. We have a return policy of 60 days on all products purchased directly through our website.
Calimacil Weapons Accepted at Bicolline
Note that all the other Calimacil weapons, whether short or long, daggers or axes, the Novice bastard sword, and stick Kira / Onyx are accepted and will be the perfect companion for your brave adventures at Bicolline this year.
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January 11th, 2011 at 15:16
Have you any information whether Calimacil weapons are allowed at Drachenfest or ConQuest of Mythondea?
January 31st, 2011 at 08:46
Yes all Calimacil weapons are allowed at Drachenfest or ConQuest and Mythondea