Red rules.

Simple and silly question. I couldn't remember whether or not the 48" rule was counted for the length of the weapon or the blade...The rules just say the length of the weapon as far as I see. Does anyone know otherwise? And would you mind quoting it out of the rules? I was just wondering because my blue that i use can be used two handed and is longer than 48 inches.

Taco had this very same question last week. We both sat down and read the rulebook. Apparently in Belegarth there is a distinction of blade length, but not in Dagorhir. Here are the Dag rules:

4.3 - Red Weapons
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4.3.1 - Red melee weapons are long hacking and smashing weapons intended to be used primarily with two hands.

4.3.2 - A swung weapon (sword, axe, mace, glaive, halberd, etc.), 48 inches or longer is considered a red weapon when swung with two hands

4.3.3 - A red weapon used with one hand counts as a blue weapon for damage

4.3.4 - Red weapons may have green stabbing tips.

4.3.5 - Red weapons go through armor on the first hit when used two-handed

4.3.6 - All Red weapons when used two-handed can destroy a shield with two solid blows from their legal striking surface (e.g., a solid hit from the haft of a glaive would not count). Blows which are mostly blocked by another weapon and light or glancing hits to a shield do not count as "shield breaking" hits. The fighter wielding the shield judges if the blows are solid "shield-breaking" red hits; however, the physical size of the fighter delivering the blows must always be considered; i.e., a "solid" hit from a smaller, lighter person will generally feel "lighter" than one from a more massive fighter.

4.3.7 - Red weapons must weigh at least 24 ounces and balance above the top of the hand-grip.

One other rule to consider is that at least 1/3rd of the weapon must be padded, or no more than 30 inches unpadded, and this includes the striking surface and courtesy padding.

4.1.11.7 - No swung weapon may have more than 1/3 of its overall length unpadded, nor have more than 30 total inches unpadded.

Konradr

oh thanks, then my blue is considered a red because of its long handle.

Caretaker wrote:

oh thanks, then my blue is considered a red because of its long handle.

I lied...its not...its only 38". darn it.

Konradr, the rules regarding length and weight of reds are the same between bel and dag. Anything 48" overall must weigh at least 24 ozs. and does red damage when wielded two handed. The padding requirement is different and last time we were there you enforced it more by bel than dag standard, which is more reasonable, IMO. According to dag rules, any red weapon must have no more than 1/3 or 30" unpadded, whichever is less, and the padding must be striking surface grade, whether it's intended to be a striking surface or not (4.1.8 "This means the haft padding on swung weapons must be as safe as their striking surface."). In bel it's 18" or 1/3, whichever is greater, and the incidental padding need not be up to the same standard as the striking surface. Remember, the national MoA is only a guideline at your realm practices, so enforcing this is up to your realm.