Sufficient force
3.4.1 A hit from a hand-held weapon counts when the weapon's striking surface lands with sufficient force. Clarification: taps, grazing, and glancing shots do not count as sufficient force.
The key word in this rule as written is 'sufficient,' for which the Merriam Webster dictionary defines as, "enough to meet the needs of a situation or a proposed end," ie. a proposition whose truth assures the truth of another proposition. In plain English, what is sufficient is inherently subjective. This can be interpreted as meaning: if both fighters agree a hit was sufficient, then it was sufficient. Given the nature of the equipment and materials used in the construction of foam-padded weapons, as well as the relative size and strength between individuals, and accounting for safe, full-force melee combat then we can begin to notice a general trend in what is considered sufficient force. That is, we experience a handful of sensations attributed to being struck with sufficient force which are helpful when acknowledging blows. Use these tips as a tool for striving to always be an honorable, chivalrous, and all-around likeable fighter.
- Clearly witnessing an attack connect with your valid target zone and deflect or rebound off course
- Hearing an audible pop from the impact, or a heavy thud
- A ~feeling~ of being hit that arrests your attention and the momentum of the blow
This definition is from the secondary perspective of a rules' playability, however safety is a primary concern.
4.1.3 A safe Dagorhir weapon is one which when used as intended will NOT result in bruises, break bones, or knock out teeth if an unarmored person is struck with a full-strength swing
Having considered our definition of what a safe and passable weapon is, it is not unreasonable to then propose that the highest level of force that could be expected from a passing weapon swung full-strength by a large fit fighter, should NOT result in bruising, injury, etc. This effectively means any blow which falls anywhere on the spectrum between “subjectively acceptable” to “not-bruising” should be acknowledged as good and valid.
Dagorhir is also a game which considers realism as a tertiary leg of its ruleset, which is part of what has made it so much fun for so many people. As materials technology and construction techniques evolve, we come closer to approximating an accurate simulation of real (but safe) medieval combat. However because safety is always paramount, interpretations of what is a sufficient force hit will necessarily change over time. For example: in the open-cell foam era of Dagorhir, blow acknowledgment was defined differently due to materials technology, and a culture of particular construction methods (see 'noticeable').
Active and open communication between fighters during and after a bout regarding a hits sufficiency is a widespread cultural nuance that reinforces the honor system and ensures everyone enjoys playing Dagorhir for a very long time.
