Bow safety

Overview

Bows and crossbows are one of the more dangerous weapons in LRP, if they are used inappropriately. If you are planning to play an archer at Empire then you must make sure that you follow all these safety rules. Failure to do so will result in you being excluded from the battlefield. This page referrs to arrows, but all relevant information applies to crossbows and bolts as well.

To be a safe archer, you need to be a competent archer. Knowing one end of a bow and arrow from the other, and being able to generally hit what you're aiming at is competent. If you have never shot a bow before, then take some lessons from someone who knows what they're talking about with respect to archery before you start shooting at people with LRP arrows. Shooting a bow is not as easy as shooting a gun. It will take you a little time to get the hang of it, but if you're keen enough, you'll grasp the concept soon enough...Have patience, and have fun.

Nothing in this world is guaranteed. Bows and arrows are killing tools and must be treated with the utmost seriousness and care. Once you let that arrow fly it's out of your hands, and no matter how good you are at archery, fate will play its part one way or another. Check your arrows before every shot!

Poundage

• See the weapon checking guidelines

There are strict limits on the poundage of any bow or crossbow used at Empire events - as well as the construction and condition of the bow. Please read the weapon checking guidelines for bows to ensure that your bow will be legal to use at our events.

Weapon Check

You must take your bow to the weapon checking team and have it checked before you use it. When you take a bow to weapon check they will ask you to string the bow and then fire it at a nearby target. The aim is to ensure that you know how to string a bow safely and how to pull your shot when firing on nearby players. If the weapon check team are not satisfied that you are able to use a bow safely then you will receive a quick demonstration lesson in how to use a LRP bow safely.

From IDV tear-drop arrow

IDV Arrows

IDV tear-drop arrows are not usable at any Profound Decisions events.

Bow Safety

• Ensure that your bow is correctly and securely strung
• Take the distance to your target into account before firing. DO NOT full draw a long bow at a target 10m or less away.
• You must not aim a bow or crossbow at the head.
• Do not parry or strike with your bow! It is NOT a melee weapon

An incorrectly strung bow is a danger to you and other players as well as demonstrating a lack of experience with a bow. You must know how to string a bow correctly.

Modern LRP bows and crossbows are capable of firing a LRP arrow much further than most of the older equipment in use by the hobby a decade ago, even though their poundage at full draw has not changed. It is not safe to fire an arrow at high speed at a close target. If you have a bow you must reduce you draw when firing at nearby targets. You must not draw the bow to normal extension when when firing at a target that is 10m or closer to you, you must reduce the draw proportionately.

Crossbows fire much slower than a bow with equivalent poundage. As you cannot reduce the pull for a crossbow you must not fire it at a target closer than 3m.

Using your Bow

• You must check the head, shaft and nock of any arrow or bolt you are given or recover yourself before shooting. Failure to do so may see you removed from the battle or skirmish you are on.
• If your bow has a high poundage, ensure that the limbs are warmed before a large fight

Arrows must be checked every time they are used. It is particularly important to check every arrow before you reuse as an arrow recovered from a battlefield has a high chance of being unsafe. You must choose to either check every arrow before you put it in your quiver - OR - choose to check every arrow before you nock it to fire (you must not switch between these two methods on the battlefield).

The guidelines for all archers checking their arrows are below; if you are unsure then ask a ref or a member of the weapon checking team.

Checking Arrows

• Check the head is secure and free from debris
• Check the shaft is not cracked or split
• Check the arrows does not have missing or loose flights
• Check if the nock is loose or split

Acceptable Arrow Design from 2017 onwards

New Restrictions

As the incidence of Archery related injuries is still too high at PD events, we have made the following changes to arrows. These new restrictions now apply to all our events.

The arrow head will have a diameter of at least 45mm. Any smaller, eye injuries are a distinct possibility. Arrowheads must have two stage foam construction, fronted by spongy foam at least 20mm thick. The second layer should be 25mm thick. The thick rubber layer (can also be leather) must be at least 3mm thick. The cap must not be brittle and be able to withstand repeated impacts.

The head of an LRP arrow must be soft enough for a close range shot not to damage delicate areas of the body (to account for unforeseen accidents). It must be constructed to be robust, long lasting, and eliminate all possibilities of the arrow shaft punching through the foam to the outside world.

Arrows with round heads will still be permitted, provided that it uses a two-part foam construction as shown.

If you are making your own arrows, then follow these guidelines. Arrows remain the most dangerous element on the battlefield, please make sure that you make them correctly and with care - or don't make them at all.

Arrow Amnesty

To try and ensure the least possible impact for our players, we'll have an amnesty on any "golfball head" arrows you have left at the start of 2017. Bring them to GOD and we'll *swap* them for £6 of credit on your PD account, usable against any PD event.

Further Reading

• Characters
• Playing the Game
• Referees & GOD
• Safety
  • Event safety
  • Bow safety
  • Weapon checking - arrows and bolts
  • Fire performance
  • Fire safety
• Conduct
• Downtime