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Polearm Safety concerns and Precautions Polearm Safety Concerns and Precautions
As with any other weapon (and make
no mistake about it-the polearms that are used
are definately weapons), safety to you, other
Yeomen, other playtrons and patrons is of supreme
importance. Weapons drills and improper handling of the weapons are
the most dangerous thing that we can do, so extreme care and caution must
be taken to ensure that no one is endangered.
If at ANY time, you believe an order is given that could endanger
anyone, you should call "HOLD" as soon as possible. Running
while bearing polearms is prohibited!
Standing with the
Weapon at the Order
Standing with the weapon resting
on the ground is called "Standing at the order". As well as
being the position that you will fall in to formation at, it also serves
s the position in which you will be standing at the Rest. The buttress
(butt end) of the polearm should be placed just to the right and to the fore
of your right foot, with your right hand holding the weapon vertically.
Your right hand should be placed near the midpoint between your shoulder
and elbow. Your thumb should be placed on the weapon vertically and should
NOT be wrapped around the polearm or shaft.
Your heals should be together and your left hand
should be straight down your left side. Your head should be up and forward
looking straight ahead. The
command for this position is "Order Arms". Standing with the
Weapon at Order Rest
Standing with the weapon at Order
Rest is the same as with Order except that your feet are now shoulder
width apart, your left hand is upon the pommel of your sword or your left
hip if you are not wearing a sword and your polearm
should be at a forty-five degree angle away from your body.
The
command for this position is "Order Rest".
You will find yourself with the
weapon at the advance for most any time that you are moving. The weapon
should be controlled/cradled between your hand, forearm, bicep and shoulder.
While it is in this position, it should lean slightly to the rear but
near as possible to vertical without falling forward. You may also find
that when you are stationary at the advance, resting your right hand on
the top of your right thigh will make it easier. The
command to move to this position is "Advance Arms". While moving in this position it is extremely
important to remember any and all overhead obstacles. For this reason
we shall adapt another form of travel with the polearm
as will be mentioned later in the drills.
The weapon at the port finds you
with your right hand holding the buttress (butt) of the polearm
and the polearm almost parallel to the ground
with your left hand on the shaft in full control of the weapon. The weapon
is also parallel to the body. This position is done almost always with
the body in the port 45 degree left hand/right hand position. The
command for this position is " Port Arms"
The weapon at the charge finds you
holding the weapon horizontally, your right hand on the butt of the weapon
controlling the direction as in Polearm at the
Port except that your polearm is now directed
to your front as in a charging position with your left foot slightly forward
from your right and facing forward. The
command for this position is "Charge Arms" Charging to the Left/Right/Rear
Charging to the left/right/rear
is accomplished by turning to the direction of the charge at the same
time that you are bringing the weapon to the charge. However, care must
be taken as to not bring the weapon completely to the charge until you
are sure that no one will be endangered by the movement. If at
any time you believe that the order is given that could possibly endanger
anyone, call "HOLD" immediately. The
command for this position is "Charge Left hand/Right hand/Rear Arms.
A charge to the outside is directly
to the flanks of the unit. In other workds,
if a unit was comprised of two files, each file would charge to their
respective sides of the unit. A unit that is comprised of three files
would find that the inner file should hold until instructed otherwise. The
command for this position is "Charge Outside
Arms". Charging to the
Outside on the Center
Charging to the outside on the center
is performed by all members of the unit charging to the outside of the
unit, but on all sides of the compass. In other words, each member would
charge to the exact opposite direction from the middle point of the unit.
This is normally done with two files of three. Again,
if at any time you believe that the order is given that could possibly
endanger anyone, call "HOLD" immediately. The
command for this position is "Charge Outside on the Center, Arms"
The weapon in Slope is used to control
the weapon in a limited area. It is used mostly when there are overhead
obstructions. This position allows
you to travel from point A to point B without the added height of the
"Advance Arms". This
position starts from the "Order Arms" position and allows you
to slide your right hand down the shaft of the polearm
to hand height and simply lift the polearm forward
causing the butt to come off the ground about 6 inches and the head or
pike to rest backwards on your forearm, elbow, bicep and shoulder. The
command for this position is "Slope Arms".
This position (or one like it with
slight modifications) is used when moving in a confined space or when
clearing overhead obstructions. The
cover is normally used when moving with the "Arms at the Charge".
The right hand slides up the shaft to allow your left hand to reach and
cover the point/pike of the polearm. Care should
be taken to allow for enough room to the rear so that this position does
not endanger anyone that may be behind you. Check is always preferred
to the cover and is simply a shortening of the polearm
in the charge position where the polearm has
its butt and its pike at equal distances from your body.
The command for this position is "Check/Cover Arms".
This position is used to render
honors. It is usually performed while in a single rank. The position is
attained from either the Port or the Advance and is almost the same movements
as the move to port. However, the blade of the weapon is dropped to the
ground, the left hand is removed from the weapon and is moved
to grasp the brim of the hat, as in reverance
(bow). The
command for this position is "Salute Arms". The command to return
to the previous position is "Recover Arms".
This is a position that is used
to render honors to those that have fallen in service to the country. It is
usually performed while in a single rank. The position is attained by
first rendering the "General Salute Arms" (but not given the
"Recover" command), the order of "Mourn
Arms" is given. The point of the weapon is brought towards the right
foot and the butt is moved overhead. This will result in the weapon being
reversed, yet at the "Order". While
moving at the Mourn, care should be taken in or near crowds as the steel
is now at a level that could endanger others. this
is especially true when moving in the vicinity of small children. It can
also present a danger to noblewomen's skirts, so extreme care should be
taken. The
command for this position is "Mourn Arms".
When the command "Stack Arms"
is given, all of the men in formation fall out of rank and begin to stack
their weapons in a "tee-pee" shape. When stacked, the blades
of the weapons must interlock so the stack will not blow over in the wind
or fall under it's own weight.
This position is attained from the
"Order Arms"
position. When the command "Ground Arms" is given,
all the men IN FORMATION walk their polearms
forward leaving the butt of the weapon in place and gently placing the
head/pike to the ground and then returning to attention. Recover Arms (from the stack)
When the command "Recover Arms"
is given, all of the men in formation fall out to where
the weapons are stacked. Each man grasps his own weapon and retrieves
it from the stack AT THE SAME TIME so that none of the weapons fall. The
men then fall back into formation. Recover Arms (from the ground)
When the "Recover Arms"
command is given, each man in formation steps forward from attention,
grasps the polearm near its head, and leaving
the butt in place, walks it back into its upright position leaving you
and your weapon in the "Order Arms" position. This is the reverse
of the "Ground Arms" order.
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