Ace of Blades 2026 is the third edition of an ambitious HEMA event in Eastern Europe, organized by Iron Will HEMA Academy.
>>> When?
- Saturday, 23 May (09,00 - 21,00)
- Sunday, 24 May (09,00 - 21,00)
>>> Where?
Complex Sportiv Olimpia Bucuresti
Address:
Șoseaua Iancului 128A
https://maps.app.goo.gl/5XWPVAuVDL8kAC9s5
NOTE: We recommend participants that are not living in Bucharest should look for accommodation that is (relatively) close to the salle. This way, you can be more comfortable when we finish the activities set for Saturday to go change at your accommodation, for the Social Dinner.
>>> Activities:
AoB 2026 will feature the following.
MAIN Activities:
- Open LS tournament (36 spots)
- Women’s LS Tournament (18 spots)
- Open Sabre Tournament (18 spots)
AUXILIARY Activities:
- Flourish Display (20 spots) [MODIFIED RULESET]
- Multiple Opponents Contest (15 spots) [MODIFIED RULESET]
- Krieg League (18 spots) [NEW ACTIVITY!]
>>> Rulesets for Activities:
We took our ideas for the activities we did last year and based on participant feedback we:
- improved the Flourish Display Ruleset with the much requested change from Popular Vote to Designated Judges AND introduced some minimal technical requirements to be present in each Flourish
- balanced the Multiple Opponents Contest by adding score punishment for Assailants that recklessly/suicidally rush the Defender with no regard for their safety
- introduced a whole new activity (Krieg League!) which is concentrated mayhem; fun fun! hype hype!
You can read all about everything in each Ruleset or Format document, below. So you know exactly what you'll be doing at our event.
Open LS and Women's LS Ruleset TLDR version:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1skqZE3LMu8B0-UW-WSMykQjUNW-utu8qg8GPMXNZX4E/edit?usp=sharing
Open LS and Women's LS Ruleset FULL version:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/10QCc3EEK16E2fr3IEPygNILI5VMdxy0qB7vrLmposFQ/edit?usp=sharing
Format of Open LS Tournament:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IeZ0MD_Hw70_U7VarcsZSazUBJYw6xFIPLIjRAn7Mi0/edit?usp=sharing
Format of Women's LS Tournament:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1U1cpIaqeqlcWneGyEzN-0SfH6PRfRQ-12HmEd7f9QdQ/edit?usp=sharing
Sabre Ruleset TLDR version:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/15P67ncttWdiriDp6_ivh1j8r-cv738G7ab2L4RxuCzE/edit?usp=sharing
Sabre Ruleset FULL version:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/11DExaiEnm_6EhpJYEELRG8hjVqCrfzXv1BK6fmtjITY/edit?usp=sharing
Format of Open Sabre Tournament:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-b6LVSUj5tgv60oX4wGhbcl5FN8GMQVsHMluk9J-hM8/edit?usp=sharing
Multiple Opponents Contest Format and Ruleset:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TJYRKdK_7CozR3g8MInGAYRiI7XD6MICbHrJbKcBNFM/edit?usp=sharing
Flourish Display Format and Ruleset:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FXMe7p1uAolc4NInNVHAo1JiawK18kVKMcbKG_11O1Y/edit?usp=sharing
Krieg League SPECIFICS:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yAXrKvzddg0r4Ba__x5lQoWIzBtoY8_dg-QFtW4lAug/edit?usp=sharing
Krieg League Format:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/11-OkDE1Fw2BStO3kHZU6qzsSJax9Hh5eDyrDy0yolrI/edit?usp=sharing
Gear Required to Participate - Open LS, Women's LS, Krieg League and Multiple Opponents:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TsZz8P7I1_xuL9WSIyzPoLk1p0i7XIDtdm1Rq7z11pk/edit?usp=sharing
Gear Required to Participate - Open Sabre:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NnryqHKEyUpTd74ATjJZKfTzLusk-POdoOlqoEl6vWE/edit?usp=sharing
>>> Prices:
Prices will be modular, meaning.
1. EARLY BIRD (only for the first 6 weeks after we open Registration!):
- 55 EUR for ANY Main Activity + ALL Auxiliary Activities INCLUDED FOR FREE
- 20 EUR for any EXTRA Main Activity added (all Auxiliary Activities remain free and included)
2. Normal price:
- 65 EUR for ANY Main Activity + ALL Auxiliary Activities INCLUDED FOR FREE
- 25 EUR for any EXTRA Main Activity added (all Auxiliary Activities remain free and included)
!!! Important notes:
- For the Flourish Display and Multiple Opponents Contest Auxiliary Activities, we allow any sort of weapon to be used (by each fencer in the Flourish Display and only by the Defender in the Multiple Opponents Contest), EXCEPT for projectile weapons, pole weapons and Montante/Zweihander! But yes, people can participate in the Flourish Display with a Sabre, Arming Sword and Buckler etc. if they want, or fight as a Defender in Multiple Opponents Contest with a Rapier vs. all the Federschwert Assailants. The Assailants in Multiple Opponents Contest however must always use a Federschwert!
- For the Krieg League Auxiliary Activity, participants may choose TOGETHER, at the beginning of each match, to use any sort of weapon, EXCEPT for projectile weapons, pole weapons and Montante/Zweihander AND AS LONG AS THEIR OPPONENT AGREES TO FIGHTING WITH A MATCHED WEAPON (Sabre vs. Sabre, LS vs LS, Rapier vs Rapeir etc.). IF the 2 fencers in a match CAN NOT AGREE on what weapon to fight with, the match defaults to a Longsword match
- Female participants can sign up for both Women’s LS and Open LS for the same price of 55 EUR (Early Bird) or 65 EUR (normal price); if they also sign up for Open Sabre, they will pay an extra 20/25 EUR for this Extra Main Activity that they added (depending on Early Bird or Normal Price), but for them we do not consider Open LS (or Women’s LS) as an Extra Main Activity that they need to pay for
- Male participants can ONLY sign up for Open LS or Open Sabre, as their Main Activities; regardless of price, they can’t sign up for Women’s LS; they can, of course choose an Extra Main Activity (Sabre or Open LS, depending on what they first signed up for), which will cost 20/25 EUR extra (depending on Early Bird or Normal Price)
>>> META-WIN Scenario - Ace of Blades and King/Queen of Blades:
We have a meta-win scenario!
Apart from winning a medal and a prize if you place on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in any of the 6 activities (Open LS, Women's LS, Open Sabre, Flourish Display, Multiple Opponents Contest and Krieg League), you can also win the Ace of Blades title + a special prize OR the King/Queen of Blades title + a special prize.
To become the King or Queen of Blades you must win a medal in 2 out of the 6 activities.
To become the Ace of Blades you must win a medal in 3 out of the 6 activities.
If it happens that more than 1 person meets the condition to be King/Queen of Blades or Ace of Blades, the winner will be determined by comparing the value of their medals.
So, for example, if person X has won 3 medals (2 gold, 1 silver) and person Y has also won 3 medals (1 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze), person X will become the Ace of Blades, not person Y.
Please don't hesitate to ask us if you have any questions. Either here in the comments, by private message or by email:
YWNlICEgb2YgISBibGFkZXMgISBoZW1hIHwgZ21haWwgISBjb20=
We will open registration very soon. So stay tuned for that, to catch that Early Bird!
Cheers.
Also check out other Contests in Bucharest, Sports events in Bucharest.
