Boffering in a nutshell
Boffering, also known as padded weapon fighting, is a sport that simulates medieval combat safely with light and soft weapons. The rules are simple to learn. You can choose your equipment and decide the intensity that you fight with.
Boffering is ”gentlemans’ sport”. This means that your are responsible for truthfully counting the hits you receive, and reporting them to your competitors.
Hit rules are simple:
1. A hit to the torso (white) or the head (orange) kills you instantly.
2. A hit to a limb makes that limb unusable.
3. New hit to an unusable limb kills you.
4. Losing two hands or two legs kills you.
Every hit counts, no matter how light it is. Friendly fire is on. No cheating!
However, a hit to your hair or a hanging cloth doesn’t count.
Weapons have blades or points, and handles. Only blades and points do damage. If you are hit with a handle, it doesn’t count.
Players can wear historical armor to avoid taking the first hit per hit region, but indoors we rarely do it.
You can be hit anywhere in your body. Never hit anyone with full force! Pay attention to everyone’s safety.
Once you die, get out of the game and wait for the next match to begin. Dead players can’t give advice to the remaining ones.
Avoid wearing glasses or jewelry when fighting.
When fighting indoors, be aware that your socks might make your feet slippery!
Training sessions in Rovaniemi
We welcome you to take part in our training sessions every Thursday at the Monde youth and cultural center at Pohjolankatu 6, centre of Rovaniemi.
Training time is from 7 PM to 9 PM.
Open session 1st Thursday of each month
You can freely participate in our open sessions on the first Thursday of every month. We are happy to teach you the rules and techniques, and lend the equipment.
Rest of weekly sessions with a semester fee
The rest of the Thursdays are closed sessions, and reserved for individuals, who have paid a fee of 20 euros to the association. The fee is paid for spring and autumn semesters separately. However, you can still come to two free sessions on these dates before having to pay the fee.
The fee is used for repairing the shared equipment and developing the associations activities.
You can pay the fee via bank transfer to this bank account: FI51 7997 7990 4313 50
Type your name in the payment message.
Local boffering association
Rovaniemen Boffaajat ry is a local association that runs weekly boffering training sessions for children and adults, and organizes larger outdoor boffering events in the summer. Our main outdoor event is Hiidenkirnu, that is based on local history and folklore.
Boffering events in Finland
Finland’s biggest annual boffering event is called Sotahuuto (War Cry). It is a weekend long event, usually with 600-700 fighters on the field. International participants do not have to pay for the event. Welcome!
You can see a list of other Finnish boffering events on Sotahuuto site.
Our local event in Rovaniemi is called Hiidenkirnu. It is based on the local history and folklore, a conflict between pagan natives and Swedish christian crusaders.