Your clothing and equipment must be in line with the material culture in the Baltic Sea region of the mid-14th century. We are happy to see well-worn items and clothing – at the time of the battle, the Danes had supposedly been in the field for two years, and the Gotland forces would probably not have had access to any particularly new fighting equipment.
Everyone participating in the battles shall dress as, and appear as, men.
Extras appearing before and after the battle are exempt from this rule.
For general information about 14th century clothes as required for participants, please see our main Battle of Wisby Equipment page.
Clothing – general rules
The colors you wear should be possible to produce using plant dyes. Modern body adornments, modern haircuts, and obviously artificial hair colors must be covered. Glasses are not allowed on the battle field due to safety reasons. Please use contact lenses.
Participants should wear woollen hose, and some kind of kirtle/tunic/doublet made from wool, OR a gambeson. The only shoes allowed are medieval-type turnshoes.
Armour – general rules
We allow 14th century and very early 15th century armour. There are very few groups that reenact the precise year of1360, and we have adopted a wider timespan to allow more participants in the battle. However, you should aim to present your armour as close to 1360 standards as possible.
The Danish army will have more ”modern” armor, and you will likely be assigned to the Danish or Gotlandic side based on how modern your armor is. The more plate you have, the more likely it is that you will be representing the Danish side (with the most heavily armed fighters being continental mercenaries, armour wise) Armour that pre-dates the 14th century can work in some cases, but this will depend on the individual item. You guiding principle should be ”I want to look as much 1360 as possible” rather than ”I wonder what I can get away with?” Our battle coordinators are happy to assist you with any questions you have in this matter!
If you are normally reenacting a period post-1361, you will need to adjust your armour to correspond to the conditions of 1361.
For example:
– Avoid wearing a globulus breastplate, or cover it with a surcote.
– You may fight wearing plate arms, but we encourage you to use chain mail instead.
– Remove any houndskull-type visors with side hinges.
– Avoid obvious 15th century items (such as kastenbrust).
Our fighting rules have been adapted to allow fighters to wear light armour – which was probably what the common Gotlander wore.
Group specific equipment
Clothing and equipment for Fleeing civilians
– 14th century clothing/equipment.
– Participants appear as civilians.
Clothing and equipment for Light troops
– 14th century clothing/equipment.
– Helmet or a mail coif with padding.
– Exceptions from weapon specifications (read more under Heavy infantry) are only allowed if the weapon in question has been approved at muster.
Clothing and equipment for Archers
– 14th century clothing/equipment.
– Helmet or a mail coif with padding.
– If you wish to take part in hand-to-hand combat, you must wear approved gloves when you join that sequence of the battle.
– Arrows must have good quality rubber blunts, which must not be fitted over any kind of metal head.
– All arrows must be inspected by an official inspector prior to the battle. Arrows must be inspected continuously by the shooter, and by the unit leader, to make sure the rubber blunt has sustained no cracks or damage. If an arrow is damaged, it must be snapped off or put away.
– The arrows of an archer should be identifiable by a personal mark – otherwise you will have a very hard time retrieving your own arrows after the battle.
– Flat or D-shaped bows are allowed. For clout or indirect shooting, there is no draw weight limit. For direct shooting, draw weight must not exceed 70 lbs at your draw length. No Asian or Eastern European recurves are allowed. We welcome home-made bows made from indigenous types of wood, especially on the Gotlandic side. No plastic or other modern materials may be used. However, strings are not subject to this rule, as long as they come in muted colours.
According to Swedish law it is prohibited to use crossbows against humans, even when arrows are blunt. Because of this, crossbowmen will only fire towards areas with no people. If you are interested in participating with a crossbow, please contact info@battleofwisby.com
Clothing and equipment for Cavalry
– 14th century clothing/equipment.
Both sides will present a mounted force. When you apply for the event, tell us which side you would rather be on. We will do our best to meet your specifications, based on your skills, your horse, and your equipment.
Clothing and equipment for Heavy infantry
– 14th century clothing/equipment.
– Helmet, protecting head and temples.
– Approved weapon for close combat, according to the Battle of Wisby rules.
– Approved gauntlets.
We also recommend wearing gum shields, as well as jockstraps.
– When facing an opponent who is wearing an open helmet, you are not allowed to fight with your visor down. A lot of people will be wearing open helmets, and if all visors are up, visibility will improve greatly. Furthermore, you will probably be more careful when engaging your opponents. All in all, this means a safer fight.
– You may not engage non-combatants, light infantry or horsemen unless specifically ordered to, and unless you have practiced this beforehand.
Armour Specifications
Helmet
All helmets must protect the upper part of the head, including the temples. Helmets should be worn with some form of padding inside. A mail coif (even a padded one) is NOT considered a helmet. Kettle hats with eye slits are not allowed. Helmets must correspond to the period of the battle.
Gauntlets
At minimum, gauntlets must be padded and reinforced with heavy leather on the back of the hand, the wrist and all fingers, including the thumb.
Weapon dimensions and types
No weapons may be unnecessarily heavy. They must be in good condition, with any notches on point or edge must be filed down. No sharp weapons of any kind are allowed on the battlefield. It is every commander’s responsibility to make sure that these general rules are followed.
Swords
Edge: 2 mm. Point diameter: 8 mm.
Daggers/ Knives
Maximum blade length: 30 cm. Edge: 1 mm. Point diameter: 8 mm.
Axes/ Glaives/ Bills
Edge: 3 mm. Point diameter: 8 mm. Corners: 18-20 mm.
Pollaxes should be of earlier models. Pollaxes with holes through the blade are not allowed, nor any straight blades.
Spears
Edge: 2 mm. Point: Rounded. At least 8 mm, and at least 3 mm thick.
Maces
The wings/edges of a mace must be at least 3 mm thick. Spiked clubs are not allowed.
Flails and other weapons with chain or cord
Not allowed.
Shields
Shields must be made in such a way that they do not splinter in any way when receiving cuts and thrusts. Plastic and metal are not approved as materials (but metal bucklers are allowed). Bucklers should not have a diameter exceeding 55 cm.