Test of Arms
Overview
The Test of Arms is an Imperial test administered by members of the Academy. A child who passes the test is considered to be fit and strong enough to fight on the battlefield in defence of the Empire. It consists of a short but brutal fight, usually held in the Imperial Orc fighting pit, to asses a child's fighting abilities and mental resilience. Like the Test of Citizenship the Test is administered by the civil servants in the Academy.
OOC
In order to fight in any battle, skirmish, or quest not specifically run for younger role-players by the Academy, any player under the age of 16 must first pass the Test of Arms. The test provides a basic check whether a young player has the mental maturity to cope with the excitement of the battlefield and the physical maturity to withstand the risks involved. We also check that the parent or guardian has a good understanding of what is involved and is happy for their child to participate fully.
Requirements
The Test requires the applicant to complete a pitched fight against a number of opponents at the same time. It is usually conducted inside the Imperial Orc fighting pit with the assistance of Imperial Orc volunteers. The test is intended to be gruelling and physically intimidating, the better to allow an assessment of a young citizens ability to fight in a pitched battle.
The absolute minimum age at which any child can take the Warrior Test is 14, but some players may not be ready until they have had some experience with LRP fighting. This age limit is chosen to ensure that young players have the physical maturity to cope with impacts from adults on the battlefield and to ensure that they are seen by other participants as teenagers rather than children. The Academy staff will advise potential candidates as to whether they think they are ready to take the test.
It is recommended that the Test of Citizenship is taken before the Test of Arms, since the battle experience is likely to be both short and less fun without access to skills!
Assessment
The examiner will be looking for the following requirements:
- Is the young player 14 or over?
- Does the parent or guardian understand the risks their child is taking by going on the battlefield
- Does the candidate understand the combat rules for Empire?
- Do they understand how to fight safely and pull their blows?
- Do they panic in a close quarters fight?
The parent or guardian must be present throughout the Test of Arms.
Timings
The Test of Arms takes place on 2pm on the Saturday of an event. It is NOT possible to organise tests outside of these times due to the complicated logistics involved. Potential candidates must go through the Academy's combat training sessions so that the Academy staff can assess their readiness. This applies even in cases where the candidate has previous LRP or combat experience – special exceptions cannot be made in any event.
Benefits
Once a candidate has passed the Test, they will receive the following benefits:
- They may take part in any battles, skirmishes, or quests that their character is able to go on