Mounted Guerrilla Safety & Rules of Engagement

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MOUNTED GUERRILLA Safety Rules AND
Guerrilla Rules of Engagement

RESPONSIBILITY:
The unit commander is responsible for the training, safety and the actions of his unit during an event. If he is not at the event, the next person in the chain of command bears the responsibility for the unit.

TRAINING:
New recruits should be suitably drilled and given safety instruction to the satisfaction of the unit commander and the senior non commissioned officer before being allowed on the battle field. All troopers should have read a copy of these safety roles and understand them before participating in a battle.

GENERAL:
1. Do not place your horse on someone else's picket line without asking permission from someone in that unit. (They know where the kickers and fighters are - you don't.)
2. Do not run horses through areas with spectators or sutler's area.
3. Do not ride or lead horses through someone else's camp (not everyone loves horses and the Infantry does not like dung in the middle of their camp).
4. Do not let Spectators ride your horse, it causes insurance problems.
5. Watch your picket line, don't let unescorted children or adults approach it. They may not know how to approach a horse without spooking it.
6. If you find a loose horse in the camps (especially at night) tie it in a safe place until the owner can recover it.
7. There should be no jumping or other extra equestrian activities in the camps, suffer areas, or areas with. foot traffic.

BATTLES:
1. Per MCWRA rules ,passed 11/2/91, company commanders will carry whistles and fluorescent green flags to be used in the case of serious incidents (serious injury, projectiles, etc.). In such case the whistle and flags will be used to stop all fighting and freeze everyone in place, no one is allowed to leave the field. Senior commanders will meet to find out what the problem is and decide how to proceed.
2. DO not approach another horse or group of horses faster than a walk when you are within 25 feet.
3. DO not force your way through a battle line. Make sure there is enough room between riders so you are not crashing into men and horses.
4. If a man or horse goes down all activity in that area stops until they can be checked out and remounted. If the incident is serious, see No. 1 above.
5. If there is a riderless horse on the field all fighting stops until it is recovered. Our mare job is to protect the spectators and other reenactors from injury. 6. Never grab a man or horse during a melee or otherwise try to dismount him.
7. Attempting to capture a flag or guidon is prohibited by MCWRA rules. Never grab a flag or guidon unless it has been arranged before the battle.
8. During a melee if an opposing rider is in trouble either help him or back off, Don't continue the attack.
9. Men under the influence of drugs or alcohol have no place on the field.
10. Guidon/flag poles shouldn't be used to attack or beat anyone.
11. Make attacks that look tactically sound and reasonable. Example - 6 men shouldn't ride through twenty enemies, unharmed, to attack a cannon.

SABERS:
1. Attacks should only be made from the right side, never engage to your left - it puts you off balance and calls for reaching too far to engage.
2. Keep the point up, never stab, side cut or hack at anyone (point should never get below eye level).
3. Saber fighting should be done with the fiat of the blade, never the edge.
4. Never strike anyone with a blade or hilt.
5. If it's a saber fight and you don't have a saber, stay out of the fight. Don't come in using a pistol or carbine.
6. If your opponent says "break" this means both of you discontinue the engagement battle and go separate ways.
7. Do not lay your blade on someone's back in crowded or tight quarters.
8. If you have to reach out to engage, you are too far apart and shouldn't be engaging. Get closer and try again.
9. Do not press an attack on someone unable to defend himself.
10. An inexperienced man should tell his opponent that he is new to saber fighting. Veterans should encourage them to fight but don't press them as you would another veteran.

PISTOLS AND CARBINES:
1. Never use "wonder wads," hard wax or hard paper wadding.
2. Never fire directly at anyone. If you are within 25 ft. fire in the air.  Make sure you won't hit anyone when you do this.THE OPTION OF FIRING AT THE GROUND IS PROHIBITED AS OF 8/2012.
3. Never fire at a horse's legs.
4. If it's a pistol fight use a pistol not a carbine.

INFANTRY:
1. Guerrillas should never engage Infantry in hand-to-hand combat unless it has been pre-planned and practiced.
2. If no hand to hand or close work has been practiced, Guerrillas shouldn't get any closer than 25 feet to Infantry.
3. Guerrilla units should not attack mounted staff officers or couriers. If an individual guerrilla is attacking a staff officer, remember they are not used to being engaged in this type of combat. Their horse may not be used to it either.

ARTILLERY:
1. Never fire within 25 feet of an artillery piece or limber.
2. Do not ride between a limber box and an artillery piece.
3. The signal for a loaded artillery piece is implements crossed on the barrel. If you see this signal or the crew is waving you off-- stay away.
4. Make sure the artillery piece has fired before attacking, Sometimes only the primer gees off and not the powder charge. In this case the gun could go off at any time because it is "hot."
5. Do not fire at artillerymen or their pouches; some of them are carrying charges or primers for the cannon.

CASUALTIES:
1. Stay out of the Casualties, do not ride through or among casualties on the field. Go around them.
2. If a trooper takes a hit off the saddle it should be worked out in advance and the opposing commander should be informed so they will be ready for it.
3. No hits off horses should be taken m the middle of the melee area. Go to the outside of the area.
4. A man who takes a hit off his horse is responsible for securing his horse while he is down. If he is holding it stay away from him.

HORSE HOLDERS:
1. Don't charge into an opponents' horse holders, come in slow to capture them.
2. Make sure attacks on the horse holders won't drive them into a dangerous area or position. 3. If a horse holder is having problems either stay away from him or offer to help him out.

HORSES:
1. No stallions at events.
2. Uncontrollable horses should be removed from the battle.
3. Because of new (1991) State of Missouri regulations all horses at events should have a Coggins (EIA) test within the last 12 months. Horses without them will have to be barred from the event.
4. Don't use horses as a weapon or battering ram.
5. Horses that have to regularly be drugged to be controllable have no place on the field.
6. Sick horses (Coughing, mucous discharges, running sores) shouldn't be brought to events. If sickness is discovered at events excluding non-contagious problems (colic), horse should be moved away from all other animals. Water and feed should be taken to it in containers not used for any other livestock. Protect the other livestock there from infection.
7. Only fixed port curb bits are to be used. No snaffles, hackamores or broken bits allowed.

• STRONGLY RECOMMENDED:
  1. Surcingles are strongly recommended for Mounted Guerrillas as a safety measure.
  2. Gloves or gauntlets are recommended in saber melees.