10. If you are injured, get off the field, if yu are hurt, stop crying or someone WILL get you off the field. Pain, like death, is an Amtgard phenomenon that does not last forever, and nobody likes a crybaby. Whiners are begging for an ass-whipping, and bullies are just whiners in dusguise. Fight smart, fight bravely, fight with honor. You will live longer and have more fun too.
11. Do not jump-It is easy to shoot pigeons out of the air. Do not duck-the human skull is not a replacement for good armor. Do not turn you back-true warriors come home on their shields, not thier faces. And never, ever fall to the ground and roll over. It's hard ti resist kicking a cringing dog in the balls.
12. Do not try to be an expert on everything (the derogatory Term is "Rule Lawyer"). You may get away with rewriting the rules in your own image and ignorant proles, but sooner of later, someone with the right paperwork will catch you. Law degrees from the "University of the Burning Lands" swing weight in Amtgard.
13. Learn to fight with a sword, then branch out to other weapons. Instant gratification does not work. Newbies fear newbies with flails, Veterans knock down the limp things (either flails or illeagal, whip swords) down and kick thier limp users in the dirt - same with pole - you and your five buddies might pin down and get the veteran with your long weapons. But he will remember, and with his borrowed, very hard sword, will find you later when you are alone, and then you had better have your own close-in weapon. Remember, there is no substitute for mastering the infighting short sword.
14. Invest in good garb. Peasants in t-shirts and jeans imply to fighters 2 things: 1) the peasant doesnt care about Amtgard or what people think, and thus he has no status or friends to protect him; 2) the peasant is probably very new, and thus sucks, which is an invitation to a complete ass kicking (the wolves tend to find the weak ones). Good garb means you have pride. Now some people may try to dump on your pride, but real pride, though it can be smeared, can never be erased.
15. Never surrender, never give up. Cowardnes and weakness make you ripe for the plucking. We all die. I've probably died over 10,000 times (20 years x 50 weeks a year x 10 deaths a week). It is no big deal, and people remember the glorious moments, not failures. Also by fighting hard and doing as much damage as you can, you might make people think twice about going after you. Be a predator, not the prey.
16. No excuses. No griping, whining, coplaining or bad mouthing. Good fighters are calm and smart. Losing your cool makes you jittery and awkward with adrenaline and other hormones. Combat is 90% mental. Leave the yelling to the other hairless monkeys then very calmy walk over, touch the monolith, then bash and strike down that ass with one of the jawbones of his peers.
17. Pay attention. Do not let your attention wander. Wandering zombies are always the first casualties in free-fire zones. Hey, you ever seen zombies die in those movies? Its always horrible and messy. Remember, there are head hunters out there, and the trophies they take dont have teeth.
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