- For other uses, see Combat (disambiguation).
Combat, or fighting, is purposeful conflict between one or more persons, often involving violence and intended to establish dominance over the opposition. The term "combat" typically refers to armed combat between soldiers during warfare, whereas the more general term "fighting" can refer to any violent conflict, including boxing and wrestling matches. Combat violence can be unilateral, whereas fighting implies at least a defensive reaction. However, the terms are often used synonymously.
Combat may take place under a certain set of rules or be unregulated. Examples of rules include the Geneva Convention (covering the treatment of soldiers in war), the code of the Knights of the Round Table of Arthurian legend, and the Marquess of Queensberry rules (covering boxing).
Combat in warfare involves two or more parties of soldiers. Under the Geneva Convention, combat is distinguished from other forms of violence in that civilians are not deliberately targeted in place of military installations and troop formations. The term "collateral damage" is used to refer to civilian resources destroyed in military operations against military installations and troop formations, and is sometimes used in reference to civilians killed in this manner. Deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian resources by military or paramilitary groups may be classified as terrorism, a war crime, or in the most extreme cases, genocide.
Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed. Hand-to-hand (mêlée) combat is combat at very close range, touching the opponent with the body (striking, kicking, strangling, etc.) and/or with a mêlée weapon (knives, swords, batons, etc.), as opposed to firing or throwing a projectile.
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