Below are the rules developed for the event. There's more information on Facebook, but for this crowd who should already be familiar with Nerf and Nerf Wars in general, this should be all you need to see.
I think these rules, ect. are pretty comprehensive, but please, PLEASE attack them for all they may be lacking. The more feedback I get the better the rules get. These have been partially inspired by what I read on the forums as a lurker, but mostly hammered out through trial and error over the course of 8 wars of between 10 and 45 people.
These can also be found at our (fully public) Facebook group, Nerfpocalype. You're all welcome to join. I do most of my announcing, planning, and networking there, but I'll post here as well.
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Nerfpocalypse Rules and Regulations
I'm going to try to break this down into 3 general sections: General info, Guns and Gameplay. Many details are place or gamemode specific, and will be noted. What's below is general stuff, stuff that always applies, and what you should consider "default" modes of play.
1. General Info
1. NO DOUCHEBAGGERY. This should be common sense.
2. Regardless of where we are, respect and be careful of the property. Don't litter or leave behind darts if we're in a park, don't break shit or be loud if we're in a public place. This should be common sense.
3. Respect each other. Be nice. No one will like you if you aren't. Don't be wreckless and hurt someone. This should be common sense.
4. WEAR EYE PROTECTION. Anyone failing to wear proper eye protection does so at their own risk. I'll have some safety glasses to loan, but bring your own as I can't cover everyone. This should be common sense.
5. Listen to the rules and administrative direction. That's me. I run this show, and mine is the final word, period. I literally wrote the rules. I'm a nice guy, but don't waste your time arguing. It's a game. This should be common sense.
6. Have fun. It's not a big deal who wins or loses, you just get to gloat and trash talk. If a hit is in dispute, just take the hit. Don't call hits you didn't make. Stuff like that. I foster the competitive spirit, but don't let it ruin the game. This should be common sense.
7. Use common sense. This should be common sense.
I *STRONGLY* reccomend that you read this: http://nerfhaven.com...?showtopic=8682
This is what inspired me to write and develop the rules the way I have. It's just good to read.
NERF Wars are generally held on Friday nights at 10:30pm unless noted otherwise. Exact times and locations will be announced at least a week in advance, but are subject to change. It's life, shit happens.
For indoor wars, and when the weather warms up, try to wear as tight fitting, and minimal clothing as you can. This makes it easier to determine hits. You can't feel most of these guns through a jacket. Wear running shoes. If you're just not into it, that's perfectly fine, but I certainly run a lot.
If you don't have guns and ammo, I have plenty and will provide some. Be prepared to pay for lost ammo. In outdoor wars, lost ammo is very likely. You can get 51 suction darts at Target for 10$. It's not that pricy, but I can't foot the bill all by myself.
While you're at Target, I strongly reccomend you get a blue LED flashlight of some sort. Blue light illuminates NERF orange colors as if they glowed in the dark, making dart retrieval much much easier.
2. Guns
*STOCK AMMO ONLY* No homemade darts, or stefans. The only exception is for megas, missiles, or any other large size ammo. No modified ammo. Chalk darts and other non-nerf stock ammo are allowed, provided they were originally intended to be shot at kids by kids and are still in 100% stock form.
You are HIGHLY encouraged to bring your own ammo. If you do, it MUST be clearly labeled with your initials or some other distinct marking. Unmarked ammo is very likely to get mixed in with mine. If you don't have your own, I will loan you a limited amount, but you will be expected to chip in for ammo you lose. It isn't free, after all. Under no circumstances will anyone with a Raider drum be loaned any ammo whatsoever.
Bans: Anything singled with a plugged pump, most homemade guns*, anything with a laser sight (except when controlled by a pressure switch), anything with exposed brass, copper, or other metal tips**, anything with sharp, pointy protruding bits. All integrations must be relatively clean, i.e. not falling apart, not duct-taped together, ect.
All weapons that have been modified in any way MUST be subjected to a case by case inspection by me. I'm very lenient outside the above rules, as long as it's safe, but it must be inspected.
Guns may not have any excessive nonfunctional pieces attached to it. I.E., no attempted shields or spinners or whatever. If it doesn't do anything, leave it off. Small cosmetic bits or details are ok. I just don't want to see attempts at shields.
For weapons featuring a bayonett or integrated melee weapon of any sort, the melee part must extend at least 10" from the body of the blaster. This is to prevent people whacking each other with their gun.
*I'll allow homemade dart-launching equipment of sorts, like the TSFA Nerf Mortar and TSFA Cluster Fuck, but as a rule homemades won't be allowed as a primary weapon.
**Exposed metal barrels are allowable, but the end of the barrel must be wrapped in rubber, e-tape, plasti-dip or something to prevent you from being able to stab someone with it. That hurts. Also, the metal must not protrude any further than 12" from the front of the gun.
Melee Weapons:
There are 3 types of allowable melee weapons:
1. Any NERF brand weapon: The swords, the axe, ect. The Marauder is allowed but discouraged, as it actually hurts if you get hit with it. It's like a fucking club of dense foam.
2. Any foam toy weapon intended as a kids toy, subject to approval. This includes G.I. Joe Cobra swords, dollar store foam swords, hulk hands, ect. If its safe, its probably allowed.
3. LARP-approved homemade weapons, subject to approval. You can google Live Action Roleplaying for more details on this. General construction consists of a foam pool noodle with 1/2 inch PVC or bamboo or something stuck up the middle. Pipe insulation foam is not sufficient. If it's safe, I'll approve it. Use good judgement. I'm told bamboo is the best center material, as it's flexible, but this is not my area of expertice. Contact your local LARPer.
You can integrate 2 melee weapons into each other, but no more. You can carry a sword in each hand, each will count as a hit. You can carry 2 swords in 1 hand, it will count as 2 hits. You can hot-glue(ect.) 2 swords together into one sword (for NERF swords only), and it will count as 2 hits. No more than 2, though. No 1 hit wonders.
What you can carry:
You can carry any amount of weapons and ammo you choose, subject to the above rules. Obviously, carrying and using 5 Vulcans is not practical, but do whatever you want. Backpack full of ammo? Go for it. Equipment such as flashlights, walkie talkies, Spy Gear stuff, infrared tripwires, cameras, or whatever is encouraged and allowed, subject to approval (the above mentioned stuff is expressly approved and encouraged).
If there's anything in this section you don't understand, feel free to ask questions. In all likelyhood, if you don't know what it means, it's very likely it doesn't apply to you. If your gun is unmodified, it definately doesn't apply to you.
3. Gameplay
Gameplay will vary greatly depending on what game we're playing and where. I'll cover the basics, and some key terms you must be familiar with.
1. A Hit is counted when a dart hits the player or any attached or carried stuff, excluding the head. If you're wearing a backpack and the backpack gets hit, it counts if it's on your person. Gun hits count. The only allowable shields are guns like the Manta Ray, which are expressly designed by Nerf as a shield. If you can make a convincing argument that your gun was designed stock to be a shield, I'll hear it. Sword hits do not count. If you actually manage, by accident or on purpose, to deflect a dart with a carried melee weapon, good job Neo. You blocked it.
Melee hits are scored the same way as dart hits. No head hits. The difference is that you can block a melee hit with another melee or ranged weapon. If I block your sword strike with my gun, that doesn't count as a hit. I don't reccomend that, though, you may break something. Sword hits must be distinct. You must hit the person, withdraw the sword, then strike again. You can't just wave your sword at or on someone and call 3 hits, or poke them repeatedly. This is why 2 swords in 2 hands is better than 2 swords in 1 hand.
2. Safe zones are some sort of predesignated area where you go to count back in after being out. It can be anything from a bathroom to a stairwell to a handicapped parking space. While inside a safe zone, you cannot hit an enemy, and you cannot be hit. No dancing around the borders of the safezone like a jackass to exploit this.
3. Outs are scored when a player takes 3 hits. If you take 3 hits, you must hold your weapon above your head and/or point it straight up in an obvious fashion, return to a pre-designated safe zone, count 20 SECONDS (not 20 as fast as you can), shout CLEAR, then return from there to combat. At indoor wars, you may not pick up ammo during this time. At outdoor wars, you are REQUIRED to pick up as much ammo as possible before leaving the battlefield. Under neither circumstance are you allowed to interfere with battle, pick up opponent's ammo, speak, or otherwise do anything besides getting your own ammo, letting everyone know you're out, and leaving. Unless you brought it yourself, never pick up Streamline darts if your gun isn't specifically designed to fire them. Save them for people that need them. Same goes for clip-gun users, if you can't shoot it, don't touch it.
The number of hits before an out, the procedures for an out, the time counted and other factors vary between gamemodes, but these are the rules unless otherwise specified.
4. Some sample gamemodes:
Here are just a few game types we may play, to give you an idea of what to expect.
VIP:
2 teams are assigned 1 or more (depending on team size) VIPs. When you are tagged out, you stay in place, raise your gun and count loudly to 10. If a VIP doesn't tag you back in before you reach 10, you're eliminated. Teams do not start out knowing the identity of the other VIPs. When all of a team's VIPs are eliminated, that team loses. VIPs will usually have more health than normal players, but cannot be tagged back in. This game forces teams to stick together. If you're caught away from a VIP, you're fucked.
No holing up with one of your VIPs in some corner somewhere as to indefinately prolong the game. That's just dumb.
President:
2 teams are formed. Team A must protect 1 player, the President, as they escort him/her to a number of preset points in any order they choose. Once all points have been hit, they escort the President to the end zone. Team B tries to assasinate the president en route to the end zone. The president cannot fight and will likely be given a reflective vest or noise maker or something to inhibit their movement or stealth abilities. Normal out rules apply, but the president has more health, and safe zones do not apply to the president. The game ends when the president is either out, or reaches the end zone. More specific details are location-specific.
CTF:
This one is pretty cut and dry. 2 teams each protect their flag. The enemy team attempts to steal your flag and bring it to a pre-designated capture point. The capture point is generally the same for both teams. Once the round starts, teams cannot touch their own flag, i.e. to return it to its point of origin if taken. If you are hit while carrying the flag, even once, you must drop it, and cannot pick it back up until after you have been out. If you continue running and don't feel the hit, as happens often, bring the flag back to where the hit was called.
To prevent these games from turning into flag hide-and-seek, generally teams will select one member of the opposite team as a "hostage". The hostage accompanies the enemy to the hiding spot, and thus knows where it is. At the beginning of the round, the hostages return to their teams. You can play this a number of ways. You can select a noob hostage, so they can't effectively describe where the flag is to their friends, or select a skilled player so that they can't help think of a good hiding spot.
As always, location specific rules and exceptions apply, including what constitutes an acceptable hiding spot.
Bounty Hunter: Timed 3 team game. 1 team consists of an individual or small group that are the Bounty. The other 2 teams must hunt down the Bounty while fighting each other. Essentially, the 2 teams are competing for the Bounty. You must fight the opposing team AND fight the Bounty. Generally, the Bounty players can only be taken out with specific weapons or ammo types that will be determined game-to-game. Regular rules apply for other players. If there is 1 person as the Bounty, the first team to eliminate them wins. If there are multiple Bounties, the team who takes out the most wins, and the game goes until all Bounties are taken out. If time runs out and the majority of Bounty players are alive, they win. The rules are usually stacked in favor of the Bounties, I.E. they may have more health or score 1 hit kills or something.
That's about it. This is all subject to change. My word of course trumps these rules on a case to case basis, but I consider myself pretty fair. This is about fun. Have fun. And NERF ON.
Edited by sllewgh, 21 March 2010 - 02:36 PM.
