Saving the world on a Sunday afternoon
Here are ‘standard’ rules to games that can be played IC or OOC to practice fighting, scouting and team co-ordination skills. Standard safety rules aren’t written in but are assumed to be in force. Games generally run on a tag system IC but can be played with normal stats if preferred.
Everyone stands in a circle with weapons, ideally with a defined play area.
Last man standing wins.
Either use standard character stats or everyone is 3 hits global (IC tag system).
One person is the Huntsman.
One person is the Hind.
Everyone else is a Hound and stands in a circle around the Hind (needs to be a big circle).
Everyone needs a weapon.
The Huntsman stands outside the circle and calls out combinations of 1, 2 or 3 Hounds to take down the Hind.
Either use standard character stats or:
If the Hind ‘kills’ all the Hounds, the Huntsman calls out a new set of Hounds.
If a Hound ‘kills’ the Hind, the Hound becomes the new Hind, the Hind becomes the Huntsman, and the Huntsman becomes a Hound.
Extended version allows for anti-buff castings (so Halt, Freeze etc.).
Needs 15 people – two teams of 7 plus a referee – and a ball.
Pitch can be any shape and terrain, so long as there are two suitable goals marked.
Teams:
1 Quick – no weapon. 1 hit global (IC tag system). Only player who can touch the ball.
2 Sticks – polearm or great sword. 1 hit global (IC tag system).
2 Blocks – shield. 3 hits global (IC tag system).
2 Blades – weapon up to 42" (long 1H or short 2H). 1 hit global (IC tag system).
Teams start on their baseline or an agreed point on the pitch. The referee throws the ball into the middle of the pitch; the aim is for the Quick to get the ball into the opposing team’s goal while the rest of the team protects them or takes out the opposing Quick.
The game is reset if a point is scored or if both Quicks are dropped. Players who have been dropped during a point are allowed to rejoin their teams at the reset.
The winners are the team with the most points at the end of play; traditionally the game is split into three ten-minute sections with short breaks between, and substitutions are only allowed during the breaks.
If the terrain is markedly unfavourable to one team (on a slope etc.) then switching ends per section is probably polite, with the final third being played in favour of the team with the fewest points.
Two teams of equal size/ability, plus optional referees, and two flags or other obvious items.
Weapons are optional; each player is 3 hits global (IC tag system).
A set play area is defined, and either a set base is created at each end by hanging the flags or each team is given a flag and some time to set up a base.
Each team starts from their home base. The goal is to steal the other team’s flag without losing one’s own. A team can only touch their flag to return it to their base; in base it must stay hanging up.
Any ‘dead’ player must return to their home base and sit out for a minute before returning to play.
The winning team is the first to get both flags to their home base.
Extended version allows for anti-buff castings (so Halt, Freeze etc.).
Set a playing course – needs to be fairly narrow.
1 or 2 Runners, everyone else is an Attacker.
Everyone needs a weapon.
The Runners have 3 hits global (IC tag system).
Attackers are 1 hit global (IC tag system).
Either the Attackers line up on either side of the course or the Attackers form groups up the length of the course of 1, 2, 3 etc. Attackers and the Runners have to get as far as they can before they are dropped. Dropped Attackers should either join the ends of the lines or join a later group.
Take it in turns to be the Runners.
Set a defined playing course.
The group splits into Civilians (only 1 for an easy game), Patrolees and Bandits.
Civilians and Patrolees are 3 hits global (IC tag system).
Bandits are 1 hit global (IC tag system).
The Patrollees need to escort the Civilians from one end of the course to the other. If a Patrollee is dropped, they should wait for one minute before they can rejoin the group.
The Civilian can only move if a Patrolee is within 10ft.
If a Bandit is dropped, they should move to the edge of the playing course and wait for one minute before they can rejoin the fight.
The Patrollees win if they can get the Civilian to the end of the course without them being dropped. The Bandits win if they manage to drop the Civilian.
Split the players into two groups – at least three in the ‘Defenders’ group.
A point is nominated as the watchpost. The ‘Defenders’ have to guard the watchpost, looking out for enemies. The rest of the players have to sneak up to the watchpost without being seen – if they are seen, they have to go out to the ‘boundary’ and start again.
Take it in turn to be the ‘Defenders’.