Weaponry Rules 

 

A. Introduction:  

 

The following gives an outline of the various weapons, which can be used against enemies. It is not an exhaustive list and players are encouraged to use their imagination; however, the Umpire may make any kills carried out with an unauthorized weapon invalid, so do come and check before using your latest creation in the heat of battle. In general, all weapons must be completely safe (for both people and property) and actually do something, to indicate to the victim that he/she has been killed. All non-obvious weapons must be clearly labelled; if you were carrying a real knife, you wouldn't be able to convince an enemy that it was a pencil by holding your thumb over the label, so don't do that either.  

 

IMPORTANT: Due to new legislation introduced in 2004 it is now illegal to be seen in public carrying anything looking like a real gun.  

 

Therefore, no toy weapons designed to look like real guns are allowed in the game. This includes all BB-guns, rubber pellet weaponry and probably most cap guns. Painting such weapons in bright colours or decorating them with stickers does not make them acceptable. If you are not sure whether a particular weapon is allowed, ask the Umpire. If you are found to be using a realistic-looking gun you will be removed from the Game immediately.  

 

Messy weapons should be used sensibly; don't use messy weapons against people carrying something expensive or wearing formal clothes; not only will they get annoyed, but also you shall be entirely responsible for any damages caused. If anyone complains about an individual's behaviour that individual may be subject to penalties up to and including removal from the game.  

 

Weapons should be specific to the victim - killing bystanders is to be avoided even when the effect is harmless.  

 

Except where noted below, most weapons will kill the target instantly if they strike any part of the head or torso. If a limb is hit then it can no longer be used for the duration of the encounter for any Game-related purpose, including to fire, reload or hold a weapon, to open a door or window or to run away (although if you have to run away the Umpire will probably be lenient should you use an injured limb to take your weapons with you rather than leave them behind, as long as you don't use such weapons again in the encounter). If you continue to use an injured limb in an encounter you are deemed to have died from blood loss.  

 

B. Disallowed Weapons:  

 

To reiterate, due to new legislation introduced in 2004 it is now illegal to be seen in public carrying anything looking like a real gun.  

 

Several weapons are currently banned by the Guild, mostly for safety reasons, or to avoid attracting suspicion from the security forces. Players need not bother to ask the Umpire if they can be registered, and any players found to be using them will probably be disqualified.  

 

The banned weapons are:  

 

 

It is also worth noting that mobile phones cannot be used as any sort of weapon.  

 

C. Direct Weapons:  

 

C.1 Guns  

 

Rubber band guns, Nerf weapons, peashooters and rubber bands fired from the fingers may be used as guns. Other similar weapons may also be allowed, but you must contact the Umpire before using one so it can be approved. A direct hit is required; projectiles rebounding off walls, etc., do not count. Try to avoid headshots with all projectile weapons.  

 

To reiterate, just to be sure:  

 

IMPORTANT: Due to new legislation introduced in 2004 it is now illegal to be seen in public carrying anything looking like a real gun. Therefore, no toy weapons designed to look like real guns are allowed in the game. This includes all rubber pellet weaponry and probably most cap guns. Painting such weapons in bright colours or decorating them with stickers does not make them acceptable. If you are not sure whether a particular weapon is allowed, ask the Umpire. If you are found to be using a realistic-looking gun you will be removed from the game immediately.  

 

Cap guns or other toy guns that produce a noise without actually firing anything may also be used to kill people with a point-blank shot as described in C.1.2. In the case of cap guns, the cap must go off for the shot to count. Again, do not use realistic looking cap guns. DO NOT, under any circumstances, fire a cap gun directly or indirectly at a person's face. To do so can blind, if not otherwise seriously injure, a person.  

 

C.1.1 Point-blank shots  

 

If you are using any sort of gun, are pointing it at the head or torso of your target, which you can clearly see and are sufficiently close that you would be able to touch the target, you may say, "Bang!" rather than actually firing your weapon to claim the kill. You cannot do this if your gun is out of ammunition, is jammed or is otherwise unusable (although if you only discover later that the gun is not working then the kill stands).  

 

This is intended to stop you causing unnecessary harm to a target from close range and to avoid public nuisance, a waste of ammunition or the risk of a misfire. It is intended to be used on occasions when you are surprising your intended victim and not during combat, where it usually leads to arguments. It is the duty of the attacker to ensure that they are demonstrably fulfilling the above conditions when they say the word, "Bang!".  

 

You may not make bang-kills where the weapon would not normally be able to kill the victim; you cannot bang-kill through a wall, door or window, for instance.  

 

C.2 Coshes and clubs  

 

Represented by a cardboard poster tube or a newspaper rolled up and stuck with sellotape. Either should be clearly labelled "Cosh". The effect of a cosh depends upon the location of the hit: -

 

 

An unconscious player is in many respects similar to a dead one, except that they do not lose points for dying (since they have not), and that they return to life after five minutes. They may not influence, or attempt to influence, the game in any way while unconscious.  

 

An unconscious player can be (and usually is) finished off in an entertaining manner by a live player.  

 

C.3 Knives, swords, rabbits and other melee weapons  

 

Knives made of foam, rubber or cardboard, plastic knives with retractable blades, pens and pencils may be used as knives. Anything that is not very obviously a knife should be labelled "KNIFE". Please be careful when attacking people with pencils or anything else vaguely pointy. Be extra-careful when throwing knives.  

 

Arbitrary objects may not be turned into weapons simply by writing "KNIFE" on them; this may only be done to vaguely knife-shaped objects. No metal objects including cutlery knives may ever be used as knives.  

 

Plastic or cardboard swords may be used as swords; cardboard ones must be labelled "SWORD". Toy light sabres may also be used. Rolled-up newspapers or cardboard poster tubes are coshes, not swords.  

 

Clean non-squishy vegetables may be used as knives but may not be thrown.  

 

Latex LARP (live-action role play) weapons are permitted, but must be registered with the Umpire before use so that he can ensure the weapon is in good condition, clearly labelled, and that the owner knows how to use it safely.  

 

Fluffy animals may be used as attack animals as long as they are labelled "KNIFE", "ATTACK ANIMAL", "KILLER RABBIT", etc. Ideally all attack animals should be presented to the umpire first as the umpire likes to see what embarrassing fluffy animals assassins keep in their rooms.  

 

C.4 Garrottes  

 

Toilet roll or other soft tissue paper may be used to garrotte an enemy. You must not use as a garrotte anything that will not tear in half easily; particularly, handkerchiefs and ties must not be used as you could really strangle someone with them.  

 

C.5 Grenades  

 

Anything that could cause undue litter is not allowed unless cleaned up by the Assassin who used it. Should it be found that any Assassin has caused a problem due to the use of a grenade will certainly be placed on the Most Wanted List and may well be disqualified. Again, we ask that you consider people such as Cleaners, Porters and other University (and civilian) staff.  

 

As long as the above conditions are satisfied, confetti in bags made from tissue paper may be used. You may also employ snowballs (and indeed these are strongly encouraged). Use common sense with all of these. They will kill if they strike any part of the head or body. If they hit a wall and splash your head or body appreciably (i.e. if you find 'shrapnel' in large enough quantities to kill) then you are dead. If you are only slightly splashed/affected, you survive. Being caught on the arms or legs will disable the limbs in question as normal. Any legal use of a snowball outside of winter may get the Assassin in question a bonus.  

 

C.6 Boulders and safes  

 

An empty (large) box, or lump of expanded polystyrene may be labelled 'safe', 'fridge', 'anvil' or similar, and then dropped. It can kill if it falls at least a meter before impact. A beach ball (or similar very light ball ONLY) at least the size of a football may be labelled as a boulder and then rolled, dropped or thrown as a weapon (not kicked, however - that would break your leg) - any impact with significant speed may kill, including from rebounds (most weapons do not count on the rebound).  

 

D. Indirect Weapons:  

 

D.1 Poisoned food or drink  

 

Strongly flavoured substances added to a victim's food or drink count as poison and will kill the victim five seconds after they notice the taste. If the poison is dilute enough not to be tasted it will not work. Note that experiments to establish the required dose may well end up killing the guinea pig. Be careful not to use as poison any substances that may cause allergic reactions, especially almond essence or pepper. Salt, sugar or strong herbs or spices (depending on the drink/food) are great for this. Players should take care in areas where this may be interpreted as drink spiking and cause alarm to spectators.  

 

Food that normally tastes strong or spicy does not count as poison on its own. Buying your victim a Pizza Gamberi from Pizza Express does not count as a poisoning.  

 

If you poison someone's food or drink, you must stay around to witness the outcome and claim credit if the attempt succeeds. If you leave the area and the victim cannot find you, the poison is considered to have dispersed, and the victim is not harmed. Poison left by you can still take effect after you die, provided you stay around to check as described above.  

 

Placing a label saying, “POISON” underneath the glass/cup in which it is held can also poison drinks. If the victim notices this before drinking they can remove it and the drink is considered non-poisonous.  

 

E. Miscellaneous:  

 

E.1 Other weapons  

 

It is possible to use many other weapons not in this list, or use items other than those listed to represent a given weapon. However, you must contact the Umpire to register any other weapon first so that he can decide whether it is fair and safe. Any kills you make with an unlicensed weapon may be disallowed. Examples of previously licensed novelty weapons include poisoned umbrellas (such as that used to kill Georgi Markov), double-decker buses and poisoned lipstick.  

 

E.2 Shields  

 

There are no shields in this game, and clothing, bags and weaponry will not block incoming shots. This means that if you are hit in the back while carrying a rucksack, and the shot would have hit your body had you not been wearing it, you are dead. Weapons may likewise not block shots and so hits to your weapon may count as having hit your arm or body as appropriate if they would otherwise have done so.  

 

E.3 Tanks  

 

Tanks must receive individual approval from the Umpire before use. Any large tank-like construction made from such material as cardboard may be used as a tank. Tanks are the only defence that will actually block incoming fire, and must completely surround the occupant. A tank is defence against any projectile which it physically prevents from hitting the occupant; shots which go through eyeholes, weapon slits, etc., will still kill you.  

 

Any hand-to-hand combat weapons can be used, as can openers against a tank; hitting a tank with a knife (not a thrown knife) or similar weapon will kill the occupant (or all the occupants, in the case of particularly large tanks). Hand-to-hand combat weapons may be used from inside tanks, but your arms will likely be vulnerable while doing so.

 

Water  

 

Water is now allowed, however there are strict rules.  You can change your water preference when you log in to the site, and can only change it before the game starts.  Your profile is set to dry by default, but there are three options:

 

 

Now here's the important part, you can only get your target as wet as your own preference.  If your target is set to soaked and you're dry, then you can't get them wet.  If you're set to partially wet then you can't soak your target.  Obviously, if your target is set to dry, then it doesn't matter what your preference is, you can't get them wet.

 

Any breach of these rules will result of you being put on the most wanted list, or serious offences could result in ejection from the guild.