A new war is about to begin... - ...and I have to set some rules.

[Maddermadcat]

Alright... So, my friends and I will be splitting up into two teams and starting yet another summer-long campaign. So far, our wars have been lawless brawls. That, although it was fun, led to a lot of confusion as to who won the territory in question. This summer, we've all agreed to setting more guidelines for the war. As being the leader of my team, the leader of the opposing team and I have to create the rules. My question is, what kind of rules do you guys use?
Your help would be much appreciated.

[marauder]

First of all you have to have honest people playing. If you don't then rules won't work. We typically play short (well not really) battles of 1 hit kills. Territory is rather ambiguous although you kind of know who's in control of what area by who has pushed the other team out of that region. We also use flags too, that helps to denote region. You can come up with many different rules for flags such as if you take the other team's you win or you can use a points system. It gets more complex than that but if you're using rules for the first time you might want to keep it simple so people don't get confused.

[Dr. D]

Madmaddercat, can you explain what you mean by summer-long campiagn? Usually my definition of a campaign is a series of operations within a single war. Do you mean that you're keeping score and having standings with the other team?

[Adrian]

We've really got only one serious rule for our soakfests and that is No Physical Contact. Fights go sideways quite fast if you allow people to be smacking each other.

Adrian

[Stencil]

Here's My Rules:

Weapon Restrictions:
·There are no restrictions on water weaponry and how many weapons you may carry, just as long as the weapons fire water. If they can fire any other payload (darts, goo, ect.), then that payload must be deactivated for the fight.
·Although water balloon launchers fire a water balloon they are also an allowed form of weaponry.
Weapon Modifications:
·Weapons may be modified for greater output, range, etc.
·They may not do any bodily harm to anyone.
Targets of Opportunity:
·Anyone who is on the opposite team
·Anyone who bears a water weapon against you.
·Bystanders are not to be used as human shields.
·You are not allowed to shoot bystanders unless they become involved with the fight
·Shooting someone who is not involved in the fight is grounds for elimination from the fight.
Refilling:
·You are NOT immune to being fired upon if you are out of water! Have you buddies guard you and actually set up a defence around the refill area.
·You may only use clean water to fill your guns. Clean water sources include bottles of water filled at a faucet, water form a faucet, sink or hose. Unacceptable sources are puddles, creaks, the toilet or anywhere you would not want to drink the water from.
Hoses:
·Hoses are to be used for the purpose of refilling guns only.
·You are allowed to hook Quick fill devises up to your hoses.
·Under no circumstances may the hose be used to shoot people with.
·It is ok to modify guns so that they take a hose as a source of water.
Thievery:
·You may use any captured enemy weapons unless otherwise agreed upon before the fight.
·Captured is defined as:
1: The weapon is left behind in a retreat.
2: The weapon is found hidden, in a bush or another object.
3: Your team captures the enemy base and the enemy leaves weapons behind.
·It is not acceptable to take a weapon from an opponent.
·All captured weapons must be returned after the fight.
Time Outs:
·Time outs may only be called for injuries, other medical reasons, or other applicable reasons.
Applicable reasons include dissipates, or someone needing to leave, or anything that involves the well-being of the team as a whole.
It is not applicable to call a time out if you are tired or out of water.
·Any inapplicable reason that a time out is called for can result in the person who called it being banned for up to the rest of the fight.
Bases:
·Each team is allowed to create as many bases as they desire
·A base can be as little as a stash of supplies, or as big as a “fortress”.
·A team is allowed to completely take over another teams base.
Traitors:
·You are not allowed to betray your team.
·Traitors can get permanent elimination for the rest of the fight.
Covert Ops:
·Spying on the opposing team is perfectly legal.
·Sabotaging (emptying weapons, scattering weapons, popping
water balloons, etc., etc.), gaining information is all-legal.
·You may not damage anyone’s equipment in any way.
Boundaries:
·These will be determined before the fight in a pre fight meeting.
·Boundaries can be altered later if needed.
Re-spawning:
·This section is only applicable if re-spawning is involved in the fight.
·When you are killed you must first enter a re-spawn spot before you may fight or refill again.
·Each team gets a re-spawn spot near their base. This should be an out of the way area far enough away from their base.
·There will also be other re-spawn spots that are designated before the fight.
·Nobody from either team is allowed to stay at the re-spawn spots for any length of time.
Elimination:
·These rules are only applicable if you play elimination.
·If you get hit and have a water splash bigger that about 3" in diameter then you must go back to a pre determined resting spot.
·These spots will be your bases.
·Additional spots will be added if the basses are too far apart.
·An elimination ends when all the members form one team have been eliminated.
Capture the Flag:
·These rules only apply if we are playing capture the flag.
·Each team may only have one base.
·The flag must be kept within the base.
·When a team captures the enemies they must return it to their base to score 1 point.
·The team that captured the flag is then responsible for returning it promptly to their opponents.
·When returning the flag no hostile exchanges may happen.
·It is acceptable to pass the flag on to another teammate.
·If you are shot you must drop the flag. It is now free game for anyone from either side.

[DX]

^Lots of good rules in there!

I've decided not to post our local rules, since it would take ages to copy them. Also, it is full of definitions and other weird details. I will, however make a different topic for a new draft I'm making, since our rules set is so long that it warrants its own thread. ???

[Maddermadcat]

Dr. D, to answer your question, the summer-long campaign is usually a series of daily battles (not on weekends, though). A day may involve more than one battle sometimes, depending on each team's strategies. Spying and sabotage are all allowed. At the end of the war, whoever has more territory wins, or whoever surrenders first loses.
Another problem I have. Since the battles will involve territory, I've thought about how you can take over territory. Obviously, a piece of land will belong to a team once their enemy retreats or the enemy has no more players able to fight. But it would be unfair if the other team just went around and claimed territory owned by the other team simply because there's nobody guarding it. There just aren't enough people to guard every piece of land.