I got down to the final two when I played, then got screwed out of the win because of a mixup on the rules. I'd even asked the organizers to clarify the rules before I attempted my last kill, but they didn't get back to me until they decided to declare me dead.

The moral of the story: If you're going to organize a game like this not using actual weapons, make sure you give very specific rules for when the game gets down to two players.

Hrmm. Someone should make some use of NERF grenades.

You take one of those frisbees that are made of a piece of elasticy fabric with a wire ring inside it. You have to twist/fold the frisbee, and stuff as many little nerff things inside it as you can [I hear stefans are better though.] and fold the frisbee shut so its like a ball filled with nerf darts.

If you've folded it right, it opens as it hits something ie a wall, and the elasticy stuff sprays the darts everywhere.

Or if you do a lesser fold you can make it fire in mid air over obstacles.

Ooh boy.

I ran this game with water guns on my college campus with the involvement of over five dorms. I updated the game, calling it Assassin Nation.

There were over 50 unique weapons. These included the Sponge of Doom, the Holy Grail, and the worst weapon in the game- the loud and unreliable Bubblegun of Rage. You started out with only one gun, but when you made a kill you got your opponent's inventory.

We also had 20 different powerups you could aquire throughout the game. It was pretty intense.

That's hardcore.

Yeah. And I didn't even tell you about the poster interpreted by the police as a bomb threat.

Some safe zones are necessary. Interrupting lectures is not a good idea. Also, just because a safe zone exists doesn't mean it's safe. Sure, I could go to the Java lab and be safe, but if I do I'm likely to be spotted and assassinated when I try to leave. Basically it's only good as a last resort. If I'm in the open and think I'm being stalked, I can move toward the Java lab, my next class, etc.

I'll ask our GM if he minds me posting the rules we're using.

I just finished writing up some rules and everyone in my school that I've told is very eager to play.


You should definitely post some rules, Aglar.

You must post the details!

Okay. Here's the rules from my flyer.

Default Rules: These are the default rules. They may be changed if you hold a powerup card.

Each player will begin with a weapon. There are a variety of different weapons in this game, some obviously better than others. You will also have a kill slip, which lists who you are supposed to kill.

To make a kill: Under the default rules, you must use your weapon to shoot/wet (or ‘shwet’ as we like to say) the person you are ordered to kill. If you have an official gun that (officially) shoots projectiles other than water, those may count as well. Besides yourself and the victim there has to be one, and only one, witness. After you’ve made your kill, fill out your kill slip, including signature from the victim, the witness, the time of death, and any powerups you’ve used. The Victim will give you any guns he currently has on him, and must get his entire Arsenal to his killer as soon as possible. It’s a matter of honor, and is the only way the game can work. Retrieve the victim’s arsenal as soon as possible.

To neutralize the person trying to kill you: Squirting the person trying to kill you will ‘neutralize’ them for an hour, meaning they won’t be able to kill you. However, if a person is in a Safe Zone, they can’t be neutralized.

The Arsenal: You will begin with a weapon randomly be assigned a weapon. Some weapons really suck; some are pretty dang cool. You cannot trade weapons or use you a gun from outside of the game (unless you have a Weapons Permit Powerup) To get a better gun simply kill your target. They will have to give you all the guns they have, as well any unused powerups. You can choose to use as many guns as you have in your arsenal. If- and only if- you no longer have any weapons, because you gave them to an untrusty mercenary, you are still allowed to kill a person with water cupped in your hands.

YOU ONLY HAVE 24 HOURS: The game starts Noon, April 18th. You only have 24 hours to make your each kill and turn your slip into the box at Assassin Nation Headquarters on the 3rd Floor Lounge. Once your 24 hours have expired, the Terminator Squad will come after YOU. They have almost no rules, no limitations, and may kill you while you sleep. You’ll have to avoid them and kill fast!

Termination Squad list- (These terminators are the people who will be coming after you if you don’t make your kill within 24 hours)
The Grim Reaper, The Hitman, The Overlord (Scott Donnell,) The Dos Ninjas and The Fro.

-If you don’t turn in your slip, even if you’ve made your kill, you are still vulnerable. You must turn in your slip into the office or one of us, for the time limit to get reset. 24 hrs after your last kill we will come after you if we have not received your latest slip, so don't expect to hand it to the person holding the gun to your head and hope for mercy. We are not familiar with the word and had to consult a dictionary to use it in the last sentence.

-If you still aren’t dead, 48 hours after you’ve made your last kill, the Grim Reaper will give the name of your target to the person trying to kill you. If they kill your target before you do, you die.

-Any disputes over whether or not a kill was legitimate or not will be determined by any witnesses observing. Honesty and grace is important for this game to truly work. We can’t enforce not being a Jerk, but we highly encourage it.

-If dead, you must turn over your entire arsenal to the person who killed you, including unused powerups. (The Extra Life Powerup is an exception. You give that to them to fill out instead of your kill slip. It will still reset the kill clock for them, but they’ll have to kill you again.)

-Don’t break any School Rules.

-You may not skip classes simply to avoid being shot. Doing so may result in disqualification.

-Don’t spend inordinate amounts of time off-campus. You must sleep on-campus (sporting trips will be given special consideration, if you let those in charge of the Game know ahead of time)

-Don’t use any high-yield collateral damage weapons near computers or books. These include water balloons or large water guns. (As always, be considerate.)

-There are several safe zones: Bathrooms, SAGA, Assassins HQ, and your own room. (You can make a kill while in your own room, but can’t be killed.) The definition of being inside a safe zone is one foot fully behind the doorframe (not just the toe), and once swiped into SAGA (The line is still vulnerable)

-Nobody, not even the Grim Reaper or Hitman can kill you in your classroom while the class is going on. It is the ultimate safe zone.

-You can shoot out of safe zones to make your kill or neutralize someone, but not into safe zones.

-You can use anything as a shield, as long as you do not wear it. However, you may earn or get masks or vests, as part of the game, that can block shots. You may wear these official masks to block shots.

-Rules can be changed by the Grim Reaper due to circumstances that may arise, but he will notify you of the change.

-AND FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY DO NOT PUSH the DO NOT PUSH button.


POWERUPS: Getting a powerup can totally change the way the game is played. Getting several powerups can bring interesting combinations that can turn you into an unstoppable killing machine. There are three ways to get powerups: 1) The morning before Assassins starts, a dozen Easter Eggs will be hidden around Warren and Arend. Each of these has a slip with a riddle inside. Bring these to Assassins HQ to get either a powerup or possibly a bonus weapon. 2) Kill three people. The Assassins Leader will roll the dice, to determine which powerup you’ll receive. Obviously, better powerups will be tougher to get. Also, by killing three people you become a Boss. (RAs and previous winners start out as a boss) 3) Kill a boss, come to the Assassin HQ and get a powerup. 4) If somebody has an unused powerup, and you kill them, you get that powerup. If you use a powerup to make a kill you must turn in that powerup while you turn in the kill.

You cannot trade powerups. We will keep track of which powerups you have and should have.

Once you use a powerup in a kill, it is considered void, and has to be turned back into Assassin HQ.

Extra Life: If somebody kills you, and you have an extra life card, you sacrifice your extra life card to save yourself. You give that to them to fill out instead of your kill slip. When they turn it in, it will still reset the kill clock for them, but they’ll have to kill you again. They are neutralized for an hour, as well. An extra life will also save you from any powerup, including The Bomb and Kamikaze.

The Bomb: Give the bomb to Assassins HQ, and tell him which hall you want blown up. Starting at the next 12:00 noon, that hall will have The Bomb planted on it. There will be a bomb sign on their hall, and the members will be notified by E-mail. If nobody on that hall makes a kill from 12:00 noon to 12:00 midnight, everybody on that hall dies, resetting all the killclocks of people that are trying to kill them. All the members of the game will notified if a bomb goes off, or is defused.

The only way to defuse a bomb in your hall is to turn in a kill slip, in the period from the time a bomb is set, before it goes off. (If you can’t get into Assassins HQ in Warren and it’s going to explode, because it’s after 11:00, just tape it on the inside of the phone box outside)

Mercenary Contract: Any of your friends can make your kill for you. Give them your killslip and the mercenary contract, and they can make your kill for you, and help you to neutralize people who are trying to kill you. A Mercenary can only use weapons you have in your arsenal, and is limited in the powerups you can use. (He can’t use the Kamikaze or Extra Life Powerup.) You must supply the mercenary with any weapons or powerups to use. However, any person still in the game can kill a mercenary, using regular assassins Rules. If killed, the mercenary must forfeit his Mercenary Contract, any weapons or powerups he has on him, and his dignity. A person currently playing the game cannot become a mercenary.

Waiter Disguise: You can make your kill in SAGA.

Janitor Disguise: You can make your kill in a Bathroom (of the same sex.)

Big Brother: There doesn’t have to be any witnesses. Because big brother is always watching.

Ninja Costume: There can be up to 3 witnesses, and your still make your kill.

Monster in a Box: If you are as unlucky enough to get a monster in a box, the amount of time you have to make your kill before you become hunted by the Termination Squad is cut in half.

Weapons Permit: You can use anything that expels water to make your kill, with the exception of spitting. That’s just gross.

Kamikaze Kit: It doesn’t matter how many witnesses there are. You can shoot them in full view of everybody, apply the Kamikaze kit, and you both die. All powerups will be vaporized. The Extra Life and Mercenary powerups can not be used in combination with the Kamikaze kit, for obvious reasons.

Intelligence Briefing: Choose one person, and the Grim Reaper will tell you who they have to kill, who’s trying to kill them, what is in their arsenal, suggestions for playing the game more effectively, and any other information he knows.

The Possum: The Obituary list will show you as dead, giving you a chance to operate more stealthily.

Flip Floperoo: This powerup means you can force a trade of your powerups and guns with any player of your choosing. Inform the Grim reaper of the trade, they will go get the weapons and powerups of the person you chose, and then he will return to take that person’s weapons. The person will get a temporary gun in the meantime, so he isn’t left defenseless.

Smoke Grenade: Use this to prevent a Terminator from killing you. Give it to him, and all Terminators will leave you alone for three hours.

Other features:

The Obituary List: The Obituary list tells you who is still alive, and who is dead (As marked by a Mr. Yuk Sticker.) However, the Obits for each person is in their specific dorm. If you want to find who’s still alive from the other dorm, you must risk going to the other dorm’s lounge to check.

The Strategic Map: The Strategic Map in Assassin Nation Headquarters can tell you how many people are alive from each dorm (As marked by LOTR Risk pieces) How many Bosses there are (As marked by Lego Men) And how many powerups are still hidden in each dorm (marked by Glowing Stones)

Tactical Maps: Also at Headquarters, the Tactical Maps can help you plan your assault more wisely, especially if you’ve used an intelligence briefing. It may also show you the location of any Bombs currently set.

P.S. You might win additional powerups by getting all the guns in a specific ‘set.’ You’ll figure out what we’re talking about.

So. When you hit your mark, do you then take their kill slip?

Here are some promotional posters I used:

Massassi Temple has a janitor? Never knew.

Nice set of rules there Janitor Bob.

Aglar, that's why you play with mature people. People you know that won't interrupt a class or break school rules. But you made your statement clear.

Yeah. You take their kill slip, which has the target of who they were supposed to kill. And then you kill their target.


We also had posters with the slogan:


For your entire College Career you’ve been practicing the First Amendment.

Now it’s time to start Practicing the Second.

You'd have known if you were an ISB regular.

We're talking about this game in my one art class - Topics: Games and Interaction. Sounds like it can be crazy-fun stuff.

Which one was the bomb threat?

That was when somebody used the bomb powerup.

It should probably be modified with a big disclaimer.

I'm trying to think of a way this game could work at my high school.

SMOCK!, I've written some official rules for my highschool. I can't post them right now, but I'll PM you them as soon as I get a chance.

My highschool traditionally plays a senior-only version of this come springtime, but we call it "water wars" and it's played with teams. It's pretty hardcore too, which has gotten it strictly prohibited by the school after assassination attempts occurred in separate moving cars and inside a Toys-R-Us. It's not an uncommon practice to camp outside someone's house overnight, which means they fight over people while picking teams who live an hour away from school.

If I played this game, I'd get them while they were on the John, James Bond style (by hiding in the grate above).

It's just about the least-expected assassination attempt.

I'd dress as a ninja and carry shuriken-shaped sponges

One of our Terminator's did exactly that.

We played this year in the dorms. I got shivved in the kidney with a styrofoam cup the second day. I did manage to get my first target though.

I just got done printing the names of all the players onto envelopes and stuffing them with a copy of the rules, bonus cards, and the names of their targets.

Tomorrow everyone gets their envelopes, and the game officially begins Monday.

*exciting*

It's a bit of a shame I'm not playing, since I feel confident I'd pwn them all. Someone has to be in charge, though. Right?

Well, you *could* play, and kill people through "Acts of God". Every few days, roll a dice or use a random numgen to decide who to knock off, and make up a ridiculous reason for it.

Yes, but I don't have the thrill of someone coming after me.

[edit] Thanks to the cards, people are going to have to expect the unexpected 24/7. A ninja strike on someone working at Starbucks or the grocery store would be pretty interesting.

In our game, the CSS president got hit last night at 9 PM working at a gas station. Awesome.

I got taken out on the second day, without ever having found my target The guy who got me is in my year though, so it was a lot easier for him.