Organized Water Warfare (10 rules or less) .:

By: C-A_99, DX / Duxburian, iSoaker_com, mr. dude

This set of rules has been compiled and modified from a number of individual input. It offers a variety of common options water warriors use in their local games. This rule set is, by no means, exhaustive or all-encompassing in its nature. However, it may prove useful for those looking for ideas on how to organize their water war games.

Ruleset Summary

1. Appoint Organizers
2. Use Common Sense
3. Select the Battle Ground
4. Define Refill Sources and "Spawning Points"
5. Select a Hit-count/Tagging/Soaking/Scoring Method
6. Define Scoring / Being Tagged Consequences
7. Declare/Approve Any Non-Water Blaster Equipment
8. Define Punishments / Penalties
9. Set Other Common Additional Rules

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More Detailed Explanations

1. Appoint Organizers

Game organizers are responsible for overseeing the game, making decisions about game-specific rules, and the ones to turn to in the event of a problem. While any player can suspend the game in the event of accident or injury, the game organizers will decide whether the game can continue once a problem is dealt with or whether a game would require rescheduling.

For small battles, the Captains of each participating team would be designated as a game organizer. For larger battles or non-team games, non-participants or more experienced players can also be designated as an objective game observer. It is best to have at least two (2) designated game organizers that the group should respect.

2. Use Common Sense

All players are expected to show respect towards others. This also includes no aggressive/abusive physical contact, no cheating, must only soak other players in the game, all items that are not water-resistant and/or must stay clean must be kept somewhere safe, property must be respected (such as soakers, vegetation, personal property), avoid head and/or face shots, no-point blank (<10') head shots with streams and never with water balloons, etc. If uncertain about something, consult with a game organizer.

3. Select the Battle Ground

Players must stay in a generally designated area. Battlegrounds and off-limit areas must be declared and/or clearly identified before the game. Avoid choose battle grounds with known dangerous areas (i.e. cliffs, traffic, dangerous non-participants, sink holes, etc.)

4. Define Refill Sources and “Spawning Points”

These area must declared before the start of the game. Other details such as whether or not hoses can be used for suppression, etc. depend on the game organizers (some do not allow hose suppression in order to conserve water which can be more an issue than how fair or not some players think it is).

5. Select a Tagging/Soaking/Scoring Method

Different recommended scoring/tagging methods:

a) A fist sized or larger stream or large pack of droplets sustained for half a second counts as a hit (anywhere on a player, including the head). All hits must be noticeable by or on the target (i.e. splash damage from a water balloon does not count unless enough droplets splash onto a target).

(Of course, this is quite subjective, but it allows for more tactical opportunity; not counting headshots is too restrictive for an organized water war, especially if that is the only part of a target that's presented. This does not mean we should encourage headshots, it only means that it should not be invulnerable. If head-shots are to be prohibited, this should be stated by the game organizers before the start of the game)

b) When a SoakerTag / homemade tag is blasted off and/or changes colour counts as a hit

c) When enough boxes/area on a shirt with a grid on it have been soaked with water, then that player has been soaked

6. Define Scoring / Being Tagged Consequences

Any players who are hit by enough water (See Rule #5) are out/tagged (even by intentional friendly fire, but not by refilling splashes); eliminated players must empty their soaker and report to a designated "spawn point" or waiting area depending on the game being played. The player who soaked the other player gains one point and/or the player soaked loses a life.

7. Declare/Approve Any Non-Water Blaster Equipment

These must be approved for possession/use before the game. These include, but are not limited to, repair tools, water balloon launchers, bikes / larger vehicles, etc. Consult with the game organizers before the start of the game. Prohibited equipment should be stored somewhere safe for the duration of the game.

8. Define Punishments / Penalties

Optimally, the punishment should fit the rule broken. Game organizers are responsible for outlining what should and should not occur during a game and make quick decisions in the event that an unexpected situation arises. Here are some examples/suggestions for appropriate punishments:

• Players who stray significantly out-of-bounds or into definite restricted areas should empty their soaker and proceed to the nearest refilling/spawning point. As well, one point is subtracted from that player’s or team’s total score.
• Players who use unacceptable water sources will be banned for the remainder of the game. Any points earned by that player will be lost.
• Players who refuse to comply gracefully to penalties should not be invited to future events. Water warfare is supposed to be fun. Players who only know how to have fun by breaking set rules and harassing others do not deserve to remain as players. Game organizers should stop a game if any player’s actions are getting out of hand and gather the remaining players together to convince the problematic player(s) to abide by the rules or leave.

9. Set Other Common Additional Rules

• Points (whether players count their kills or not, required if infinite respawns)
• Respawn/Elimination, (if respawn) number of lives.
• Time limit (how long until the game ends and points/lives are tallied)
• Map of important locations (refill stations, moveable cover, respawn/elimination points, place to meet when teams are not playing a game, etc.)
• Various game types (other than the standard) will add more variables and changeable rules

| Posted: 20080421 | Updated: 20100530