1.0 INTRODUCTION:
Killer is a mock combat game for a large number of players. Each person
has to try to survive whylst everyone else is 'killed'. The last person
to be left alive is, not surprisingly, declared the winner. The game
shall be open to people who live for much of the time within a five
mile radius of Great St. Mary's Church in Cambridge city centre.
1.1 PREPARATION:
Everyone who wishes to play should provide the Umpire with :
i) Full name
ii) College/Department if applicable
iii) E-mail address (full if not @cam.ac.uk)
iv) Your official address and if different the address at which
you will be living (ie sleeping and spending a reasonable
number of hours at) during the course of the game.
In this game this will be given to your assassin, to
prevent unfair advantage to those at colleges where the
porters refuse to give out room numbers. Any player with a
real-life psychopath trying to kill you, explain to the Umpire
and you will be excused. Anyone with a real-life psychopath
trying to kill them who wants to play Killer as well needs
their head looking at. Should you become wanted, your
official room address will be made public as well as your name
(see WANTED LIST, below).
v) If you live relatively far from the city centre, brief details of
city centre visits that you regularly make. I shall use my
discretion in deciding which details to pass on to your assassins.
The aim is to involve outliers more in the game, since trekking out
to Girton to kill a target is usually only done by a few of the
keenest players.
vi) Whether water weapons are allowed in your room i.e. if it contains
anything which could be seriously damaged by being soaked (for
example, your computer). Players should note that 'no water
weapons' rooms must have a sign on the door declaring this.
Anyone found to have supplied false details to the Umpire will be
disqualified, but I'm sure it's not necessary to say that.
1.2 PRELIMINARIES:
1.2.1 For any deliberate breach of the rules a player may be
identified as a legitimate target for all other players, i.e.
put on the wanted list, or, in serious cases, disqualified
from playing.
1.2.2 The spirit of the rules is more important than the actual rules
themselves. Rules are made to be bent here and there.
1.2.3 Participants may have accomplices. Targets cannot be
assassinated by an accomplice. Accomplices may only assist the
killer in planning (and carrying out) the murder.
1.2.4 In general, a victim is not dead unless they know about it.
No weapon can be considered to have any effect unless it actually
does something (the more dramatic the better!)
1.2.5 No one may attempt to impersonate the Umpire (either in person
or through messages etc). Taking or attempting to read items in
the Umpire's pigeon-hole, or trying to hack into the Umpire's
computer accounts, is also strictly forbidden.
1.2.6 Exercise common sense. Players are *entirely* responsible for
their behaviour. In particular, avoid inconveniencing other
people.
1.2.7 Players are expected to inform the Umpire of _all_ kill attempts
they make, and also of any attempts on their own life. Feel free
to dramatise the events in your report.
1.2.8 This game depends on trust and gentlemanly conduct. Please be
honest about whether or not you are dead. Honour among murderers
and all that....
1.2.9 Rule 1.2.7 no longer exists
1.2.10 Rule 1.2.9 is wrong again :-)
1.2.11 If the game becomes tediously slow, and/or the end of term
approaches, the Umpire may introduce a time limit. Players will
then have to make a serious attempt to kill someone within the
time limit, or they will be put on the wanted list for
incompetance. In this game, there is a time limit system already in
place - see section 6.3.
2.0 AIMS:
2.1 The main aim of the game is for everyone concerned to have a good
time.
2.2 The aim of each player is to be the sole survivor.
3.0 VICTIMS:
You will be given details of your target(s) by the Umpire, in
the dead of night (well - secretly anyway) shortly before the
start of the game. Of course, you will not be informed about
whom your assassin(s) are.
4.0 WEAPONS:
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, it is up to the
discretion of the Umpire whether a player using an unauthorized weapon
has killed the victim. So do come and check before using your latest
creation in the heat of battle. In general weapons must
i) be completely safe (people and property).
ii) actually DO something, to indicate to the victim that he/she
has been killed.
Ideally they should be specific to the victim - killing bystanders is
to be avoided if possible, even when the effect (eg perfume poison) is
harmless.
The Chief of Police is likely to take a tough line over policemen/women
using "non-standard" weapons (e.g. those that could easily endanger the
lives of others, such as contact poisons). Police found to have
breached WILL be suspended. Claiming you didn't read the rules properly
will not be a defence!
Weapons marked (*) in the following list should be used with extra care.
4.1 Gun - represented by a water pistol. You must get a definite hit
with the main jet. If you just splash them with water (e.g. at
extreme range or out of ammo) then it is only a flesh wound -
they can carry on as normal. If they are hit in the head or torso
then they are killed instantaneously.
If your private room contains expensive equipment (e.g computers)
which may easily be broken by maniacs with water pistols, you
may ask the Umpire and have it declared out of bounds for water-
based weaponry ONLY. Your assassin will be reminded of this, but
you should also have a notice in plain view on your door stating
that no water weapons are allowed; it then automatically becomes
ILLEGAL to use water-based weapons in the room. (But anybody who
passes will know you're playing). Note that other weapons may still
be used, and also that you may not fire a water pistol OUT of such a
room.
Water pistols may not be used in shops or parts of shops where
the PRINCIPAL goods on sale are electrical appliances, books or
other goods which are likely to be the worse for it. Obviously if
the adjacent goods are tinned foods or pencil sharpeners, you may
shoot away. This should be common sense, but is worth emphasizing.
If small water pistols are used, it is a good idea to
confirm the kill immediately with the victim who might not have
noticed the hit if wearing thick clothing. This avoids arguments
later, when the water has evaporated.
Cap pistols may also be used, although almost point blank range
(clear shot from less than one metre) is needed to claim a hit.
Soft air guns may not be used, however soft plastic pellets fired
by say a spring may be safer. Always present these first to the
Umpire for a safety check, before using them.
(*) Rubber bands are an acceptable weapon, as long as head shots
are avoided.
4.1.1 Flame-thrower -- represented by a bottle of Champagne, hose-pipe
etc. Rules much as for water-pistols. These should probably only
be used in summer.
4.2 Contact Poison - represented by Vaseline, mustard etc. This will
kill within 5 seconds of contact even if it is wiped off. This sort
of contact poison is deemed to be no longer effective if it has
dried enough that the victim does not notice it (be honest,
please...). If wearing non-porous gloves then it will have no effect
for 5 minutes as the poison is diffusing through the material. You
may remove the gloves quite safely within the 5 minute time period
but they must not be re-used during the game. Similarly, poison will
take an appreciable time to diffuse through anything thicker than,
say, a towel. Powder, eg. talc is also permitted. As contact poison
is dangerous to anyone else who might touch the surface in question,
anyone using it will be put on the wanted list.
4.3 Club or Cosh - represented by a cardboard poster tube or a
newspaper rolled up and stuck with Sellotape. The effect depends
upon the location of the hit:-
Head .......... Unconscious for 5 minutes.
Body .......... Immobilised but conscious for 5 minutes.
Arm or Leg .... The limb is immobilised for 5 minutes.
4.4 Knife - Foam, soft rubber, retractable plastic or cardboard knives
may be used. If the knife has been made by you eg. from cardboard,
it must be plainly labelled 'KNIFE'. Plastic ones which are more
obviously knives don't need this. Plastic swords are permitted,
but please be careful. Cardboard swords must be clearly labelled
'SWORD'. A rolled up paper tube is a cosh, not a sword.
4.5 Garrotte - Represented by handkerchiefs, or, far better, toilet
paper.
4.6 Grenades - Confetti in bags made from tissue paper, water bombs,
or (small) flour bombs may be used. You may also employ snowballs.
Use common sense with the last three.
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 (ie.
if you're wettish) you are dead. If they just splash your arms or
legs, you are only wounded, and survive.
4.7 Poison Gas - represented by perfume/after-shave/air-freshener.
This kills instantaneously if it is at a noticeable concentration.
Obviously, don't spray it in people's faces. N.B. It will kill all
those who smell it - think of all those innocent victims...
Gas masks may be fashioned from a handkerchief tied across the
face.
Poison gas should be used with care to prevent the deaths of
people other than the intended victim. It is probably best to use
it only in the target's room. If you have any problems come and
see the Umpire.
If you have a cold and genuinely couldn't smell anything then you
were immune to it (lucky you).
Balloon-and-pin arrangements (scent still required!) can be
labelled as Poison Gas, rather than as Bombs (see the section on
booby traps below).
4.8 Dart or Arrow (*) - represented by a grape fired from a catapult
or a dried pea from a pea-shooter. This has the same effect as a
gun. Avoid head shots.
A paper plane may be used as a poisoned dart, provided it is
clearly labelled as one. Being hit by a random one in a boring
lecture does not count...
4.9 Poisoned Food or Drink - Use Tabasco sauce or peppermint essence
in sufficient quantities to taste. N.B. Experiments to establish
the lethal dose are liable to kill the guinea pig (more innocent
victims!).
Buying your victim a Pizza Gamberi from Pizza Express does not
count as a poisoning, even if they do go a bit strong on the
Tabasco. However, leaving an extra-strong Phileas Fogg Tortilla
Chip in their pigeon-hole, which they then proceed to eat, does.
4.10 Special Letters
4.10.1 Containing contact poison or some sort of audible detonator
(letter bombs). Musical birthday cards are a special type of
letter bomb, requiring no additional detonator or label. It will
kill the victim if it goes off, although signing it from e.g. A.
Sassin might be an idea.
4.10.2 Cards, letters, parcels, etc. that are sent through the mail
service (University or Royal) or are handed to porters, and have
leaked their contact poison or poison gas are deemed to have
killed innocent victims.
4.11 Bombs
Bombs can be deadly in their effect, but they require careful
preparation and setting up if they are not to kill innocent
bystanders.
A bomb is represented by a box or container consisting of two pieces:
i) The detonator - to tell the victims that the bomb has gone off.
It must bang or bleep sufficiently loudly to be heard by any
victims. Remember rule 1.2.4, "A victim is not dead unless they
know about it."
ii) The explosive. The size of the bomb is determined by
the volume of the explosive. 'Explosive' could, for
example, be cotton wool or plasticene, or water placed in a
closed container like a wine bottle.
The volume of the explosive must be marked on or in the bomb in
cubic centimetres, and it must be labelled 'BOMB' in large
letters. If your construction might worry passers-by, write
on it:
"This is an imitation bomb for the mock assassination game run by the
Cambridge University Assassins' Guild. Any queries may be addressed
to this term's Umpire, Lynnette Dray of Gonville and Caius College