The Assassins' Guild: Eliminate! 2005 Weaponry Rules
The Assassins' Guild: Eliminate! 2005 Weaponry Rules
Changes made to these rules since they were originally published will be flagged in green.
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.
All weapons should look as non-threatening as possible. Carrots and fluffy animals are preferable to plastic knives and gun-like weapons should look as little like guns as possible. Players should be aware of the effect that their actions might have on observers at all times and avoid doing anything likely to attract unwelcome attention.
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 Edison Giocatolli rubber pellet weaponry, Firewheel rubber band guns 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 and water weapons should be used sensibly; where the rules state "with care", no large-calibre water weapons (larger than a Supersoaker XP270 or a Storm Force 2) should be used, smaller water weapons should be carefully aimed and not used to excess. Don't use messy or water weapons against people carrying something expensive or wearing formal clothes; not only will they get annoyed, but you shall be entirely responsible for any damages caused. If anyone complains about an individuals 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.
All weapons will kill the target instantly if they strike any part of the body.
Rubber band guns, Nerf weapons, low-powered foam disc shooters, pea-shooters 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 head shots 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 Edison Giocatolli 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.
If you have a clear shot from less than a metre you may say "bang" rather than actually firing your weapon to claim the kill. You cannot do this if your gun has run 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). Players should always do this if possible to avoid unnecessarily shooting people (and it's for your own good, since you avoid wasting ammunition or risking a misfire).
Toy guns which produce a noise without actually firing anything may also be used to kill people from less than a metre. In the case of cap guns, the cap must go off for the shot to count. You may also use these weapons by saying "bang" just like any other.
Any water pistol or water gun may be used as a weapon. You must get a definite hit with the main jet for it to count - if you just splash the target with the edge of the spray or at extreme range then the hit does not count. (This means that with larger water weapons such as CPS super soakers it is actually possible to get quite wet without being hit by the main jet of the blast and therefore killed.)
Players may decide whether they wish to allow water-based weapons to be used in their own rooms or not; this information should be supplied to the Umpire at the start of the game. The default state is no water, which means that no player may fire a water weapon into, inside or through your room. If your room is a no-water area remember that you cannot fire water weapons inside it, into it or out of it either.
You may also request that your room be a water with care area, in which case small water weapons may be used inside it, but not larger weapons such as water bombs or CPS supersoakers, or a full water area, in which case anything goes. You may also inform the umpire of any equipment inside your room which may be damaged by water; this information will be passed to your assassins.
Corridors and other indoor areas in colleges and departments are considered to be "water with care" areas unless otherwise specified. You must not use any water weapons in non-players' rooms, shops, or any other neutral areas containing anything which may be damaged by water.
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.
Bottles of water, hosepipes, etc. may be used to represent flame-throwers. These should only be used outdoors in warm weather. Shaken-up bottles of lemonade or similar should not be used as the drink becomes sticky and unpleasant as it dries.
Knives made of foam, rubber or cardboard, plastic knives with retractable blades, pens and pencils may be used as knives. Anything which 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. Newspapers or similar which have been rolled up and stuck into a tube shape may be used as bludgeons with the same effect as knives, if they have an appropriate label.
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 lightsabres may also be used.
Clean non-squishy vegetables may be used as knives (if labelled) but may not be thrown.
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 embarassing fluffy animals assassins keep in their rooms.
Latex LARP weapons may not be used.
Toilet roll or other soft tissue paper may be used to garotte an enemy. You must not use as a garotte anything which will not tear in half easily; particularly, handkerchiefs and ties must not be used as you could really strangle someone with them.
Confetti in bags made from tissue paper or water bombs may be used. Use common sense with all of these. They will kill if they strike any part of the head, body or limbs. If they hit a wall and splash you appreciably (ie. if you're wettish) you are dead. If you are only slightly splashed, you survive.
An empty (large) box, or lump of expanded polystyrene may be labelled 'safe', 'fridge', 'anvil' or similar, and then dropped. It will kill as long as it falls freely before impact (ie. not rolled down a slope or simply lifted onto someone's head). A beachball (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). Traps in which a boulder or safe is rigged to fall on someone without direct intervention by the assasin are not allowed.
No weapons which do not require the immediate presence of the assassin are allowed in Eliminate!. This includes contact poison and poisoned letters.
It is possible to use many other weapons not in this list. However, you must contact the umpire to register any other weapon first so that the umpire 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.
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 appropropriate if they would otherwise have done so.
None of the following weapons will be allowed:
The history of this set of rules is fairly short:
