* Tumbling into the water means a penalty. We have to start again on the top of the hill.

 ** Damned! It just ran so well.

 

Judgement Day

1004 A.D.

 

Groß Raden

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Germany

 

Game-Rules

 

 

Version 1

Use your common human sense, avoid absurdities, fight save and don´t discuss. Go deeply into your character and act accordingly. Play!

That should be enough rules for you, if not see version 2:

  

Version 2

 This is the 9th 1000AD game. (jubilee-game next year!) Like all Lords-of-the-Game before we changed some rules.

 Read the game-rules carefully. Here are some new  “Judgement Day”-Rules in short version:

 - We have some real pregnant women in the game! Be careful, don´t fight them in any way, don´t even shot at them. And we have some children. You can kill them but if they are very young they probably don´t take the kill. Don´t split small children from there mothers by capturing.

- We  have two areas “Declared as Swamp”. This pieces of land are declared as swamp by the game-rule. If a person steps in with both feet he is not allowed to move on. After one minute he is death! He can not come out without help. The only possibility to move between the village and the castle is to use the bridge or swim. See Radegard-map in your game-infos. We try to mark the swamp with a rope and some signs.

- Target-area: torso, upper legs, upper arms.

- Maximum 3 lives, you must wear a helmet to get 3 lives.

- Special-saxon-soldier-rule: saxon soldiers may have up to 4 lives.

- New coins: dirham! 1 silver dirham = 2 common silver coins = 20 copper coins

- This game you can really use your money because you can buy your food or other goods at the market.

- It is possible to murder at night. No fighting at night. Read exact rules below.

- Killed persons may have up to 3 lives with the new character next morning.

- You are allowed to steal equipment. You are NOT allowed to use stolen equipment.

- Sometimes it is necessary to improvise some back round information. If someone is making a (logical!) statement, which is no obvious lie, it becomes a fact, even if it’s unpleasant for you. So please don’t start childish arguing in the public (We pay taxes … no, we don’t! … yes we do! … no! etc.).

- Matze and I are in the game. But we have only small roles. If you need the game-masters (doubt about rules, what you can do or not do, disagreements in rules-interpretation and so on) you will find us in Radegard as tourist-guides or in the tavern.We will also carry a mobile-phone so you can reach us, if none of us are available. Please don't use that unless nescesarry!

 

Museum-rules:

- We are allowed to use most of the houses in the museum. It´s equipment inside the houses. Put it aside and take care of it. Bring it back in original place after game. In your Radegard-map you can see which houses are “free-to-use”. Be extremely careful with the houses and the equipment!

- No visible smoking during the game. Only at campfire. Hide your fags in the palm of your hand.

- No visible modern gear (except cameras)!

- We are inside a museum and we have some tourist-guides to minimum the contact to the game-participants. But if a visitor comes up to you and asks you something, answer short and friendly. Don´t leave your gear all around.

- Visitors will only be allowed in during opening hours (10-17 hrs)

- Be friendly especially to the museums-staff (director: Heike Pilz) and to the forester (Thorsten Doer). They are so kind to allow us to use everything. But they are still a bit uncertain about our “Game”. Be the nicest barbarians you can imagine!

- Stay the weekend after the game. Enjoy the wonderful landscape, relax, discuss the past game and present our hobby to the public. Traders may sell their goods. This weekend would also be our "thank you" to the museum for kind co-operation and letting us play there for three days.

  

The Game

Everyone should by now be familiar with the scenario (see invitation). It´s a made up story with a historical background – it might have happened! We will even play in the area described in the scenario.

To prevent the game from exhausting itself we will have many different plotlines going on at once, there will be people with secret personal missions and betrayal and murder might lure behind any house. Living out your character and survival is the aim of the game.

 

If you have not paid your 35 Euro, please transfer the money to...

 

Germany:

Henry Skodell

Städtische Sparkasse Schweinfurt

BLZ 793 500 00

Nummer: 760132

 

Denmark:

BG bank

Vikingegruppen Ask

v/ Ellen Bach

Reg. Nr. 1199

Konto nr. 0084387

 

Conditions

We want to keep life conditions as authentic as possible, meaning no modern tents, no modern camping gear! If you want to bring beer or liquor for yourself, keep them in authentic casks or bottles. No cans or modern bottles. Basic kit consists of period clothing, cloak or blanket to sleep in, knife, spoon, food bowl and cup or horn. Of course you can bring tents, hides and everything else which improves comfort, as long as it´s authentic or authentically designed. Pussy vikings who need modern sleeping bags have to cover them completely with blankets or hides.

Be aware that it might get stressful: not enough sleep, not enough food, sore feet, wet clothes, no TV! It´s not a sissy event!

To take part in the fighting you have to be at least 18 years old.

 

Preparation

We recommend an authentic or authentic looking water bottle or waterbag to provide water if you leave the camp, e.g. on a long patrol. Water from lakes and streams is NOT drinkable!

We will supply each camp with some water and food. If it is empty, you have to organize new food. You can buy it at the market or at the farms

Remember all the gear that broke during shows! Make sure to be supplied with yarn, sewing needles or glue in case you have to repair your shoes. No `Doc Martin‘s`- spare shoes during the game! Fighters should bring a file for grinding dented blades.

You also have to bring two or three `bandages` representing `wounds`(see `signalling kills`).

 

The prince at court-day

 

 

Group preparation

We leave it up to you how many tents you can provide, who brings cooking gear and so on. Remember: Less equipment means less comfort but also higher strategic flexibility!

What you do have to take care of is:

¡       At least one First Aid Kit (that´s a must)

¡       Tools for digging and chopping wood

¡       Additional food and cooking gear (avoid modern packaging), wooden barrels and bowls to store food.

¡       These items are also needed for the banquet, bring what you have!

¡       Authentic tents (if you want)

¡       Tinder and strike-a-lights

¡       Firetorches, lamps or candles (if you want)

¡       Ropes (for improvising shelter or binding prisoners)

¡       Sanitary necessities ( YES, Toilet paper and TOOTH-BRUSHES are of course allowed!)

You might also want to discuss:

¡       Night watches

¡       Hornsignals and passwords

¡       Tactics

¡       Fortification

¡       Group discipline

¡       Emergency (First Aid etc.)

You see, it could get tense. Always remember: It´s a game, an extraordinary one, but still a game!

 

Time schedule

Tuesday, May 4th.

Arrival at camp-sites, putting up tents, digging latrines, collecting and chopping firewood.

18.00-20.00 Group briefings and distribution of game money. Group leaders are responsible to pass on any information to those who arrive late at night or Wednesday morning.

Wednesday, May 5th.

9.30 Weapon check by group leaders.

10.00 Game starts.

Thursday, May 6th.

`Resurrection of the dead`. Leave your camp early enough to re-enter the game as new character at sunrise.

Friday, May 7th.

`Resurrection of the dead`. Leave your camp early enough to re-enter the game as new character at sunrise.

16.00 Game ends.

16.00-18.00 Cleaning up of camps. Preparing banquet, please help and cooperate.

Ca. 18.00 Banquet

Saturday and Sunday, May 8th. – 9th.

Living-history, chill-out, relaxing in the Museum

Departure.

 

The Rules

Everyone has to know the rules, we don´t want to see people running around and asking how they should calculate their kills! There won´t be no referees – I know we can do without that.

 

Combat & hit locations

Priority for all kinds of combat is SAFETY FIRST! You don´t have to be an excellent fighter but if you want to take part in the fighting you must know to handle your weapon safely. Irresponsible fighting or use of unsafe weapons will instantly lead to disqualification from all fighting activities. Group leaders are responsible for weapon checks. If you have any questions about fighting, ask in the briefings before the game. I especially ask archers and javelineers to avoid any dangerous shots or throws!

These are the hit locations:

For hand weapons and spears: thighs above the knee, torso, shoulders and upper arms above the elbow. A head- or neck-shot takes one life from the one who made it.

For all missiles: Anything below the chest (the nipples), including hands and feet. If a missile hits above the designated hit location the archer / javelineer / slinger loses one life and can be restricted to hand weapons for the remainder of the game.

Spears have the same target area as any hand weapon. Spearmen are more exposed to missiles, that´s why we also allow hits on the thighs. Even though it´s more painful, we only count thrusts from spears, not cuts. Any spearman must avoid dangerous hits to high targets, you handle the most dangerous hand weapon!

People who fight with hand- or Dane-axes have to hit their opponent with the point or blade of the axehead. With the enlarged target area we cannot consider hits with the backside of an axehead. If an axe gets caught, e.g. in an armguard, you instantly have to let go of the weapon. Absolutely no hooking the hollow of the knee with an axe! As missiles for slings we use boiled potatoes, these only count on non armoured body parts. Fighting gloves and unauthentic armguards don´t count as body armour. Ricochets that end up in a hit location are no kills.

 

Lives

You can have a maximum of 3 lives for your character for the course of the game. The number of lives you have also depends on the armour you wear in a fight. You lose one life for every hit you take. If your character lost all his lives you can come back as a second character after sunrise the following morning. A new character can have up to three lives again if he wears enough armour.

Everyone has at least one life per day, of course.

 

Berserkers

These are very dangerous. A person that is clearly beserk, foaming around the mouth, screaming and roaring, biting the shield-edge, and so on, has, while the fight is lasting only, two extra lives. That means a character with chain-mail and helmet, who is berserk, has a total of five lives. But, if the person has suffered three lives, or more, he will die after the rage wear off... within half an hour after the fight. Only people who are described as berserkers on their character-sheet, can go berserk.

 

Signalling kills

After a fight you put on a `bloody bandage` for each kill you took. If you´re dead, a bandage around your head has to signal that you are no longer a threat to the enemy.

 

Armour

Armoured people live longer! You can add lives to your basic life by wearing armour like

¡       a helmet

¡       serious padded gambeson

¡       hardened leather lamellar or scale armour

¡       metal armour (chain mail, lamellar, scale mail)

each item adding one life, although the maximum is still 3 lives, meaning if your wear all that stuff at once, you won´t have 4 lives (but see exception for saxon soldiers)! Border cases (like crappy leather armour or soft leather helmets) will be checked and decided on. Special: metal armour doesn´t take kills on the thighs, except from a daneaxe! (Only of course if your metal armour covers the thighs!).

Once you´re dead you cannot acquire new lives by putting on armour! Only the armour you´re actually wearing in a fight is to be calculated.

 

If you want to have 3 lives, you need to wear a helmet. A gambeson and a chainmail without helmet gives only 2 lives.

 

NEW:

Special-saxon-soldier-rule:

A saxon soldier can have 4 (!) lives, if he is wearing all available armour. This means he has to wear: a helmet, a serious padded gambeson, a “hard armour” on top (chainmail, lamellar, …).

 

Examples

A warrior wears chainmail in a fight (2 lives), takes one kill (1 life left), puts on a helmet, still wearing his mailshirt (2 lives) and takes another kill (1 life left). The next kill (No 3) will take his last life even if he would put on an extra gambeson.

A warrior doesn´t wear neither helmet nor armour (1 life), survives a fight, puts on a leather gambeson and a helmet and walks with 3 lives into the next fight.

A warrior wears a helmet, no armour (2 lives), takes two kills in a fight. He´s out for the day!

Attention!! A warrior who wore armour and a helmet in a fight (3 lives), took one kill  (2 lives left), cannot take off his helmet and still have 2 lives!

If your were armoured and took one kill, you will need at least two items of armour for the rest of the day to still have two lives! Got it? Taking off armour when you´ve already taken two kills but are still alive doesn´t kill though, if you´ve only one life left to go you can as well fight naked, that´s the only exception.

Any armoured non-saxon fighter who´s taken 3 kills is definitely out for the game!

 

The Dead

If you´re dead, you die dramatically, it´s a game, not a sports contest. To avoid injuries stumble out of the danger area of people still fighting before you drop to the ground. You stay on the ground until the last enemy has left the battlefield, do not spoil their battle impression. After the last enemy is out of sight, you wrap a bandage around your head to signal that you´re out for the day. Helmets have to be taken off.

You cannot take part in any fighting activity until sunrise next morning when you will be resurrected. Maybe you´re exhausted and sick of running through the woods anyway and happy to relax as only the dead can!

You directly have to go back to your camp.

Please don´t disturb or ruin the atmosphere for those who are still role playing.

The dead have to stay in their camp, no scouting, no archery, no fighting training (arrows could hit enemy scouts, fighting noise irritates survivors!). If you decided for next character to change sides, you are only allowed to go to the camp of your new allies after sunset, still wearing your headbandage.

When you´re on your way to your camp after you died, try to make sure that no enemy scouts sneak up on you and follow you! The living should also avoid absurdities by pursuing dead people to find out where their camp is. If a traitor leads his new allies to his original camp after he died, he will be disqualified from the game. Remember: Dead people have to wear their head bandages at any time.

The following morning you have to leave camp (for at least 500m) to re-enter the game as new characters at sunrise!

 

Weapons

Only blunt copies of period weaponry will be permitted, made of spring steel or equivalent with a minimum edge of 2mm and rounded points, corners and edges. Group leaders are responsible for a descent weapon check. Fighting gloves and arm protection are recommended.

Bows must be wooden, relatively authentic and restricted (by shorter arrows for stronger bows) to 30lb (13,5kg) pull. This will be tested and enforced by the group leaders. Be sensible enough to only half draw at close quarters. All arrows and cross bow bolts must have standard rubber-blunt heads or suitable padding.

We also allow leather or foam tipped javelins (100-130cm long). Leatherheads not to be hardened! Please paint them and make them look alright. They cannot be used as handweapons!

Maybe we have some save throwing-axes in this game. We will test them before we allow them.

Slings and crossbows have to be based on finds, only soft boiled potatoes as sling missiles. Only sling missiles actually shot from a sling can kill.

Always take care, especially with unarmoured persons! Only controlled, well aimed throws or shots, absolutely no long distance throws or throws into a crowd (a shield wall is not a crowd!). If arrows or javelins hit the chest, shoulders, neck or head, then the marksman not only loses one life but can also be restricted to hand-weapons for the remainder of the game.

During a battle missiles may be collected and used by the enemy! Archers who use stronger bows must only use shorter arrows!

 

Sharps

We have to differ “weapons” and “tools”. A weapon is for fighting and it has to be blunt, see above. A tool can be sharp. Tools in this case are knives and axes. It´s allowed to have a small eating-knife (not a sax). As a result it is not allowed to take knifes from opponents. If you use an axe which is not yours make sure it is a blunt one. By the way it´s not allowed to use equipment from others, but to finish off an opponent, you can use his weapon.

 

NEW:

Night

No kills after sunset by open fight! But it is possible to bring a character to death at night (“murdering”). You must have a suitable blunt weapon (blunt knife, sax, sword, hand-axe) visible in one hand and put the other (empty) hand at the enemies throat. That’s a successful kill. But if the enemy defences in any way, the “murdering” is immediately over! No open fight! If the “murder” is detected, the “murdering” is over. He has to run now!

Of course you can “murder” at day as well. You don’t have the restrictions describe above. After been detected, you can fight.

A spear or a dane-axe is not a suitable weapon for murdering. A successful murdering KILLS an enemy. No matter how many lives he has.

No taking prisoners at night, except for spies, thieves or murderers who are caught within a camp. Tents and dwelling-houses are safe places at night. You´re not allowed to take anyone prisoner inside his tent or dwelling-house at night.

Avoid absurdities like walking up to an enemy guard at night, making faces at him just because he can´t kill you! If your prisoners escape at night, that´s your fault!

 

Prisoners

It´s possible to take prisoners. You might want to question them, exchange them, make them your slave or just torture them for fun! Each prisoner also has a value: 25 copper coins for a man, 20 copper coins for a woman. This is their value on the slave market, but depending on the rank and social status of your prisoner it might be more profitable to taken a ransom. You will have to bind them, but of course nobody should be hurt or really personally humiliated! In fact, prisoners have to be treated well, they have to be fed and led to the latrine if they demand so! A captured enemy´s weapons and gear have to be treated with great care. Nobody´s allowed to use a prisoner´s gear. You are responsible for a prisoner´s gear until he gets it back!

 

An imprisonment ends if the captive is:

¡       exchanged (incl. All his gear)

¡       freed or escapes

¡       killed (he can take his weapons with him!)

Note: For men it´s not allowed to commit suicide to avoid imprisonment!

If you are captured, make up escape plans within the scenario, you might also agree to become a spy for your former enemy. Never pretend you have to urgently call your sick mother at home, on the other hand release any prisoner who actually has to call his sick mother at home! Play fair!

 

Game money

On Tuesday night group leaders will distribute the game money. There will be silver and copper coins. One silver is worth 10 coppers. The amount you get depends on your rank, sex and social status and money will be distributed accordingly.

Banners are precious objects, minimum value: 100 coppers.

 

NEW

We have some silver dirhams this game. A dirham is bigger than a common silver coin an has some arabic inscriptions.

1 silver dirham = 2 common silver coin = 20 copper coins

 

Money can be used in any way: buy a beer in the tavern, buy your food, buy whatever you want on the market. Leaders can hire foreign warriors, reward their men or bribe someone. You can sell prisoners or pay a ransom to release someone.

When you are resurrected from the dead you are only allowed to use the money you had with you when you died the day before – if this money was not taken by the one who killed you! You´re not allowed to tell about treasures hidden before your death.

 

Price list (about):

1 copper for a beer in the tavern

1 copper for two eggs

2 coppers for a cabbage

10 coppers for 1kg salt

20-50 coppers for a sword

25-50 coppers compensation for a killed commoner

50-100 coppers compensation for a killed nobleman/-woman

150 coppers minimum for a modest farm

 

NEW

Theft and Plundering

You can of course steal game money. Food and water can be stolen as well this game.

It´s NOT prohibited to steal any kind of gear. But it´s NOT allowed to use stolen gear. Weapons and gear have to be treated with great care!

But respect modern private property. Damaging chests or gear disqualifies from the game.

 

Example:

If you steal a weapon, put it at a save place. Best would be your house or tent. Don´t dig it to the ground or put it behind a bush. Don’t use it in a fight.

But if you steal a blanked you can of course use it at night. But don´t leave it in a puddle.

 

Fire

Fires can only be lit in the camps. No smoking in the woods – fire hazard. Store some water close to any fire!

 

Role playing

You are welcome to roleplay as much as you like. If you make up background histories and characters, stick to the parameters given by the scenario and the period. Try not to act like a modern person, consider your rank and social status. Your character´s attitude and behaviour is determined by duty towards his lord, his family and his religion.

Remember, this is not the twenty-first century. The gods do exist. Even if you are christian, then they are just devils, but still with very real powers. And if you are pagan, it does not mean that White Christ are powerless. All gods, christian or pagan, are dangerous. Priests, christian or pagan, have contact with these powers, and it is dangerous to kill such a man. A witch or sorcerer are likewise dangerous characters, not to be trifled with. On the other hand, if payed or treated well, they might be able to do you un-expected favors.

Consider that christians and pagans alike believed in magic and all kinds of spirits. Just because you are not a christian doesn´t mean you kick over a coffin with relics – you would probably be afraid of the unknown kind of magic it could contain. Also consider that unlike today theft was a capital crime! On the other hand, things like hospitality were self-evident. Please use your characters-names given in the group lists. When you die you lose all the knowledge and the status of your former character. You are free to make up a second character, if you stick to the parameters of the scenario and the period, or speak to the game-masters.

 

Special missions

If you have a special mission it´s essential to only use your roleplay names. Don´t change them, even if you don´t like them! Most missions are somehow interconnected, so you have to stick to them. Keep your mission a secret to the other players if not stated otherwise in the mission itself. I advise you to not even tell that you have a special mission because it´s likely that no one will trust you then. If you die, that´s it, end of mission!

 

The annual market-day

 

 

Latrines

We will need latrines. Your group has to dig them yourself, don´t shit behind any bush. You don´t want to collect scattered pieces of used toilet paper after the game!

 

Emergency

Each group has to provide at least one First Aid Kit and you should be familiar with how to use it. If you have a mobile phone, bring it with you. Make sure you were told the way to the local hospital in the briefing! Lists with emergency phone numbers will be distributed on arrival.

When you have to do an emergency call, always tell:

¡       where did it happen

¡       what happened

¡       how many people were injured

¡       what kind of injuries

¡       wait for further questions

 

Taking part in the game is all at your own risk. We cannot cover any losses, medical costs or any other costs deriving from any accidents or careless behaviour. We count on your care and responsibility concerning fights and fire. If people lose their temper take your time to calm them down.

 

Cigarettes and modern equipment

If you hide your fags in the palm of your hand, smoking will be tolerated at the camp fires. Filters and stubs have to be cast into the camp fire, not on the ground! Because of fire risk and pollution absolutely no smoking in the woods...besides, an enemy would smell you from a hundred metres away.

If you cannot avoid food packaging and those modern items pussy vikings can´t do without: hide them, collect all garbage and cover it. Each camp should at least look authentic anytime, same counts for the banquet! Don´t hesitate to tell people if they are ruining the atmosphere! Hidden cameras and coffee are tolerable.

 

Time travelling

Buy whatever you need before the game. Using cars (except for emergency cases) or shopping disqualifies for the remainder of the game.

 

...and finally:

Although we put a lot of thought into the rules, they´re far from being perfect. However, we won´t discuss them!

This is about having fun! If you are unhappy about the way you are being treated, do something! Challenge to a duel. Steal something. Run away. Complain. Play your character like you think he or she would react. Control your ego, play fair and safely.

 

Contact address:

Henry Skodell

Bucher Str. 18

97453 Waldsachsen

Germany

thegame@reenactment.de

 

Correction:

There is an error in the “what you should know about Slavs” - document. King of Denmark is Sven Forkbeard, not Knut (Canute) the Great.

Error in some invitation-emails: Game takes place 5th to 7th of may. So I want to welcome you tuesday the 4th, not the 6th!

 

Everyday life in Radegard