Nerf war

A Nerf war is a competitive sport/ activity involving Nerf Blasters or other foam-firing toy weapons. The term covers a wide range of games and gatherings, from informal shootouts in offices and basements to well-organized outdoor battles with high-powered modified blasters. Since foam blasters are relatively safe and cheap, Nerf wars can include participants and battlefields otherwise unsuitable for airsoft and paintball.

Venues

Nerf wars can take place anywhere. Any area with a good balance of open space and cover can be a candidate. Basements, offices, and backyards are common locations for informal games. For larger wars with more participants, bigger venues like gymnasiums, public parks, forests, ravines, and schools make good battlefields. Also, a Church may be turned into a giant battlefield by flipping tables onto their sides. When planning a Nerf war in a public area, the organizer typically reserves the space and watches out for non-participants to reduce any liability. The ability to play in free locations is an important element of a Nerf war's accessibility.

Organization

Informal wars are usually ad-hoc games played in an office or backyard. These are usually all-out free-for-alls that break out spontaneously and last until the supply of darts has run out. Informal wars in a workplace are a cheap and exciting relief from daily tedium, and an interesting method to build camaraderie.

Organized wars are usually more intense, larger in scale, and well-publicized. Typically planned in advance by a group of friends, a Nerf club, or the Nerf Internet Community, these battles are held in large public areas, attract Nerf hobbyists, and usually have standardized rules. Because the games are more competitive and the battlefield larger, blasters are usually modified for increased range.

Internet Community NERF Wars

Many wars across the United States are organized and promoted through the forums of enthusiast sites like OzNerf, NerfRevolution, Nerfhaven, NerfHQ, Foam Universe, and Heart of Nerf. The members of these forums are collectively known as the Nerf Internet Community, or NIC.    The NIC holds large annual wars on both the East Coast and West Coast of the United States and certain locations even have bi-annual or monthly wars. All around Australia there are wars as well, and a yearly event called Reign Of Foam. Some colleges and youth groups have active clubs and associations that host Nerf Wars regularly.

Rules of participation are set by the war's hosts to create a safer and more balanced game. Over time, the NIC has centered on a widely accepted set of standard rules, regulations, and game types. Australian wars are often held under the "Foam Fortress" rule set, based around the popular FPS Team Fortress 2.

Internet videos

"Nerf war" also refers to a type of video made that features any sort of Nerf battle/gun. It is very popular on YouTube, as anyone with a camera and a Nerf gun can produce one.

Common Game Types

Tank

Teams: One or Two People playing the tanks versus everyone else. 

Objective: Either annihilate the tank or the Tank eliminated all opposition. 

Overview: Simple, you have one or two player (depending on amount of people) play as the "Tank," these players are granted a much larger amount of Life Points in comparison to the rest of the players. The Tank is also traditionally known to carry either multiple weapons, the most powerful weapon in the game or even a combination of the former (hence the name Tank.) The objective is to either bring the Tank's life points down to zero, or for the Tank to eliminate the rest of the players. A Common Split in life points would be twenty lives to the Tank and three for each regular individual/soldier.

Tactical

Teams: Two teams of around the same amount of people, preferably around seven.

Objective: Either annihilation or the capture of the enemy base.

Overview: Two teams start out either from a base and a landing zone or two bases. The first team to capture the enemy base or annihilate the enemy wins. The difference from most styles of games is that this is intended to be a simulation of war, so if you are shot in the arm, that arm becomes useless. Head and torso shots are kills, although a lower torso shot is a timed (10 sec.) kill. Sometimes there is a medic, who is lightly armed but can heal players' injured appendages and resurrect players who have died from stomach shots within 30 seconds.

Team Elimination

Teams:Two teams (can also be played with more) 2 or more players a team, (2 teams recommended)

Objective:Eliminate the opposing team or teams with 1 player left from a single last standing team, Much like team Death match but you don't respawn

Hits taken:3 Health points, the head is 3, torso 2, legs and arms are 1, Once you reach up to 3 Health points you are out from the game until the round is ended. There are many combinations on how you can die: 3 leg hits, 1 torso and 1 arm, but the head is an instant kill. You can make the game more interesting for example when an arm is hit by a dart, you can render it useless, or wounded, or make 2 Health points, and 1 if your willing to. You can also use 5 if you want a long and easy round, etc. customize the Health the way you want it.

Overview: A Battlefield is chosen and the team or teams must fight until there is one player left on a single team to win. If you are playing a small field, or a field with a lot of obstructions, you can add a Health point to make it easier. Leave it if you want an intense game play

Team Death match

Teams: Two or more.

Objective: A team must reach a winning kill amount first to emerge victorious.

Hits taken: Much like "team elimination" you can customize your Health points, 3 to the head, 2 torso, and 1 for arms and legs, once you reach a Health point amount you get killed and the other team gets the kill point.

Overview: The field is set, and two or more teams face each other to see who is the deadliest. The game is usually played in a medium sized battlefield with an average amount or cover to fight with. This mode is best played in the dark.

Recommendations:  -Guns: The new Rayven CS-18, Firefly REV-8, Nitefinder EX-3, Recon CS-6.                         -Tips: When the round starts stay with your teammates and take cover as quick as possible, then fire                your way towards them. miss fires are okay since it is only meant to make them stay behind cover, or suppressing them so they don't move. Once you've reached them aim for a head shot.

Hostage

Teams: Two, one team out numbering them 2/3, 10 to 15 people etc.

Hits Taken: Can be 3, but is customizable like team death match and team elimination

Objective: The outnumbered team has a hostage to rescue in the larger team's base. You don't have to eliminate all of the enemy. The hostage can escape but they can only move with their hips and take items with their elbow, only one hand is free. This is to simulate being tied up, or you can really tie them up. As long as the hostage is alive and at his base the smaller team wins. If the larger team kills all of the smaller team that is a win for them

Overview: This is a strategic, and tactical mode in which you have to ensure the hostage's safety.

Recommendations: Guns: Vulcan EBF-25, Stampede ECS-18, Raider CS-35, Alpha Trooper CS-18, Recon CS-6, Barricade RV-10, And Longshot CS-6                         Tips: Have either a Vulcan or Stampede at the main entrance at the larger team's base once members come to rescue the hostage entering that door shoot freely and you will eliminate enough to have you ensure an easier win. This tactic can be used in any mode where a main entrance door is used a lot. or Where the enemy team come through. Another for the smaller team is to have a someone with a raider distract the other larger team while a Longshot sniper far in the background tries to hit enemy targets.

Total War

Teams: Free-for-All or as many teams as you like.

Objective: Shoot and fire freely you can do whatever you like.

Hits taken: There are none you shoot freely until you stop.

Overview: This is a crazy massive carnage where teams our yourself fight freely battlefields can vary this mode can also be known as "all out war" (not recommended, but fun) you can lose lots of darts doing this mode.

Eliminator

Teams: Free-for-all. (Can also be played with two teams)

Objective: Eliminate every player. (or the other team if required)

Hits taken: Two hits per player on both types.

Overview: A battlefield is chosen, usually with many obstructions.  Then, the players must tag each other out using only the Nerf guns.  The game continues until only one person is not tagged out.  If teams are used, the winning team must shoot each other out until only one is left standing.

Assassin

Teams: Three people in total, two people and one assassin.

Objective: Assassinate the other players to not be the next assassin.

Overview: The assassin hides and waits for the two other people from the other team. If a teammate from the non-assassin team gets tagged that teammate is out until the next round. If the assassin tags both of the people, the first one hit is the new assassin. A new round starts.

Gunslinger Heaven

Teams: Two or more

Objective: Eliminate all opponents.

Overview: Gunslinger Heaven is a distant relative of elimination that encourages strategy and daring moves. The game is played with two-man teams, and each player is limited to a single spring pistol. When a player is hit, they remove themselves from the game for 15 seconds and don a flag. When a player wearing a flag is hit, they're permanently eliminated from the game. If a player wearing a flag eliminates another player wearing a flag, the shooter may remove his flag and regain the extra 'life'. 

Gunslinger Heaven is best played in a small area with little cover, to prevent standoffs and keep teams from hiding. It creates very short and exciting matches, and is a common game at Nerf Internet Community wars.

Capture the Flag

Teams: Two or more

Objective: Retrieve the opponent's flag and bring it back to the home base.

Overview: This game is generally played with two teams. Capture the Flag games typically don't include permanent elimination, which moves the emphasis from the players to the flags. CTF is uncommon, as rounds tend to be longer than death matches and require more running. Multiple CTF variants are played.

Capture the Flag: Each team has its own flag. A team wins by retrieving the opponent's flag and returning it to their own base. Often, a team must have their own flag in their base to win the round.

Center Flag Push: A single flag is placed in the center of the battlefield. A team wins by retrieving the flag and putting it in the opponent's base.

Center Flag Pull: A single flag is placed in the center of the battlefield. A team wins by retrieving the flag and putting it in their own base. These games often turn into footraces when quick players can outrun the opposing team and simply snatch the flag.

Venue selection is very important for a fair and fun CTF game. A good field is symmetrical and offers many routes to the flag, for balance and variety. In addition, plenty of cover should be available around the bases to allow each team to effectively defend their territory. Because this game involves plenty of running, the venue should be fairly small. A small venue makes for fun, fast-paced games.

VIP

Teams: Two

Objective: Defend or tag the VIP as he moves to a base.

Overview: The game involves one VIP who attempts to move from a start point to a distant base. Two teams fight over him: The bodyguards who defend the VIP and the assassins who attempt to take him out. The bodyguards are generally loaded with better firepower, but are almost always outnumbered by the assassins. The VIP himself is generally very lightly armed, or not armed at all. The VIP is always killed with a single shot, and the others usually follow 3-15 elimination rules.

For an interesting reversal of the game, the bodyguards may be required to "rescue" the VIP before taking him to safety.

Infiltration (Procurement)

Teams: Two

Lives: 1, Once you're tagged, you're out until another game or round.

Objective: Infiltrate the area you play in to get the item (or data) you need, as of a Nerf gun (From YouTube CACox97's "Nerf Procurement" Video) or information of anything on a SD Card, anything able to store data and be put in a computer and/or laptop.

Overview: The game Infiltration (Similar to Procurement) is set where two teams (soldiers, terrorists) must defend (Terrorist) or capture (Soldier) a certain item, as in a certain gun (as of YouTube CACox97's "Nerf Procurement" video) or a card fill with information or anything you can think of. Infiltration can be played by soldiers being outside the base (about 40 feet away) while the terrorist protect the base. Houses are commonly used for bases. There can be about 15 players in Infiltration. But there must be more terrorists (About 3-4 (1 commander) soldiers vs. 10-11 (about 5 outside guards)(3 terrorists guarding the target) Terrorists) then soldiers. Soldiers are 40 feet away from the house, they move to the house but must take out the terrorists outside. They move into the house and take out all the other terrorist. Guns need to be stored around areas as in tables in where you enter, or guns from the people you took out. The Game Ends when all the terrorists are dead (out) and the item is captured or if all the soldiers are dead (out).

DTA Strategy Match

Teams: Two large squads, occasionally played free for all

Objective: It can have the same objectives as Elimination, Capture the Flag, VIP, Assault, or Humans vs. Zombies

Overview: DTA strategy matches are larger matches organized by a Dart Tag Association. It can have varying objectives, but there are strict rules. Players will be down but not out if they are shot in the torso or legs. Arm shots will render that arm useless. Head shots are prohibited, and may cause penalty. Shooting a downed person will cause them to die, and temporarily leave the match. Foam sword strikes are an automatic kill. Players are encouraged to use cover when playing this type of match. "Sergeants" will lead a squad or team, and may have an identifying item of clothing. The weaponry includes Nerf guns and foam swords, along with scooters and bikes for transportation. Upgrading weapons is allowed. A popular upgrade is attaching a foam sword to a Nerf gun to make a bayonet. It is common that there will be a DTA that players will need to be part of to become a Sergeant, there are also officers, Privates, Corporals, and Militia units. Militia units have not signed up for the DTA hosting the event, but a player needs to be accompanied by another to be a Militia unit. These games tend to be highly tactical, more so than other game types.

Quick Draw

Teams: None

Objective: Shoot the opponent

Overview: Quick draw is a simple game played where two opponents stand from 7–10 feet apart. Both players stand with a single action spring pistol at their side loaded and ready to fire. A third person stands off to the side and calls down from 3. On go both players fire a set number of darts, varying on the way they prefer to play. First one to be hit with a dart is the loser of the match. These games are almost always very short and require very little strategy. They are almost completely based on reaction time, and ability to aim under quick circumstances.

Duel

Teams: 2-4 (2 players+)

Players: Only one blaster allowed per person.

Objective: Players simply eliminate their opponents. A shot in torso or head is a kill shot. Last man standing wins.

President

Teams: Two

Objective: Kill or defend the president.

Overview: This game is fairly similar to VIP. There are two teams. On one team, there is the president and his bodyguards. The president is equipped with a pistol. The bodyguards are equipped with shotguns, or any pump-action gun. All players on the other team are equipped with snipers or clip-system guns. The president hides somewhere in the playing area while the bodyguards protect him, and the snipers make their way to find the president. If a sniper kills a bodyguard, the bodyguard has to sit out the rest of the game. If a bodyguard kills a sniper, he must return to his base, count to ten, and return to play. Once all bodyguards and the president are dead, the sniper who killed the president then becomes the president, and the former president becomes a sniper. Then a new round begins. All participants can improvise on a round limit.

A good playing area for this game should be one with plenty of cover and flank routes. The playing area could also be small for fun, short rounds.

Search + Destroy

Teams: Two

Objective: Kill all of the enemy players to win or defend or destroy the Secret Bomb.

Overview: This game is fairly hard and has a lot of hide and seek strategies to defend the bomb site. You have to have a well coordinated team to pass the objective once the team is down. You can pick up the bomb from a downed enemy to keep the objective going. A good strategy is to have a heavy troop, a few light troops and a bomb carrier. the bomb carrier has a big responsibility as they have to get it to the objective. It take eight seconds to plant and defuse the bomb.

Immigrant

Teams: Two (At least 3 people on a team)

Objective: Enter Guards base/Kill the Immigrant.

Overview: This game is quite hard for the immigrant players as this game is about stealth and speed. The players are split into two teams. One player is chosen to be the immigrant, (however, depending on the number of players there can be 2 or 3 immigrants). Everyone else is a guard (Guards must outnumber immigrants). The guards set up a base and then patrol the surrounding area, heavily armed. The immigrant/s ( who may be lightly armed or have no weapons at all) set up a base at the other end of the area. The immigrants must then try to enter the guards base without being seen or shot. Guards must patrol around the area and cannot guard the base itself. Head and torso shots kill both immigrants and guards (dependent on if immigrants have guns). Shots to any other parts of the body render them useless. 

Point Control (PC)

Teams: Two or more

Objective:Have 2 or more control points (like Team fortress two's control point), or flags (Much like Battlefield 3's Conquest or COD'S domination). A team must capture the point by changing the other team's flag. (can do this by removing a red jacket to a blue etc.) Eliminate(kill) the enemy team and each time you come back (respawn) to the battlefield. You must do 10 ally or 10 alligators like in football, and each time you come back to the battlefield it counts as a rp (respawn ticket)you can start with 15 if playing with 5 people, you can only spawn in the Capture points. You can customize the RP to the amount you want.

Humans vs. Zombies

Teams: nine

Objective: Survive the zombie attack the longest

Overview: Best played with 10 or more people in an open field. The group is split up into two teams, 10 soldiers and 3 zombies. The soldiers are allowed unlimited guns and ammo, while the zombies have no guns. In order for a zombie to take out a soldier, all it must do is touch. In order to survive, a soldier must evade and shoot the zombies. When a zombie is shot, it regenerates at a designated spot. Soldiers also have the option to visit a safe zone, where they may remain for five seconds. When a soldier becomes a zombie, he must immediately drop his gun and regenerate at the designated spot. Dropped guns may be used by other soldiers. The last remaining soldier is deemed the winner.

A variation of this allows zombies to only use single shot weapons, or 'chambered' (such as Nerf Maverick) weapons with a as many bulets at any one time.  When using this, zombies cannot kill survivors by touch, but must instead shoot the survivors.  Survivors have 2 hitpoints.  This makes a much faster humans verses zombies game .

Cornucopia

Teams: Free for all or Two teams.

Objective: Defeat the other team/players.

Summary: This war plays like Tactical, except for one aspect - each player can only have one pistol. All other weapons are piled in the center of the playing field, and are up for grabs.

Flashpoint

Teams: Two

Objective: Arrest the opposite team and avoid being arrested.

Stand still

Teams: Free-for-all

Lives: A shot anywhere is a kill.

Objective: The player must score the most kills before they are shot or they run out of ammunition.

Overview: Players must pick a spot, whether it's out in the open or behind something. All players must have about the same amount of ammunition. Players are not allowed to leave their location. Their feet must stay in the same place, but, players are allowed to duck or stand up. A player scores a point by shooting down an opponent. When a player is shot or they run out of ammo, they are considered dead. If there is a tie, those two or more players must duke it out again. If everyone runs out of darts, and no one scored any kills, the game is considered a tie and the game starts again. If one players moves from their location, they are out.

Additional rules

Instead of using hitpoints to determine whether a player is out or not, use the following rule:

"If a player has been shot twice within five seconds, the player is out.". 

This rule is designed to stop players from hiding behind cover for most of the game, scared of one shot kills.  It also stops players from forgetting or lying about how many hit points they have left.  This works extremely well.

A variation to this rule is both shots have to come from the same player.

Further sources

• Sock It to Me: Competitive Knitters Get Deadly Serious; Based on 'Assassin' Game, This Contest Has Players On Pins and Needles. Kevin J. Delaney. Wall Street Journal. (Eastern edition). New York, N.Y.: Dec 17, 2007. pg. A.1
• Claussen, Nick (2006-10-29). "The war of the zombies vs. humans rages in Athens". Ohio: The Athens News. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
• ALL WORK AND SOME PLAY BRINGING JOY TO THE OFFICE; [FINAL Edition] RODD AUBREY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Seattle Post - Intelligencer. Seattle, Wash.: Jul 7, 1998. pg. C.2
• Title:Nerf Guns Strike a Nerve on Campuses. (cover story) Authors:Young, Jeffrey R. Source:Chronicle of Higher Education; 4/25/2008, Vol. 54 Issue 33, pA1-A8, 2p
• McLaughlin, Sheila (2004-05-06). "Teens' Nerf guns raise ruckus". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
• Epstein, Laura (2009-08-11). "Nerf War!". The Blue Banner. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
• Wendt, Megan (2010-05-07). "Freshmen unwind with Nerf wars". The Augustana Mirror. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
• Kanki, Jamie (2003-06-06). "The power of nerf Shoot, score and generally enjoy mayhem in organized war". The Kansas City Star. p. E3. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
• Columbia County Bureau (2005-12-13). "Nerf war is, like, heck". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
• Wolfson, Bernard J (1999-08-15). "Don't mind that Nerf dart in your eye; it's younger workers playing on the job". Reading Eagle. p. C4. Retrieved 2010-06-06.

See also

• The Great Office War - A viral video of a Nerf war.