ArchersVsZombies

Larp archery is an interesting skill, but one which it's quite hard to actually train effectively. Static target shooting is the common competition, but that doesn't really teach the useful skills, which are things like "using a bow quickly under pressure", "shooting large moving targets while running and at close range", and "combat awareness".

This game was invented mostly by Joey, and developed by the rest of the people at the weapons practice on the 5th of June. It's a fairly simple premise, but can be a bit boring for the zombies in a protracted game, so some ways to help keep the pressure up are also suggested.

Archers vs Zombies

There are two sides. One side is a pair of archers, the other is a small mob of the restless dead.

Archers

Archers have two global hits each. They call IMPALE by bow, and have six arrows. They also have a knife, which cannot be used to do damage, but can be used to permanently destroy a downed zombie by means of a ten second execute count. Archers can pick up fired arrows from the floor when they become 'live' again (see the zombies section). If an archer dies, they spend two minutes out of play before reappearing.

Zombies

Zombies have an irrelevant number of global hits. They call SINGLE by blow, and will regenerate all their hits if they spend 15s without taking damage. Note that the execute count doesn't damage the zombie. When a zombie is shot, the arrow sticks in them for a while - until that zombie either gets up again, or is executed, the arrow is 'dead' and can't be picked up. Zombies should move and fight at half speed, and generally move directly towards an archer.

I don't think we played with those rules for arrows, did we? It was kind of hard to keep track of arrows generally anyway, so I was just picking them up wen I could see any -Jim

We didn't, no. This was a tweak I've recklessly introduced because I think it'll improve how the game flows a bit. It prevents keeping zombies down endlessly by shooting an arrow into them, picking it up, and reshooting, but doesn't make much of a difference to the general arrow accessibility - I'd envision implementing it by having zombies hold the arrow which hit them while down, and leave it on the floor if they get back up or ping out. --Tea

Gameplay

The game starts at some point. The zombies then try and kill the archers, who run around like mad things and attempt to instead kill the zombies. The game ends when there are no zombies left or when there are no archers left. At this point, you can change around the teams of zombies and archers. Given the amount of close-range slightly panicked shooting, it is advisable for all participants to wear leather torso armour.

Modifications

The version of the game presented here can take a bit long to play out, and be fairly boring in some of the intervening stages. The best way to make it shorter and snappier while still keeping the pressure on is to introduce a time limit - five minutes or so is fairly decent.

To make it a touch easier, you can extend the regen time slightly, to about 20 seconds. Also helpful would be shortening the execute time to 5.

Or stating that an execute count blocks regen. So that if you start executing a zombie, you will always kill it unless the other ones force you away from it. --Jim

If you're looking to keep the pressure up, would giving the zombies infinite respawns and either take away the archers' or put them on a timer, and make the game "how many kills can you get before you die/run out of time" work? --Jacob

Possibly, although the game from the archer's perspective is largely manuvering the zombie horde in such a way that one/two zombies are ten seconds away from the others. Taking away the archer respawns I thoughly approve of. -Corin

I disagree. The one-archer version is excellent running practice, but less interesting for shooting practice --Tea