Post by danarchy on Sept 16, 2012 14:46:55 GMT -5
Before I start on this topic, I want to be clear that this is not a criticism of any particular field or game organizer. Many. if not most, of us have or play on a particular local field and overtime the "locals" develop their own rules that work best on their own fields. Others may find such rules strange, unsafe or impractical; however, I subscribe strongly to the belief that field owners and event operators set the rules and you either live with them or go elsewhere. For example, on my private field, you do what I say or you're gone. Generally, these rules can be easily communicated to the new player and everyone understands, but as I got to larger ops that draw in players from a more diverse geographic area, problems arise because each players brings his concept of the "bang rule/safety kill" to the AO.
By and large, most fields in the North Texas area don't strictly adhere to the "bang rule" which allows a person to call out another player within a specified minimum engagement distance; however, as I travel to other fields, it appears that many have adopted some variation of this rule or, more accurately, a variation as to how it relates to the minimum engagement distances (MED). Troublingly, most pre-game briefings just say use/don’t use "the bang rule" without discussing which bang rule and its relation to MED. Again, that can lead to problems with players from different regions. I've looked around at other forums and, other than some ranting that reflect the general confusion abut this rule and MEDs, can't really see much intelligent discussion on the topic.
For example, my son ran into this at Rebel Yell. Another player called a saftey kill on him using an AEG from 10 feet away; Cormac pulled his pistol and shot him, at which time the older player attempted to lecture him on the bang rule, because that player had been to RDGX and Broken Home, but before Cormac could tell this player that Cormac had been at both those ops and the other player should have been paying attention during the safety briefing (AMS has transitioned from what I call the Harry Potter rule to the Reasonable Operator rule), a third player came around the corner and safety killed Cormac with a pistol. Oddly enough, I saw upon returning home, that at Risk V a similar dispute over the bang rule had occured with someone that didn't understand the field rule.
Therefore, I wanted to set out what I see as the main versions of the "bang rule" and get some discussion and feedback from others to see if a coherent understanding of what the "bang rule" is, so organizers can better explain the particular variety of the rule being used at a particular field.
My bias will be evident from the titles given to each variety of the rule:
The Upmost Safety Rule (USR): Under this bang rule, the field has a minimum engagement distance (MED) for all weapons, be they pistols or even knifes (e.g. 20 feet, 15 feet or 10 feet). If someone gets the drop on another player, meaning his weapon is up, aimed and sighted on target and the target player is caught flat-footed, back turned, etc., the first player says “bang” or “safety kill” and the target takes the kill. On a field with a concrete MED for all weapons this makes sense – the game doesn’t grind to a halt or have people tripping over their own feet trying to back up in order to get enough distance on a target to fire while still keeping the AEG sighted in. I’ve played this on Temple Field and plan on going to another field in a couple weeks that follows this rule. Pro: It works well, is simple for newer and younger players to understand and keeps people as safe as possible. Con: Practically limits game play to AEGs. Realistically, f you are 30 feet away from a target, you are going to use the AEG at 30 feet or get within 20 feet and say bang with the AEG, rather switch to a pistol to take the kill or crawl up and touch them with a knife if allowed. Some may make take that option, but if all the AEG holding target has to do is turn around and say “bang,” than a knife kill really, really means something at a USR field. Therefore, back to “pros”: All you have to carry is an AEG – leave the pistol and knife at home.
The Reasonable Operator Rule (ROR): This is how the game is played in North Texas (Forney Field, Denton Field, FAA, my field). Some make it mandatory to accept the safety kill, if made within a pistol’s MED or if within touching distance of a knife. Other fields say “no bang rule”, meaning it is not mandatory but permit it as a voluntary rule, wherein, if someone gets a clear shot on another player, particularly in close range, one can state “safety kill” or “bang” and most people will sensibly accept the kill. This system is characterized by different MEDs for pistols and allows knifes, so that players must carry these items with them, if they want to engage within 20 feet or even knife kill. In order to operate effectively on a field like this, a player’s load-out must include an AEG, a handgun and a knife (or all three and a support weapon, sniper or rocket launcher). You have to look like an operator to perform like one in this setting. Pros: Challenging, allowing for fluid game play at all distances, while maintaining an adequate margin for safety. Cons: Complex, especially for newer players, which can lead to squabbles on the field; you have to carry all that stuff and constantly loose pistol or rifle magazines or knifes (or even a machete)
No Rules Rule (NRR): Okay, some say there are allegedly some fields with no minimum engagement distance and no bang rule. Yes, you can ask a target to surrender or say bang, but you will probably see your target drop, roll and fire back while in motion. Pros: Easy to understand, fluid gameplay, no squabbles about rules; most milsim (why can’t I shoot someone with a rifle at pointblank range?). Cons: It hurts; if you don’t’ know where such fields are located already, you aren’t going to find that information reading this on the Internet, and, of course, I’m not endorsing such gameplay.
The Harry Potter Rule (HPR): Here is where the problems occur in large games when USR players meet ROR player on the same field. On an HPR field the rules specify varied MEDs for different weapons like an ROR fields. The problem arises when a USR player carrying an AEG with a 20 foot MED gets a drop on an ROR player with a pistol or knife within a 10 foot room. The USR player says “bang” and the ROR player turns around and shoots the USR player with a pistol or runs up and stabs him. USR player gets pissed and either fires AEG inside MED or starts yelling or doesn’t take the kill and ROR player starts yelling. Hilarity ensures; game grinds to a halt. Essentially, and my bias is clear as a ROR player, the USR player was holding an AEG with a MED that made it useless, but instead of switching to a pistol or knife like an honorable operator, magically transforms his AEG into a killer magic wand invoking death at his spoken word. Pros: Ummm, “safer,” advantages the slacker who only carries an AEG and has slow reflexes. Cons: It sucks.
Okay, you know my opinion. Tell me why am I wrong or how this could be better expressed to avoid confusion when players from different regions come together.
By and large, most fields in the North Texas area don't strictly adhere to the "bang rule" which allows a person to call out another player within a specified minimum engagement distance; however, as I travel to other fields, it appears that many have adopted some variation of this rule or, more accurately, a variation as to how it relates to the minimum engagement distances (MED). Troublingly, most pre-game briefings just say use/don’t use "the bang rule" without discussing which bang rule and its relation to MED. Again, that can lead to problems with players from different regions. I've looked around at other forums and, other than some ranting that reflect the general confusion abut this rule and MEDs, can't really see much intelligent discussion on the topic.
For example, my son ran into this at Rebel Yell. Another player called a saftey kill on him using an AEG from 10 feet away; Cormac pulled his pistol and shot him, at which time the older player attempted to lecture him on the bang rule, because that player had been to RDGX and Broken Home, but before Cormac could tell this player that Cormac had been at both those ops and the other player should have been paying attention during the safety briefing (AMS has transitioned from what I call the Harry Potter rule to the Reasonable Operator rule), a third player came around the corner and safety killed Cormac with a pistol. Oddly enough, I saw upon returning home, that at Risk V a similar dispute over the bang rule had occured with someone that didn't understand the field rule.
Therefore, I wanted to set out what I see as the main versions of the "bang rule" and get some discussion and feedback from others to see if a coherent understanding of what the "bang rule" is, so organizers can better explain the particular variety of the rule being used at a particular field.
My bias will be evident from the titles given to each variety of the rule:
The Upmost Safety Rule (USR): Under this bang rule, the field has a minimum engagement distance (MED) for all weapons, be they pistols or even knifes (e.g. 20 feet, 15 feet or 10 feet). If someone gets the drop on another player, meaning his weapon is up, aimed and sighted on target and the target player is caught flat-footed, back turned, etc., the first player says “bang” or “safety kill” and the target takes the kill. On a field with a concrete MED for all weapons this makes sense – the game doesn’t grind to a halt or have people tripping over their own feet trying to back up in order to get enough distance on a target to fire while still keeping the AEG sighted in. I’ve played this on Temple Field and plan on going to another field in a couple weeks that follows this rule. Pro: It works well, is simple for newer and younger players to understand and keeps people as safe as possible. Con: Practically limits game play to AEGs. Realistically, f you are 30 feet away from a target, you are going to use the AEG at 30 feet or get within 20 feet and say bang with the AEG, rather switch to a pistol to take the kill or crawl up and touch them with a knife if allowed. Some may make take that option, but if all the AEG holding target has to do is turn around and say “bang,” than a knife kill really, really means something at a USR field. Therefore, back to “pros”: All you have to carry is an AEG – leave the pistol and knife at home.
The Reasonable Operator Rule (ROR): This is how the game is played in North Texas (Forney Field, Denton Field, FAA, my field). Some make it mandatory to accept the safety kill, if made within a pistol’s MED or if within touching distance of a knife. Other fields say “no bang rule”, meaning it is not mandatory but permit it as a voluntary rule, wherein, if someone gets a clear shot on another player, particularly in close range, one can state “safety kill” or “bang” and most people will sensibly accept the kill. This system is characterized by different MEDs for pistols and allows knifes, so that players must carry these items with them, if they want to engage within 20 feet or even knife kill. In order to operate effectively on a field like this, a player’s load-out must include an AEG, a handgun and a knife (or all three and a support weapon, sniper or rocket launcher). You have to look like an operator to perform like one in this setting. Pros: Challenging, allowing for fluid game play at all distances, while maintaining an adequate margin for safety. Cons: Complex, especially for newer players, which can lead to squabbles on the field; you have to carry all that stuff and constantly loose pistol or rifle magazines or knifes (or even a machete)
No Rules Rule (NRR): Okay, some say there are allegedly some fields with no minimum engagement distance and no bang rule. Yes, you can ask a target to surrender or say bang, but you will probably see your target drop, roll and fire back while in motion. Pros: Easy to understand, fluid gameplay, no squabbles about rules; most milsim (why can’t I shoot someone with a rifle at pointblank range?). Cons: It hurts; if you don’t’ know where such fields are located already, you aren’t going to find that information reading this on the Internet, and, of course, I’m not endorsing such gameplay.
The Harry Potter Rule (HPR): Here is where the problems occur in large games when USR players meet ROR player on the same field. On an HPR field the rules specify varied MEDs for different weapons like an ROR fields. The problem arises when a USR player carrying an AEG with a 20 foot MED gets a drop on an ROR player with a pistol or knife within a 10 foot room. The USR player says “bang” and the ROR player turns around and shoots the USR player with a pistol or runs up and stabs him. USR player gets pissed and either fires AEG inside MED or starts yelling or doesn’t take the kill and ROR player starts yelling. Hilarity ensures; game grinds to a halt. Essentially, and my bias is clear as a ROR player, the USR player was holding an AEG with a MED that made it useless, but instead of switching to a pistol or knife like an honorable operator, magically transforms his AEG into a killer magic wand invoking death at his spoken word. Pros: Ummm, “safer,” advantages the slacker who only carries an AEG and has slow reflexes. Cons: It sucks.
Okay, you know my opinion. Tell me why am I wrong or how this could be better expressed to avoid confusion when players from different regions come together.
its the players that make field owners up the field requierments.
