Fun for Both Big Kids and Small
Safety is the most important feature of a Nerf war. Nerf battles are for friendly competition, thrilling strategy contests, and a good time. Nerf battles are not for serious injuries or trips to the hospital. Safety rules are the most important of Nerf war rules and should be followed diligently for everyone to have a good time.
- No physical contact. The first safety rule is one of the most important. There is no hitting, kicking, pushing, pulling, wrestling, or physical attacking involved in Nerf wars. The only physical contact that should be made with another player is in the form of tapping, which is used to get someone “out”, to “revive” someone, or to save them from a hostage situation.
- No intentional face shots. We get it, sometimes you accidentally hit the face and that’s okay. As long as you are not intentionally aiming right between the eyes, you can simply apologize for a face shot and move on.
- Always wear eye protection. During your Nerf war battles, it’s important to keep on protective eyewear at all times. This can protect you from those accidental face shots from the enemy team, as well as keep you from taking penalties.
- The use of melee weapons is not allowed, you may only tap. Do not strike. Most Nerf battles prohibit the use of melee weapons. However, if you do end up in a Nerf battle that involves swords and other melee products, make sure to softly tap instead of swinging when hitting an enemy.
Other safety rules include the use of modified weapons. In some games, modified blasters will be allowed. In all standard stock games, however, modified guns are not allowed. You must use the standard Nerf stock weapons only.
Recommended Combat Rules
Safety rules are entailed by combat rules, which are tied closely to the instructions of each game or match. While combat rules may differ for your team, there is a general way of doing things that makes it much easier to coordinate a battle:
- Do not leave the base until the main whistle blows. There is a warning whistle about 30 seconds before the main whistle, which can release you into the battle.
- Play honestly. If you get hit, that makes you dead or wounded. Make sure to play fair and go the “shot” zone if you do get hit.
- Other rules can be established. Before the battle begins, your team and the enemy team can discuss a custom set of rules to put in place. If you want, you can allow players to use customized Nerf weapons, melee weapons, or more. Or you can severely limit the weapon choices to make it a much more challenging battle.
- All body areas are recognised as a hit.
- Teams can be uneven. Typically, the number of people on each team is equal; however, teams can be uneven due to skill. Most Nerf battlers like to balance teams based on ability and player skill rather than just sheer numbers.
By playing fairly, everyone can have a smooth Nerf war. It’s never fun being the one to get hit, but the deaths and lives system is what helps the teams determine who wins.
Equipment Rules
- Don’t use damaged darts. Damaged darts will jam your gun. It’s best to leave a damaged dart on the ground.
- Do not throw darts. Nerf darts are made to be loaded into your gun and should be treated like actual bullets. They cannot be thrown.
- Try not to damage the darts. You should avoid stepping on, stuffing, or roughly handling darts. They damage easily.
General Rules
In general, there are a set of rules that should always be followed when establishing parameters and guidelines:
- Only Nerf guns may be used. No water guns or other toys.
- Do not throw or drop guns. Nerf guns can break easily!
- You can loot any soldier’s weapons and bullets, After the battle is over, all weapons must be returned to their owners or facility.
- No going outside of battle zones. This applies to any Nerf war game type.
By following the rules of honour, safety, combat, and equipment, you can be on your way to having a smooth and fun Nerf war course. Understanding Nerf war rules can bring you closer to figuring out which type of Nerf battle you’d like to have. Other than the safety rules and general rules, these rules can be changed or modified according to what you and your team agree on.
