Capture The Flag Rules
No Dice Standard CTF
The Gist of It
Sides
The playing field or "Arena" is divided into 2 Sides.
Depending on the specifics or hazards of the Arena, there may be multiple Neutral Zones that do not belong to either Side.
Teams
Players are divided into two Teams & each Team gets a Side.
If the other Team roams into your Side, you can Tag them, and they can Tag you if you go into their Side.
Jail
Each Side has a Jail, and getting tagged sends you the other Team's Jail until a Jailbreak.
When you get Jailbroken, you must go directly to your Side before rejoining the Game.
Flags
Each Side has a Flag which they take a blood oath to protect with their lives.
If your Team carries the other Side's Flag into your Side, you have Captured the Flag!
The Rundown
The Game begins at the Hard Start, and either (a) ends in a win whenever a Flag is captured or (b) ends in a draw if no Flag has been captured when the Hard Cap is reached.
At the beginning of the Game, you must start fully on your Team's Side.
Once the Game begins, there are only 8 legal interactions you will do until the game ends: (1) Tag Attackers on your Side, (2) get Tagged by a Defender on their Side, (3) go to Jail, (4) get Jailbroken, (5) Jailbreak your teammates, (5) carry the other Team's Flag, (6) hand off the other Team's Flag to another Attacker, (7) drop the other Team's Flag, or (8) return your Flag to the Flag Zone.
If you carry the other Team's Flag into your Side, you have Captured the Flag, the game is over, and your Team wins.
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Will the Flag be hidden?
No.
The Flag's location will be common knowledge from the beginning of the game, easily visible, and easily accessible.
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Can Defenders babysit the Flag?
No.
There is an area surrounding the Flag known as the Flag Zone. Defenders may only enter the Flag Zone if an Attacker is already there, if the Flag is no longer there, or if they are returning the Flag.
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Can Attackers throw the Flag?
No.
An Attacker may only do three things with the Flag: (1) carry the Flag, (2) hand the Flag to another Attacker, or (3) drop the Flag. If an Attacker is Tagged, they must immediately drop the Flag before heading to Jail.
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When does a Jailbreak occur?
Whenever an untagged Attacker touches the Jail or an Attacker already in Jail. When this happens, every Attacker currently in Jail is Jailbroken. A Jailbroken Attacker cannot capture the Flag or be tagged until they make it back to their Side.
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Are there any timed Jailbreaks?
No.
In our standard Game the only times that matter are the Hard Start (the time when the Game begins) and the Hard Cap (the time when the Game will end in a draw if neither side has Captured the Flag yet).
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What can people do while in Jail?
Nothing, really. Hangout. Swap stories. Make a daisy-chain.
An Attacker who's been tagged must be touching a part of the Jail until they are Jailbroken. Any Attacker who is touching part of the Jail is considered part of the Jail. In this way, a group of Attackers can extend the boundaries of the Jail by holding hands or otherwise staying in physical contact with each other, provided at least one of them is touching the Jail. We call this a "daisy-chain."
The 4 Fundamental Areas
Sides
Each Team has a Side.
When you are on your Side you are a Defender and cannot be Tagged.
When you are on the other Team's side you are an Attacker and can be Tagged.
Jails
Each Side has a Jail.
The Jail will be a space large enough that every member of the opposite Team could comfortably stand in it if they were all Tagged at the same time.
Whenever you are Tagged, you must go directly to Jail.
No one needs to escort you, and you may not dilly dally. Lift one arm in the air to signal that you have been Tagged, then walk, jog, or run directly to Jail.
Neutral Zones
Sometimes potentially hazardous environmental features such as bodies of water, active roads, bridges, buildings, doorways, etc. find themselves in the middle of the Arena.
When any part of your body is in or touching a Neutral Zone, you cannot be Tagged.
If you are partially on your Side and partially on the other Team's Side, it counts as though you are in a Neutral Zone.
Out of Bounds
Each Player should know what areas are Out of Bounds.
Any player who goes Out of Bounds, whether on purpose or on accident, should go directly to the other Team's Jail.
Setup Checklist
- Sides
- Jails
- Neutral Zones
- Out of Bounds
- Flag Zones
- Flags
- Teams
- Rules
- Hard Start
- Hard Cap
