To Stay in the Game
All competitors must maintain a 3 club juggling pattern. A competitor can have more than one club in the air at one time, but one is the minimum. Zombie Combat has several exceptions.
When You’re Out
A competitor is out when they either collect all three clubs (stop juggling), when one of their clubs hits the floor, or when one or more of their clubs is stolen by another competitor and they are unable to resume a 3 club juggling pattern. Exceptions to this rule are in Zombie and 360s combat.
Stealing
Competitors may steal other competitors clubs and abandon their own, provided they take control of their opponent’s club before their own hits the ground or is caught by another competitor. You may only steal clubs that are airborne and not in the hands of your opponent. If two players grab the same club at the same time, a struggle for the club may ensue and in that case both competitors may wrestle for the club provided they maintain control over two additional clubs in a one handed juggling pattern. The competitor who loses grip of the club being fought for instantly loses or whoever drops first must immediately and without sabotage, release the club being fought for.
Fouls
A foul occurs when a competitor hits another competitor with either their club or any part of their body. The competitor who fouled will have their team penalized by a 1 point deduction. Referees may opt not to call fouls if the contact is light and not debilitating. If more than one person on the same team calls a foul and the refs did not see it, the replay camera will be put to use to determine if a foul was committed and if it a foul is found, a penalty will be implemented. If a foul is not found and the same team calls two fouls in a row without any apparent foul taking place, that team will be penalized for wasting everyone’s time. That penalty will be determined by the head ref and his current mood. An exception to this rule is in Sumo Combat, where use of the body to push an opponent out of the sumo circle is encouraged.
Indiscriminate Attacks
If you attempt an uncontrolled attack (such as striking with your clubs without looking or using excessive force) you may be penalized by either being reduced in rank, taken out of the current round, taken out of the current game, or taken out of the tournament. Your fate will be determined by the results of your indiscriminate actions.
Strikes
Most strikes should be executed with clubs and against opponent’s clubs. If a competitor manages to throw two or all three of his clubs in the air, freeing his hands, he may use his hands to grab, slap, or punch other competitor’s clubs to the ground. He may also grab one or two clubs and then only have to catch one of his own original clubs. However he must be in control of three clubs before any one of his original clubs either hits the ground or is stolen by another competitor. For example, if he manages to steal one club while all three of his original clubs are still in the air, he may let his first original club hit the ground but must then catch his remaining two or steal another club before his second original club hits the ground. Same applies toward his third original club.
Throwing Clubs
No throwing clubs as attacks are allowed.
Suicide Bombers
If it is clear that your intention was to take out yourself and the other competitor, you or your team will be deducted one point.
Not Allowed
Kicking, tripping, spitting, head butting, puking, or any body contact other than arm to arm. Back to back, or arm to back contact is allowed in Sumo Combat.
GAMEPLAY
AGGREGATED FIVE ON FIVE
Each team chooses three players to start a three on three round of combat. When a team takes down a player from the opposing team, their fourth player may enter the game. When they take down another player, their fifth player may enter the game. Teams cycle through their roster of players in the order they were eliminated when a takedown allows reentry of another player. The most players allowed in the combat arena at one time is six. The team with the most wins after the gameplay time period expires wins Aggregated Five on Five.
ZOMBIE COMBAT
Zombie Combat starts off as a five-on-five team combat game. If you drop (either from an attack or unforced error), and you maintain control over two clubs, you become a zombie. A zombie cannot move but can use the clubs in his hands to attack nearby active players. A zombie can become an active player again if one of his teammates throws him a club and the zombie resumes control over three clubs. The team member who threw him the club will then become a zombie (since he will only be left with two clubs) once the club he passed is either caught or hits the floor. Up until that point, he may continue to move and attack. If you drop (either from an attack or unforced error) and only maintain control over one club, you become a paralyzed zombie. A paralyzed zombie cannot move or attack. A paralyzed zombie can be turned into a zombie if one of his teammates throws him one club. When that happens, he will be upgraded to zombie status. If a paralyzed zombie receives two clubs from one of his active team members, he will become an active player again. If player drops (either from an attack or unforced error) and loses control of all three clubs, they become a decapitated zombie. A decapitated zombie must pick up his clubs and leave the playing area. A team loses when all of his team members are reduced to paralyzed zombies or decapitated zombies.
If a player stops juggling by collecting all three clubs, they must drop one club and become a zombie. For a zombie to become a re-activated player, they must receive a third club from a teammate or intercept a club from the opposing team. In either case, the zombie must make a throw of one of his own clubs first, and then catch the incoming throw as a pass integrated within their juggling pattern. They may not catch the club in a static position (non-juggling).
A zombie may use both of his clubs to either reactivate one or two players if he throws both clubs at the same time. You may not throw them one at a time because as soon as you surrender one club, you become a paralyzed zombie and paralyzed zombies cannot throw clubs.
Once a team has no activate players, they will be given a 10 second countdown to redistribute their clubs to activate a player. If they do not re-activate a player by the end of the countdown, they will forfeit the round.
If a whistle is blown during a game, all movement must stop but all juggling must continue. A whistle may be blown in the event of a foul and any advantages gained from that foul must be corrected before the match may resume. All activate players must continue juggling during this time to avoid any confusion as to who was juggling before the whistle was blown but until the game resumes, players may not change their position. If a player drops a club during a whistle freeze, they may pick it up and resume juggling.
Body Rolls (A.K.A. The 1080 defense) are allowed and considered part of an active juggling pattern provided the club never stops moving.
The team with the most wins after a ten-minute time period wins Zombie Combat.
ZOMBIE PENALTIES
If you move your feet AT ALL as a zombie or paralyzed zombie, you will be told to drop one club and assume the role of a lower level zombie. This will mean that you will either become a paralyzed zombie or a decapitated zombie. Most common foot movement occurrences happen when zombies are trying to turn to face behind them, when attempting to catch clubs thrown to them that are either thrown short, when trying a two club Zombie attack, or just to give them better balance when catching. In either case or any others, foot movements will not only invalidate any action you took after you moved your feet, but you will also be deducted one club. When losing your first club, if you are in motion at the time of the drop the refs will allow only as much movement as is deemed necessary to come to a complete stop so long as you do not change the direction you are facing or moving.
BREACH
Two, five-member teams alternate offensive and defensive positions. The team on offence must choose one team member to be the runner. The runner’s objective is to make it from their side of the field to the opposite breach zone while juggling three clubs. The runner will juggle solid red clubs. The defending team must take out the juggling pattern of the runner before he/she makes it into the breach zone. For a breach to be valid, any objects that were still in the air upon entering the end zone must be caught. Juggling does not have to resume, but nothing can be dropped.
Breach is played in one ten-minute round. A team maintains offense until they are prevented from making a breach or when they successfully enter the breach zone. Then the opposing team switches from defense to offense. The team with the most breaches at the end of the ten-minute game wins.
SUMO COMBAT
SUMO Combat is a one-on-one rotating team member format where the competitors must each keep at least one foot inside a 12 ft diameter circle. Competitors may use all acceptable attack methods plus they may also use their bodies to push the opponent out of the circle. A competitor wins one point for their team when he either destroys the pattern of his opponent or knocks him out of the circle. Teams will rotate in as their team members lose. Competitors who win will continue to play until they are beaten and then move to the back of their team line.
Each player must start with both feet touching the section of the sumo circle farthest from the opposing team’s side. There will be two blows of the whistle. The first to signal the players to get into position and start juggling, and the second to signal it’s acceptable to attack.
After a player is taken down, the surviving player must continue to juggle for at least 6 more catches to score the win. If they drop before six catches are achieved, the round will be rendered as a double-out. If a player stops juggling by collecting all three clubs, they are out.
If time runs out while two players are engaged in combat, they may continue to play until there is a winner or a double out.
The team with the most wins after a five-minute time period wins Sumo Combat.
360s COMBAT
360s Combat is a one-on-one competition with a one-minute time limit. During the one-minute round, each competitor may choose to either attempt a three up 360, or to attack their opponent. The goal is to end the round having completed more 360s than the other team member. Multiple spins under all three clubs will count as one 360 per spin provided the clubs are caught after the final 360. Each win will add one point to the team’s overall score.
Teams must choose their players and their order before knowing what players and player order the opposing team has chosen. The names and the order must be written down and handed to the head ref.
If 360s Combat ends in a tie, one final 30 second sudden death round will be in effect and each team may choose any player from their team for this round.
Players may only use the clubs the round started with. Either their own 3 clubs, or their opponent’s three clubs if they can manage to steal them. Clubs may only be stolen when airborne and not picked up off the ground or yanked out of their opponent’s hands. Players must resume juggling as soon as they retrieve their three clubs after a drop/attack. Players may not hold onto their three clubs and wait to see what their opponent is going to do or the ref will deduct points for each second of inactivity. If the player currently has no points, they will accrue negative score equity. Three throws of the pattern must be executed before another attack may be initiated.
REF DUTIES
To sure there are no babies or young children in the front rows. Make sure everyone in the front is aware of the risks. Make sure players are aware of the audience and to keep their safety in mind when playing. Effective strikes do NOT need to send the clubs into orbit. Refs make sure the gameplay is in accordance to the rules and penalize infractions of those rules and fouls. Refs may not catch all fouls and rule infractions however if more than one person on the same team calls a foul, the replay camera will be put to use to determine if a foul was committed and if it a foul is found, a penalty will be implemented. If a foul is not found and the same team calls two fouls in a row without any apparent foul taking place, that team will be penalized for wasting everyone’s time. That penalty will be determined by the head ref and his current mood