Manhunt (urban game)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Manhunt refers to a number of variations on the game of tag, usually played at night and in an urban area. The goal in any version is to avoid being tagged by anyone designated as "it", or (for those already "it") to tag anyone who has not been tagged. Some variations include teams and point scoring.
As with all games of this nature, many informal variants and house-rules exist. See also Ringolevio.
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[edit] One vs many games
These games involve an individual starting with a unique designation and goal compared to all other players, who have a common goal. Players may be required to indicate their participation with a visible marker, such as a bandanna. Game play begins after one player has been designated (either as Manhunter or Hunter, see below) and remaining players are given time to run and hide. Games are usually played with time limits and boundaries.
[edit] Regressive variant
This variation is called regressive due to the potentially exponential increase of tagged players. One person -- the Manhunter -- is chosen to be "it" and everyone else -- Fugitives -- runs away and hides. When any of the fugitives are tagged, they are "brainwashed" and become additional manhunters. The goal of this game is to be caught last, to hide until everyone else gives up, or optionally to stay untagged until a predetermined end time for the game. There is no point scoring system. 1 to 3 rounds are played in a night and subsequent rounds may use different areas of play.
This version of the game has recently become popular in an urban context. Originating in Toronto [1], this specific version of the game, generally played at night in the city with armbands worn to denote participation, is now played regularly in several cities throughout Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, where it is known as Manhunt.
This game is also referred to as Shark which is especially popular on land or in water in Southeast Texas, and also in Austin, Texas.
[edit] Reverse variant
In this variant, one man -- the Hunted -- hides, and everyone else -- the Hunters -- tries to find him. Hunters are normally armed with flashlights to aid in their search. Hunters may set up squads to search certain areas, try to scare the hunted into giving up, and arrange traps before the game starts (usually without any of the hunted knowing about them). If there are multiple hunted and one is captured, the hunters may try to interrogate him.
In addition to running and hiding, hunted players may attempt to distract or draw off the attention of hunters, wear camouflage, or pretend to be on the hunting team. To win, the hunters must corner the hunted who then surrenders. If the hunted is surrounded and has no way to escape without fighting, he is caught. Games are played at night and have 1 to 3 rounds of play.
[edit] Homefree variant
This game is played with one Hunter, who must guard a designated "homefree" section of the playing field. The Hiders must get past the Hunter and tag the homefree spot before they are tagged by the Hunter. Anyone who is tagged becomes another Hunter. This Hiders usually team up and surround the Hunter to allow many to reach homefree.
This variation is especially popular in Burlington, Canada, and in Bangor, Wales.
[edit] Team games
All team variations involve one team or group tasked with hiding or running, and one tasked with tagging or capturing the former. Team games may involve keeping scores, though the rules governing how points are scored may vary. Game play begins after players have been divided into teams and given time to hide or begin running. Team games usually involve team bases.
[edit] Capture variant
The Finding team attempts to capture players from the Hiding team and bring them to their base. A player who has caught a member of the "hiding" team must take them to the base and cannot catch other players until then. Captured players cannot try to free themselves when caught or en route to the other team's base. Captured players cannot resume play until another person on their team tags the base and shouts "Manhunt". This variety of manhunt is played all over the world.
[edit] Scottish variant
The Scottish version of the game, nicknamed "Mannie", "Blue Murder" or more vulgarly "Hunt the Cunt", is played with two teams. The hiding team think of a word that has the same number of letters as players. Each person is given a letter and may be forced to reveal it when caught. If the Hunters correctly figure out the word within a time limit they win.
The Scottish version however does not rely on the "tag" format, instead the game is sometimes far more violent and the Hunters use physical force to get the letter from the caught member.
[edit] Texas variant
This version of the game is played with several teams of four or five people each. Each team is designated a colour and a base. Each player wears two team bandannas, and each team captain wears three. At the start of the game each team is given a designated amount of time to hide, after which they may begin hunting each other. When a team member is caught one bandanna is removed. All collected bandannas are kept in the team's home base. If a player loses all of his bandannas, he must return to his home fort where he must stay until he receives a replacement bandanna of his own team's colour, and may guard the collected bandannas while there.
Four wild card bandannas are also hidden across the playing field, which can also be given to players who have lost their bandanna(s). If it is used, it should be replaced by a team colour bandanna if one is available, and then the wild will be re-hidden.
To win, a team must collect ten bandannas of a single colour, as well as two of a different colour. A single "wild card" bandanna may contribute to a winning score as the eleventh or twelfth bandanna.
Players must wear their own team bandannas and carry bandannas they have collected.
[edit] Escape variant
This game is played with two teams, Hiders and Finders, of 5 or more players. The leader of the finding team may use a flashlight. The leader of the hiding team carries binoculars. The finding team designates a location as a base before the game starts.
Players are caught when a finder says "1, 2, 3, manhunt!" (alternatively "manhunt, manhunt 1 2 3!") while holding a hider. The hider is then brought back to the finding team's base. If a hider returns to the finding team's base and puts his hand on a captured teammate and says "1, 2, 3, manhunt!", the teammate is then freed. If half or more of the hiders are caught, the finders win, and if less than half of the hiders are caught, the hiders win. If you are caught by the captain of the finding team, you cannot be freed and remain "caught" until the end of the round.
[edit] A to B variant
This variation is played with a group of Hunters and a group of Runners. The distance of the game varies on the size of the group, but is usually between half a mile to up to 5 miles. The point of this variant is for the runners to make it from point A to point B without being caught. Hunters search the area for runners. Neither the hunters or runners are required to work together within their groups, and can at any time go on their own. When runners are caught, they too become hunters. A runner is caught when grabbed by a hunter while in sight of a patrol car. This is to prevent a single hunter from guarding the destination. This variant also works best after dark, though the use of flashlights is frowned upon.
This version is especially popular in Huntsville, AL, Richland, WA, and Walnut Creek, CA. In Central Texas, this version of the game is called Cops and Robbers.
[edit] Job Corps. variant
This variation was invented at the Penobscot Job Corps in Bangor, Maine. The game consisted of a handful of one-three person teams who would try to sneak up on the other ones and choke them by using various choke holds. If the attacked tapped out, then in-game they were considered "dead" and could no longer play. As it was greatly against campus rules, campus security worked as the "cops" that you had to avoid and you could not attack other teams when they were within sight of witnesses or their girlfriends/boyfriends. If your team all "died" then you lost. No alliances outside of temporary truces were allowed, and you were not allowed to gang up on one person. Security caught wind of the event and soon the game was even more risky than before.
