Manhunt (urban game)

Manhunt refers to a number of variations on the game of tag. The goal is to avoid being tagged by anyone designated as "it", or (for those already "it") to tag anyone who has not been tagged.^[1][2] Some variations include teams and point scoring. Many variants exist. Some people play in teams.

One vs many games

These games pit one participant, with a unique goal, against all other players, who share a common goal. Players may be required to indicate their participation with a 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.

Regressive variant

This variation is called regressive due to the potentially exponential increase of tagged players^{[clarification needed]}. One person—the "Manhunter"—is chosen to be "it" and everyone else—"Fugitives"—runs away and hides. When a Fugitive is tagged, he or she becomes an additional Manhunter. The goal is to be caught last, to hide until everyone else gives up, or optionally to stay untagged until a predetermined end time.

Reverse variant

In this variant, one man – the Hunted – hides, and everyone else – the Hunters – tries to find him. Hunters may set up squads to search certain areas, try to scare the hunted into giving up, and arrange traps before the game starts. 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.

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. The hiders usually team up and surround the hunter to allow many to reach homefree.

Spy Variant (Splinter Cell)

This game is played with one hider (spy) and many hunters (guards). It is best done in a dark building. The guards are assigned areas/hallways/rooms to guard, with an object hidden in a room decided upon by the guards. The goal of the spy is to get in and out with this object. Guards can try and catch the spy even if he is outside, but hasn't reached his base yet. If a lone guard sees the spy, they have to tag him. If two guards see the spy, they have to shine a flashlight on him, and if three guards see a spy, he is captured. The spy can take out guards by approaching them behind and 'choking' them. The choking is merely tapping them on the back. The guards are then out of play for five minutes (must sit on the floor). If they are found, they can be revived, but they cannot make any noise. The game ends when the spy is caught or the spy has retrieved the desired object.

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.

Graveyard Widespread Variant

There are two teams in this variant. The hunted split up and find each other at a designated spot. The hunter will team up with someone who is caught. In some rare occasions in the game the hunter will try to help the hunted by leading them to a hiding place, or tricking them into a group of hunters who will catch the hunted. This is usually best played in bushes, trees, lots of cover, in the dark, a graveyard and around urban area's like a parking lot or close to an alley way. The game ends when all hunted are caught or the hunters give up looking for them.

Team Tag Variant

There are two teams that alternate between hiding and seeking. One team hides and has about one to two minutes to hide in the proximity of the base. Once the hiding time is up, the seekers try to tag all of the hiders they can without letting any return to the base. Each hider that successfully gets to the base without being tagged scores one point. Once a hider is tagged, they are out of the round and must return to the base without scoring a point. No players in the base can assist any other players in hiding. Players can hide in groups or individually. The round is played until all hiders return to the base safe or not. The team with the most safe players at the end of the session wins.

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 in route to the other team's base. Captured players cannot resume play until another person on their team tags the base and shouts "Manhunt". Every player that is hiding must be caught within the time limit. The time limit depends on the number of players and the extent of the boundaries.

Any players not found or caught within the time limit will be counted for points. The more people not found or caught, the more points awarded. Points are accumulated over a number of pre-arranged rounds. Anyone caught or spotted out of boundaries is automatically out and must stay at base for number of minutes (agreed upon by both teams). If any injuries occur during game play, the injured must sit out and cannot rejoin until time is up. This variety of manhunt is sometimes known as jailbreak.

Go to Court

Go to Court is a variation of tag involving "fugitives" and "marshals". The marshals consist of approximately 1/5 of the total group and in either a dark house or neighborhood. After the countdown, the marshals pursue the fugitives. If a fugitive is spotted a marshal may shout "Go to court!" whereupon the fugitive must go to a designated spot and await physical contact from another fugitive to resume part in the game. The marshals win if they successfully gather all of the fugitives.

Scottish variant

The Scottish version of the game, known colloquially^[where?] as "Code", 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.

Texas variant

This version of the game is played with multiple teams of four or five people each. Each team is designated a color 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 color, 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 color bandanna if one is available, and then the wild will be re-hidden.

To win, a team must collect ten bandannas of a single color, as well as two of a different color. 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.

A to B variant

This variation is played with a group of hunters and a group of runners. The point 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^{[clarification needed]}. This is to prevent a single hunter from guarding the destination.

In Central Texas, this version of the game is sometimes called Cops and Robbers. Another variant popular in the UK is British Bulldog where players attempt to cross a playing field or playground to avoid two "bulldogs". When players are caught, they become bulldogs until there are no runners left.

A waterborne variant exists called Sharks and Minnows.

Fugitive

Fugitive involves anywhere from 10–25 high school kids, usually upperclassmen. The point of the game is to run from one central place (such as a school) to another central place (such as a local store) while other players chase the runners in cars. The rules are simple: no taking major roads, no cheating, runners get a several minute head start, and the final destination must be reached in under 45 minutes. Fugitive games always take place at nighttime or anytime when it is dark. Jumping into random yards, hiding in bushes, and trying to camouflage in shadows are the norm. The runners usually win as it only takes one runner to constitute a victory for the runners. The drivers typically have another person riding with them in the car. Their job is to jump out and tag the runner with their hand or a flashlight or call out his/her name if they are clearly identifiable. Once a runner is tagged or called out, they join the driver and ride in the car until the end of the game.

Suburban Variant

Played in suburban areas, this variant is similar to the "A to B" variant in that there are defined starting and ending points. The searching team is permitted to use vehicles. The runners or "robbers" must stay near roads, and use the front yards of nearby houses for hiding places. Using trails and other pathways only accessible to those on foot is against the rules. Backyards may also be accessible to runners per the discretion of the game's host, though it may be considered trespassing by homeowners and is considerably more dangerous to the runner. The "cops" or "hunters" are not allowed to exit their vehicle, and must stop and call out the visible body part of the runner they have spotted in order to catch them. Optionally, the hunter may use a flashlight to point out the runner and catch them. Either way, when a runner is caught, they must reveal themselves and get into the hunter's car. When a runner senses a car coming towards them, they must look for cover and hide themselves in a nearby yard in order to avoid being caught. If a "cop" is successful in finding a runner, the runner is out for the rest of the round and may not aid the hunters nor the runners thereafter. The round ends when all runners have either been caught or have reached the ending point.

Majority Variant ("Raptor")

Another version of the game has two teams of three or more people. One team are hunters and the other are runners. The runners are given time to hide within the boundaries. The hunters (also known as "raptors") try to find the runners and tag them. Once the runners are tagged they are out and must go back to the base (aka "hospital"). In this game you must get the majority of the runners (2 out of 3, 3 out of 4, 4 out of 6 etc.). If majority is captured the sides change with the hunters becoming runners and the runners, hunters. If majority is not captured the sides remain the same until a majority is captured.

See also

• Ringolevio
• Wide Game

References

1. ^ The Running Men (and women). Toronto Sun. 2006-03-26
2. ^ This Land Is My Land. National Post. 2006-11-04.

External links

• Manhunt Edmonton
• Manhunt Halifax
• Manhunt Ljubljana
• Manhunt Toronto
• Manhunt Warsaw
• Manhunt Vancouver
• Manhunt Victoria