Rule 1: Kevin McCarty is the all-mighty, all-powerful ArbitOr. Any disputes are to be settled by him, and his decision is final.

Rule 2: Assassination is a simple task--plant a device (hereafter known as a "bomb") somewhere. A successful assassination must meet the following criteria:

• The bomb must have the target's name, and the name of the assassin.
• The target (and only the intended target) must set off the bomb.
• The bomb must make either a sound (preferably audible), or a light (preferably visible) to have been considered detonated, and the target must notice that the bomb has done so.
• Inaudible / invisible / otherwise unnoticed detonation = lame bomb (hereafter known as a "lame bomb"). Note, for instance, that putting your name on someone's light bulb and claiming to have killed them when they turn it on is lame, since they wouldn't notice anything unusual.

Targets may only be assassinated once, at which point they are no longer targets and must hide in shame. The only way for an alley to gain more targets is to have Master Assassins (see rule 7). Targets may also participate in assassinating other targets at any time. No more than three assassins can claim responsibility for any one bombing.

Any one assassin is limited to one suicide bombing per game. (If you have to hold the device, hand it to the target personally, or knock on the target's door so he opens it, that's a suicide bombing.)

Rule 3: In the event of a successful assassination, the possession of the bomb returns to the assassin. If the assassination attempt was unsuccessful, the intended target gains possession of the bomb.

Rule 4: In the event that a lame bomb is detonated and the assassin retrieves his detonated device, the target alley will be assessed a penalty for being insufficiently paranoid and the assassin will be assessed a penalty for being lame. The target has not been assassinated.

Rule 5: Generally (well, almost always), virtual assassinations (those in which a bomb is triggered by operating a computer) are not considered assassinations. Pull off a really good one, and I might consider it, but don't hold your breath. Non-breathing targets cannot be assassinated. Virtual bomb = no bomb. For instance, having someone's computer play the Ride when they reboot it is not a bomb. It's also a showerable offense.

Rule 6: Don't create a device that will injure someone or cause great property damage (as determined by the Damage Control Officer). Don't kill or maim anyone. Even if you hate them. Resist the urge. (I know it's hard.)

Rule 7: Assassins who manage to successfully assassinate 3 (three) targets are considered Master Assassins, and become targets of their associated alley. Note that if three people put their names on a successful bomb, each receives one-third of a kill. Lame bombs don't count toward the number of kills. If Master Assassins are assassinated, they immediately lose their title and are henceforth labeled Lame. Upon achieving another 3 (three) kills after becoming "lame", one can regain Master Assassin status.

Rule 8: Not really a rule, just an explanation of how the scoring works:

Each alley starts at 0 (zero) points. Point changes due to an assassination are distributed over all people claiming responsibility for a bomb. For instance, if two people put their names on a lame bomb, each of their alleys loses one point. If an at-large target is assassinated, only the assassin's alley receives a point change, not the target's.

It is absolutely possible to gain or lose points on the basis of style. Be stylish, be cool, and you'll get more points. Be lame and annoying and I'll take away your points and explain Ph 205 problem sets to you.

Note: Should it become necessary, the ArbitOr will deduct 15 points from an alley if it starts off with only one killable (human) target; 30 points if it didn't have any. This becomes necessary only if that alley takes the lead.

Rule 9: Not really a rule, either, but something to keep in mind: The ArbitOr is too lazy to answer questions that start out like "how many style points do I get for...?" If you ask this question, I may have to explain Ph 127 and Ph 135 to you as well. However, if you plan to do something that is questionably legal, and you ask first, you will be given special consideration. Otherwise, you will be shafted.

Rule 10: The game begins after the official Alley Assassin Targets are put up on the web. It ends when there is one target remaining or the cannon fires at the end of first term, whichever happens first.

ArbitOr--
Kevin McCarty