Rope Bondage Capture the Flag – 10/26/2018
The following is an idea for an adult recreational game based on the “camp” game of “Capture the Flag” that I participated in as a youth in various summer camps. As described below, this variation is obviously for adult participants. I would be interested in actually organizing and playing this game. It would seem that this game could be played in a league format, similar to the way amateur soccer, tennis and other sports are organized.
It’s all the in spirit of fun and recreation, with a kink twist!
Rope Capture the Flag is a competitive group game played outside on a field. The object of the game is to “capture” the flag of the opposing team, and return it to your own goal.
The field of play can be a soccer field, a football field, or actually any field. It can be also played in the woods, or even in an urban environment. The suggested length of the field of play should be at least 50 yards, and no more that 200 yards. The width of the field of play should be proportional to a soccer or a football field. If a player is “out of bounds”, they must return to their goal area.
The field is divided into two halves, one half belonging to the HOME team and the other belonging to the VISITING team. There is a clearly defined halfway line. At the far end of each half of the field is a GOAL area. The Flag will be placed in the GOAL area. The flag must be big enough to be plainly visible over the entire playing area.
Adjacent to the GOAL area is the JAIL. The JAIL is where prisoners are kept captive, usually tightly bound and and foot, perhaps hogtied.
Every player wears a bandanna in their belt. When a HOME team member is in the VISITING team territory, they may be captured, tied up with rope and taken to the VISITING team’s jail. Also, when a VISITING team member is in the HOME team territory, they may be captured, tied with rope and taken to the HOME team’s jail.
A HOME or VISITING team member is “safe” in their own territory – they may not be captured.
Players – a player may be a man or a woman. Teams will wear identifying jerseys or bandannas. Skills that will benefit a player is a reasonable ability to run, and an ability to tie with rope. There can be varied numbers of players on each team, but the number of players on each team should be even. The play is most interesting if there are 9 or more players per team.
Specialty positions:
Jailer – the jailer is responsible for the prisoners. They will ensure they remain bound, and don’t escape. If a prisoner escapes, and makes it “out of bounds”, they may return to their own goal. The jailer may capture, but is exempt from capture themselves, due to remaining in their own territory.
Goalie – the goalie is the final defense against the taking of the flag. They may capture any “enemy” player, but they may be overwhelmed by to many enemy players. The goalie may capture, but is exempt from capture themselves, due to remaining in their own territory.
Runners – All other players may either advance on the other team’s flag, or may defend the territory of their own flag.
Referee – This is a safety officer and a person who arbitrates line disputes and compliance with captivity rules. They can stop play, and restart play, and reset all players back to their own flag goal area. The referee will see that no “tackling” takes place, and that players submit to being tied after their bandanna is pulled.
Capturing a player:
When a player is in the opposing territory, advancing on the opposition’s flag, they are subject to capture. If their bandanna is pulled from their belt, they must submit to having their hands tied and escorted to the jail of the capturing team. At the jail, they will be tied up hand and foot by the jailer. A player may not resist capture, for safety reasons.
Escaping from Jail – if a player escapes from bondage in the jail they may enter the out of bounds area and walk or run back to the touchback” area at their home flag. Both hands and feet must be untied and the prisoner must be completely free of rope to escape. They may then re-enter the game.
Jailbreak – if the Jail is left unguarded, an enemy player may approach the jail and untie a prisoner from his own team, who may then enter the out of bounds area and return to their own flag goal, re-entering play. Both hands and feet must be untied and the prisoner must be completely free of rope to escape. The enemy player is subject to capture at any time.
Victory is attained when the opposing team’s flag is captured and taken back to your own team’s goal.
Game and Match
A Game is won when the flag is returned to the opposing player’s goal. A Match consists of the best 2 of 3, or 3 of 5 games.
Example of play 1:
There are 9 players on each team, with a mix of male and female players. All 9 players begin at their goal. 7 players, runners, begin to advance to the halfway line. All players are safe as they approach this line. Players spread out along this line, trying to figure out how to best attack the opposing goal and flag. One girl, from the HOME team, who is a particularly fast runner, runs over the halfway line toward the opposing team’s goal. This takes the VISITING team by surprise and they begin to run after her. She is very fast, however, and outruns them, and quickly approaching the goal. The goalie runs forward, leaving the flag unprotected and runs forward to meet her.
He grabs the bandanna out of her belt. She is captured. Watching his flag carefully, he quickly binds her hands, and turns her over to the jailer, who ties her feet and hogties her in the jail.
While this is happening, three members of the VISITING team advance on the HOME goal, but are met with 5 of the 6 remaining runners of the HOME team, who are able to take these three VISITING team members prisoner. They are quickly bound and turned over to the jailer, who ties their legs. The remaining VISITING team members retreat to their territory.
The referee ensures that the three VISITING team members comply with being bound as prisoners.
All the players take stock of what is happening, remaining in their own home territory. There are 3 VISITING team members bound at the HOME jail, and there is 1 HOME team member bound in the VISITING jail.
The HOME team woman, bound in VISITING team jail wriggles free of her ropes. Having escaped her bondage, she stands up and makes it out of bounds, and runs back to her HOME goal post, she puts her bandana in her belt, reentering play.
Now there is now an imbalance of team members. Since 9 people started on each team, and 3 of the VISITING team members have been captured, there are 7 runners on the HOME team and only 4 runners on the VISITING team.
Led by the girl who had previously been captured, all 7 HOME team members rush the opposing goal. There is melee as some of them are captured, but the girl who is the fastest runner makes it past the goalie, grabs the flag and easily runs back across the halfway line, returning the VISITING team flag to the HOME goal area.
HOME team has won that game.
Example of play 2:
The HOME team all lines up on the halfway line (7 members). Anticipating a blitz, the VISITING team positions 4 members close to the halfway line, 2 members at the midpoint of the VISITING territory, and 1 member just before the goalie.
As the 7 members of the HOME team rush, 3 are captured immediately but the 4 members of the advance VISITING guard, and 2 members are captured by the VISITING members at the midpoint. One member of the HOME team sees that things are hopeless and retreats to her own territory, and the second remaining member is captured by the goalie.
All the captured members of the home team are bound, and escorted to the VISITING jail and tightly tied up.
Now there remain only 3 HOME team members and 9 VISITING team members. The VISITING team lines up at the halfway point and with 7 runners blitzes the HOME team, easily captures the flag, and returns to their own goal.
VISITING team has won that game
Play continues until a Match is completed.
Triumphal March (optional) – when either the HOME or VISITING team has completed the required number of games to complete a Match. The victorious team will bind the hands of the defeated team and form a coffle of rope between the throats of the defeated team, and lead them from their goal, to their own goal, symbolizing the capture of the defeated team.
Who wants to play?
