Assault (Gladiators) - Rules

Rules

One Gladiator faces one contender, with the game beginning with them being opposite sides of the playing course. The Gladiator is on a raised platform armed with a tennis ball gun, normally loaded with twenty-four tennis balls. On the whistle, the Gladiator has sixty seconds to fire at the contender, the gun releasing the tennis balls at speeds of at least 80 mph. A successful direct hit, not a ricochet off the ground, a station or weapon, will signify a Gladiator win and the end of the event. The contender begins by running to the nearest safety station. At each safety station are various weapons and the contender must fire this weapon at a target located above the Gladiator. A direct hit on the Gladiators target signifies a contender win and the end of the event. If the contender is not successful then they must move on to the next nearest station located on the opposite side of the playing course thus being in the line of fire, all the time getting nearer and nearer the Gladiator. Safety stations were designed in a way that the contenders could still be hit whilst hiding behind them. The scoring structure for this event varied over the years, but the general ruling was 1 point for each weapon fired and 10 points for hitting the Gladiators target. A bonus point would be given for completing the course without being hit.