Battle for the Cure

The goal of this game is to capture the "Cure" being guarded by the enemy "mutants" and carry it back to home territory.


Preparation:

1. Before the party, mark a playing area in the grass that's at least 50' by 50', and preferably larger.


2. Designate a boundary line across the center of the field, as well as two "prisons" (e.g. trashcans, trees, etc.) on either end of the field.


3. Find two X-Men figurines, colorful scraps of cloth, or other objects to represent the "Cure," and place them in the center of the field.

1. Divide the children into two equal teams.


2. Designate which team will be the Brotherhood of Mutants and which will be the X-Men, then instruct the teams to stand close together on either side of the boundary line.


3. Before the real game starts, someone from each side picks up their team's Cure.


4. They have three minutes to place it anywhere on their side that's within 100 steps of the central starting point.


5. Each team's Cure should be at least partially visible (i.e. no hiding them in holes, under piles of leaves, etc.).


6. At the end of the placement period, an adult signals the official start of the game.


7. Some of the players from each team have to try to cross into enemy territory, capture the Cure, and carry it back across the boundary line and into home territory--all without being caught by the enemy.


8. At the same time, other players can hang back to protect their team's Cure.


9. These guards must stay at least 25 steps away from their team's Cure unless an enemy mutant crosses into this area.


10. Any mutants found in enemy territory can be captured and imprisoned if an enemy guard grabs them and holds on long enough to yell, "Caught, caught, caught!"


11. The guard must then escort the captured enemy mutant to the designated prison area.


12. As long as they are touching the prison with a hand or foot, captured mutants may be rescued from prison by any teammate who makes it to the prison without getting caught by the enemy.


13. Rescuers can only help one captured teammate at a time.


14. Once a rescuer has successfully tagged an imprisoned teammate, both players can safely walk back to home territory without risk of getting tagged by the enemy.


15. If a player successfully captures the enemy's Cure, he or she must carry it back into home territory.


16. If this player is captured by the enemy before making it back across the boundary line, the Cure must be carried back to its original position.


17. Play continues until either one side successfully captures the Cure or the preset time limit runs out.


18. The team that captures the Cure and successfully carries it back to home territory wins.


19. Or, if neither side captures the Cure within the set time, the team with the most prisoners wins.


20. If the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants wins, the Cure has been destroyed; if the X-Men win, the Cure has been saved.