How To: Jugging Chain

As I finally got a day off work, I decided to sit down for some nice relaxing video games and podcast or two. I was tipped off to the Mid-Level Crisis Podcast a while back, but I hadn't got around to listening to it until just recently, so I'm working through the archives. I got to their episode where they talked about jugging. Needless to say, I decided to be productive for a change and I did something I've been waiting to do for a long time - build a Jugging Chain.

We've got a number of people in this area who said that they'd be interested in playing Jugger or even starting a team on the USJL. The only thing stopping us at this point is the equipment required. Sure, we can make the Q-Tip and the Bludgeoner, as those are essentally common boffer weapons. And even making the skull and the spike is easy enough. But what's really tricky, is the chain. Here's what you'll need to make a bitchin' chain.

From Shame to Fame

I find it quite interesting that Kevin at LARP Source made a post on the same topic I had planned. Great minds think alike.

Now that Starcraft 2 is out, eSports is getting a lot of play, even here in the US. Players and teams in the US are getting sponsors for, well, playing video games.

I'm not trying to belittle their accomplishments. These players are seriously competing on the highest level, to the point where the common player might have a hard time following what they're doing. But what really gets me is that people are starting to make a living off of something they may have been ashamed about once.

And the biggest reason they're seeing such popularity now is that a few revolutionaries in their field stopped being ashamed at what they did, and instead spread the word.

Kevin asked if we think we could have corporate sponsors for the game or not. I think it's a bit early for that. One of the reasons you get sponsored is that there is going to be significant visibility for the sponsors. Until we can start televising events or creating brands of products, we simply won't be prime targets for sponsorship. Unfortunately, to get these events televised, players are going to have to stop being ashamed of what they do.

In my opinion, the closest path to sponsorship at this point is through the game Jugger. It's close enough to a sport and lacks actual roleplaying, so it may seem a lot less damning than the lightning bolt video. They're putting a league together (USJL) and anyone can start a team. And when you start that team, you have to start telling people about it, telling people that you're a jugger.

We have to overcome our shame, and if it means going through an intermediary like Jugger, then so be it. The only way we'll start to get acceptance as a culture is for people to know LARPers, and to identify the fact that we're not so different after all.

So let me ask the readers. Do your friends know you LARP? Significant other? Co-Workers?

YouTube Thursday: Jugger

Back in 1989, a movie called The Salute of the Jugger was released in the US under the name The Blood of Heroes. While it wasn't that good, it is now a cult classic, if for no other reason than "The Game," which is played in the movie.

For a long time, Amtgard players have been playing "The Game." However, they call it Jugger or Jugging. It's very easy to incorporate into any LARP game since, well, the weapons used in the game are essentially LARP weapons. But leave it up to the Germans (and the Australians as well) to take it to the next level. Here's a video of a match from the German Jugger League.

Brief Rules Rundown:
- Each team has 5 players: 1 Qwik, 1 Chain, 3 Enforcers.
- Only the unarmed Qwiks can score or pick up the skull. They can also tackle the other Qwik.
- If you're struck with a weapon you are down for 5 stone (5 drumbeats).
- 100 Drumbeats in a round, 3 rounds in a game.
- Enforcers can pin players to prevent them from getting up, once the pin is let go, that player cannot be pinned again until after he gets back up.



I totally want to play this game. And you know what? I might have a chance here soon enough.

The USJL is currently being formed. More information, including the rulebook, can be found here.

But seriously, who around Ohio wants to play some Jugger? Maybe we can get some teams made up for this league, or at the very least we could have a tournament.