Paper War
Give each cub scout a paper plate with its rim stuck into a bit of clay so it stands on edge like a shield.
Split the patrol in half with each side taking up position within throwing distance of the other.
Each cub scout lies flat on his stomach, and just in front of him props up his plate shield - he may NOT touch it once the game begins.
At the word "go" each warrior aims a ball at an opponent's plate. When a plate is knocked down, that Scout leaves the battle.
Touching your plate is an immediate ejection.
The side with the last warrior alive wins that battle. Run through best of 5 battles.
What Is It?
Two Scouts start out and make their special mark such as a number, word, sketch of animal, or symbol, with chalk on trees or the pavement or scratched into dirt areas.
The two Scouts also have 3 or 4 pieces of cloth or wood bearing an uncommon symbol such as a circle with a line drawn through it. These signs are hung on objects to be identified by the other boy scouts.
The remainder of the troop starts out in pairs ten minutes after the first two and take notebooks and pencils with them.
The game consists of entering in their notebooks the signs which they observe.
Where the "What is it?" sign is noticed, they must mark in their books a description of the thing which bears the sign, such as " An Oak," or " An Iron Fence," etc.
Scores are given according to the number of signs observed and for the correct answers to the "What is it?" signs.
This game develops observation powers and strengthens the memory.
Compass Points
Eight staves are arranged in star fashion on the ground all radiating from the center. One staff should point due North.
One boy scout now takes up his position at the outer end of each staff, and represents one of the eight principal points of the compass.
The Scoutmaster now calls out any two points, such as S.E. and N., and the two Scouts concerned must immediately change places.
Any one moving out of place without his point being named, or moving to a wrong place or even hesitating, gets a mark.
When 3 marks are tallied, the Scout exits the game.
When changing places, Boy Scouts must not cross the staves, but must go outside the circle of players.
As the game goes on, blank spaces will occur. These will make it slightly more difficult for the remaining boys.
Tails
Each cub scout tucks the end of his kerchief under his belt or through a belt loop in the back. Each scout is also given a token. The cub scouts are given 3 minutes to disperse throughout the arena area.
When the leader blows his whistle, every scout attempts to steal the tail of every other scout. At the end of a predetermined time, the scout with the most tails wins.
When a scout has his tail taken, he must immediately give his token to the taker in exchange for his kerchief. He is then out of the game and quitely exits the arena.
If a scout has tokens he has acquired from taking tails, he must give all those tokens to the scout that takes his tail and then quitely leave the arena.
Each Scout may choose to sneak up on someone or may choose to run throughout the arena searching for tails - whichever tactic is preferred.
Fugitive
Each Scout in the patrol has a round disc of white cardboard, with a number printed plainly upon it, pinned on to the back of his shirt or sweater.
One member of the patrol is then chosen as the " fugitive," while the rest act as hunters.
The Fugitive must drag a stick point in the dirt or some other means to leave a trail at all times. The "Fugitive" is given 'ten minutes' start.
The rest of the patrol then start out and endeavor to track him down.
As soon as a hunter can get near enough to the fugitive without being seen to take down his number, the fugitive is caught.
But if the fugitive can, by any means, turn the tables and get any of his pursuers' numbers, the latter are out of action.
As soon as a number is taken down, the Scout who takes It must call it out, to let his captive know he is out of action.
This game necessitates some careful stalking. A sharp Scout in the patrol should be chosen for the "fugitive,"
as he has not only to elude perhaps six or seven pursuers, but he must also endeavor to "capture them," unless he wishes to get killed himself.
Dispatch Runner
A Scout is chosen to carry a dispatch to a besieged place-- which may be a real village or house-or somebody stationed at an appointed spot.
The dispatch-runner must wear a colored rag, at least two feet long, pinned to his shoulder, and with this in its proper place he must reach his goal.
The enemy besieging the place must prevent him reaching the headquarters, but cannot, of course, go within the lines of the supposed defenders
(i.e. within 100 yards of the headquarters--certain boundaries should be decided upon beforehand). To catch him the enemy must take the rag from his shoulder.
They know he starts from a certain direction at a certain time--the spot should be a half mile or so from the besieged town--and they may take any steps to
capture him they like, except that they may not actually witness his departure from the starting-place.
Reinforcements
For any number of patrols to compete.
A platoon of your army is in need of help, and a military dispatcher on his way to the nearest garrison comes across your Scout camp.
The dispatcher gives to each Patrol-leader a hasty idea of the situation and shows him a rough map explaining that the distressed force is a mile down a certain road,
and between the Scouts' camp and that force are the enemy's out-posts.
The Patrol-leaders are to take their patrols in the shortest time to the platoon in distress without being seen by the enemy.
The distressed force should be represented by any conspicuous spot, and the enemy's outposts by people with red flags stationed on the road between the Scouts' camp and the other force.
As soon as they see any of the patrols they should blow a whistle, and those scouts are to be considered captured
(or else they may notice to which patrol the Scouts they have seen belong and count it against them).
The patrol which gets to the distressed force in the shortest time, and without any of its Scouts being seen wins.
Number Attack
This game is admirable for training the eyesight and teaching the art of advancing under cover.
Every Scout has a three figure number, pinned on the front of his hat.
The number should be drawn in black and be quite decipherable at a distance of a hundred yards (the figures at least 3 in. in height).
The troop is then divided up in the following manner - Two or three patrols are marched 300 yards from the camp, and instructed to advance on the camp under cover.
As the work of defending is easier than attacking, only one patrol remains in camp to defend it.
When the attacking party advance, their movements are watched eagerly by the defenders, who, having chosen good cover so that their hats are not visible, are waiting for the enemy to get within range.
So long as the number is too indistinct to read, they are supposed to be out of range.
The nearer the attackers approach, the more careful are they not to look over the top of a bush long enough for the defenders to read their number.
Of course a good Scout looks round the side, and not over the top of a bush or rock; and if he looks at all in this game he must be very sharp,
for no hats may be removed or turned round and no hands used to conceal the number.
If the defenders are able to read the numbers they call them out and the umpire writes them down.
The attackers also call out the numbers of any defenders who expose themselves, and the umpire attached to the attacking party makes a note of these numbers.
When only 50 yards separate the two parties the umpires call out the names of those who are shot, and those boys must not take any part in the rest of the fight.
When the commander of the attackers considers that ho has advanced as near as he can under cover, he gives the order "Charge"
and as the attacking party sweep over the open space in front of the camp the defenders call out the numbers as fast as they can read them.
If the attackers reach the camp with more men than survive in the defending side, then they have won. But if the final charge enables the defense to pick off nearly all their enemies the camp is saved.
Survey the Campsite
As soon as a camp has been pitched the first thing to be done is to find out about the country around the site; and this makes an excellent subject for a patrol competition.
Each Patrol-leader is gvien a sheet of paper upon which to make a sketch map of the country for a mile around; he then sends out his Boy Scouts in pairs in all directions to survey
and bring back a report of every important feature--roads, railways, streams, etc.--choosing the best Scouts for the more difficult directions.
The patrol whose leader brings to the Scoutmaster the best map in the shortest time wins. The Patrol-leaders must make their maps entirely from the reports of their own Scouts.
Title
Pairs of Scouts or patrols are given starting points about a mile apart. They both work their way toward a common landmark such as a tree, building, or bridge.
The patrol which first spots the other wins by having its patrol leader hold up his patrol flag for the umpire to see, and sounding his whistle.
A patrol need not keep together, but that patrol wins which first holds out its flag, so it is well for the Scouts to be in touch with their Patrol-leaders by signal, voice, or message.
When a troop is meeting for any purpose it is a good practice to arrange that on nearing the place of assembly, each patrol should try to be the first to see the others.
Where's the Whistle?
A number of Cub Scouts are blindfolded and placed in a line at one end of a large open field.
Then a leader goes to the other end, and blows his whistle every now and then.
The goal of the blindfolded Scouts is to reach the whistle-blower and touch him.
The whistler may stoop down, but he must not move about.
As soon as a cub scout touches the person with the whistle, he slips off his scarf and is out of the game.
The whistler should see that no boys run into hedges or ditches; if he notices any of them straying; he must blow his whistle and so attract their attention in the right direction.
Points are awarded in accordance with the order in which the Scouts reach the whistle-holder, the highest points, of course, going to the one who first reaches his destination.
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