Escalation

Number of Players: 2-200
Type of Battle: Field battle
Time to fight: About 30 minutes, with a 12-20 person field of fighters
Special Rules: None

In Escalation, teams are divided with an even number of players to begin the fight. All fighters start with no equipment except for single blue. The first battle is fought, and the winner is determined. The losing team is now allowed to pick up a single piece of equipment -- a weapon, armor, a shield -- it's their handicap for losing the last fight.

For archers, if they pick up the bow, they get one arrow. Further choices of equipment grant them two arrows for one choice.

Armor may be selected for a single fighter with a single equipment choice.

For larger battles, the losing team can get an extra piece of equipment for every 10 fighters on their team.

For a variation that is for sheer amusement, the herald may dictate what equipment each team picks up when they lose.

The teams line back up again and fight a new battle. The losing team is determined and gets to pick up a single piece of equipment. There are multiple ways to determine the end conditions of this game. You can set a timer, end the game with a best-of-three or best-of-five once both teams have all the equipment they require to be fully geared-up, or you can just go until people get exhausted. In Rhovanion, we end almost every practice with an endurance fight, usually Escalation or Capture the Flag, so people leave as they tire out.