h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Interestingly, I've seen the same thing advocated for introductions to knife fighting. You give the two opponents (preferably red) markers, then get them to pretend they are using knives. They then go at each other for a few minutes, after which they compare marks - each mark, of course, representing a successful (and probably debilitating) slash.

This is meant to try to get across to people what a phenomenally *bad* idea it is to get into a knife fight. Stick to markers. They're a damn sight safer.

As my instructors in the Army always told us:
'If you get into a fight with a guy with a knife, you're going to get cut. If you don't want to get cut, run away. It's that simple people....Now drop and give me twenty!'


Marker fighting is something I've encountered in middle schools here in the US (grades 6-8) where the prospect of covering someone with ink seems particularly fun and exciting.

KIDS!!

I love marker fights! My friends always used to organize a free-for all battle...

I found a set of standardized rules for marker fighting somewhere. Each person gets a different color, and after a set amount of time, the marks are tallied. You get 1 point for each sucsessful stab, and 2 for each slash. You also lose one point for each hit on you, regardless of type. Also, the best type of marker in my experience has been Washable Mr. Sketch.

The best marker that I have found for marker wars was a wide (2 inch) refillable poster marker. The only drawback was that it did not dry very fast, and had a tendancy to mark clothing that came in contact with fresh marks.