Frequently Asked Questions

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What level of supervision is there?
What do I have to bring?
My child has only been at Scouts for 1 day/week/month and/or has never been camping before. Should they still go?
Will Scouts have to compete against Ventures/Rovers or Leaders?
What will the prize be this year?
Can participants arrive on Friday night?
What’s this ‘Handicap’ Business?
What’s a ‘Bunny Run’?
What will Leaders/Adults be doing? What gear do they need?
Is WWG like Branch Rally?

What level of supervision is there?
The Scouts undertake the game as a patrol and must stay together at all times. Hence, the Patrol Leader is responsible for supervision at the patrol level. There are also leaders and Rovers who both run and participate in the game – they are moving around all the time and keeping an eye on the Scouts. We aim to have one adult per two patrols, with half of these being warranted leaders. The game does not run at night which reduces the supervision required. We do have leaders doing checks in the evening to make sure the Scouts have camped safely.

What do I have to bring?
The wide game is a lightweight camping exercise where you have to carry everything that you bring. You may be able to stash your gear at times, however you should assume that you have to carry everything all the time. Your main requirements are:

• Food (Note that last year we had a total fire ban so watch the weather and plan accordingly.)
• Cooking gear
• Sleeping equipment (sleeping bag, mattress, tent or bivvy)
• Compass, pen and paper
• Toilet requirements (trowel, toilet paper, soap, toothbrush). Note that there may be occasions where it is as long time between toilets.
• Sturdy footwear and clothes suitable for bush bashing. (i.e. Not your Sunday best and not your uniform)
• Some degree of uniform for closing parade. (Scarf at the absolute minimum)
• Nothing too expensive or fragile to be lost or broken.

See the information pack for the game for a more complete list.

My child has only been at Scouts for 1 day/week/month and/or has never been camping before. Should they still go?

Absolutely! We now have a fine tradition of younger Scouts attending this event. The WWG is a great way for novice Scouts to “learn the ropes” and become familiar with light-weight camping and Scouting in general. The games usually require a fair physical activity, but are written to accommodate participants of all skill levels – no Scout or Patrol will suffer if they have smaller, younger, or inexperienced members.In terms of the competition aspect, Patrols are handicapped based upon the average age and level of scouting experience. Having a new Scout in an experienced Patrol provides a (very) valuable points boost which more than offsets any penalty associated with the inexperienced members.If you or your Scouts (or their parents) remain concerned, please contact the organisers and we will be more than happy to provide as much information as you need.

Will Scouts have to compete against Ventures/Rovers or Leaders ?
Scouts will NOT be competing directly against Rovers and Ventures in terms of strength or physical endurance. All Senior members of the Scout Association will be acting in roles defined by the WWG, and will have limits set on their activities. As long as a Patrol is capable of moving quickly and quietly when the need arises, there should be no problems.

What will the prize be this year?
Traditionally, the SCAT WWG offers vouchers for use at Snowgum to the winning Patrol. The value of this voucher depends on the number of Scouts attending the WWG. The expected prize amount will be announced closer to the event.

Can participants arrive on Friday night?
All WWG events begin on Saturday Mornings unless otherwise stated. Friday Night is for the Committee, Rovers & unassigned leaders to setup for the event to begin on Saturday. No supervision is available on Friday. Only youth members (Scouts & Venturers) with written consent from the WWG Committee are permitted to camp on Friday Night. We apologise for any inconvenience this causes.

What’s this ‘Handicap’ business?
The WWG operates on the principle of an “even playing field”. We attempt to create games where a Patrol of 11 year old Novice Scouts has just as much chance of winning the event as a Patrol of 15 year old Rally Champions. Any Patrol wishing to win the event will have to distinguish themselves, but we expect much higher results (for the same score) from the Rally Champions than from the Novices. The WWG rewards Patrols who can work together under a PL, who listen and think, and who do not give up. Experience is a very useful secondary quality, but not essential.
The most obvious means of equalising Patrols it through the points handicap. The final score of each Patrol is adjusted by a calculation using the average age and experience of the Patrol members. The afore-mentioned Rally Champions would have their scores reduced, whilst the Novices would find their scores significantly boosted.

What’s a ‘Bunny Run’?
We have no idea who first coined the phrase, but put simply a ‘Bunny Run’ is an all-or-nothing mission that has now become a trademark of the WWG. Patrols who complete the (extremely difficult) objective earn enough points to put them in strong contention for first place. Those that fail loose enough points to effectively put them out of competition. Despite the risks, there seems to be no shortage of Patrols willing to attempt these tasks…

What will Leaders/Adults be doing? What gear do they need?
Leaders (or parents) will usually end up either 1) roaming the game area in a variety of roles or 2) running a base. If they come prepared for a day hike they should be fine i.e day pack, water bottle, sturdy shoes, hat etc. We provide all game-related equipment.
In terms of camping, Leaders will probably end up setting up tents alongside their Scouts. They will have access to showers and kitchen at some sites (Scouts won’t). We usually provide a catering option.
In short, pack for a standing camp, but come prepared for some walking.

Is WWG like Branch Rally?
Yes and no.

There are many similarities. Like a Rally, WWG is a lightweight competition camp. There are usually bases, and Patrols are under the authority of their PL. Patrols succeed or fail based upon how well they follow instructions, use initiative, and work as a team.In concept there are some differences. Unlike a Rally, the Patrols are handicapped (see above) in an attempt to “level the playing field”. WWG also tends to have less structure than a Rally: we give the Scouts objectives and rules, but it is up to them how they proceed. Patrols may visit all, some, or none of the aforementioned bases during the game.Lastly, the WWG is a game as well as a competition. This tends to mean that the winners are those that played the game the best – and those are not always the ones who have the greatest Scouting skills.