The characters not assigned to a team were more or less neutral.  They might give you a paddle for the Castle Anthrax maidens, or they might shoot at you, depending on their mood, and the results of their last encounter with any given team.  Most notable among the characters, was the father of the scenario game genre, Wayne Dollack, who played the role of the bridge tender, or "bridge troll."  He guarded the "Bridge of Death" which spanned the "Gorge of Eternal Peril," and would ask paintball trivia questions of those that wanted to cross.  If they answered correctly, they could pass.  If not, then the person who wanted to cross, and everyone with him, was eliminated, and packed off to the hospital to await the next insertion period.  Questions ranged from the ridiculously easy (How long was the first 24 hour game?), to tricks (Who did Grant surrender to at Appomattox?"), to agonizingly difficult (Name the 12 people that played in the first recognized game of paintball in 1981.)  Again, the question depended on the mood of the troll, and previous experiences of the troll with others of the same team.

     Most Viper games start with both teams trying to obtain "fuel."  But in 932 AD, there was no fuel, so the teams headed out looking for coconuts that could be used for "transportation by horseback" throughout the field.  The catch was, that the coconut halves had to be "clopped" together, and the "rider" had to "prance," just like in the movie.  As long as the "rider" was "prancing" and banging the coconut halves together, he could not be shot.  But if he stopped, then he had "dismounted," and was a fair target.

     Once the coconut halves had been found, the next thing was recon.  Teams were sent out to determine the strengths and weaknesses, then report back.  After that, missions went out, and the battle began in earnest.

     Initially, the repressed peasants overwhelmed everything in their path, and were two thirds the way to King Arthur's castle.  Then, depending on who was telling the tale, the peasants either took the base and shot it up, or they were repelled by King Arthur and his knights.

     A bit later, Arthur's forces seemed to improve their field position, advancing all the way up field to the area of the French castle, and the Bridge of Death.  They did avoid the three headed giant, as at least two of the heads were perpetually in a foul mood, and anyone coming in range was promptly shot.

     Arthur's knights seemed to have problems advancing past mid field, but the peasants did get downfield, and did take over Arthur's base at least twice, according to a peasant spokesman, who related the story on the condition that his name not be used.  The terminology agreed upon, was "a highly placed source within the peasant hierarchy."

     Late in the afternoon, Arthur's castle was under siege again, and this time, it was clearly visible from the safety of the registration trailer.

     Meanwhile, encounters with the rabbit and some of the other characters were taking their toll on players from both sides.  And the rabbit seemed to be interested in evening things out, so he decided a "peasant hunt'" would be in order.  Earlier, the rabbit had been more or less ignored by both sides, with the "Don't make him mad" theory holding sway.  After he had taken out a sizable number of peasants, then they turned into a multitude of "Sir Robins," and "ran away" whenever the rabbit approached.

     The knights thought they had found a new ally, but someone must have annoyed, irritated, or aggravated the rabbit, as he turned on the knights, and sent them on their way, as well.  From then on, the rabbit was something to be avoided.

     No one knew what to make of the Frenchmen.  They acted as if one hand did not know what the other one was doing.  At their castle, there were peasants all around, but the Frenchies were flying King Arthur's colors from the ramparts.  They were also tossing small stuffed animals at whoever was around their castle.  If a player was hit, it was meaningless, but it was annoying to be crouched behind a barrel, shooting at the enemy, and suddenly get hit in the back with a stuffed cow.

     The day wound down with the peasants again la