To begin engaging in combat using the BNWCS, follow these steps:

1. Get yourself a BNWCS, as described on the "get one" page.
2. Rez or attach the box that you receive.
3. Accept the folder of objects that the box will give you.
4. Wear the "BNWCS Meter vX.X.X" object.
5. Wear the "BNWCS HUD vX.X" object.
6. Type "/8 on" to switch to "combative" mode, where you can take damage. You can type "/8 off" to switch to non-combative mode.

Your BNWCS can be controlled by typing chat commands on channel 8. The commands are described using the following symbols:

• |
  The pipe. Means "or" - you type either the part on the left of the pipe, or the part on the right of the pipe, but not both.
• <something>
  Angle Brackets. Means "You have to fill in this information." Do not include the brackets themselves when typing the command.

The commands that your BNWCS will respond to are as follows:

• /8 on
  Will switch to "combative" mode, where you can take damage and be killed. Your BNWCS' floating text will be a light yellow.
• /8 off
  Will switch to "non-combative" mode, where you cannot take damage. You cannot switch to this mode if your health is not full. Your BNWCS' floating text will be a light blue.
• /8 reset
  Will reset your BNWCS. You can only do this while in the "non-combative" mode.
• /8 team <color>
  Colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, none
  Will change your team to the specified team. Teammates cannot damage each other, and BNWCS combat zone owners may set up separate respawn points for teams - such as a base or bunker. You cannot change teams if your health is not full.
• /8 handicap <number>|off
  Sets your handicap. Handicapping yourself causes you to take more damage than you ordinarily would. A handicap of 2 means you would take double damage. You cannot set your handicap to less than one.
• /8 stats
  /8 say stats
  Will tell you your "first sheet" of statistics for the current sim. "First Sheet" statistics include Rating, Kills, Deaths, KPD, Assists, Longest Life, and Total Playtime. If you add the word "say," your BNWCS meter will announce your statistics in public chat, so that anyone can see. Otherwise, only you will be able to see your statistics.
• /8 stats 2
  /8 say stats 2
  Will tell you your "second sheet" of statistics for the current sim. "Second Sheet" statistics include # of avatars Revived, HP Healed, # of avatars Sniped, Headshots, Multi-Kills, and Killing Sprees. If you add the word "say," your BNWCS meter will announce your statistics in public chat, so that anyone can see. Otherwise, only you will be able to see your statistics.
• /8 respawn
  When you are dead and ready to respawn, if something goes wrong, this will either bring you back to life where you stand, if there are no respawn points, or re-rez your respawn teleporter, if there are.
• /8 male|female
  Changes the set of sounds that plays when you get shot.
• /8 lag
  Provides a handy reference of simulator performance, rating both scripts and physics performance on a scale of 0% (frozen) to 100% (perfect). If your BNWCS is being slow and unresponsive, and these numbers are very low, that is probably the reason why.
• /8 settings
  Will list the sim's current settings - such as the damage modifier, whether falling damage is on, etc.
• /8 check <Avatar Name>
  Will tell you what BNWCS objects the named avatar is wearing, if any. It will also tell you the version number. You can use this to make sure that someone is not cheating by using an older meter, fake system, etc, and are limited to one check every 5 seconds.
• /8 activeonly on|off
  This is the setting that makes it so that only avatars wearing a "combative" BNWCS can damage you. If you turn it off, all avatars will be able to damage you, even if they are not wearing their meter, or are dead.
• /88 hard reset
  Yes, that is an "88," not an "8." This will forcibly reset all scripts in your BNWCS, and should ONLY be used if the BNWCS has somehow frozen. Your use of this command will be shouted in public chat, so use it sparingly.
• /8 help
  Gives you a help notecard.

The BNWCS HUD will allows you to:

• See your remaining HP even while in mouselook
• Send and receive radio chat with other BNWCS combatants in the sim
• Quickly locate active BNWCS combat zones
• Receive credit for double/triple kills and killing sprees

A summary of the buttons on the BNWCS HUD and what each one does follows:

• [ HitLog ON ]
  [ HitLog OFF ]
  These buttons allow you to turn the BNWCS HUD's collision logger on or of. When it is 'on,' you will see yellow text whenever an object collides with you. The text will tell you what the object was called, how fast it was moving, who owns it, and how far away the owner is. Very useful to see who is hitting you in combat.
• [ NoSpam OFF ]
  [ NoSpam ON ]
  The "NoSpam" option limits the number of lines of yellow text the BNWCS HUD's collision logger will send to you. When "NoSpam" is on, you will only receive one line of text per collision event, no matter how many objects actually collide with you, and you will not receive more than one line of text every 2 seconds.
• [ Deaths NO ]
  [ Deaths YES ]
  These buttons let you turn on and off the sim-wide BNWCS Death notices. If you turn "Deaths OFF," you will not see lines of text like "[BNWCS] Matthias Rozensztok was killed by SomeMean Person"
• [ Radio ON ]
  [ Radio OFF ]
  These buttons allow you to turn your public radio receiver on or off. If you turn off your radio, you will not hear other people's BNWCS radio chat.
• [ tRadio ON ]
  [ tRadioOFF ]
  These buttons allow you to turn your team radio receiver on or off. If you turn off your radio, you will not hear your teammates' BNWCS radio chat.
• [ Respawn ]
  This button only appears when you are dead. Clicking it has the same effect as typing "/8 respawn" - it will either re-rez your respawn teleporter, or bring you back to life where you stand depending on the sim's settings.
• [ TP Home ]
  This button only appears if the Combat Zone Owner has specified a BNWCS Homepoint. If they have, clicking this will rez a teleporter to take you to the sim's hub, safe zone, or homepoint. If you are dead, you will be brought back to life.
• [ Fight! ]
  Clicking this button will open a window to teleport to a randomly selected, active, public BNWCS Combat Zone. If there are no public BNWCS Combat Zones active in the last 30 minutes, it will choose one at random.

Your BNWCS HUD also responds to some typed commands:

• /8c <message>
  Will send <message> through the BNWCS' public radio channel. Any avatars wearing a BNWCS in the same sim can hear you.
• /8t <message>
  Will send <message> through the BNWCS' team radio channel. Any avatar on your team can hear you.
• /8 radio on|off
  /8 r on|off
  Will turn your public radio reciever on or off. When it is "on," you will hear any chat sent by other avatars through the BNWCS' public radio channel. When it is "off," you will not recieve radio chat.
• /8 teamradio on|off
  /8 tr on|off
  Will turn your team radio receiver on or off. When it is "on," you will hear any chat sent by other avatars on your team through the BNWCS' team radio channel. When it is "off," you will not receive radio chat.
• /8 minvel <###>
  Sets the minimum speed that the HUD's HitLogger will report.