Having done the mod thing for over 11 years, I've found that I really don't need to go overboard on rules. Common sense covers most things, so I tend to have a few hard and fast rules and the communities have done well for it. I've actually only had two community rules throughout all my years that I use without fail and it pretty much covers the issues that usually pop up.

1. Be respectful: Give respect, get respect. Treat everyone as you'd like to be treated. If a poster is being disrespectful, they will be warned to watch their language/behavior. Repeat offenders will have their posts moderated. Banning may occur if repeat offenders cannot abide by the rules.

2. No off-topic posts: The forums have themes/subjects, so abide by them. If a poster is wandering too far off-topic, they will be warned and the discussion brought back on track. Repeat offenders will have their posts moderated. Banning may occur if repeat offenders cannot abide by the rules.

Moderator announcements are admin law. If a moderator tells you to curb your behavior, knock it off. If a moderator says the line of discussion is out of hand, knock it off. Basically, be kind and have fun, but if a moderator announcement is needed the posters have got to listen and abide by the decision.