GB2311230A - Board game - Google Patents

Abstract

Board game apparatus comprises a game board laid out to an array of playing spaces which is preferably chequered and a plurality of playing pieces, each playing piece being cubic in shape and having a different indicium on each face, the indicium indicating the power(identity) of the piece. When the game is being played individual pieces can be promoted/demoted and the rank shown can be changed by manipulation of the piece on the playing board to reveal a different face of the cube. An optional extra piece can be allotted to each player which only comes into play after the start of the game.

Description

BOARD GAME This invention relates to a board game and more particularly to a game involving a high level of skill and strategy for two players.

Strategy board games such as chess and variants thereof are very successful but it is believed that other games can be developed which test similar skills but which may involve additional or alternative skills that may extend the brain activity in different ways. Thus, it seems that there is still a need for a new lively board game that may be quite involved and complex in nature to satisfy players who seem to wish to devote more and more time to game playing activities. It seems clear that the public, and particularly the younger generation, are very interested in complex games and this is borne out by the number of computer games sold each year. Thus, it is believed that there is still a need for a new board game involving a high level of skill and strategy that will satiate an ever increasing appetite by the gaming public for a more entertaining game.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a board game which is improved in at least some respect or which allows new skills and concepts to be tested or which provides a different kind or level of perception or entertainment.

According to the present invention there is provided a board and a plurality of pieces suitable for playing a game, said board comprising a plurality of individual playing regions as herein defined, the individual playing regions being arranged in a generally rectangular matrix with the number of individual playing regions in a direction across the board being less than the number of playing regions along the board, the board and pieces being suitable for playing a game according to the rules substantially as herein described.

An individual playing region is herein defined as meaning an individually marked square or portion of, or portion defined by, the board. For example an individual playing region may in fact be a hole in the board itself.

In general, rules may provide that no two pieces may occupy an individual playing region at any one time so that individual regions may only be occupied or "landed on" by individual pieces. The individual playing regions are, preferably, square shaped and of equal areas but of course, other shapes may be used, for example circles, diamonds or stars and these not necessarily be equal in area. It is possible that the shape of the individual playing regions may in part be determined by the number of power levels assigned to pieces in the game and/or by the number of possible players.

Usually, the game will be designed for two players.

In a preferred embodiment of the game the board will consist of at least ten playing regions along the length of the board and at least seven playing regions arranged across the board. Preferably, the playing pieces are such that there are at least six assignable power levels or ranks, each rank being a measure of how many playing regions are able to be travelled or traversed at any one time by that playing piece in a gaming situation. Thus, power level or rank 6 will mean that the piece assigned to that rank or level will be able to traverse or travel up to 6 playing regions in one direction of travel.

Additionally, there will usually be a further playing piece per player introducible into the game under certain gaming rules, said piece being unique and of power level seven.

Thus, usually the board will have at least one more playing region across the board (i.e. seven in this embodiment) than the highest rank or power level assignable to the initial playing pieces (i.e. equal to the power level of the further playing piece where provided) and, preferably, the length of the board will be at least three regions more (i.e. ten or more) than said highest assignable power level. Where said further playing piece is provided said piece may be multi-functional and may, for example, be invulnerable to attack from the other playing pieces (save for the opponents further playing piece).

It is possible that the playing matrix of the board may be changed, for example, to lengthen the board whilst retaining seven playing regions across, although the Applicant believes that the optimum matrix is a 7 x 10 matrix more particularly where the (initial) playing pieces have six assignable playing levels (the power levels being associated with the number of squares traversable in any one direction of movement).

Preferably, each playing piece is a cube or of cuboid shape where there are at least six assignable power levels (each represented by one face of cube or cuboid) and where the playing board has seven regions arranged thereacross.

The playing matrix is, preferably, of chequered form and of similar style to that used in chess or draughts.

Where the playing board has seven regions arranged thereacross as aforementioned, each playing piece may have six possible assignable power levels or ranks, preferably, represented by a different orientation of the playing piece (i.e. where the playing pieces are cubes or cuboid each power level will be arranged on a particular face of the cube or cuboid). There are preferably, fourteen playing pieces for each player with an additional two pieces (unique playing pieces for each player that are introducible onto the playing board but which are omitted from the initial play set up as aforementioned). Each player will be assigned one of the unique pieces which may be limited to demoting the power level or rank of enemy pieces rather than capturing them.

In the preferred form of game, the playing pieces for each player will face one another along the length of the board and the back two rows of the board will be occupied by the associated players' pieces. Each players' pieces will initially include nine playing pieces of lowest power or rank and one piece of the highest rank (rank 6) and one playing piece each for the intermediate rankings or power levels of two, three, four and five. When the game is played it is envisaged that the power level or rankings of the pieces will change according to the events occurring in the game.

It is possible that a similar version of the game could be produced with fewer playing regions and/or fewer power levels assignable to each piece. For example, a game could be produced in which there are only three assignable power levels in which case the board could be four playing regions across rather than seven. In such an instance, the regions could be square and the pieces could be triangular prisms.

The game or board could be developed to cater for more than two players.

Further advantageous features of the board game will be derivable from the following description and drawings.

An embodiment of a board game in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 shows the basic board design; FIGURE 2 shows the basic board of FIGURE 1 and pieces laid out in schematic form; FIGURE 3 shows, drawn to a larger scale, a perspective view of one of the gaming pieces showing three sides; FIGURE 4 shows a perspective view of the gaming piece shown in FIGURE 3 in which the remaining three sides are illustrated, and FIGURE 5 shows a plan view of a further, unique game piece used in the game, drawn to a different scale.

FIGURE 1 shows a basic board 1 of rectangular shape and chequered configuration. The playing matrix of individual playing regions comprises ten squares 2 along the length and seven squares 2 arranged across the board.

Thus the playing board matrix comprises a total of seventy individual regions or squares 2.

FIGURE 2 shows the playing board 1 including a schematic arrangement for the initial set-up of the playing pieces on the board ready for playing a game. Each playing piece 3 (see FIGURES 3 and 4) is in the shape of a cube and carries a different symbol or insignia on each of the six faces, said insignia being representative of a particular power level or ranking for that piece. The insignia employed are representative of power levels or rankings as follows: First rank - AUXILIARY - Shield Second rank - LEGIONARY - Sword Third rank - SIGNIFER - Axe Fourth rank - CENTURION - Fist Fifth rank - TRIBUNE - Torso Sixth rank - LEGATUS - Helmet There is a further, unique playing piece for each player depicted in plan-view in FIGURE 5. This piece is a special piece known as the EMPEROR which has a Mask symbol applied to two opposing faces of the cube playing piece only, the remaining four faces being blank. The EMPEROR can only be introduced into the game at a particular stage that will be explained later on in this Patent Specification, and the EMPEROR has a rank of seven.

Referring to FIGURE 2 it will be seen that to begin the game each player has seven pieces of the lowest rank (Auxiliaries) arranged on the second rank 4 with a further two Auxiliaries arranged in respective corners of the board on the first rank. For player 1, the pieces are arranged on the first rank as follows in between the corner players' Auxiliaries from left to right of the board as follows: SIGNIFER, TRIBUNE, LEGATUS, CENTURION and LEGIONARY. The symbols Shield, Sword, Axe, Fist, Torso, Helmet, Mask representative of the six characters derived from Roman Military (Auxiliary, Legionary, Signifer, Centurion, Tribune and Legatus) are displayed on each of the fourteen playing pieces for each player in the particular relative dispositions as will be evident when viewing FIGURES 3 and 4. Each unique playing piece has the insignia of a mask representative of the character of an EMPEROR also derivable from Roman Military.

The playing pieces of one player may be distinguished from the playing pieces of the opposing player by any suitable means such as a different colour.

The described embodiment of the game is based on the theme of Roman Military although of course the game could be based around any similar or alternative scheme.

In this particular embodiment of the game, the power levels or ranks, one to six are representative of the number of individual player regions or squares that may be travelled or traversed by the playing piece in one particular direction. Rules may be provided for diagonal or horizontal travel of the pieces. Power level 1 will mean that the playing piece may only travel one playing square at a time whilst power level 6 will indicate that piece has the capability of moving six squares in a particular direction although this may be reduced to any number desired on a particular turn. The EMPEROR will have a separate power level indicative of the seven squares that it is able to traverse. However, the Emperor will also be invulnerable to attack from any piece except for the enemy EMPEROR. Moreover, the EMPEROR will not have the power to capture enemy pieces. Thus, a particular set of rules for playing a game with the board and pieces as afore-described is now summarised below. The game is called simply "RANKS" and is based on the theme of opposing Roman Military forces.

"RANKS" The game is called "RANKS" and the rectangular playing board comprises seventy black and white chequered squares. The sides of the squares measure one-and-a-half inches (3.87 cm). The game includes thirty playing pieces (twenty eight shown in FIGURE 2) which are one inch (2.54 cm) cube in design, and divided into two armies of fifteen pieces known as phalanges. Each army is either black or white.

All but two of the pieces are made up of six different characters: a character on each face of a piece.

The six characters derive from the Roman military; ranking from the lowest piece which is an AUXILIARY, followed by the LEGIONARY, SIGNIFER, CENTURION, TRIBUNE, and LEGATUS the highest piece. Only these characters are involved in the game at the start but there is a higher ranking character which also derives from the Roman military involved at a later stage of the game. This character is known as the EMPEROR which character is provided on the remaining two playing pieces: one black and one white.

The character symbols are arranged diagonally on each face.

GAME SET-UP The game of "RANKS" is designed for two players and is played along the length of the board, with the playing pieces (apart from the EMPEROR piece) occupying the first two lines or rows at each end of the board, as shown in FIGURE 2. The first two lines or rows are known as the front and back lines, and both ends are called Barracks.

The front and back lines are occupied by fourteen pieces: the black pieces on one side of the board, and white pieces on the other.

At this stage, the remaining two (EMPEROR) pieces are left out of the game.

When the pieces are placed on the board, the symbol representing the character in play should always be on the top of each piece; the correct way up, and pointing at a north-west bearing.

The positioning of the pieces takes place with the LEGATUS occupying the centre square of the back line.

The TRIBUNE takes the first square left of the LEGATUS, and the SIGNIFER takes the second square to the left, next to the TRIBUNE.

The CENTURION takes the first square right of the LEGATUS, and the LEGIONARY takes the second square to the right, next to the CENTURION.

The remaining squares are taken up by the AUXILIARIES using the entire front line, and corners of the back line.

GAME OBJECTIVE. The general aim of the game of Ranks is for each player to promote their own pieces, and to demote or capture, enemy pieces. The player who succeeds in capturing all the enemy pieces wins the game.

THE PLAYING PIECES. Each playing piece is capable of moving any way in one direction (e.g. diagonally, across or along the board) but the number of squares the piece is capable of moving is determined by the position of rank or power level as follows: AUXILIARY - One square in any one direction of movement.

LEGIONARY - Two squares in any one direction of movement.

SIGNIFER - Three squares in any one direction of movement.

CENTURION - Four squares in any one direction of movement.

TRIBUNE - Five squares in any one direction of movement.

LEGATUS - Six squares in any one direction of movement.

EMPEROR - Seven squares in any one direction of movement.

Each piece is capable of moving any number of squares within their capable limit but cannot move through or pass over intervening pieces, except when there is a single intervening piece of their own army (of lower rank than said piece or of the same rank) both during capturing an enemy piece as later explained and during normal play.

ATTACK. A piece is said to be in an attack position ready to attack an enemy piece when that piece is moved to a square opposite the attacked piece with one playing square present between the two pieces. The playing square could be occupied by an intervening piece belonging to the attacking player but the intervening piece must be of lower rank than the attacking piece or of the same rank. An enemy piece may be attacked along or across the board in forwards or backwards directions and may be attacked diagonally forwards or backwards.

If a player finds that one of his pieces is attacked he has several choices. If his piece is of higher rank than the attacking piece, he can capture the attacking piece by removing said piece from the board and occupying the square of the attacking piece with his own playing piece. Alternatively, he could decline to capture and choose to promote another piece from his army as explained below.

Instead of either of these options the attacked piece could simply be moved out of range of attack.

RULES CONCERNING CAPTURE, PROMOTION AND DEMOTION OF PIECES.

If a piece of a lower rank attacks an enemy piece of a higher rank, that attacking piece has the choice of demoting the attacked piece or promoting itself, by one rank.

If a piece attacks an enemy piece of the same rank, that attacking piece has the choice of capturing the attacked piece or promoting itself by one level. However, this rule does not fully apply to a Legatus because a Legatus cannot be promoted beyond its rank, and can only capture the enemy piece.

If a higher rank piece attacks an enemy lower rank piece, the player having that higher rank piece has the choice of capturing the attacked piece or of promoting, by one level, one of his other pieces of the same rank that has been attacked, or of promoting any other of his pieces below the rank attacked.

A piece is only promoted or demoted one rank at a time.

During capture or during normal play, a higher rank piece can move through (i.e. pass over) a square occupied by one of its companion pieces of lower rank or of the same rank. However, during capture or during normal play a lower rank piece cannot move through (pass over) a square occupied by a companion higher rank piece.

A higher rank piece can only move through (pass over) one occupied square during one turn.

Where an attacking player can capture (or promote or demote pieces) he can instead decline to carry out the attack by remaining stationary and moving another piece or the attacking piece could instead be moved to another position.

THE EMPEROR. The Emperor is the highest ranking piece with the highest number of possible square to move (seven), and has the added advantage of near invincibility. However, the Emperor does not normally possess the ability of capture, and is only capable of demoting enemy pieces.

The Emperor cannot be attacked by any piece with exception of an enemy EMPEROR piece, which enemy piece does have the ability to make an attack and capture the Emperor.

Only one Emperor can be used in a game by each player.

TIME AND POINT FACTORS. To prevent the game from continuing for too long, a time limit of sixty minutes is to be applied. At the end of sixty minutes play must stop.

The end of this time period is known as "Ceasefire".

If a player succeeds in capturing all the enemy pieces within that time limit, then that player is declared the winner. However, if at the end of sixty minutes both armies are still on the board, then the winner of the game is decided on the basis of points awarded according to the ranks of the pieces remaining on the board as follows: AUXILIARY - One point LEGIONARY - Two points SIGNIFER - Three points CENTURION - Four points TRIBUNE - Five points LEGATUS - Six points EMPEROR - Seven points.

The winner of the game is decided by adding the points together of all the pieces held by each player respectively, and the player having the highest amount of points is declared the winner.

However, if both players have the same number of points, then the game is declared a draw.

FURTHER RULES OF THE GAME. Once a piece is touched it must be moved; once the piece has been moved to a particular square and the hand is removed from the piece, the piece must remain at that square.

To make a capture, a piece is moved on a square occupied by an enemy piece.

Every attack in the game has to be a two move attack no matter what rank the piece is. Whether the piece is an AUXILIARY, or an EMPEROR makes no difference; every attack position is reached by moving to a position two squares away from the attacked piece (i.e. one intervening square between the piece moved to the attacking position and the attacked piece).

A piece cannot attack an enemy piece, if the enemy piece occupies a square next to it. This is known as the Blind spot.

If a piece is attacked and captured, the captured piece is removed and replaced by the attacking piece.

If a player attacks with a piece and the attacking player wishes to carry out promotion or demotion (rather than capture) the attacking piece is left in its place, whilst the attacking player simply indicates the move of the attacking piece, and then carries out promotion or demotion. The act of promotion or demotion counts as that player's turn and he is not allowed to move a piece in addition to the promotion or demotion.

When a piece undergoes promotion or demotion, the piece is simply turned onto one of its sides to bring the appropriate character into play. Providing the pieces are set-up correctly, and if the character in play is either an AUXILIARY, SIGNIFER, or TRIBUNE, then promotion is made by turning the piece onto its back, and demotion by turning the piece onto its left side. However, if the character in play is either a LEGIONARY, CENTURION, or LEGATUS, then promotion is made by turning the piece onto its right side, and demotion by turning the piece onto its face.

A piece cannot move through (pass over) a square which is occupied by an enemy piece.

If a piece reaches the enemy back line of the board, and providing the piece is a LEGATUS, TRIBUNE, or CENTURION, captured pieces of that player can be re-claimed and re-introduced into the game by that piece.

The number of captured pieces that can be reintroduced back into the game by the piece reaching the enemy back line depends on the rank of said piece as follows:- LEGATUS - Up to three captured pieces if available.

TRIBUNE - Up to two captured pieces if available.

CENTURION - Up to one captured piece if available.

Captured pieces can only be re-introduced into the game as the lowest ranking piece (AUXILIARY) and may be placed anywhere on the front or back line of squares of that players' barracks.

After every reintroduction of a captured piece or pieces an attack has to be made by that player before another reintroduction of pieces can be made for that player by another piece being moved to the enemy back line.

If a LEGATUS (and only a LEGATUS) reaches the enemy back line, and providing there are no captured pieces to reintroduce into the game, the Emperor is brought into the game. If there are only one or two captured pieces available to introduce into the game then the Emperor cannot be brought into the game with said piece or pieces by the LEGATUS reaching the enemy back line. The Emperor can only be brought into the game when it is the sole remaining piece of that player and a LEGATUS reaches the enemy back line.

When the Emperor is brought into the game, it may be placed anywhere on the front or back line of squares of that players' barracks.

Before any piece or pieces are reintroduced into the game, it is essential that squares are available on the associated front and back row to accommodate the pieces. A piece can only reintroduce a number of pieces back into the game for which squares are unoccupied in that players' barracks.

Alternative Rules for the Emperor In a variant of the game the Emperor is allowed to capture enemy pieces by attacking in the same way as other pieces.

However, the Emperor is not invulnerable to attack from enemy pieces. If the Emperor is attacked by a lower ranking piece it can be immobilised. To signify that the Emperor is immobilised a blank face on the Emperor is turned face upwards. The immobilised Emperor can be released again by the player moving one of his pieces to within one playing square of his immobilised Emperor. On that player's next turn he is allowed to release his Emperor by turning the Emperor insignia face upwards. If the Emperor is immobilised when one of that player's pieces is already spaced one square from his Emperor on that player's turn he can immediately release his Emperor.

Alternative rules concerning attack If a player's piece is under attack simultaneously by two, three or more enemy pieces, the attacking player can carry out two, three or more penalties accordingly. For example, where one attacking piece is of lower rank the attacked piece could be demoted by that attacking piece which may then enable capture of the attacked piece by another attacking piece. If there are three attacking pieces the attacking player may also carry out an additional penalising action such as promoting one of his own pieces (which may be an attacking piece where the attacking piece is of lower rank than the piece attacked or of the same rank).

It is to be understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be unduly limited by the particular choice of terminology and that a specific term may be replaced by any equivalent or generic term. Further it is to be understood that individual features, method or functions related to the playing board and/or individual playing pieces might be individually patentably inventive.

The singular may include the plural and vice versa.

Therefore, further according to the present invention there is provided a board and a plurality of pieces suitable for playing a game, said board comprising a plurality of individual playing regions as herein defined, said board and pieces having one or more of the following features: a) each piece having a number of sides, each side being indicative of a different power level assignable to the piece, said power level representing the number of playing regions traversable by the piece, b) a number of pieces as in a) in which the board has a number of regions arranged thereacross being one more than the highest power level assignable to said pieces, said number preferably being seven, c) a number of pieces as in a) including an additional unique piece for each player, said piece having only one assignable (the highest) power level and possibly a zero power level, d) a set of 14 playing pieces for each player and, preferably, an additional unique playing piece for each player, e) playing pieces for each player including nine lowest power level pieces and/or one second power level piece and/or one third power level piece, and/or one fourth power level piece and /or one fifth power level piece and/or one sixth power level piece and/or one seventh power level piece which may be a unique playing piece.

f) playing pieces carrying indicia based on the Roman military, and g) playing pieces being attacking, capturing, promoting and demoting pieces of different power levels, preferably six different power levels, each piece preferably being omni-directional and preferably including a unique highest power level piece for each player, said highest power - level piece preferably being omni-directional and possibly being immune from attack except from attack from an enemy unique piece or possibly being immobilisable when attacked.

Claims (22)

1. A board and a plurality of pieces suitable for playing a game, said board comprising a plurality of individual playing regions as herein defined, the individual playing regions being arranged in a generally rectangular matrix with the number of individual playing regions in a direction across the board being less than the number of playing regions along the board, the board and pieces being suitable for playing a game according to the rules substantially as herein described.

2. A board and a plurality of pieces as claimed in Claim 1 in which the shape of each individual playing regions is square and/or in part determined by the number of power levels assigned to pieces in the game and/or by the number of possible players.

3. A board and a plurality of pieces as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 which is designed for two players.

4. A board and a plurality of pieces as claimed in Claim 3 in which the board has at least ten playing regions along the length of the board and at least seven playing regions arranged across the board.

5. A board and a plurality of pieces as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the playing pieces are such that there are at least six assignable power levels or ranks, each power level or rank being a measure of how many playing regions are able to be travelled or traversed at any one time by that playing piece in a gaming situation.

6. A board and a plurality of pieces as claimed in any one of the preceding claims having a, further, unique playing piece per person.

7. A board and a plurality of pieces as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the board has at least one more playing region across the board than a, or the, highest rank or power level assignable to the initial playing pieces.

8. A board and a plurality of pieces as claimed in Claim 7 in which the length of the board is at least three regions more than said highest assignable rank or power level.

9. A board and a plurality of pieces as claimed in Claim 6 or any claim dependent therefrom wherein said unique playing piece is multi-functional.

10. A board and a plurality of pieces as claimed in Claim 9 in which said unique playing piece is invulnerable to attack from the other playing pieces (save for the opponents unique playing piece).

11. A board and a plurality of playing pieces as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which each playing piece is a cube or of cuboid shape.

12. A board and a plurality of playing pieces as claimed in any one of the preceding claims having a playing matrix of chequered form.

13. A board and a plurality of playing pieces as claimed in Claim 4 or any claim dependent therefrom in which the playing board has seven regions arranged thereacross, each playing piece having six possible assignable power levels or ranks, represented by a different orientation of the playing piece.

14. A board and a plurality of playing pieces as claimed in any one of the preceding claims having fourteen playing pieces for each player with a, or the, further, unique piece for each player being introducible onto the playing board but omitted from the initial play set up.

15. A board and a plurality of playing pieces as claimed in Claim 14 in which each player is assignable one of the unique pieces which is limited to demoting the power level or rank of enemy pieces rather than capturing them.

16. A board and a plurality of pieces as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the playing pieces for each player face one another along the length of the board and the back two rows of the board are occupied by the associated players' pieces.

17. A board and a plurality of pieces as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which each players' pieces initially includes nine playing pieces of lowest power or rank and one piece of highest rank and one playing piece each for the intermediate ranking or power levels of two, three, four and five.

18. A board and plurality of pieces as claimed in Claim 1 in which there are only three assignable power levels and the board has four playing regions.

19. A board and plurality of pieces as claimed in Claim 18 in which the playing regions are square and the pieces triangular prisms.

20. A board and plurality of pieces as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which caters for more than two players.

21. A board and plurality of pieces suitable for playing a game substantially as herein described with reference to FIGURE 1 and/or FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings.

22. A board and a plurality of pieces suitable for playing a game, said board comprising a plurality of individual playing regions as herein defined, said board and pieces having one or more of the following features: a) each piece having a number of sides, each side being indicative of a different power level assignable to the piece, said power level' representing the number of playing regions traversable by the piece, b) a number of pieces as in a) in which the board has a number of regions arranged thereacross being one more than the highest power level assignable to said pieces, said number preferably being seven, c) a number of pieces as in a) including an additional unique piece for each player, said piece having only one assignable (the highest) power level and possibly a zero power level, d) a set of 14 playing pieces for each player and, preferably, an additional unique playing piece for each player, e) playing pieces for each player including nine lowest power level pieces and/or one second power level piece and/or one third power level piece, and/or one fourth power level piece and /or one fifth power level piece and/or one sixth power level piece and/or one seventh power level piece which may be a unique playing piece, f) playing pieces carrying indicia based on the Roman military, and g) playing pieces being attacking, capturing, promoting and demoting pieces of different power levels, preferably six different power levels, each piece preferably being omni-directional and preferably including a unique highest power level piece for each player, said highest power level piece preferably being omni-directional and possibly being immune from attack except from attack from an enemy unique piece or possibly being immobilisable when attacked.