GB2323301A - A pursuit simulation board game - Google Patents

Abstract

A pursuit simulation game comprises a board 10 divided into neighbouring zones arranged along a track 15 and identified by a sequential code, a first token to represent a pursued character (e.g. a mouse), a plurality of second tokens each to represent a pursuing character and random number generating means to indicate the number of zones through which a token is to be moved by its associated player. The board 10 may comprise a base-board 12 and partially adhered thereto a sheet 14 printed with markings representing said zones. The sheet 14 being non adhered to the base-board 12 beneath selected zones and having a plurality of slits therein located on or adjacent to the boundary of these selected zones such as to form a pocket which permits said token representing the pursued character to be inserted into a said slit.

Description

GAMES APPARATUS DESCRIPTION Technical Field This invention relates to games apparatus and in particular to apparatus for playing a pursuit simulation game.

Summary of the Invention According to one aspect of this invention there is provided apparatus for playing a pursuit simulation game, the apparatus comprising: a substrate divided into neighbouring (preferably adjoining) zones arranged along a track and identified by a sequential code (e.g. numbers and/or letters); a first token to represent a pursued character and a plurality of second tokens each to represent a pursuing character, said tokens in use of the apparatus being associated with respective players of the game; and random number generating means to indicate the number of zones through which a token is to be moved by its associated player.

Preferably each token is or bears a representation of an animal. In one example, the first token may be or bear a representation of a mouse, and each second token may be or bear a representation of a cat. In a second example, the first token may be or bear a representation of an escaped prisoner or a burglar, and each second token may be or bear a representation of a prison warder or a policeman. In a third example, the first token may be or bear a representation of a beautiful woman, and each second token may be or bear a representation of a lascivious male.

The tokens may be flat discs printed with markings constituting said representations. Alternatively the tokens may be mouldings or castings constituting said representations.

Preferably said substrate comprises a base-board and, partially adhered thereto, a sheet printed with markings representing said zones, said sheet being non-adhered to the base-board beneath selected zones and having a plurality of slits therein located on or adjacent to the boundary of these selected zones such as to form a pocket which permits said token representing the pursued character to be inserted into a said slit and be at least partially between the sheet and the base-board.

According to another aspect of this invention there is provided apparatus for playing a pursuit simulation game, wherein the apparatus comprises: a substrate divided into neighbouring (preferably adjoining) zones - e.g. arranged along a track and identified by a sequential code (e.g. numbers and/or letters); a plurality of tokens in use associated with respective players of the game and representing at least one pursued character and a plurality of pursuing characters; and random number generating means (e.g. a die or dice) to indicate the number of zones through which a token is to be moved by its associated player; and wherein said substrate comprises a base-board and, partially adhered thereto, a sheet printed with markings representing said zones, said sheet being non-adhered to the base-board beneath selected zones and having a plurality of slits therein located on or adjacent to the boundary of these selected zones to form a pocket which permits said token representing the pursued character to be inserted into a said slit with at least part thereof disposed between the sheet and the base-board.

Preferably the track follows a sinuous path.

Advantageously, portions of the track extend in parallel in close proximity to one another. Preferably these and/or other portions of the track are interconnected to one another to permit movement of a token (in accord with rules of the game and/or instruction printed on the substrate) from one track portion to another.

Preferably certain pairs of zones are interconnected by a representation of a bypass passageway and are designated (in the rules and/or an instruction printed on the substrate) as being only for the token representing the pursued character.

By way of example one embodiment of this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a plan view of a substrate or "board" 10 of games apparatus according to the invention for playing a pursuit simulation game. The apparatus also includes: one or more conventional, six-sided dice (not shown) randomly to generate a number in the range 1 to 6 when thrown; and five tokens of which one represents a pursued character - in this embodiment, a mouse - and the other four of which represent pursuing characters - in this embodiment, cats.

The tokens are circular disks of paper, card or plastics material each having printed thereon, or imprinted into a surface thereof, a portrait and/or name of the particular character (mouse or cat) that token is to represent.

The substrate or "board" 10 comprises a wood or cardboard base 12 on which a printed sheet 14 is adhesively mounted, with selected small areas being left unadhered. The sheet 14 is printed with a track 15 forming a sinuous path in the form of a corridor between and around large areas 16-19.

The areas 16-19 are printed with scenes or, as shown, plan views that respectively portray a double bedroom, a kitchen, a lounge and a child's bedroom. The track 15 follows a sinuous path having right-angle bends and has two sections 21,22 closely parallel to one another. The track is divided into sequentially numbered zones - in this example from II "1' to "114" - with some of the numbers being replaced by messages or instructions or abbreviations therefor. Individual zones will hereafter be referred to by the reference "Zn" where "n" is the zone number.

It will be seen that zones Z4, Z63, Z70 and Z75 are provided with lateral extensions which serve to identify those zones as ones upon which a "mouse" token can not be captured if a "cat" token lands on that zone. In conceptual terms, these zones represent mouse holes into which the "mouse" can enter and avoid capture by a pursuing "cat".

Each of these zones corresponds to a non-adhered area of the printed sheet 14, and slits are provided in sheet 14 along or adjacent the boundary of each such lateral extension and the adjacent edge of its associated zone.

This permits the mouse token to be slipped partially underneath the tab formed by the slit, i.e. to be partially inserted into the pocket thus formed between printed sheet 14 and base 12.

Zones Z9 and Z16 are provided with similar mouseholerepresenting lateral extensions, the two "mouse holes" being interconnected by a passageway serving as a bypass 23. Another four similar bypass-serving passageways 24, 25, 26 and 27 interconnect pairs of mousehole-representing lateral extensions of zones Z26 and Z32, zones Z40 and Z44, zones Z65 and Z69, and zones Z81 and Z84.

Zones Zll and Z24 are marked "OMS" as an abbreviation for "optional mouse snack". Landing of the mouse token on such an "OHMS" zone entitles the player associated with that mouse token to miss one go - if he/she desires.

Zones Z64 and Z102 are marked "MS" as an abbreviation for "mouse snack" and the landing of the mouse token on either of these "MS" zones means that the player associated with the mouse token has perforce to miss one go. This instruction does not apply to a player associated with a "cat" token.

Zones Z33 and Z101 are marked "CN" as an abbreviation of "cat nap" which A serves as an instruction to a player whose cat token lands thereon to miss one go. This instruction does not apply to the player associated with the "mouse" token.

The mutually parallel and adjoining track sections 21 and 22 are interconnected at two locations spaced apart along their length. These locations correspond to the positions of the pair of adjacent zones Z51,Z58 and of the pair of adjacent zones Z91,Z96. These zone pairings are marked "CF" as an abbreviation of "cat flap". If any cat token lands on any of these "CF" zones on track sections 21 or 22, it must be transferred by its associated player to the associated other zone of that pair to continue, on that player's next go, along the other one of the two track sections 21,22.

Zones Z15, Z22, Z43 and Z67 lie adjacent doorways to the rooms 18,19,17 and 16 respectively, and are shown marked "BH" representing "Beware Humans". If any token (cat or mouse) lands on such a zone, the player associated with that token must miss a go.

The above-described and illustrated apparatus can be played in accord with the following additional Rules.

RULES: The object of the game is for any one of the cat tokens to land on a square occupied by the mouse token.

To start the game the mouse token is moved first away from HOME by a number of zones corresponding to the number generated by a throw of the die (or dice) by the player associated with the mouse token. Throwing a six automatically entitles that player to another go. If the mouse lands on a square with a mouse hole he can get in it and remain there until his next go. Whilst in a mousehole he is safe from a cat which lands on that square. If he lands on a square linking one mouse hole to another (zones Z9 and Z16, or zones Z26 and Z32, or zones Z40 and Z44, or zones Z65 and Z69, or zones Z81 and Z84), he can use the link provided by bypass passages 23-27 respectively, if he wishes. It is optional. If the mouse comes out of a mouse hole onto a square housing a cat, he is safe, as the cat has to land on the square after the mouse has emerged from its hole.

Landing of the mouse token on an "OMS" zone entitles the player associated with that mouse token to miss one go - if he/she desires. Landing of the mouse token on either of the "MS" zones means that the player associated with the mouse token has perforce to miss one go. This instruction does not apply to a player associated with a "cat" token.

The cats move forward round the board. If a cat lands on the same square as the mouse and the mouse is not in a mouse hole (represented by the tabs associated with zones Z4, Z9, Z16, Z26, Z32, Z40, Z44, Z63, Z65, Z69, Z70, Z75, Z81 and Z84), the cat has won the game. In order for the mouse to win the game he must get all the way to HOME (zone Z114) without being "eaten", i.e. being landed on by a cat.

Any cat getting home without "eating", i.e. landing upon.

the mouse is finished, and the game continues with the mouse and the remaining cat/s.

A player whose cat token lands on a "CN" zone has to miss one go. This instruction does not apply to the player associated with the "mouse" token.

If any cat token lands on any of the "CF" zones on track section 21 or 22, that token must be transferred - by the player possessing that token - to the associated other zone of that "CF" pair so as to be able to continue, on that player's next go, along the other track section 22 or 21 respectivley.

Furthermore, if the player associated with the mouse token throws the die or dice to reveal a number, and moving the mouse token that number of zones onward will bring the mouse token onto a square containing a cat token, the mouse token can instead retreat that number of squares. At all other times the mouse token must be moved forward.

As the game is played one will find that use of the cat flaps "CF" and cat naps "CM" can on occasion be an advantage and, on occasion, a disadvantage. Tension among the game players builds up when the mouse's throw takes him between one and five squares in front of a cat token since the mouse token must move forward whenever possible and could therefore land on the mouse token upon its associated player's next go.

Optionally, the boundaries of the corridors between the rooms on substrate 10 may be physically raised to provide a three-dimensional effect of walls. Alternatively they may be printed in a trompe de l'oeil manner to provide such a three-dimensional effect of walls. Additionally or alternatively, the bypass passageways 23-27 may be formed as physically recessed channels in the baseboard 12 to provide a three-dimensional effect. Alternatively they may be printed in a trompe de l'oeil manner to provide such a three-dimensional effect of recessed channels.

Alternatively or additionally, portions of the substrate 10 where the track effects a right-angle turn may be movable to cause a change of direction. Examples of such changes may include one or more of the following: a change which directs a player on zone Z54 to progress back to zone Z19 instead of zone Z55, a change which directs a player on zone Z47 to progress on to zone Z94 instead of on to zone Z48, a change which directs a player on zone Z62 td progress on to zone Z93 instead of on to zone Z63, and/or a change which directs a player on zone Z72 back to the START position instead of on to zone Z73.

Other modifications and embodiments of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art, and all such modifications and embodiments are to be deemed within the ambit and scope of the invention. Thus the invention is not to be deemed limited to the particular embodiment(s) hereinbefore described and such may be varied in construction and detail, e.g. interchanging (where appropriate or desired) different features of each, without departing from the scope of the patent monopoly hereby sought.

Claims (20)

1. Apparatus for playing a pursuit simulation game, the apparatus comprising: a substrate divided into neighbouring zones arranged along a track and identified by a sequential code; a first token to represent a pursued character and a plurality of second tokens each to represent a pursuing character, said tokens in use of the apparatus being associated with respective players of the game; and random number generating means to indicate the number of zones through which a token is to be moved by its associated player.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said neighbouring zones adjoin one another.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said sequential code comprises numbers and/or letters.

4. Apparatus according to any preceding Claim, wherein each token is or bears a representation of an animal.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein the first token is or bears a representation of a mouse, and each second token is or bears a representation of a cat.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein the first token is or bears a representation of an escaped prisoner or a burglar, and each second token is or bears a representation of a prison warder or a policeman.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein the first token is or bears a representation of a beautiful woman, and each second token is or bears a representation of a lascivious male.

8. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the tokens comprise flat discs printed with markings constituting said representations.

9. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the tokens comprise mouldings or castings constituting said representations.

10. Apparatus according to any preceding Claim, wherein said substrate comprises a base-board and, partially adhered thereto, a sheet printed with markings representing said zones, said sheet being non-adhered to the base-board beneath selected zones and having a plurality of slits therein located on or adjacent to the boundary of these selected zones such as to form a pocket which permits said token representing the pursued character to be inserted into a said slit and be at least partially between the sheet and the base-board.

11. Apparatus for playing a pursuit simulation game, wherein the apparatus comprises: a substrate divided into neighbouring zones; a plurality of tokens in use associated with respective players of the game and representing at least one pursued character and a plurality of pursuing characters; and random number generating means to indicate the number of zones through which a token is to be moved by its associated player; and wherein said substrate comprises a base-board and, partially adhered thereto, a sheet printed with markings representing said zones, said sheet being non-adhered to the base-board beneath selected zones and having a plurality of slits therein located on or adjacent to the boundary of these selected zones to form a pocket which permits said token representing the pursued character to be inserted into a said slit with at least part thereof disposed between the sheet and the base-board.

12. Apparatus according to Claim 11, wherein said neighbouring zones adjoin one another.

13. Apparatus according to Claim 11 or Claim 12, wherein said neighbouring zones are arranged along a track and identified by a sequential code.

14. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 13, wherein said sequential code comprises numbers and/or letters.

15. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the random number generating means comprises a die or dice.

16. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the track follows a sinuous path.

17. Apparatus according to Claim 16, wherein portions of the track extend in parallel in close proximity to one another.

18. Apparatus according to Claim 17, wherein the said portions and/or other portions of the track are interconnected to one another to permit movement of a token (in accord with rules of the game and/or instruction printed on the substrate) from one track portion to another.

19. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein certain pairs of zones are interconnected by a representation of a bypass passageway and are designated (in the rules and/or an instruction printed on the substrate) as being only for the token representing the pursued character.

20. Apparatus for playing a pursuit simulation game, the apparatus being substantially as herein described with reference to the accomapnying drawings.