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Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
This invention relates to board games, and more particularly to a Strategic Battlefield Board Game.
Strategic board games, and particularly battlefield and war-based strategic board games, are known in the art, and many are quite entertaining to play. Much of the enjoyment of such games is derived from a sense that the game simulates reality, and that a superior strategy can translate into a won battle or war. For many, the enjoyment of one game over another corresponds to the extent that the layout of the board and the movement of the pieces simulate real battlefield conditions. As such, the more realistic a board game is, for many the enjoyment level of play will be greater. There are no games currently available, however, wherein multiple types of game pieces may occupy the same playing space on the board, wherein the pieces are substantially independent from each other in terms of movement, and wherein chance or a roll of the dice do not determine the movements.
One popular battlefield strategy game is Risk®. While Risk is an enjoyable game to play, it is understood that its battlefield conditions for the entire planet do not correspond well to reality. Further, in Risk there is only one type of army, and luck with the roll of dice determines much of the result. Thus, for many, Risk is not as enjoyable as other strategic battlefield games.
There are several prior art battlefield simulation games in the prior art. For example:
| U.S. Pat. No. | Inventor | Publication Date |
| U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,731 | Whiteman et al. | Feb. 15, 1983 |
| U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,841 | Arend | Sep. 26, 1967 |
| U.S. Pat. No. 2,799,504 | Keyko | Jul. 16, 1957 |
| 3,831,944 | Upton | Aug. 27, 1974 |
| U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,908 | Codinha | Sep. 29, 1992 |
| U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,411 | Peterson | May 16, 1995 |
| UK 2,002,640 | Read | Feb. 28, 1979 |
All of these prior art games involve using a terrain map that has a grid overlaid thereon for directing the movement of playing pieces. Several of these prior art games utilize more than one type of playing piece, each type of piece having different capabilities and movement rules. Further, several of these prior art games have differing attributes for different types of playing spaces. That is, only certain types of playing pieces may occupy playing spaces designated as water, for example, while other types of playing pieces may occupy “land” spaces. As such, these games more accurately simulate battlefields wherein a variety of pieces having differing attributes are available to the leadership.
However, with most prior art games only one type of piece may occupy any given map space. In real battlefield conditions, of course, a group of military resources may comprise a variety of differing types of troops and equipment, and many of these may exist as a group or unit, moving and fighting together. Such realism is lost in the prior art games.
Therefore, there is a need for a battlefield simulation game that more closely simulates true battlefield conduct and strategy. Such a needed game would allow multiple playing pieces on the same playing space, yet would allow each of these playing pieces the freedom to move independently if desired. The playing pieces would each have differing rules for movement and combat, based, at least in part, upon the other types of pieces occupying the same playing space, the types of enemy pieces on neighboring and nearby spaces, and the types of spaces in the vicinity. The present invention accomplishes these objectives.
The present invention is a strategic board game comprising a generally rectangular playing board having a grid pattern thereon that defines playing spaces. Playing spaces may have type-identifying markings, designating each playing space as one of a plurality of types of spaces. Spaces of various types may have playing rules associated therewith that do not apply to other types of spaces.
Each player, preferably numbering two, has a set of uniquely-colored playing pieces. Such pieces are designated as infantry, cavalry, and artillery, based on their shape. One of the cavalry pieces is uniquely marked and represents the player's king. The inventive game allows for multiple pieces to occupy any one space simultaneously, up to, for example, twelve pieces per space. Each piece may move independently from the other pieces, and each piece may attack independently from or cooperatively with other pieces.
Players alternate taking turns, and each turn comprises a movement phase and an attacking phase. Each type of piece has movement and capture rules associated therewith, such rules being at least partially dependent upon the number and type of other playing pieces occupying the same playing space, the type of playing space occupied by the piece, and the type of enemy playing pieces on neighboring and nearby spaces.
Replenishment pieces may be added to designated replenishment spaces at the start of each player's turn, according to turn number and/or the number of spaces of a certain type occupied by the player. The first player to occupy a given number of a certain type of space, or the first player to capture an opponent's king, wins the game.
The present strategic board game is a battlefield simulation game that more closely simulates true battlefield conduct and strategy. The present game allows multiple playing pieces on the same playing space, yet allows each of these playing pieces the freedom to move independently if desired. The playing pieces each have differing rules for movement and combat, based, at least in part, upon the other types of pieces occupying the same playing space, the types of enemy pieces on neighboring and nearby spaces, and the types of spaces in the vicinity. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
FIG. 1A is a partial top plan view of a game board of the present invention, illustrating a left half of the game board;
FIG. 1B is a partial top plan view of the game board of the present invention, illustrating a right half of the game board;
FIG. 2 is a partial view of an edge of the game board designated as South, indicating one possible starting position for a set of playing pieces;
FIG. 3 is a partial view of the game board, illustrating one possible set of moves capable by an infantry type of playing piece;
FIG. 4 is a partial view of the game board, illustrating one possible set of moves capable by a cavalry type of playing piece;
FIG. 5 is a partial view of the game board, illustrating one possible set of attacking moves capable by an artillery type of playing piece;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a set of playing pieces and one placeholder piece;
FIG. 7 is a partial view of an edge of the game board designated as South, indicating a number of nominated playing spaces designated by placeholder pieces;
FIG. 8 is a partial view of the game board of FIG. 7, illustrating one possible set of moves a player may make after nominated the playing spaces designated by the placeholder pieces; and
FIG. 9 is a partial view of the game board of FIG. 8, illustrating the final positions of pieces moved as designated in FIG. 8.
FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a preferred playing board 10 for a strategic board game of the present invention. The playing board 10 comprises a grid pattern 20 thereon defining playing spaces 30. The board 10 is divided into a plurality of different types of playing spaces 30, each of which has a type-identifying marking 40 thereon. For example, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, landmark areas are those spaces 30 that have landmark indicia 65 thereon. Likewise, forest areas 70 are those contiguous spaces 30 that have forest indicia 75 thereon. For those spaces 30 without any markings, such spaces 30 are considered regular land spaces 30. There can be many landmark areas 60- and forest areas 70, each occupying one or more spaces 30, but in the preferred embodiment there are exactly eight one-space landmark areas 60 and exactly four three-space forest areas 70.
Also in the preferred embodiment, the playing board 10 is generally rectangular and includes proximate each edge 15 thereof a unique direction designation 18, such as “N” for North, “S” for South, “E” for East, and “W” for West (FIGS. 1A and 1B). Preferably the edges 15 designated North and South are longer than those designated East and West.
A plurality of differently-colored sets 50 of playing pieces 55, and preferably two sets 50, represent opposing armies. Each playing piece 55 is adapted for movement on the playing spaces 30 of the playing board 10, with each piece 55 occupying a relatively small footprint, or area, of each space 30, such that preferably at least twelve pieces 55 may occupy any one space 30. As such, each piece 55 is adapted to stand upright on the board 10, and is preferably made from an injection molded plastic or the like. Multiple such playing pieces 55 of the same set 50 may occupy each playing space 30 simultaneously, with, for example, a maximum number of such pieces 55 on any one space 30 being twelve.
Each set 50 comprises a plurality of different types of playing pieces 55, preferably infantry pieces 80, cavalry pieces 90, and artillery pieces 100. One of the cavalry pieces 90 is marked uniquely and identified as the king 95.
While there can be a wide range of playing rules established for playing a board game of the type herein described, preferably such play includes each set 50 of pieces 55 alternating turns, each turn comprising a movement phase and an attacking phase. The movement phase is preferably accomplished first by nominating a number of spaces to move, such as ten. All of the pieces 55 in each of the ten nominated spaces can then move in accordance to the predefined movement rules, explained further below. To assist in remembering which spaces 30 and how many spaces 30 have been nominated, uniquely colored or shaped placeholder pieces 56 (FIGS. 6 and 7) may be placed on each nominated space 30, and removed once the pieces 55 on each nominated space 30 have been moved in turn (FIGS. 8 & 9). Once the movement phase is complete and all of the pieces 55 on the nominated spaces have had the opportunity to move, the attack phase can begin in accordance to the rules explained further below.
Movement rules depend upon the number and type of other playing pieces 55 occupying the same playing space 30 and the proximity of each enemy playing pieces 55 thereto. Further, capture rules of each type of attacking playing piece 50 are based on the type of playing space 30 each attacking piece 55 occupies, and the number and type of other playing pieces 55 occupying the same playing space 30, and the type of playing piece 55 that each attacking piece 55 is attempting to capture, and the proximity of each playing piece 55 that each attacking piece 55 is attempting to capture.
In play, each opponent selects one of the sets 50 of pieces 55 and sets them up on, preferably, the North and South edges of the board according to a predefined starting position, such as that shown in FIG. 2. At least one playing space 30 has at least two different types of playing pieces 55 thereon, and several of the playing spaces 30 may have as many as three different types of playing pieces 55 thereon.
One of the opponents is chosen to move first, such as the South player, for example. The first player to move then nominates ten spaces 30 having his pieces thereon for movement, marks each nominated piece with one of the placeholder pieces 56 (FIG. 7), and then moves a selected number of the pieces 55 in each nominated space 30 in accordance to the movement rules (FIGS. 8 and 9). The movement rules preferably depend upon which piece 55 is being moved. For example, FIG. 3 illustrates one possible movement rule for the infantry pieces 80, namely, that each infantry piece 80 may move one space 30 away from its current space 30 in any direction. FIG. 4 illustrates one possible movement rule for the cavalry pieces 90, namely, that each cavalry piece 90 may move up to two spaces 30 away from its current space 30 in any direction. Preferably if an artillery piece 100 is present on any space 30 wherein infantry pieces 80 or cavalry pieces 90 are moving, such pieces may take along the artillery piece 100. That is to say, artillery pieces 100 cannot move by themselves, but rather must be carried along with either of the other two types of pieces 80,90. The goal of the movement rules is that the manner in which the different types of pieces 55 move realistically. Each artillery piece 100 must be manned, that is, sharing its space 30 with at least one of the other types of pieces 80,90. Each piece 55, with the exception of the artillery pieces 100, may move independently from the other pieces 55.
In the preferred mode of the invention, during the movement phase no piece 55 can move onto or through a space 30 occupied by an opponent's piece 55. For example, if a cavalry piece 90 is adjacent to an enemy-occupied space 30, that cavalry piece 90 cannot move through the adjacent space 30 to land on a space 30 on the opposite side of the enemy-occupied space 30, nor can the cavalry piece 90 move onto the enemy-occupied space 30.
Once all of the pieces 55 are moved as desired and all of the placeholder pieces 56 are in-turn removed from the board 10, signifying that all of the desired pieces 55 on the nominated space 30 have been moved, the attack phase of the turn begins. Again, while any number of different attack rules may be adopted for such a strategic game, the following attack rules are preferred.
Preferably cavalry pieces 90 and infantry pieces 80 attack first, and artillery pieces 100 attack last. Infantry pieces 80 and cavalry pieces 90 can attack enemy-occupied spaces 30 one space 30 in any direction. Artillery pieces 100 can attack enemy-occupied spaces 30 either two or three spaces 30 in any direction, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Artillery pieces 100, however, cannot attack while in a forest area 70 or if an enemy-occupied space 30 is within one space 30 in any direction. Further, enemy-occupied spaces 30 within a forest area 70 may not be attacked by artillery pieces 100. Still further, enemy-occupied spaces 30 cannot be attacked by artillery pieces 100 if such enemy-occupied spaces 30 are within one space 30 of any of the infantry pieces 80 or cavalry pieces 90 of the same player.
In one embodiment of the invention, in order for infantry pieces 80 or cavalry pieces 90 to attack, a space 30 which such pieces 80,90 occupy must contain more than 50% of a total number of points of the attacked space 30, each type of piece 55 being worth a predetermined number of points. For example, if infantry pieces 80 are worth one point, and cavalry pieces 90 are each worth three points, in order for the pieces 55 on an attacking space 30 to attack a space 30 having a single cavalry piece 90, the attacking space 30 must have at least two infantry pieces 80 or one cavalry piece 90. The following table illustrates the minimum attacking force required for spaces 30 having either infantry pieces 80 or cavalry pieces 90 in the quantity indicated:
| Minimum Required | ||||
| Attacking Force | ||||
| to attack | ||||
| troops defending | Troops Defending | |||
| Infantry OR Cavalry | Infantry OR Cavalry | |||
| 2 | 1 | 1, 2 or 3 | 1 | |
| 3 | 1 | 4 or 5 | n/a | |
| 4 | 2 | 6 or 7 | 2 | |
| 5 | 2 | 8 or 9 | 3 | |
| 6 | 2 | 10 or 11 | n/a | |
| 7 | 3 | 12 | 4 | |
For example, one cavalry piece 90 and one infantry piece 80, a total of four points, can attack a space 30 having two cavalry pieces 90 and one infantry piece 80, which is a total of seven points, since 4>50% of 7. Further, infantry and cavalry pieces 80,90 must attack adjacent enemy-occupied spaces 30 before attacking diagonal enemy-occupied spaces 30. Such a rule serves to simulate the realistic requirement that an attacking force should be at least of a certain strength when engaging an enemy.
Attack damage against an enemy-occupied space 30 is determined by the highest point ranking piece 55 present on the attacking space 30. For example, if the highest point ranking piece 55 of an attacking space 30 is an infantry piece 80, the damage inflicted is two points worth of damage. As such, up to two infantry pieces 55 of the enemy set 50 may be removed from the attacked space 30. Further, if the highest point ranking piece 55 of the attacking space 30 is a cavalry piece 90, the damage inflicted is three points worth of damage. As such, up to three infantry pieces 80 or one cavalry piece 90 may be removed from the attacked space 30.
Artillery pieces 100 may attack when all of the eligible infantry pieces 80 and eligible cavalry pieces 90 have attacked. Each artillery piece 100 that is eligible to attack, that is, each artillery piece 100 that is within range of an enemy-occupied space 30, can attack only one other space 30 one time per turn. Each artillery piece 100 inflicts one point worth of damage. However, if multiple artillery pieces 100 are in range of a single attacked space 30, the damage is cumulative. For example, if two artillery pieces 100 are within range of an attacked space 30 having two enemy infantry pieces 80 thereon, the total damage of two points may be inflicted on that space 30 and the two enemy infantry pieces 80 removed. It takes three artillery pieces 100 firing on the same attacked space 30 to remove an enemy cavalry piece 90.
If enemy pieces 55 are completely removed from a space 30 on the board 10 at anytime during the attack phase, then the attacking player has the option to move pieces 55 onto the attacked space 30. Only the pieces 55 that actually attacked the enemy on the space 30 may be moved into this space 30. Further, any artillery piece 100 left on a space 30 when captured becomes part of the attacking player's army. This simulates an attacking army taking over abandoned artillery weapons on a battlefield, for example.
In the preferred mode of the invention, additional replenishment pieces 55 may be added at the start of each player's turn at the edge 15 of the board 10 designated as either North or South, depending upon the player's starting edge 15, and into spaces 32 (FIG. 2) either South or North of one of the landmark areas 60, at the player's option. For example, at the start of the first player's first turn, three infantry pieces 80 may be added to any of the player's replenishment spaces 32. The following table illustrates the type and number of replenishment pieces 55 that are preferably added at the start of each player's turn:
| Turn Number | No. and Type of Replenishment Pieces 55 |
| 1 | 3 Infantry Pieces 80 |
| 2 | 1 Cavalry Piece 90 |
| 3 | 3 Infantry Pieces 80 |
| 4 | 1 Artillery Piece 100 |
| Etc. | (Repeat from turn 1 above) |
The game is won by the first player to either capture their opponent's king or 75% of the landmark areas 60. For example, in an embodiment wherein there are eight landmark areas 40, the first player to either capture their enemy's king or occupy six landmark areas 40 wins the game.
Additional rules may be added to the strategic board game. For example, if over 50% of the landmark areas 60 are occupied by a player at the start of his turn, the additional replenishment pieces 55 received at the start of his turn may be increased, as follows:
| Turn Number | No. and Type of Replenishment Pieces 55 |
| X | 3 Infantry Pieces 80 + 1 Cavalry Piece 90 |
| X + 1 | 1 Cavalry Piece 90 + 3 Infantry Pieces 80 |
| X + 2 | 3 Infantry Pieces 80 + 1 Artillery Piece 100 |
| X + 3 | 1 Artillery Piece 100 + 3 Infantry Pieces 80 |
| Etc. | (Repeat from turn 1 above) |
Another example of an additional rule is as follows: if during the game a player is reduced to occupying three landmark areas 60, but then subsequently takes an additional landmark area 60 so that he now occupies four landmark areas 60 again, and he holds those four landmark areas 60 for one turn, he may be awarded a whole set of replenishment pieces 55 as a moral boost, such as six infantry pieces 80, one cavalry piece 90, and one artillery piece 100. This is illustrated in the following table:
| Circumstances | No. and Type of Replenishment Pieces 55 |
| Player takes back a | Standard No. and Type of Replenishment |
| landmark area 60 to | Pieces 55, per standard rules |
| hold a total of four | |
| such landmark areas | |
| 60 | |
| On next turn, player | 1 Cavalry Piece 90 + 6 Infantry Pieces 80 + 1 |
| still holds at least | Artillery Piece 100 |
| four landmark areas | |
| Next turn | Standard No. and Type of Replenishment |
| Pieces 55, per standard rules | |
| Next turn | Standard No. and Type of Replenishment |
| Pieces 55, per standard rules | |
While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, instead of land-based spaces 30, each regular space 30 may be defined as an area of a sea (not shown). As such, the landmark spaces 40 may be island, and the forest areas may be coral reefs. Each playing piece 55 may be a sea-going vessel of varying type. Alternately, instead of cavalry pieces 90, infantry pieces 80, and artillery pieces 100, the strategic board game may include other types of pieces 55 such as tanks, missiles, and fighter jets (not shown). Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.