US 5,570,887 AGranted

Apparatus and method of playing a medieval military conflict board game for two to four players

OwnerGeorge Christie, Jr.inventor

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Abstract

A board game for two to four players provides a simulation of conflict between opposing monarchies in a medieval European culture. Players each control several different types of playing pieces, with the pieces each having different movement patterns on the board. Chance elements are also provided by the random drawing of cards and casting of dice, with the dice having different numbers of faces arranged in regular polyhedral configurations. Plural pieces may be moved by a player in a single turn, according to the total number of spaces determined by the casting of the appropriate die. Playing pieces may have differing levels of strength, and those levels may vary during the course of the game. Conflict between two opposing pieces may involve multiple turns by the two opposing players, depending upon the pieces and their respective strengths. Trades of various articles may also be made between allied pieces controlled by any one given player. The object of the game is to conquer the opposing players'kingdom(s), by capturing or defeating their playing pieces and king(s).

Claims20

Dependent claims

A board game apparatus for a plurality of players, comprising:

a substantially square game board having a square central area divided into a matrix of playing positions, said matrix of playing positions oriented diagonally relative to the sides of the square game bard wherein the lines defining the matrix of playing positions intersect the sides of the game board at a diagonal, said central area having a first, second, third, and fourth corner, and a first, second, third, and fourth triangularly shaped individual playing area respectively disposed at said first, second, third, and fourth corner of said board, and a substantially square common playing field diagonally disposed across said central area of said board wherein the lines bounding the square common playing field intersect the sides of the game board at a diagonal, said square common playing field, extending between each said individual playing area, said first, second, third and fourth individual playing areas each having indicia thereon distinguishing the individual playing areas from the square common playing field and;
a first, second, third, and fourth set of playing pieces respectively corresponding to each said first, second, third, and fourth individual playing area, with each said set comprising a plurality of playing pieces and at least some of said playing pieces within each said set having a different movement pattern from others of said playing pieces on said board, whereby;
players alternatingly move said playing pieces from respective said individual playing areas and across said common playing field of said board in accordance with game rules, and attempt to capture and depose said playing pieces of each other said set from said board to win the game.

A method of playing a board game, comprising the following steps:

(a) providing a game board having a square central area divided into a matrix of playing positions, said matrix of playing positions oriented diagonally relative to the sides of the square game board wherein the lines defining the matrix of playing positions intersect the sides of the game board at a diagonal, said central area having a substantially square common playing field diagonally disposed thereacross wherein the lines bounding the square common playing field intersect the sides of the game board at a diagonal, said square central area also having four individual player areas disposed at the corners of the board each individual player area having respective starting positions, with the common playing field and individual player areas each having a plurality of playing positions thereon;
(b) further providing four sets of playing pieces with each set corresponding to one of the individual playing areas of the game board, and with each set comprising a plurality of playing pieces with at least some of the playing pieces within each set having a different movement pattern from other playing pieces within each set and further each including a king playing piece;
(c) further providing a plurality of cards containing instructions affecting the outcome of play, and a plurality of dice each comprising a regular polyhedron, with each die having a different number of faces;
(d) determining the order of play among the players and placing the playing pieces for each player at their respective starting positions in each of the individual player areas of the board;
(e) alternatingly using at least one of the dice to determine the total number of board positions over which at least one of the playing pieces of a set controlled by the player may move, and moving those pieces a number of positions totaling no more than the total count rolled using the at least one of the dice;
(f) engaging a playing piece of another player in battle by moving a playing piece to the same board position as an opposing playing piece, with each player involved in the battle alternatingly casting at least one of the dice to determine simulated battle damage to the battling playing pieces;
(g) removing any playing pieces defeated in battle;
(h) engaging the king playing piece of another player in battle, with each player involved in the battle alternatingly casting at least one of the dice to determine simulated battle damage to the battling king playing piece and other playing piece;
(i) passing control of the playing pieces associated with any defeated king playing piece, to the player controlling the playing pieces of the playing piece defeating the king, and;
(j) continuing in accordance with the above rules until only one king playing piece remains, with the player controlling the one remaining king playing piece being the winner of the game.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.