Brothers
Brothers Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 12 game board pieces: MEADOW
- 12 straight pieces: PENS for KVOLIKS
- 12 angled pieces: PENS for BARAGLOTS
Goal of the Game
Each player controls one of the brothers. The goal of each game is to build more pens than your opponent. For pens you fail to build, you receive penalty points at the end of the round. After the first round the players swap roles. The player with the fewest penalty points after two rounds is declared the winner.
Setup
The younger player takes the pens for KVOLIKS (straight) and goes first. His opponent takes the pens for BARAGLOTS (angled).
Lay out all the MEADOW pieces on the table so that both players can see them. Leave the center of the table empty: here the players will lay out the MEADOW and build pens on it.
Course of Play
The game is played over two rounds, each divided into two phases:
- Preparing the meadow
- Building pens
First Round
1) Preparing the meadow
The first player takes any MEADOW piece and places it in the center of the table. After that the players take turns adding one MEADOW piece each, attaching it to those already laid out in the center. The following rules must be observed:
- Pieces must touch each other along at least one side (touching at a corner does not count).
- Pieces may not be placed on top of each other.
The Meadow is considered complete when all 12 of its pieces have been laid out in the center of the table.
2) Building pens
The player raising KVOLIKS always goes first. He places one of his pens on the MEADOW, covering exactly three squares. Then the player raising BARAGLOTS places his pen on the MEADOW, also covering exactly three squares. After that the players take turns.
Pens are built according to these rules:
- No part of a pen may lie on another pen.
- A pen must be placed fully on Meadow squares (you may not place a pen so that it covers only part of a square).
- Pens may not extend beyond the Meadow.
- Pens may not be placed over empty spaces between Meadow pieces.
The players place their pens in turn, until at least one of the players can still place a pen. If one of the players cannot place a pen, he skips his turn.
End of the First Round
The first round ends when neither player can place a pen on the MEADOW any longer.
First round scoring
Each player counts how many pens remain in his supply (not placed on the board). The player raising KVOLIKS receives 1 penalty point for each pen he has left. The player raising BARAGLOTS receives 2 penalty points for each pen he has left. Write down the penalty points received.
Second Round
Remove all pieces (KVOLIK pens, BARAGLOT pens and MEADOW pieces) from the center of the table: for the second round you will lay out a new MEADOW.
The players swap roles (the player who raised KVOLIKS in the first round raises BARAGLOTS in the second, and vice versa).
Otherwise the game and scoring proceed by the rules of the first round.
End of the Game
At the end of the second round each player adds up the penalty points received over the two rounds. The player with the lowest total is declared the winner!
If the points are tied, the player who scored fewer points while raising KVOLIKS wins. If the winner still cannot be determined, the game is a draw.
Rules for 4 Players
Sometimes the brothers' spouses join the battle for the best lands. Now pens on the Meadow are built by whole families...
To play with four, split into two teams of two. Sit around the table so that members of each team sit alternately (not next to each other). Each player takes 6 pens of his team.
One of the players raising KVOLIKS starts laying out the MEADOW; play then continues clockwise from him. After that the players place their pens in turn (clockwise), starting with a player raising KVOLIKS.
IMPORTANT: Teammates may not consult or agree with each other about the placement of pens (but they may moan and complain about their teammate's bad moves).
At the end of the first round the teams swap pens. Penalty points are counted as in a two-player game.
At the end of the game, the team with the fewest penalty points after two rounds is declared the winner!
Summary
- Prepare the meadow. Take turns placing MEADOW pieces (the player raising KVOLIKS starts) until all pieces are laid out.
- Build pens. Place pens in turn (the player raising KVOLIKS starts) until at least one player can still place pens according to the rules.
- Count penalty points. At the end of the round you receive: 1 point for each remaining KVOLIK pen; 2 points for each remaining BARAGLOT pen.
- Swap roles. Play the second round with the other pens. Lay out a new MEADOW, build pens, count points. The player with the lower total of penalty points after two rounds is declared the winner!