Conflict
Conflict Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object
The object of the game is to eliminate all opponents by capturing all their pieces or by occupying their home circles.
Equipment
Equipment consists of a playing board, two dice, and four sets of playing pieces, each set in a different color and each consisting of two airplanes, four artillery pieces, one anti-aircraft gun, and five battleships.
Preparation
Open the board on any table. Players should sit on different sides of the table. Each player takes all playing pieces of the same color as his corner of the board. Each player then places four of his pieces (1 airplane, 1 artillery piece and 2 battleships) in the center of the board in the area that has the same color as his pieces. These pieces represent a player's RESERVE. He then places the eight remaining pieces in his corner. The land pieces and plane go in the extreme corner in the large area of his own color, and the three ships in either or both of the two small squares of his own color. (See Diagram #1.) This separation makes it easier to start land pieces on land and water pieces on water.
Diagram #1
Movement of Pieces
Land pieces must travel entirely on land (the brown checkered areas) and water pieces on water (the blue checkered areas). To enter these areas land pieces must move one space diagonally in either direction from the circle on the brown square to the land areas and water pieces must move one space diagonally on the blue square to the water area. (See Diagram #2, which illustrates an entering move on a throw of 5 and 3 on the dice.)
The airplanes may move over both land and water and so may enter the game by either route to the land or water areas. They may in the same move pass from land to water or water to land.
All pieces may move in any direction — horizontally, vertically, or diagonally — and not necessarily in a straight line. For example, a player rolling a six on one of his two dice could move one of his pieces one square forward, two squares diagonally left or right, two squares backward and the sixth square horizontally left or right. (See Diagram #3.) However, a player cannot move his piece over nor onto the same square twice in any one move.
Diagram #2
Diagram #3
Value of Pieces
Any land piece may capture any other land piece, or an airplane if the plane is resting on a land area. Any water piece may capture any other water piece, or an airplane if it is resting on the water. An airplane may capture any piece except an anti-aircraft gun. The anti-aircraft gun may capture a plane on the land area and may capture, or be captured, by any other land piece. In play, therefore, it is important to keep your planes at a safe distance from your opponents' anti-aircraft guns.
A piece is captured when another piece lands exactly on or passes through the square it occupies. (In Diagram #4, on a throw of 6, the plane captures the battleship by moving through the space the battleship occupies. On a throw of 5, an artillery piece captures another by landing on the space the other occupies.)
Diagram #4
Bridges
Since pieces may move on the diagonal, land pieces may cross the water areas on the brown squares that serve as bridges to the island area in the center of the board. Water pieces may pass the bridges by moving on the diagonal and thus moving on blue squares. No pieces may move into the reserve spaces.
Play
To start the game each player throws the dice once, and the one who rolls the highest total moves first. He rolls both dice and moves any two pieces along the playing field from the circle in his corner, moving land pieces along the land route (brown squares) to the land area and water pieces along the water route (blue squares) to the water area. Airplanes may enter the game by either route. To enter a piece, the player places it on the home circle and counts the adjacent square as #1 for either land or water pieces.
A player must always move two pieces, as the sum of the dice can never be used to move one piece. If only one piece remains, it can be moved by the count of one die only, but in this case the player may choose which die to use.
When the first player has moved, the turn passes to the next player on the left — and so on, in turn, throughout the game.
Each player tries to land one of his pieces on each of his opponents' home circles by exact count. He may do this by maneuvering a piece in; or he may capture such a number of opponents' pieces that the defenses are weakened or eliminated, and he can move in without resistance.
A piece left on the starting circle (home square) is subject to capture and, therefore, is not protected by it.
When the piece of one player reaches an opponent's starting circle (home square), that opponent is eliminated and all his pieces are retired from the game. Also the capturing player takes all of that opponent's pieces and all the pieces which that opponent holds as captured pieces. He may put his own recaptured pieces into play in the regular manner, either immediately or later as he chooses. He retains the captured pieces of other opponents.
Doubles
If a player rolls doubles, he has another throw on that turn; and, if he throws doubles on the second throw, he has still another turn. However, should he throw a third set of doubles, he has no further throw and must place one of his pieces (any one he selects) back in the reserve.
Sevens
If at any time during the game a player throws a total of seven on the dice, he may take one piece from the reserve and place it on its proper starting area in his corner. He then moves this piece or any other of his pieces as on any other throw. As usual he must move two pieces.
Mines
The circles in the water area represent mines. A player's water piece resting on or crossing his own mines are safe, but the water piece of any other player resting on or crossing these mines loses his piece to the player in whose starting corner the mines are situated.
An exception to this rule is that an airplane may be blown up if it comes to rest on it. However, an airplane may pass over a mine in safety. Should any piece, other than an airplane, take a water piece resting on its own mine, the water pieces of both players are destroyed and each player receives his opponent's piece.
Alliances
Usually each player plays for himself, although alliances may be made before or during the game in an attempt by two players to wipe out a third.
Partnership games may be played if agreed upon before the start of the game.
Winning the Game
The player who eliminates all opponents by capturing all their pieces or by occupying their home circles wins the game.