GB2066087A - Oil installation game - Google Patents

Abstract

For playing a game of military strategy there is provided a playing piece for each player, a medical bag to represent a doctor, and a game board having respective tracks, marked with single move positions, sites each having an indicated military significance, a lamp and a sound transducer which can be actuated by the bridging of contacts by either of two sorts of playing piece, counters, cards having instructions to players, values or quantities of a commodity, indications of instructions, bonuses, or penalties, and a dice. Oil barrel pegs, each separable into parts to reveal a price, are provided. Players try to blow up the oil tank 10. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A board game This invention relates to a board game, its object being to provide an adversary game, for two or more players, in which the ability to win the game is dependent upon certain factors of luck such as throws of a dice and following of instructions received from instruction elements, and also upon the factor of skill in the manner in which the player utilises the options open to him at intervals during playing of the game.

According to the present invention a game of strategy and chance comprises: (a) a board having a major surface for playing thereon, the surface having markings representing plural starting points for player's playing pieces, roads and off-road tracks marked with distances of single moves, a plurality of sites such as military hospital sites, military prison camp sites, property sites, mine field sites, water hole sites, fuel reserve sites, fuel dumps, camp sites, sites instructing a player to take and act on a card, sites for rewards and penalties, township sites and firing pad sites, together with an oil dump compound site at which all roads and off-road tracks terminate, (b) an electrical indicator at a selected site in circuit with plural pairs of first adjacent bridgable electrical contacts exposed at the playing surface, and a current source, (c) an electrical sound transducer in circuit with plural pairs of second adjacent bridgable electrical contacts exposed at the playing surface, and a current source, (d) a plurality of playing pieces, one for each player, including conductive means capable of bridging said pairs of contacts, (e) a plurality of coupons each bearing a face value or quantity of a commodity, such as oil, (f) a plurality of instruction cards bearing face indications of bonus or penalty items, (g) a plurality of counters, such as miniature replicas of oil barrels, (h) a plurality of detonator playing pieces including conductive means capable of bridging said pairs of contacts, (i) a chance enumerator, such as a dice.

In the preferred embodiment, the electrical indicator is a lamp disposed at an oil dump compound site. The items for use in the game may further comprise a playing piece in the form of a miniature replica of a medical bag. The counters may each have a peg, the board having holes to receive such pegs of counters to be stored.

An embodiment of board game in accordance with the invention, and the manner in which it may be placed for both a normal game and a "short game" are hereinafter particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figs. la, lb, ic, id, together provide a plan view of the game board; Fig. 2 is an electrical circuit; Fig. 3 shows a representative coupon; Fig. 4 shows a representative instruction card; Fig. 5 shows a representative detonator machine playing piece; Fig. 6 shows a representative counter in the form of a replica of a miniature oil barrel; Fig. 7 shows a "medical bag"; Fig. 8 shows a "banker's card"; Fig. 9 shows a representative playing piece; Fig. 10 shows a dice; Fig. 11 shows a "Military Oil Note" card; Fig. 12 shows a "Water hole" card;; Fig. 13 shows a dice cup.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a gameboard having four tracks 1 each for a respective one of four players who may play the game at the same time.

Each track commences at a respective starting point 2, and each player has a playing piece, such as a toy soldier which is shaped, coloured or marked so as to readily identify with the respective national sign shown. Along the edges of the board there are marked strategic positions 3 such as FUEL RESERVE STRAD, WATER HOLE STRAD, and similar means for NAGA, SEDAN and GAZA. There are also locations 4 such as SANTA MILITARY HOSPITAL, MILITARY PRISON, CAMP GAZA, and towns 5 such as LAGOS and DAKAR. At the end remote from the starting positions 2 there is an oil dump compound 6.

On areas adjacent the edge of the board there are holes 7 in the board to receive pegs for items to be stored, at e.g. FUEL DUMP, one being marked for each player.

THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS Two pairs of contact elements 8, 8, are connected in the circuit of Fig. 2 for completing a circuit to sound a siren, when bridged by a playing piece or by a detonator machine.

Two pairs of contact elements 9, 9, are connected in the circuit of Fig. 2 for completing a circuit to light a lamp 10 in the fuel compound 6, when bridged by a playing piece or a detonator machine.

Referring to Fig. 2, the upper portion shows the electrical connections between a battery "B", the two contact pairs 9,9 and the lamp 10. The lower portion shows the electrical connections between a battery "B", an oscillator circuit "C", the two pairs of contacts 8, 8, and a sound transducer "S". When the contacts of a pair are bridged, the siren sounds.

THE COUPONS, CARDS, AND PLAYING PIECES Referring to Fig. 3, there is shown a representative "Military Bank" coupon, and there may be provided a number of sets of such coupons having, for examplevalues of 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 50, 100, or 1000 litres of "fuel reserve".

Referring to Fig. 4, there is shown a representative instruction card. These may be of, for example, three different kinds, each of which may conveniently be denoted bya different colour. Afirst kind of card, e.g.

a "Military Balance" card, may have, for example "river bridges blown, army engineers build emergency road bridge - receive 50 litres from the military oil bank". A second kind of card, e.g. an "Opportunity" card, could have, for example, "Fighter attacks vital airfield inside Tengah - forfeit 200 litres to the military oil bank". Athird kind of card, e.g. a "Fuel Reserve" card, could have, for example, "Strad fuel reserve, Japanese, Barrels (numbered 1 to 7) and quantities of litres from 25 to 2500", and a price for each barrel.

Fig. 5 shows a representative detonator machine playing piece which has a conductive bottom surface so that, when placed to bridge the contacts 9, 9, they establish electrical continuity to light the lamp 10.

Fig. 6 shows a representative counter in the form of an oil barrel. Each barrel 11 has a peg 12 enabling it to be stood up in a respective "fuel dump" 7. The barrel is in two parts which can be separated to reveal internally a price of a property.

Fig. 7 shows a playing piece in the form of a "f los- pital bag", the use of which is explained in detaif below.

Fig. 8 shows a "Banker's card" which gives values of Barrels of oil and property sites. Red barrels can have various values, and a total of seven red barrels is equivalent to a blue barrel, with a value of 5433, and 30% less is equivalent to a points value of 3804.

Fig. 9 shows a representative playing piece in the form of a soldier, having an electrically conductive base.

Figs. 10 and Fig. 13 show respectively a dice and a dice cup, for use as a chance enumerator.

Figs. 11 and 12 shows respective "Military Oil Note" cards and "Water hole cards", the use of which is explained below.

THE RULES OF THE GAME The complete set of rules for playing the game in accordance with the embodiment described is as fol lows:- WHAT THE GAME IS, ITS OBJECTIVE The idea of the game is to blow up the enemy fuel tank and destroy all of the enemy fuel supplies.

Starting from the symbol (2) representing his country each player moves his playing piece around the board according to the throws of a dice. When moving his playing piece through "enemy territory", the player moves it through "owned properties".

The object of owning properties is to collect oil notes (Fig. 3) from the other players who stop thereon. A player must increase his wealth to buy fuel reserve barrels (Fig. 6). Instructions on the "opportunity" cards (Fig. 4) and "military balance" cards (Fig. 4) must be followed. A player's playing piece may sometimes land in "prison camp" or "hospital". The eventual winner is the first player to place three blue coloured fuel reserve barrels (Fig. 6) on his fuel reserve property.

EQUIPMENT: The game, called "military oil busters" comprises a board with spots, over which the playing pieces moved, indicating moves, mine fields, water hole properties, fuel reserve properties, black spots la instructing a play to take a military balance card and blue spots 1b instructing a player to take an oppor tunity card for rewards and penalties. There is one dice, one dice pot, two detonator machines (Fig. 5) twenty-five red barrels, nine blue barrels and four yellow reserve barrels, four playing pieces (e.g. sol diers), one fuel tank with electric light (10), military oil notes of various denominations, military balance cards and opportunity cards; Water hole cards, Fuel reserve cards, Military Bank Cards.

PRELIMINARY INSTRUCTIONS Place the board on a good-sized table, and place the military balance cards and the opportunity cards face down on the table top. Each player is provided with one soldier to represent him on his travels around the board. Each player is given 2,500 litres of fuel in fuel reserve notes, and one yellow fuel reserve barrel. All remaining fuel barrels and fuel notes go to the "Bank". One of the players is elected to act as Banker.

FUEL RESERVE NO TES: Each player is given 2.500 litres of fuel, divided as follows: 1 ...................................1000 litres 2 ................................... 500 litres 3 ................................... 100 litres 2 ................................... 50 litres 3 ................................... 20 litres 3 ................................... 10 litres 2 5 5 litres All remaining oil notes to the Military Bank.

HOW THE GAMES PLAYED Starting with the holder of the "American" soldier playing piece, each playerin turn throws the dice.

The player with the highest total starts the play. He places his soldier playing piece on the symbol representing his country. He throws the dice and moves his soldier by the number of spots indicated on the dice. After he has completed his play, the turn to play passes to the left. The soldiers remain on the spot, and proceed from that point at the player's next turn.

If a player's soldier lands on a black spot, he is obliged to draw an opportunity card. If it lands on a blue spot, he must draw a military balance card. If it lands on a property the player is obliged to pay the site value, if the site is owned by another player.

When a player throws a six he retains the dice and throws again, and then moves his soldier by the total ofthe throws. Each time that a player's soldier gets home, the military bank gives him 500 litres in military oil notes.

LANDING ON OWNED PROPERTY: When a player lands on owned property, either by a throw of the dice or by a move forced by taking and acting on a military or opportunity card, the owner collects the site value printed on the water hole card and inside the fuel reserve drums. If a player picks up a paratroop card of an occupied city other than his own he then forfeits paper notes according to the value printed on the enemy paratroop card. Note: if the owner fails to ask for his site value before the next throw of the dice, no notes may be collected.

LANDING ON OPPORTUNITY OR MILITARY BAL ANCE SPOTS: A player takes the top card from the respective pack indicated and after following the instructions printed thereon, returns the card face down to the bottom of the pack.

BANKER: Any person may be banker and keep track of the oil notes and fuel barrels in the bank, being in charge and exchanging oil notes and barrels. This person may also play the game, and must keep his personal funds separate from those of the bank. The bank may be placed anywhere off the playing area.

BANK: The banker uses for the bank a side table or a good sized container. The bank holds, besides military oil notes, also military oil drums prior to purchase and used by the players. If any player runs out of oil notes, the bank will at any time buy back oil barrels and fuel reserve and water hole properties at 30% less than the site value printed on the water hole cards and inside the fuel reserve barrels, or he may sell to another player at a price which is agreeable to both.

MILITARY PRISON CAMP: A player lands in prison camp if he draws a card "Go to military prison camp". When a player is sent to the military prison camp, his turn ends there. He must move his soldier directly into the prison camp.

A player gets out of the prison camp: (i) by throwing a score of more than four on any of his next two turns after landing in prison camp; if he succeeds in doing this, he immediately moves out; (ii) by giving 15 litres in military oil notes to each other player before he throws the dice for his next turn; (iii) a player must not remain in prison camp after his second throw (not longer than having two turns to play after being sent to prison camp).

Immediately after throwing the dice for his second turn he must give 12 litres in oil notes to each other player unless he throws more than four on his two turns. Note: a player cannot buy oil barrels and collect site values when he is in the military prison camp.

HOSPITAL DOCTOR: At the start of the game, the doctor is placed in SANTA MILITARY HOSPITAL. The "medical bag" playing piece (Fig. 7) represents the doctor in every move he make around the board. When the doctor leaves the hospital to go into the battlefield to attend to the wounded he does soon the very first throw of the dice. He moves direct to number one space indicated by the red cross 1 d. On the second throw of the dice he moves to number two red cross le, and on number three throw he moves to number three red cross 1f, and on the fourth throw he moves back into the military hospital. He continues to move in this manner throughout the entire game. If a soldier is admitted to hospital either by military balance or opportunity card or entering the minefield, he must wait for the doctor to return from attending the wounded.If however there is more than one soldier in hospital on the doctor's return, only the first soldier admitted may be discharged, and re-enter th e game when his turn comes round again. The next soldier in line to be discharged from the hospital must also wait for the doctor to finish his rounds before re-entering the game.

Note: a player may buy oil barrels and collect site values when he is in the military hospital.

RE-ENTERING THE GAME: Players when leaving the hospital, military prison, or water holes should re-enterthe game by placing their soldier three move spots behind the point where they were before they-entered the hospital, military prison or water hole. When moving down the board for the home position, players aretrespas- sing when entering water hole properties other than their own, and must forfeit according to the value on the forfeit card.

YELLOW FUEL BARRELS: These are held by the bank before the game can start. The bank hands out to each player as follows: Starting with the player on the left of the banker: One fuel reserve barrel to be placed on his fuel reserve property: When each player has received a barrel he may then open his barrel and inside on the fuel reserve ticket is the value of the said property.

RED FUEL BARRELS: These are held in the Military Bank to be purchased by the player on his turn. Only one barrel may be bought at any one time, and placed on his fuel dump. The value of each barrel is indicated on the fuel reserve card.

BLUE FUSEL BARRELS: The blue fuel barrels are held in the military bank.

One blue fuel barrel is equivalent to seven red fuel barrels. When a player has succeeded in placing seven red fuel barrels on his fuel dump he may, on his turn, exchange all of the red barrels into the military bank, and the bank will then give him one blue fuel barrel to be placed on his fuel reserve property.

When a player has succeeded in filiing up his fuel dump all buying of fuel barrels must stop at that point for each player. Site values may still be collected as the play still continues. However, a player who owns a full fuel dump chooses the correct time to exchange his red barrel.

Example: To stop other players from buying red barrels; to increase his own wealth in oil notes; only then by using his skill and financial position he exchanges the red barrels into the military bank for a blue fuel reserve barrel. When he has completed this transaction, the players may then continue to buy fuel barrels.

THE FUEL TANK: The fuel tank is placed over the light bulb (10) in the fuel reserve compound. Players blowing up the fuel tank receive rewards of 1,250 litres in oil notes from the Military Bank.

DETONA TOR: The detonator stands on the "housing pad" (12).

Its only time of removal is when a player's soldier enters the fuel compound, whereupon on his turn if he throws a six it entitles him to blow the tank. The player takes the detonator off the housing pad and places it on the firing pad (9,9) to blow the tank.

After he has blown the tank he immediately returns the detonator back onto the housing pad. He has now completed his mission and must now head for home. Retaining the dice, he throws again and moves the number of spots which are indicated by the dice.

MINE FIELD: Any player's soldier which enters the minefield is sent directly into SANTA MILITARY HOSPITAL. Any oil revenue he has collected from blowing up the enemy tank has to be returned to the military oil bank.

RULES FOR PLAYING A SHORT GAME: The only equipment used in the short game is as follows: Four soldiers Two detonators Dice and dice pot Red fuel barrels The fuel tank Before the game starts, the players decide who is to be Banker and keep charge of the red barrels. The game proceeds in the usual manner. The player with the highest total starts the play. Starting from the symbol representing his country, he moves his soldier around the playing board according to the shake of the dice. Soldiers which enter the fuel compound on his turn must throw a six to blow the fuel tank.

A player collects one red barrel to put on his fuel dump when he has completed his mission in blowing up the oil tank. The winner is the first player to place seven red barrels on his fuel dump.

Players' soldiers which enter the minefield must return to the military bank the red barrel he has received for blowing up the fuel tank. He moves his soldier two spots behind the minefield and proceeds from that point on his next throw. The opportunity, military balance, and property cards all represent moves on the playing board.

Claims (5)

1. A game of strategy and chance, comprising: (a) a board having a major surface for playing thereon, the surface having markings representing plural starting points for players' playing pieces, roads and off-road tracks marked with distances of single moves, a plurality of sites such as military hospital sites, military prison camp sites, property sites, mine field sites, water hole sites, fuel reserve sites, fuel dumps, camp sites, sites instructing a player to take and act on a card, sites for rewards and penalties, township sites and firing pad sites, together with an oil dump compound site at which all roads and off-road tracks terminate, (b) an electrical indicator at a selected site in circuit with plural pairs of first adjacent bridgable electrical contacts exposed at the playing surface and a current source, (c) an electrical sound transducer in circuit with plural pairs of second adjacent bridgable electrical contacts exposed at the playing surface and a current source, (d) a plurality of playing pieces, one for each player, including conductive means capable of bridging said pairs of contacts, (e) a plurality of coupons each bearing a face value or quantity of a commodity such as oil, (f) a plurality of instruction cards bearing face indications of bonus or penalty items (g) a plurality of counters, such as miniature replicas of oil barrels, (h) a plurality of detonator playing pieces includ ing conductive means capable of bridging said pairs of contacts, (i) a chance enumerator, such as a dice.

2. A game, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrical indicator is a lamp disposed at an oil dump compound site.

3. A game, as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a playing piece in the form of a miniature replica of a medical bag.

4. A game, as claimed in claim 1,wherein said counters each have a peg, and wherein said board has holes to receive pegs of counters to be stored.

5. A game of strategy and chance, and the Rules for playing the same, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.