Conspirators

The Conspirators game commences with the board empty of counters.

Alternate Names

Conspirateurs

No. of Players

Two

Equipment

The Conspirators board is a 16x16 square grid with some special markings: an 8x4 rectangular field at the center of the board is the drop zone where counters are initially entered onto the board. Thirty-nine red dots on the board's periphery mark the sanctuaries (also described as shelters) where the counters are trying to move to. A two player game will require twenty each of black and white counters. A four player game will require ten each of four different-colored counters.

History

This game was probably invented in late 18th Century France. It is notable for being played by both French and British soldiers during the Napoleonic Wars (1803 - 1815).

Objective

The game could probably be described as a sort of "musical chairs" on a board, as there is one less sanctuary (thirty-nine) for counters to go to than there are counters (forty). The first player to place all of their counters in a sanctuary at the edge of the board is the winner. If playing with four players, the game may continue after the winner triumphs to determine rank of the other players.

Play

In the first phase of the game alternating turns entail the placing of one friendly counter in any of the forty positions of the central rectangular drop zone. Counters are played at the intersections in this game and the intersections along the edge of the drop zone qualify for the initial placement. After all the counters have been placed, the movement phase begins. Here, a counter moves to one orthogonally or diagonally adjacent and vacant intersection, or orthogonally or diagonally short jumps a counter of any color to the immediately opposite vacant intersection in a straight line. Enchained double or multiple short jumps in one turn are permitted and direction may be changed after each jump.

There are no captures in Conspirators and a jumped counter remains on the board.

Sources

  1. Schmittberger, R. Wayne. New Rules for Classic Games. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York, 1992. ISBN 0-471-53621-0