Fortify

by Bryan Griffiths

(a strategy game for 2-6 players)

It's time to move out and fortify your position. Only you can destroy the others who via for control of this planet!

Requirements:

- 1 Fortify board

- 1 Six-sided die 

- 2 to 6 unique counters (one per player)

- Pencil and eraser, one per player suggested.

                                        Here is a picture of the Fortify board.

Setup:

Start by having each player roll the die. The player who rolled the highest then chooses a location on the map to start in and draws their chosen number/symbol in it to signify their first base. Then places their piece/counter on that location. The player to their left repeats this process, selecting a different starting location, marking it with their symbol/number, and placing their counter on that location and so on until all players have placed their counter and marked their starting base. The last player to do this process is the player who will start the game and play proceeds in a clockwise (to the right) motion from that point on.

Rules:

- No two players can occupy the same node at one time nor can a player move through a node occupied by an opponents marker.

- A player may not cross a node that has been fortifed(marked) by an opponent.

- A player can never move along the same line twice in a row during a single turn. However, he may walk over the same line twice in the same move sequence as long as it is not back to back. For example if the player rolled a 4 and the map was a simple triangle with three points (A, B, C) he may move from node A to B to C to A to B. But not from A to B to C to A to C,  nor can he go from A to B to C to B to A because in each of these moves he crosses the same line back to back (C to A to C and B to C to B), in other words you can never turn around during your movement in a turn.

- If a player can not complete a valid move to match what he rolled on the die, then he is destroyed and has lost, but his forts remain until destroyed by another player.

- A player may fortify the node they are standing in on a roll of 6 instead of moving by making their mark in that node.

- A player may neutralize one fortified node that has a connection to the one they are standing in on the roll of 1 instead of moving.

Turn Sequence:

When it is their turn the player picks up the die and rolls it. They must move that many nodes or carry out a special action(on a roll of a 1 or 6) . If they rolled a 6 they may fortify the node they are currently standing in by making their mark in the node and forefit their movement. If they rolled a 1 they may chose to neutralize an adjacent fortified node by erasing the mark currently in that node and forefit their movement. Their turn is now over and the player to the right proceeds to take his turn.

Winning:

The last player standing is the winner. 

The last player does not have to make a move if all other players have been eliminated. 

Team Version: 

Each player joins a team and they all use the same team mark when fortifying a node. The object now is to be the last team with an active player. Players from each team should be spaced out so that each team gets a turn before any one team goes twice. Also, team members may move through a node occupied by one of their teammates counters, but may not end their move on the same location (if they do they are destroyed) there just isn't enough space for two armies in one location.