Branches & Twigs & Thorns
Branches & Twigs & Thorns | ||
---|---|---|
Andrew Plotkin | ||
Players build branching tree structures from a root, trying to always branch from their own pieces, not their opponent's. | ||
Players: | 2 - 4 | |
Length: | unknown | |
Complexity: | Medium | |
Trios per color: | 5 | |
Number of colors: | 1 per player | |
- - - - - - Other equipment - - - - - - | ||
Chessboard, two pairs of markers | ||
Setup time: | 1 minute | |
Strategy depth: | Medium | |
Random chance: | None | |
Theme: | Horticulture | |
BGG Link: | Branches and Twigs and Thorns | |
Status: Complete (v1.0), Year released: 2002 | ||
Summary[edit | edit source]
Branches & Twigs & Thorns (AKA BTT and formerly known as Barsoomite Go) is Andrew Plotkin's refined version of Martian Go, tweaked to produce fewer tied games and a bit less of a first-mover advantage.
Materials[edit | edit source]
- Board (exact layout of the board depends on number of players -- see your specific player count below)
- 15 pyramids in a Stash for each player, each in a distinct color
- Small tokens to represent the root (must fit on a chessboard square)
- Small tokens to represent the null (must fit on a chessboard square)
- Coins, etc. be used as points, at least five coins per player.
Rules[edit | edit source]
In general, players take turns placing their pyramids lying down on the squares of a chessboard until the board is full. Points are distributed based on what direction their pyramids point. The game begins differently enough with different playcounts that it's best to split the rules up by that factor. These rules are written so that someone with no prior experience with Martian Go can learn this game.
2-Player Game[edit | edit source]
Board needed: an 8×4 grid, or a chessboard with half the squares covered up.
Setup[edit | edit source]
Player 1 takes the null token and places it, then Player 2 takes the root token and places it.
Gameplay[edit | edit source]
Players take turns placing their pyramids on the board until it is full. Pieces must be orthogonally connected to, and point at:
- the root
- their own color (for free)
- an opponent's color (for a penalty)
Penalties[edit | edit source]
When your pyramid points at an opponent's pyramid, you must pay penalties in two ways. Look at the size of the opponent's piece. That's how many coins you pay to the pot. The size of the piece you just placed determines how many coins you must pay to your opponent. The blue player would like to point at the smallest possible piece, and so pay the smallest penalty to the pot. However, the purple player has no small pyramids available to point at. So Blue has to settle for pointing at a medium piece with the smallest pyramid he has. He pays two coins to the pot for pointing at a two-pip pyramid, and one coin to his opponent for using a one-pip pyramid to do it.
If a player runs out of coins but still needs to pay, everyone, including the player who just ran out of coins, takes five coins from the pot. This is fair because only the relative scores matter.
End Game[edit | edit source]
The game ends when the board is full. Whoever has the most coins wins.
3-Player Game[edit | edit source]
Board needed: Three diamond-shaped wedges of Eeyore's chessboard wedges. The overall board is triangular. (Cerulean observes that a 7 x 7 square board is also good for three players, with two nulls and two roots. That version is not shown here.)
4-Player Game[edit | edit source]
Board needed: a chessboard or 8×8 grid.
5-Player Game[edit | edit source]
Board needed: Five diamond-shaped sections of Eeyore's chessboard wedges. The overall board shaped like a PacMan.
6-Player Game[edit | edit source]
Board needed: Six diamond-shaped sections of Eeyore's chessboard wedges. The overall board is hexagonal.
BTT was published in Hypothermia #15.
Additional Languages[edit | edit source]
Branches & Twigs & Thorns (Polish)
External Links[edit | edit source]
- Branches & Twigs & Thorns is listed on BoardGameGeek.
- Official Rules site: http://www.eblong.com/zarf/barsoom-go.html
- This game can be played online at Super Duper Games.