Space combat game

A space combat game is disclosed herein which includes a game board having playing spaces and a plurality of groups of planetary, directional, internment, battle, safety and control spaces each having specific rules of play. Die is provided to determine the number of spaces a player must travel in a turn. An attack success indicator is provided to determine the outcome of an attack of one player on another. A player score sheet is also included to accurately record the total number of points received by a player during the game.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to games and, more particularly, to a space conquest 
type game in which the players seek to conquer the solar system and 
accumulate a maximum number of points. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Space journey games having a playing board with a number of spaces disposed 
on the surface thereof have generally been known for many years. 
Typically, these games include playing pieces of more than one player 
which are moved through a path of spaces in an attempt by a particular 
player to obtain a maximum amount of points and win conquest of space. The 
player operates a spinner, dice or other chance means to determine the 
number of spaces which can be moved in a particular turn. After a 
requisite number of turns, completion of a space voyage, or if a player or 
players has been eliminated from the game, play is normally ended. 
Representative of the above-described well-known games are those described 
in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,111,427 and 3,985,361. 
All such games contain some distinctive feature in the rules and method of 
play to distinguish one from the other. Typically, each game provides a 
different means by which players can accumulate points or destroy the 
pieces of the other players. However, such games are normally based purely 
on chance and consist of little more than the players moving along a 
continuous path from a launch pad to a landing pad or planet for a certain 
amount of points or other reward. No game provides a complete assortment 
of all the perils, adventures or combative predicaments which may be 
present in a solar system or other portion of the universe, and no game 
effectively allows the player to incorporate battle strategy and tactics 
into the play of the game. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide 
a novel game which allows players to develop and utilize a battle strategy 
to obtain a maximum amount of points. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide an amusing and 
exciting game for two or more players which provides interesting 
challenges and obstacles during the play of the game. 
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention a space combat game 
is herewith disclosed and includes a game board with a play surface having 
a plurality of playing spaces disposed thereon and which are in a 
continuous path. Indicia are printed on the game board and the playing 
spaces thereby defining a group of planetary spaces, directional spaces, 
internment spaces, control spaces, battle spaces and safety spaces. A 
black hole space is provided to simulate a realistic obstacle for the 
players. A first and second chance means are provided to determine the 
number of moves a player may move a marker during his turn, and to 
determine the outcome of a battle between two players, respectively. 
Galaxy cards, scoring disks and a scoring means are also provided to 
introduce an element of chance, and a means to determine the score of a 
particular player throughout the play of the game, respectively.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now in detail to FIGS. 1 through 5, there is shown a space combat 
game according to the teachings of the present invention with the game 10 
including a game board 12 having a play surface made of any suitable 
material, and having a plurality of playing spaces 14 disposed in a 
continuous path along the surface thereof. The playing spaces 14, as 
depicted in FIG. 1, include a plurality of groups of spaces as 
particularly described herein. 
A group of planetary spaces 16 is provided which includes the planets of 
the solar system, i.e. Earth, Pluto, Jupiter, Uranus, Mars, Venus, 
Mercury, Saturn and Neptune, and are spaced intermittently throughout the 
playing spaces 14. Players landing on a planet 16 will receive a galaxy 
card 17 which has indicia thereon comprising instructions to the player, 
as is more fully explained below. A group of directional spaces 18 is 
provided having indicia with instructions to control the movement of a 
player's marker 19 which has landed thereon. A group of internment spaces 
20 is also included to provide another hazardous obstacle to the players. 
These particular spaces have indicia symbolizing a ball and chain with 
instructions to the player to exile or intern on Jupiter either a robot 21 
or astronaut 23. These pieces can subsequently be freed by receiving the 
appropriate galaxy card, as is explained more fully hereinbelow. A group 
of control spaces 22 is provided to simulate lunar and man-made 
installations which may be found in the solar system. Mission Control, a 
Space Station and the Moon are provided as control spaces 22 and have 
particular significance, in terms of scoring, to a player who has landed 
on any of these spaces during the game. A group of battle spaces is also 
provided to simulate an actual battle in space between two players. Fire 
missile space 25 indicates that when a player lands thereon he must fire 
his missiles at all players having markers on a blast area space 26. In 
order to determine the outcome of an attack, the attacking player spins 
the second chance means 28, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and particularly, 
spins the lowermost wheel 30 which has indicia about its circumference 
which symbolizes rocket ships 31. The wheel 30 is positioned on a base 33 
by a rotating means 35. The rocket ships 31 are viewed through the viewing 
means 32 and particularly through the sight 34 which may be provided with 
one or more cross-hair configurations. By visually aligning the 
cross-hairs onto the lowermost wheel 30 the player can determine if the 
center of the cross-hairs is visually aligned with a rocket ship 31. If 
so, the attack is successful, and the attacking player receives a hit disk 
36 which adds to the player's point total. If the attack is unsuccessful, 
the defender remains unharmed. 
Another group of spaces is also provided, namely, a group of safety spaces 
38 having indicia which provide a safety zone which a player attempts to 
land on when attempting to avoid the black hole space 40 or a capture 
galaxy card 17 as will be explained more fully hereinbelow. 
A plurality of player's pieces are provided, see FIG. 2, which include a 
marker 19, rocket ship 24, a robot 21 and various astronaut FIGS. 23. A 
typical martian 42 is shown and can be captured for points as explained 
hereinbelow. A first chance means 44, preferably dice, is provided to 
indicate the number of playing spaces 14 a player will move in a 
particular turn. Any other type of chance means, such as a spinner, can 
also be provided and is contemplated to be within the scope of the present 
invention. 
Scoring disks 46 are provided to represent a variety of different 
objectives a player may achieve. A scoring disk 48 having indicia thereon 
is given to a player each time his marker 19 passes through Earth. The 
scoring disk 50 is awarded to the player who is in control of all the 
control spaces 22. Finally, disk 54 is awarded to a player who 
successfully achieves a lunar landing. 
A scoring means 62 is also provided to represent the amount of points a 
player has achieved during the course of a game. The game has ended when a 
single player loses all of his rocket ships or astronauts and robots. All 
players then total their points received and the player with the highest 
point total wins. 
Rules of Play 
The space combat game of the present invention may be played by two or more 
players. The object of the game is for one of the players to obtain a 
maximum number of points during the play of the game. 
Initially, a player selects a particular color of game pieces with which 
color he will be identified with during the entire game. In conjunction 
therewith, and before the beginning of play, each player receives the 
following game pieces: one marker 19; six rocket ships 24; four robots 21; 
and a total of twelve astronauts 23. The selected markers 19 are 
positioned on the planetary space 16, Earth, and are moved along playing 
spaces 14 in accordance with the numbers rolled on the first chance means 
or dice 44. Play begins with the player who throws the highest number on 
the dice 44 and proceeds from player to player in a clockwise direction. 
Each player, starting with the first player, rolls the dice 44 and moves 
his marker 19 around the board from the starting position, Earth. As each 
player moves his marker 19, the piece will inevitably land on a multitude 
of different groups of spaces each having a different effect on the 
player's marker 19 and point total. For the sake of brevity and clarity 
the following is a list of the types of spaces and the rules governing 
each. 
Planetary Spaces: The player who lands on any planet except Earth, Pluto, 
and Jupiter immediately draws a galaxy card and follows the indicia 
printed thereon. The galaxy cards 15 have various instructions directed 
toward the movement of the players pieces on the game board 12. The card 
15 may tell the player to go to the space platform 56 or to capture a 
martian piece 42. Further, the cards may allow one player to attack 
another, or provide a force field protector 17 on a player. More 
particularly, the galaxy cards 15 provide additional instructions for the 
movement of the markers 19 on the game board 12. However, the galaxy cards 
15 also provide the instructions pertaining to capturing another player. 
If a player draws a capture card, which indicates the color of marker 19 
to be captured, the player moves his marker 19 to the space where the same 
colored marker 19 is. The attacking player spins the topmost wheel 33, of 
second chance means 28, see FIGS. 4 and 5, which has indicia on its 
circumference. The wheel has alternately blue and white colored bands 
thereon. Should the cross-hairs 34 have a portion thereof in line with a 
white band, the capture succeeds and either a robot 21 or astronaut 23 of 
the captured player is turned over to the attacker. Should a miss occur, 
then the defending player has an opportunity to retaliate and become the 
attacker and follow the same procedure as outline above. A capture may not 
take place on the Earth or a safety space as defined below. 
Directional spaces: These spaces 18 have indicia which further instruct the 
player who has landed thereon about additional movement of his marker. As 
shown in FIG. 1, the player may have to move a specified number of spaces, 
or move across the solar system to a planet, or some other destination, 
i.e. Mission Control. 
Internment Spaces: These spaces 20 have indicia representing a ball and 
chain to indicate that a player landing on this space must exile to 
Jupiter a robot 21 or astronaut 23 as indicated. Some galaxy cards 15 
provide for the releasing of the interned pieces. 
Control Spaces: These spaces 22 include Mission Control, the Moon and the 
Space Station. A player landing on any of these spaces can optionally 
place an astronaut 23 on it and is considered to be in control thereof and 
accordingly receives a pre-determined number of points as described below. 
Any player subsequently landing on a control space having an astronaut 
thereon captures the astronaut previously placed on it and receives points 
for gaining control of the space. 
Battle Spaces: A player landing on a fire missile space 25 attacks all 
players who have their markers on the blast area spaces 26. The attacker 
spins the lowermost wheel 30 to determine whether the attack was 
successful, by aligning the cross-hairs with the image of the rocket ship 
placed on the circumference of wheel 30. If the attacker has a hit, a 
scoring marker 36 is received and the player hit loses one rocket ship 24, 
one astronaut 23, and returns to Earth. If more than one player is on the 
blast areas 26 this one spin by the attacker applies to all players and 
the abovedescribed rules apply. 
Safety Spaces: These spaces 38 provide one of the only areas where a player 
cannot be captured by another. Further, this area is located near the 
black hole space 40 and can be used as an alternative route around this 
hazard. 
Accordingly, after the players travel about the playing board 14, play 
continues until one player has lost all allotted rockets or astronauts and 
robots. When this occurs, the players then total all scoring disks hits, 
controls, captures and their remaining force, as is more fully explained 
below. 
Scoring 
As is shown in FIG. 3, a scoring means 62 is provided to accurately 
register a player's score at the end of play. A score card 64 or page is 
provided with indicia describing each category of points possibly awarded 
to the particular player. For clarity and brevity, each category is more 
particularly described below. 
Trips: A galaxy trip, registering 50 points, is represented by scoring disk 
48, or Earth disk, and represents a trip by a player through Earth. A moon 
trip is represented by scoring disk 54 and has the highest amount of 
points awarded, 300, and occurs when a player lands on the moon launch 
space 66 and attempts to land on the Moon 22. The player must roll the die 
44 and attempt to land directly on the Moon 22 and not just pass through 
it. For each time during the game a player successfully lands on the Moon 
22, as described above, a scoring disk 54 is received. 
Hits: For each hit on the enemy in a blast area space 26 a player receives 
100 points. The scoring disk 36 represents each hit. 
Controls: As explained above, the player at any time in control of Mission 
Control (200 points), Moon Control (150 points), or the Space Station (100 
points) receives the requisite number of points. Any player in control of 
all three control spaces 22 at any time during the play of the game 
receives an additional 150 points. 
Captures: As explained above, capturing another player's piece receives a 
number of points. A robot receives 150 points, while an astronaut receives 
100 points. If a martian has been captured, and this can only be done by 
drawing the proper galaxy card, the player receives 50 points. 
Remaining Force: When one player has lost all rockets or robots and 
astronauts, the players total all of their remaining forces. Players count 
all remaining game pieces, including robots (70 points), astronauts (60 
points) and rocket ships (50 points) and add this into the final point 
total. 
After totalling the scores the player with the highest total is declared 
the winner. 
From the foregoing, it is apparent that the objects of the present 
invention have been fully accomplished. As a result of the present 
invention a new and improved space combat game has been disclosed. A 
preferred embodiment of the principles of this invention having been 
described and illustrated, it is to be realized that the same are not 
limited to the particular space combat game configuration shown in the 
drawings, and that modifications thereof are contemplated and can be made 
without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as defined 
in the appended claims.