Year: 1899

page_text: I, JOHN ALFRED RIVINGTON, Glenhurst, Mansfield Road, Reading, in the
County of Berkshire, Clerk in Holy Orders, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a game which is intended to represent a naval or
land battle.
The game according to this invention is played upon a board divided into
squares, upon which are moved a series of pieces which represent ships in the case
of the game imitating a naval battle, but where a land battle is simulated the
pieces represent, either individuals, companies of men, regiments, guns or the like.
The game consists in controlling, checking or counter-acting the moves of
the opposing player by the projection of counters or the like into or on to the:
pieces, which are preferably formed as cups or trays so as to retain the counters
lodged in them.
By way of example the game will be described as representing a naval battle.
In this case the board is preferably divided into 144 squares, 12 on each side,
the number of pieces employed being preferably 30, of which 24 represent two
opposing fleets, each player having 12, while the remaining six pieces, of which
each player has 3, represent forts. The board preferably has a base or port
marked out at each end, and behind this base are indicated places for forts.
Outside each base are one or more rows of squares which are marked out
separately and preferably numbered. These rows representing the ground for
torpedo mines.
At the commencement of the game the ships of each player are arranged within
the base or port, the object of the game being to so move the pieces and fire
from them, or from the forts in the rear as to disable or sink the opponent's
vessels or silence his forts. The firing is done by means of counters, which are
either placed on or in the pieces, or on the spot where the pieces stand, the
latter having been temporarily moved, the counters being then caused to fly
in the direction of the opponent's forts either by pressing the edge of one counter
upon the upper surface of one laid flat on the board, and then drawing the upper
counter sharply off the edge of the under one, or by means of some mechanical
contrivance which will cause the counters to be projected in the required manner.
The pieces representing ships can be moved four at a time, and one, two or
three squares at a time either straight forward, or backward, or to the right or
left over the sides of the squares, but under certain conditions namely, after a
ship has entered the enemy's base line it can move diagonally. Only one shot
at each move can be fired from each ship, but any number of the shots to which
a player is entitled may be fired from any one of the forts at one time.
The disabling process by firing is accomplished by landing counters on or into
the opposing pieces.
When a ship has received one counter on it, it can only move two squares at
a time, after receiving two counters it can only move one square at a time, and

page_text: after receiving three counters it is regarded as sunk, and has to be removed
from the board. In the case of a fort after it has had one counter fired into it,
only two shots can be fired from it at any move, after two counters have been
fired into it, one shot can be fired from it and after receiving three counters it
is regarded as silenced.
By suitably arranging the moves of any ship it can be caused to ram one of
the opposing ships, but no ship can ram more than one other ship at any one
move, and one ship can only ram another ship which is weaker than itself, that
is to say one which has had more counters lodged on it than the one with which
it is intended to attack.
The torpedo mines are not essential to the game, but are handy as enabling
one player to be handicapped against another if necessary. The method of
using them is as follows:-
The squares in the torpedo ground are numbered and a series of correspond-
ingly numbered cards called torpedo cards are provided. One or both of the
players selects a certain number of these cards and lays them face downwards
beside the board, each player keeping the numbers on the cards selected by
him concealed from his opponent. If now an enemy's ship moves on to one of
the squares the number of which corresponds to the number on one of the cards
selected by the player, this player announces the fact and displays the card
when the ship that has moved on to the square in question is considered to be
sunk by the mine and is consequently removed from the board. Prefer-
ably each mine can only be considered to explode once and therefore
cannot sink more than one ship. Should the owner of the mines omit to mention
when one of the opponent's vessels passes over his mines he cannot subsequently
claim to have sunk that ship. A torpedo mine is to be considered as harmless
to the vessels of the player who owns the mine so that they can pass freely over
the square in which the mine is assumed to be laid.
When one player has succeeded in moving his ships over the base line and into
the port of his adversary, this ship can then leave this port again by moving
backwards, and at the same time is in possession of additional powers, thus for
example, it may move diagonally over the corners of the squares, it can ram in
any direction, it cannot be rammed or torpedoed, and can only be crippled or
sunk by fire from the enemy's ships and not by the fire from the forts unless
the ship itself fires at these forts. Preferably a ship that has attained these
privileges by entering and leaving the enemy's fort is distinguished by some
particular mark. The game is considered to be terminated when one of the
players has no piece left which can be attacked, either as the result of their
having been all sunk or because all his remaining ships have reached the enemy's
port, from which he can decline to move them. The game can however, be ended
by one of the players resigning, in which case, if points are being played for
the player who resigns has to forfeit 10 points for each of his ships still upon
the board. Where points are played for the score is determined by the position
of the ships at the end of the game, thus pieces on their own base line at the end
of a game count 21 each to the adversary's score and 31 if the owner of them has
resigned. The value of the pieces is preferably arranged to depend first on their
freedom from counters or shots, and secondly on their position on the board.
In the first case a ship with no counters on it has a value of 3, with one counter
on it a value of 2, one with two counters on it has a value of 1, consequently
if pieces are at the termination of the game on the half of the board nearest
to the player to whom they belong, they are only worth what may be termed
their face value in accordance with the number of counters upon them; but if
they have advanced beyond the centre, their value increases in accordance with
the advance which they have made; thus a piece which at the end of the game
is on the first row of squares beyond the centre of the board has its value as
determined by its immunity from counters doubled, if it is on the second line
its value is trebled, if it is on the third line it is quadrupled and so on. Pieces

page_text: which have attained the adversary's base line are reckoned henceforth as having
a value of 7 times 3 namely 21 wherever they may be on the board at the end
of the game and although counters may have been shot into them since they
left the base line.
If desired, the game can be played without ports or bases, forts and torpedo
mines, when it will represent a naval battle on the open sea, the rules being of
course modified accordingly.
It will be understood that in applying the invention to an imitation land
battle, the details of the game can be altered to suit the different requirements,
the general outline however remaining the same.
The following indicates the manner of thus applying the invention:--
The board is divided into 144 squares, 12 each way as in the previous case,
each player being provided with 24 pieces of which 6 on each side represent
infantry, 3 represent the cavalry and 3 the artillery. The manner of setting
out the pieces on the board may be previously determined, or each player may
be left to make his own arrangement. The pieces have different powers of moving
and firing according to whether they represent infantry, cavalry or artillery, the
object of the game being to destroy the opponent's infantry. The players move
in turn, 4 pieces at each move, each piece of infantry can be moved at one time
over 3 squares or less, each piece of cavalry over 5 squares or less and each
piece of artillery over 4 squares or less, but all moves must be made in a straight
line though in any direction. No piece however may make more than one move
at one time except when cavalry attacks successfully, in which case the attacking
piece may make a second move on to the square of the piece attacked, which
has to be removed.
The range of fire of the artillery, infantry and cavalry is preferably different.
The range of the artillery extending to any square on the board, the range of
the infantry extending to the 4th square from the piece in any direction in a
straight line, while the range of the cavalry extends only to the next square
in anv direction. If a counter is shot so as to lodge within an infantry piece,
that piece cannot move more than two squares at a time, its range of fire being
also limited to squares, if a second counter is lodged into it it cannot move
more than one square and its range is limited to 2 squares, if a third counter
is lodged into the piece it is considered to be destroyed and must be removed
from the board. If a counter is lodged in a cavalry piece, that piece cannot
move more than 3 squares, and if a second counter is lodged in it, it is considered
to be destroyed and must be removed. An artillery piece upon receiving one
counter cannot move more than 3 squares, and has its range limited to the 6th
square from it, the receipt of the second counter limits its movement to 2 squares
and its range to the 4th square from it, a third counter lodged in this piece
causes its destruction when it must be removed from the board. If a counter
shot by a cavalry piece lodges in another piece weaker than itself, that is to say,
a piece that has had more counters shot into it than the attacking piece, the
piece that is attacked is considered to be destroyed and must be removed, the
cavalry then occupying the square from which it has been removed. Preferably
an infantry piece cannot remain on any of the three squares in front of any
niece stronger than itself, that is to say in the square immediately in front or
in the squares on the right and left of that square, consequently the player who
owns the weaker piece must at his next move retire this piece to the full extent
of its power of moving, otherwise the piece must be removed from the board:
this piece in retirin may pass over pieces of its own side in the rear, but cannot
mass over any of the enemy's pieces which may happen to be in rear of it.
An artillery piece must be moved so that it can be supported by at least one
piece of its own side, that is to say, it may not move to or remain on any square
that cannot be reached in one move by a supporting piece.
In playing the game for points the score may conveniently be reckoned as
follows:-

page_text: A piece having no counters on it has a value of 3, a piece with one counter
has a value of 2, a piece with two counters has a value of 1; the winner's score
being computed by the total value of all the pieces on the board at the end
of the game, with the addition of 3 points for every piece of the enemy which
has been removed from the board during the game.
If desired the board may be coloured to imitate the scene of the battle and
preferably the pieces are also coloured and also shaped to imitate the objects
which they represent whether ships, troops or otherwise.
Dated this 20th day of Var 1899
"
J. A. RIVINGTON
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, JOHN ALFRED RIVINGTON, of Glenhurst, Mansfield Road, Reading, in the
County of Berkshire, Clerk in Holy Orders, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a game which is intended to represent a naval or
land battle.
The game according to this invention is played upon a board divided into
squares, upon which are moved a series of pieces which represent ships in the case
of the game imitating a naval battle, but where a land battle is simulated the
pieces represent, either individuals, companies of men, regiments, guns or the like.
The game consists in controlling, checking or counter-acting the moves of
the opposing player by the projection of counters or the like into or on to the
pieces, which are preferably formed as cups or trays so as to retain the counters
lodged in them.
By way of example the game will be described as representing a naval battle.
In this case the board is preferably divided into 144 squares, 12 on each side,
the number of pieces employed being preferably 30, of which 24 represent two
opposing fleets, each player having 12, while the remaining six pieces, of which
each player has 3, represent forts. The board preferably has a base or port
marked out at each end, and behind this base are indicated places for forts.
Outside each base are one or more rows of squares which are marked out
separately and preferably numbered. These rows representing the ground for
torpedo mines.
At the commencement of the game the ships of each player are arranged within
the base or port, the object of the game being to so move the pieces and fire
from them, or from the forts in the rear as to disable or sink the opponent's
vessels or silence his forts. The firing is done by means of counters, which are
either placed on or in the pieces, or on the spot where the pieces stand, the
latter having been temporarily moved, the counters being then caused to fly
in the direction of the opponent's forts either by pressing the edge of one counter
upon the upper surface of one laid flat on the board, and then drawing the upper
counter sharply off the edge of the under one, or by means of some mechanical
contrivance which will cause the .counters to be projected in the required manner.
The pieces representing ships can be moved four at a time, and one, two or
three squares at a time either straight forward, or backward, or to the right or
left over the sides of the squares, but under certain conditions namely, after a

page_text: ship has entered the enemy's base line it can move diagonally. Only one shot
at each move can be fired from each ship, but any number of the shots to which
a player is entitled may be fired from any one of the forts at one time.
The disabling process by firing is accomplished by landing counters on or into
the opposing pieces.
squares at
When a ship has received one counter on it, it can only move two
a time, after receiving two counters it can only move one square at a time, and
after receiving three counters it is regarded as sunk, and has to be removed
from the board. In the case of a fort after it has had one counter fired into it,
only two shots can be fired from it at any move, after two counters have been
fired into it, only one shot can be fired from it and after receiving three counters it
is regarded as silenced.
By suitably arranging the moves of any ship it can be caused to ram one of
the opposing ships, but no ship can ram more than one other ship at any one
move, and one ship can only ram another ship which is weaker than itself, that
is to say one which has had more counters lodged on it than the one with which
it is intended to attack.
The torpedo mines are not essential to the game, but are handy as enabling
one player to be handicapped against another if necessary. The method of
using them is as follows:-
The squares in the torpedo ground are numbered and a series of correspond-
ingly numbered cards called torpedo cards are provided. One or both of the
players selects a certain number of these cards and lays them face downwards
beside the board, each player keeping the numbers on the cards selected by
him concealed from his opponent. If now an enemy's ship moves on to one of
the squares the number of which corresponds to the number on one of the cards
selected by the player, this player announces the fact and displays the card
when the ship that has moved on to the square in question is considered to be
sunk by the mine and is consequently removed from the board.
Preferably each mine can only be considered to explode once and therefore
cannot sink more than one ship. Should the owner of the mines omit to mention
when one of the opponent's vessels passes over his mines he cannot subsequently
claim to have sunk that ship. A torpedo mine is to be considered as harmless
to the vessels of the player who owns the mine so that they can pass freely over
the square in which the mine is assumed to be laid.
When one player has succeeded in moving his ships over the base line and into
the port of his adversary, this ship can then leave this port again by moving
backwards, and at the same time is in possession of additional powers, thus for
example, it may move diagonally over the corners of the squares, it can ram in
any direction, it cannot be rammed or torpedoed, and can only be crippled or
sunk by fire from the enemy's ships and not by the fire from the forts unless
the ship itself fires at these forts. Preferably a ship that has attained these
privileges by entering and leaving the enemy's fort is distinguished by some
particular mark. The game is considered to be terminated when one of the
players has no piece left which can be attacked, either as the result of their
having been all sunk or because all his remaining ships have reached the enemy's
port, from which he can decline to move them. The game can however, he ended
by one of the players resigning, in which case, if points are being played for
the player who resigns has to forfeit 10 points for each of his ships still upon
the board. Where points are played for the score is determined by the position
of the ships at the end of the game, thus pieces on their own base line at the end
of a game count 21 each to the adversary's score and 31 if the owner of them has
resigned. The value of the pieces is preferably arranged to depend first on their
freedom from counters or shots, and secondly on their position on the board.
In the first case a ship with no counters on it has a value of 3, with one counter
on it a value of 2, one with two counters on it. has. a value of 1, consequently
if pieces are at the termination of the. game on the half of the board nearest

page_text: to the player to whom they belong, they are only worth what may be termed
their face value in accordance with the number of counters upon them; but if
they have advanced beyond the centre, their value increases in accordance with
the advance which they have made; thus a piece which at the end of the game
is on the first row of squares beyond the centre of the board has its value as
determined by its immunity from counters doubled, if it is on the second line
its value is trebled, if it is on the third line it is quadrupled and so on. Pieces
which have attained the adversary's base line are reckoned henceforth as having
a value of 7 times 3 namely 21 wherever they may be on the board at the end
of the game and although counters may have been shot into them since they
left the base line.
If desired, the game can be played without ports or bases, forts and torpedo
mines, when it will represent a naval battle on the open sea, the rules being of
course modified accordingly.
It will be understood that in applying the invention to an imitation land
battle, the details of the game can be altered to suit the different requirements,
the general outline however remaining the same.
The following indicates the manner of thus applying the invention:
The board is divided into 144 squares, 12 each way as in the previous case.
each player being provided with 24 nieces of which 6 on each side represent
infantry, 3 represent the cavalry and 3 the artillery. The manner of setting
out the pieces on the board may be previously determined, or each player may
be left to make his own arrangement. The pieces have different powers of moving
and firing according to whether they represent infantry, cavalry or artillery, the
object of the game being to destroy the opponent's infantry. The players move
in turn, 4 pieces at each move, each piece of infantry can be moved at one time
over 3 squares or less, each piece of cavalry over 5 squares or less and each
piece of artillery over 4 squares or less, but all moves must be made in a straight
line though in any direction. No piece however may make more than one move
at one time except when cavalry attacks successfully, in which case the attacking
piece may make a second move on to the square of the piece attacked which
has to be removed.
The range of fire of the artillery, infantry and cavalry is preferably different.
The range of the artillery extending to any square on the board, the range of
the infantry extending to the 4th square from the niece in any direction in a
straight line, while the range of the cavalry extends only to the next square
in any direction. If a counter is shot so as to lodge within an infantry piece,
that piece cannot move more than two squares at a time, its range of fire being
also limited to squares. if a second counter is lodged into it it cannot move
more than one square and its range is limited to 2 squares, if a third counter
is lodged into the niece it is considered to be destroyed and must be removed
from the board. If a counter is lodged in a cavalry piece, that piece cannot
move more than 3 squares, and if a second counter is lodged in it, it is considered
to be destroyed and must be removed. An artillery piece unon receiving one
counter cannot move more than 3 squares, and has its range limited to the 6th
square from it, the receint of the second counter limits its movement to 2 squares
and its range to the 4th square from it, a third counter lodged in this piece
causes its destruction when it must be removed from the board. If a counter
shot by a cavalry niece lodges in another piece weaker than itself. that is to say,
a piece that has had more counters shot into it than the attacking piece, the
piece that is attacked is considered to he destroved and must be removed, the
cavalry then occupying the square from which it has been removed. Preferably
an infantry piece cannot remain on any of the three squares in front of any
niece stronger than itself. that is to say in the square immediately in front or
in the squares on the right and left of that square, consequently the player who
owns the weaker piece must at his next move retire this piece to the full extent
of its power of moving, otherwise the piece must be removed from the board;

page_text: his piece in retiring may pass over pieces of its own side in the rear, but
pass over any of the enemy's pieces which may happen to be in rear of it.
An artillery piece must be moved so that it can be supported by at least one
piece of its own side, that is to say, it may not move to or remain on any square
that cannot be reached in one move by a supporting piece.
In playing the game for points the score may conveniently be reckoned as
follows:-
A piece having no counters on it has a value of 3, a piece with one counter
has a value of 2, a piece with two counters has a value of 1; the winner's score
being computed by the total value of all the pieces on the board at the end
of the game, with the addition of 3 points for every piece of the enemy which
has been removed from the board during the game.
If desired the board may be coloured to imitate the scene of the battle and
preferably the pieces are also coloured and also shaped to imitate the objects
which they represent whether ships, troops or otherwise.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a plan of one form of board for use in a game according to this
invention,
Figure 2 shows various pieces and implements used in the game,
Figure 3 shows a portion of the board with some pieces upon it.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
"
The board A (Figure 1) is divided into one hundred and forty-four squares,
each square being numbered. The players preferably sit at the sides of the board
marked A1 and A2 so that the numbers may be read with equal facility by each
player. In Figure 2 B is one of the pieces diagrammatically representing a
ship, C is a pad or felt or similar material upon which a counter D is placed,
flicker" E. The "flicker" E, which is in the
before it is fired by means of a
form of a flat strip of bone or similar material, is used as shown in Figure 3,
being drawn sharply along the top and off the edge of the counter D. The use
of the pad C is not essential, for the counter 1) may be placed directly upon
the board or within the piece, it is however preferred to employ the pad as it
renders the firing of the counter more easy.
F (Figure 2) is a card representing a torpedo; it is preferably formed with its
under surface of white celluloid or other substance upon which pencil marks may
be easily made. Although described as "cards," the representations of torpedoes
may, of course, be made of any suitable material, stamped metal, for example.
In playing each player has a certain number of these torpedoes and writes upon
each one the number of a square upon the board. Each of these selected squares
will then represent a torpedo mine, or a spot where a ship belonging to the enemy
may be torpedoed from neighbouring hostile ships.
It is convenient in order to readily distinguish the pieces from one another,
to colour them differently, for example, battle ships may be black, cruisers
white, the inside being blue or red according to the side to which the ships
belong.
When it is desired to fire from forts, such forts may be conveniently located
at the places marked G in Figure 1 on each side of the board.
When the game represents a land battle the pieces may be of a different
shape to those above described, for instance, they may be in the form of square
trays, as at H in Figure 2. Distinctive colouring is used to indicate cavalry,
O infantry, artillery, etc.
66
squares," is is,
Although the board has been described as being divided into
of course, to be understood that, if desired, the divisions may have the form of
circles or triangles, the particular shape being immaterial. Many other variations
may be made in the details of this game without departing from the spirit of
squares
5 the invention, the number of "
upon the board and the method of
marking them, the shape of the pieces and implements, are merely given by
way of example and may be altered as found convenient.
دو

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is —
1. A game in which points are scored by projecting counters or the like into
or on to the opposing pieces substantially as described.
2. A game in which points are scored by projecting counters or the like from
the pieces of one player or the spots on which those pieces stand into or on to
the pieces of the other player substantially as described.
3. In a game controlling or checking the moves of the opposing pieces by
projecting counters or the like into or on to them substantially as described.
4. In a game the combination with a board divided into "squares" of movable
pieces from within which counters or the like are projected substantially as
described.
5. In a game the combination with a board divided into "squares" of movable
pieces from within which counters are projected a removable pad and a device
for projecting the counters substantially as described.
6
دو
و,
6. In a game the combination with a board divided into "squares" of movable
pieces from within which counters are projected and one or more cards OF
the like representing torpedoes and corresponding to selected" squares upon
the board substantially as described.
7. The complete game apparatus substantially as described or illustrated in
the accompanying drawings."
Tata thin 90th.
of T... 1900
J. A. RIVINGTON,
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.