A Form of Game to be Played on a Checked Board with Pieces representing War Vessels.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 29th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 10th July, 1897
A Form of Game to be Played on a Checked Board with Pieces
representing War Vessels.
I WALTER DENNIS PEPPER of 8 Castle Gardens Cathcart, Glasgow Lithographic
Artist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to games played on checked boards, which may be draught or
chess boards but preferably boards specially designed and arranged to suit the
purposes of this game.
In each of two diagonally opposite corners of the specially designed checked board,
are represented a Port or Harbour with Forts on each side of the Harbour which
narrow the entrance to the Port to one square.
In and about these Ports or Harbours, are the starting points of the two opposing
Fleets.
An Island may be represented in the middle of the checked board for the purpose
of rendering the game more difficult and the number of squares on the board are
optional.
The game is played with pieces representing different Types of War Vessels, which
may be made of any material and of which any number may be used.
An Ironclad is represented by a piece having one Funnel and is moved one square
at a time on the checked board in any direction. A Cruiser is represented by a piece.
having two funnels and is moved two squares or less at a time in a straight line
forward, backward or sideways but not diagonally.
A Torpedo Boat is represented by a piece having three funnels and is moved three
squares or less in a straight line in a diagonal direction only.
A piece is captured as in chess by an opposing piece within the range of whose
movement it is, taking its place on the square which it occupied, the captured piece
being removed from the board.
The object of the game is either the capture of an opponents fleet or the capture
of his Port which is done by moving one or other of certain vessels on to the last
square in the corner of his Harbour.
The pieces may if preferred be moved otherwise than in straight lines which makes
the game more complicated.
Dad thin 1nt In
1005

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My Invention relates to games played on checked boards and has for its object, to
enable pieces representing different forms of war vessels, having their various speeds
or limits of their movements over the board indicated by the number of their funnels
and moving in various directions, to be used in a game representing naval warfare.
For this purpose I use a specially designed checked board.
In the left hand bottom corner and the right hand top corner of the board are
represented Ports or Harbours and a Fort on each side of the Harbour. These Forts
are placed on the third square on each side of the corner which represents a harbour.
In and about these Ports or Harbours are indicated the positions of the various
pieces at the commencement of the game, by circles shewing the position of the
piece and indicating the number of its funnels. An Island is represented in the
middle of the board.
The board may contain any number of squares but preferably one Hundred,
including those occupied by the Forts and the Island which may not be crossed
over. The squares are arranged similar to those on an ordinary chess board.
The game is played with pieces representing war vessels, which may be made
of any material and of which any number may be used but preferably nine on
each side, eighteen in all and the two fleets are distinguished by being of different
colour. An Ironclad is represented by a piece having one Funnel and is moved one
square only at a time on the checked board in any direction.
A Cruiser is represented by a piece having two funnels and is moved two squares
or less at a time in a straight line forward, backward or sideways but not diagonally.
A Torpedo boat is represented by a piece having three Funnels and is moved three
squares or less in a straight line at one time, in a diagonal direction only.
A piece is captured as in Chess by an opposing piece within the range of whose
movement it is, taking its place on the square which it occupied, the captured
piece being removed from the board.
The object of the game is either the capture of an opponents Fleet or the capture
of his Port, which is done by moving a Cruiser or an Ironclad but not a Torpedo boat
on to the last square in the corner of his Port.
The pieces may at the option of the players be moved otherwise than in straight
lines which makes the came more complicated.
Fig. 1 shows the checked board which may be made of any material, to any size and
colored or not in any way. The Forts which form the entrance to the Harbours are
shewn at A. A. A. A. and may be depicted in any way, their form or coloring being
immaterial.
The Ports or Harbours, the capture of which concludes a game are shewn at B. B 4
in the extreme corners of the board, the circles in which are colored Red..
The circles C with the three black dots inside, show the positions of the Torpedo
boats at the commencement of the game. The circles D with the two black dots
inside show the positions of the cruisers at the commencement of the game.
The circles E with one black dot inside show the positions of the Ironclads at the 4
commencement of the game.
The Island, the form or coloring of which is immaterial, is shown at F in the
centre of the board.
The plan of a piece representing a Torpedo Boat is shewn at G and its elevation
at H. The plan of a piece representing a. Cruiser is shewn at I and its elevation at J. 5
The plan of a piece representing an Ironclad is shewn at K and its elevation at L.
The fold of the board is shewn at M.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said

page_text: invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is,
1. In games played on checked boards, the use of pieces representing different
forms of war vessels, having their various speeds or limits of their movements over
the checked board, indicated by the number of their funnels.
2. The directions of such movements as above described, applied to the aforesaid
representations of different Types of War Vessels.
3. The use of a checked board having two diagonally opposite Ports or Harbours
as above described, for the purposes of this game and having an Island depicted in
the middle which together with the Forts, may not be crossed over.
Dated this 27th day of March 1897.
WALTER DENNIS PEPPER.