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Missile Match
An entry in the 2003 Simultaneous Movement Game Design Competition

Designed by Scott Balaban
For 2 players

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Game Summary

Use your missiles to make marks on the field. To win, be the only player with four marks in a row (vertically, horizontally, or diagonally).

Game Components

  • The Field: 1 8x8 standard chess/checker board
  • The Missiles: 1 set of double 6 dominoes (28 dominoes total)
  • The Marks: 30 checkers (15 red / 15 black)

Game Setup

The game is played on a 4x8 field, using the center 4 columns of the board. The 2 outside columns on both sides are not used.

Players select a color, and take the 15 marks of that color. These will be used to claim squares on the field.

Place all of the dominoes face down, and keep them next to the game board. This will be the Missile Yard.

Game Play

Both players draw 4 missiles from the Missile Yard, and keep them hidden from their opponent.

Players use these missiles to make marks on the field. Players strategically place the 4 missiles facedown on the board in the first row in front of them (one missile per column). The missiles are oriented so one number is facing the player, and the other is facing the opponent.

How the Missiles Work

The number away from the player is the MISSILE POWER. If two missiles aim for the same square, the higher MISSILE POWER wins the battle.

The number closest to the player is the TRAVEL DISTANCE. This determines how far the missile will travel toward the opponent.

The travel distance will determine how far the missile travels on the board. If a missile has a travel distance of 4, Count 4 squares into the field, and that will be the space it is aiming for.

Missiles with a single blank must use the blank for the MISSILE POWER. These missiles erase marks on the field based on the TRAVEL DISTANCE used. If a single blank missile hits a mark on the field, that mark is removed. If it hits an empty square, nothing happens. The double blank missile is a unique piece. It can erase any one marker in the column it is placed. Note: Blanks can only remove your opponent's marks.

Calculating the Battle

When players have placed all of their missiles down, the battle begins. Players flip all of the missiles face up at the same time, and calculate the round.

Step 1

Calculate all missiles WITHOUT blanks. Use the markers to claim squares.

If 2 missiles are aimed at the same square, the missile with the higher MISSILE POWER wins the square. If they both have the same MISSILE POWER, both missiles are destroyed, and the square remains unclaimed.

Nothing will happen if players hit an existing mark using a missile without a blank.

Step 2

Calculate single blank missiles.

After all of the double number missiles are marked, players can now see if any marks get erased. Use the travel distance to see what square is targeted, and if an opponent mark is there, it gets removed from the field.

Step 3

Calculate the double blank missile.

If a player has used the double blank, they get to choose ANY opponent mark in that column and remove it.

Finish

At the end of the turn, if a player has four squares in a row, they win.

Otherwise, players remove the used missiles into a discard pile, and draw another 4 missiles to continue.

If players both get four squares in a row at the same time, play continues until only one player has four in a row.

If the Missile Yard only has 4 remaining missiles to draw, re-shuffle all of the 28 missiles together, and refresh the missile yard.

This game © copyright 2003 Scott Balaban.

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