Tiddlywinks History

TIDDLEDY-WINKS-AT-SEA A “COUNTER” ATTACK. RULES AND DIRECTIONS. THIS game is a fascinating elaboration of the popular game of Tiddledy-Winks. A model of a battleship is substituted for the little wooden cup used in the original game of Tiddledy Winks. The counters are projected against the battleship in the same way as in the game of Tiddledy-Winks, and are aimed so that they fall either on the deck, which causes but slight damage, or pass through one of the three apertures on deck, causing slightly more damage to the vessel, while the greatest damage is caused by counters penetrating the vessel by passing throgh either of the funnels. These five vulnerable points provide means by which a player can score points as follows:— For every counter resting on any part of the deck counts … … 1 point For passing through either of the apertures in the lower deck … 2 points For passing through the aperture in the upper deck … … … 3 points For every counter falling in either of the two funnels … 4 points The winner of the game is the player who makes the largest number of points. Before the game commences the model of the battleship is put together by drawing the two sides of the hull sufficiently far apart to allow the ellipse-shaped deck being placed in position. The hull is then complete. The upper deck is placed on the main deck amidships. The funnels and masts are added, and the vessel is now fully equipped, and is placed in the centre of the table. Players take their seats on each side of the table, providing themselves with an equal number of small and one large counter all of the same colour. The small counters are laid in a row at the edge of the table in front of each player, and the game is to commence upon a given signal, “Fire!” It is not necessary to play in turn. The players shoot their counters as fast as they can at the Dreadnought, first firing off all their counters from the starting-line, and afterwards from where they come to rest on the table top, provided they rest on the player’s own half of the table, an imaginary line being drawn through the middle of the Dreadnought. A counter falling on the table on the opposite side of the ship is a prisoner, and can only be regained by exchange. An exchange can be made at any time by command provided there is a capture on both sides. If an exchange cannot be brought about the counter remains a prisoner. In exchanging a prisoner the counters must be flicked across by each player to their respective owner, and it is obvious that it is an advantage to flick them as far away from the battleship as possible. In the event of a counter being flicked in exchange comes to rest on or in the battleship, it remains there, and counts as if it had been played by its owner. If a prisoner after being flicked back comes to rest on the floor it can be placed by the owner at any spot in his own boundary most advantageous to him, and flicked from that position. The attack is not firished until one or other of the players have deposited all their counters into or on the ship. Prisoners must be recaptured by exchange and then flicked on to the vessel in the usual way. As soon as a player has deposited the whole of his counters in the vessel he must call ” Cease Fire!” and all further play ceases. When “Cease Fire!” has been called one of the players should collect all counters on the decks, sort them up in their respective colours, counting and noting the number of each colour on a slip of paper. Then the upper deck must be removed and any counters which have penetrated it must be credited to the owners. Lastly the funnels can be lifted out and the counters in them credited to the owners according to the respective colours. PUBLISHED BY JOHN JAQUES & SON, Ltd., 20 & 21, KIRBY ST., HATTON GARDEN, E.C.