Board games with selected player movers and methods for playing same

Abstract

Board game components include first and second visually distinguishable sets of player movers, or alpha and beta movers, each mover including a base portion with differentiable character indicia, each beta mover further including a cover to selectively conceal the character indicia. A reference element for each player mover identifiably corresponds to the mover and includes a unique set of game attribute value indicia associated with the mover. Methods of game play provide that a group of movers is selected for each player for game play, of one alpha mover and a plurality of beta movers, the number and nature of which determined by a game attribute of the alpha mover. Another game attribute of the alpha mover may determine the number and nature of the game actions each player may perform during a turn. Covers may be used to conceal beta movers prior to their use in game play.

1 . A set of game components, comprising: 
 first and second visually distinguishable sets of player movers, each player mover of each set including a base portion having differentiable character indicia indicated thereon, each player mover of the first set further including a cover adapted to selectively conceal the character indicia;    a reference element for each player mover, each reference element identifiably corresponding to the player mover and including a unique set of game attribute value indicia associated with the player mover; and    a game board having an array of movement spaces for movement of the player movers.    
   
   
       2 . The set of  claim 1  wherein the character indicia of each player mover includes a sculpted figurine mounted to the base portion.  
   
   
       3 . The set of  claim 2  wherein the cover of each player mover of the first set is configured to be removably attachable to the base portion.  
   
   
       4 . The set of  claim 2  wherein the reference element for each player mover includes a representation of the sculpted figurine.  
   
   
       5 . The set of  claim 1  wherein the cover of each player mover of the first set is configured to be removably attachable to the player mover.  
   
   
       6 . The set of  claim 5  wherein the cover of each player mover of the first set is configured to be removably attachable to each of the player movers of the first set.  
   
   
       7 . The set of  claim 5  wherein the cover of each player mover of the first set includes one of a plurality of categorizational indicia.  
   
   
       8 . The set of  claim 7  wherein covers including different categorizational indicia are distinguishable from each other only by categorizational indicia.  
   
   
       9 . The set of  claim 1  wherein each player mover of the first set further includes at least one of the unique set of game attribute value indicia associated with the player mover.  
   
   
       10 . The set of  claim 9  wherein the game attribute value indicia is located on the base portion of the player mover.  
   
   
       11 . The set of  claim 9  wherein the game attribute value indicia is visible when the character indicia is concealed.  
   
   
       12 . The set of  claim 1  wherein the array of movement spaces is arranged to form a common area and at least two starting areas each adjacent the common area.  
   
   
       13 . A player mover kit for use with a game system, the kit comprising: 
 a player mover, having: 
 a base portion;  
 one of a predetermined set of differentiable character indicia indicated on the base portion; and  
 a cover configured to be removably attachable to the base portion and to selectively conceal the character indicia when attached to the base portion, the cover further configured to be removably attachable to any player mover that includes one of the predetermined set of differentiable character indicia; and  
   a reference element identifiably corresponding to the player mover and including a unique set of game attribute value indicia associated with the player mover.    
   
   
       14 . A method of providing a game system with player movers and a game board, the method comprising: 
 providing first and second visually distinguishable sets of player movers, each player mover of the first set having associated indicia indicating a selection value, and each player mover of the second set having associated indicia indicating a selection cost; and    selecting a group of player movers for each of a plurality of game players, each group of player movers including one player mover of the first set and a plurality of player movers of the second set;    wherein the group of player movers is selected such that the selection costs of the selected player movers of the second set have a predetermined mathematical relationship to the selection value of the selected player mover of the first set.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the predetermined mathematical relationship is one in which the selected player movers of the second set have selection costs summing to a value less than or equal to the selection value of the selected player mover the first set.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each player mover is associated with a unique set of game attribute value indicia, the method further comprising: 
 providing a reference element for each player mover that identifiably corresponds to the player mover and includes one or more of the game attribute value indicia associated with the player mover;    wherein selecting a group of player movers further includes selecting a group of reference elements corresponding to the selected group of player movers.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the set of game value attribute indicia of each player mover of the first set includes at least two groups of values including a first and second group of values; the method further comprising: 
 providing a first set of rules for game play instructing use of the first group of values; and    providing a second set of rules for game play instructing use of the second group of values.    
   
   
       18 . A method of playing a game, the game including a game board, a set of rules for game play, and first and second visually distinguishable sets of player movers, each player mover of each set having associated indicia indicating a game action cost for each game action that may be performed with the player mover in accordance with the set of rules, and each player mover of the second set having associated indicia indicating a selection cost, the method for each player comprising: 
 selecting a group of player movers, the group including one player mover of the first set and a plurality of player movers of the second set;    placing the selected group of player movers in an initial configuration on the game board according to the set of rules; and    executing a turn in sequence with other players to perform a number of game actions with one or more of the selected group of player movers in accordance with the set of rules;    wherein each group of player movers is selected such that the selection costs of the selected player movers of the second set have a first predetermined mathematical relationship to a first predetermined value; and    wherein the game actions performed during a turn have game action costs having a second predetermined mathematical relationship to a second predetermined value.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the game actions comprise moving a player mover on the game board and attacking an opponent's player mover.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising: 
 maintaining a record of a score for each player mover in the group;    adjusting the score of a player mover as a result of an attack;    removing a player mover from the game board when the score of the player mover reaches or exceeds a predetermined value associated with the player mover.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising changing the score of the player mover of the first set by a predetermined amount when a player mover of the second set is removed from the game board.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18  wherein one or more of the first and second predetermined values for each group are determined by one or more game attribute values associated with the selected player mover of the first set.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18  wherein one or more of the first and second predetermined mathematical relationships is one in which the costs sum to a value less than or equal to the corresponding predetermined value.  
   
   
       24 . A method of playing a game, the game including a game board, a set of rules for game play, and first and second visually distinguishable sets of player movers, each player mover of each set having associated indicia indicating a game action cost for each game action that may be performed with the player mover, and each player mover of the first set having associated indicia indicating a game action value, the method for each player comprising: 
 selecting a group of player movers, the group including one player mover of the first set and a plurality of player movers of the second set;    placing the selected group of player movers in an initial configuration on the game board according to the set of rules; and    executing a turn in sequence with other players to perform a number of game actions with one or more of the selected group of player movers in accordance with the set of rules;    wherein the game actions performed during a turn have game action costs having a predetermined mathematical relationship to the game action value of the player mover of the first set.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the predetermined mathematical relationship is one in which the game action costs sum to a value less than or equal to the game action value of the player mover of the first set.  
   
   
       26 . A method of playing a game, the game including a game board, a set of rules for game play, and an available pool of player movers, each player mover including visually differentiable character indicia, the method for each player comprising: 
 selecting a group of player movers from the available pool of player movers in accordance with the set of rules;    concealing the character indicia of at least some of the group of player movers;    placing the group of player movers in an initial configuration on the game board according to the set of rules; and    revealing the concealed character indicia of a player mover upon moving the player mover on the game board.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 executing a turn in sequence with other players to perform a number of game actions with one or more of the selected group of player movers in accordance with the set of rules, including attacking an opponent's player mover.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein attacking an opponent's player mover includes attacking a player mover with concealed character indicia.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 26 , 
 wherein the available pool of player movers includes first and second visually distinguishable sets of player movers,    wherein selecting a group of player movers further includes selecting at least one player mover from each set; and    wherein concealing the character indicia of at least some of the group of player movers further includes concealing the character indicia of all of the selected player movers of one set and none of the other set.    
   
   
       30 . A method of playing a game, the game including a game board with at least two starting areas each adjacent a common area, a set of rules for game play, and an available pool of player movers, each player mover including visually differentiable character indicia, the method for each player comprising: 
 selecting a group of player movers from the available pool of player movers in accordance with the set of rules;    concealing the character indicia of each of the group of player movers;    placing the group of player movers in one of the starting areas on the game board;    revealing the concealed character indicia of a player mover; and    moving a revealed player mover from the starting area to the common area.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising: 
 executing a turn in sequence with other players to perform a number of game actions with one or more of the selected group of player movers in accordance with the set of rules, wherein the number of game actions includes attacking an opponent's revealed player mover.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the number of game actions includes attacking an opponent's player mover in a starting area.  
   
   
       33 . A method of playing a game, the game including a game board, a set of rules for game play, and first and second visually distinguishable sets of player movers, the method for each player comprising: 
 selecting a group of player movers, the group including one player mover of the first set and a plurality of player movers of the second set;    maintaining a record of a score for each player mover in the group;    removing a player mover from the game board when the player mover's score meets or exceeds a predetermined value;    changing the score of the player mover of the first set by a predetermined amount when a player mover of the second set is removed from the game board.    
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising: 
 executing a turn in sequence with other players to perform a number of game actions with one or more of the selected group of player movers in accordance with the set of rules, until each opponent's player mover of the first set is removed from the game board.