Illustrative User’s Handbook
How To Play
The Gameplay A herd consisting of 15 goats belonged to a farmer. Everyday he used to take them to the fields for grazing and he himself started working in the fields nearby. The herd of 15 goats had variations amongst them as they belonged to different breeds. Due to the difference in breeds , they had indifferences within themselves. The herd got divided into groups and sub-groups and preferred staying alone being scattered all over the fields.
There was a forest near the fields and it was considered to be a dwelling ground for ferocious tigers. And since, the goats were mostly alone in the vast patches of land far away from their partners or neighbours, the tigers took full advantage of it. One day all the three tigers came upon the fields and attacked the goats, killing quite a few goats. The remaining goats didn’t at all atempt to help their mates instead fled away.
At the end of the day when the farmer got to know about the same, he had a formal discussion with the goats regarding that matter. Then, he suggested them something that he should have done earlier. He asked them to stay together but the goats disagreed at that. Then, he made them understand that differences doesn’t matter especially when there is a great distress which needs to be dealt altogether. He told them that it was their fault for which they are suffereing today.
Since they preferred wandering alone, the tigers never missed the chance of hunting them. He adviced them that if they stay together in unity without any differentiations no one can break into or attack them, not even the tigers. He stated, “Unity is strength, division is weakness”. Until and unless, we stop fighting amongst ourselves, our enemies won’t stop taking advantage of the same and in both ways we will be the victim.
Next day onwards, the goats abided by the what their master said and it helped. Being together, they somehow became successful in stopping the tigers and instead of running away helped each other to sway them away. The tigers were quite surprised as they couldn’t break into the newly developed bonding between the goats. That day they were atleast able to block one tiger and they enjoyed their success
. Eventually, as days went by, the bonding became even more stronger and it became even more difficult for the tigers to break into and attack. Finally, they acquired the strength to block all the three tigers at one go. The tigers realised that their strength wasn’t enough before the goats and never attempted to attack again. That’s all folks!!
A board with 3 tigers and 15 goats are required to begin the game. There are 23 intersection spots on the board for moving the tiger and goat pieces. The tigers are bigger than the goats. Players take turns to play and goats start. The game has two phases - in the first phase, the goats are put onto the board. Once all goats have been placed to the board, the second phase starts in which the goats are moved. When it is the tiger's turn, the player may move 1 tiger along any line to an adjacent point or, if possible, the player may hop 1 tiger over 1 adjacent goat and into a vacant point beyond along a straight line. The latter move captures the hopped-over goat which is removed from the board.
When it is the goats turn to play, if not all goats have been placed on the board, the player can onlyplace 1 goat on any vacant point on the board. If all goats have been placed on the board, the player can only move 1 goat to an adjacent point along a line. Goats cannot hop or take tigers and can only move once all 20 goats have been played to the board. Tigers cannot hop over other tigers. A game is won by the tigers if they capture (eat) 5 goats. A game is won by the goats if they succeed in preventing any tiger from being able to move.
Each round should consist of 2 games, the players swapping pieces for the second game. If the goats won on both occasions, then the winner is the person who had the most goats left at the end of the game when they played goats. Otherwise it is a draw.
This game helps to build strategy and the concept of team work by teaching that even though one is small and weak, they together can defeat the stronger if united as a team.
Enjoy the hunt!