Cathedral (board game)
Encyclopedia
Cathedral is a two-player abstract strategy board game
based around a conflict between two factions ("dark" and "light") for territorial supremacy
within the bounds of a mediæval city. The game is produced by Chrisbo I.P. Holdings Limited in New Zealand
.
. Inspiration for the game was provided by Christchurch Cathedral and its environs in Christchurch
, New Zealand. From the air, Moore was fascinated by the way the cathedral
and neighbouring buildings intricately fitted together, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle
. He conceived of a game involving players trying to build interlocking buildings around a cathedral.
In 1979 Moore presented a prototype version of his game to Brightway Products, a New Zealand wooden toy and game company. Two versions of the game were originally created: a "formal piece" using three-dimensional wooden models of mediaeval buildings and towers; and an "abstract piece" consisting of two-dimensional squares. The formal piece proved more popular and is the only version produced today; in Standard, Tournalux (larger), and Grandelux (larger and higher quality) versions. The game was also recreated from as early as 1985 (from Mattel) in a more consumer accepted version in plastic moulded version with very highly detailed parts as well as a grided locking system added to the board.
It is generally accepted that the concept of the game is not subject to copyright. However, the name and specific wording of the rules and gameplay are copyright 1998 Chrisbo I.P. Holdings Limited.
en board divided into a 10x10 grid
. The board is enclosed by turreted walls and represents a mediaeval city. There are 29 pieces, all small abstracts of buildings. One building is the Cathedral, painted grey. The rest of the buildings are divided into 14 dark and 14 light pieces, one set for each player. In the standard and tournalux versions of the game the darker pieces are stained
, in the grandelux version they are made of a darker hardwood. The pieces and the game board are covered with a lacquer
finish. A plastic version was produced for a short period in the mid 1980s.
Players may capture territory within the city by completely enclosing it with their pieces alone, or with the help of the city walls. Boundaries of these areas must be "wall to wall;" that is, if two of the surrounding pieces only touch on their corners, that's not a capture. If the captured territory contains one and only one of the opponent's pieces or the cathedral, that piece may be removed and the opponent may no longer place pieces in that area. An opponent's piece so removed can return to play at a later stage, but the cathedral will remain absent for the remainder of the game. If the territory contains more than one piece (including the Cathedral), it is not captured and remains available for the opponent to use. Strategy: Use the largest pieces first, don't play into your captured space until you have no pieces left that will fit into the uncaptured areas.
The winner is the player who manages to place all of their pieces, while preventing their opponent from doing so. If neither player is able to place all of their pieces, then the player whose remaining pieces would take up the smaller area is declared the winner.
When playing multiple games in a row, players alternate placing the Cathedral and moving first. At the end of each game, each player gets a score based on the number of squares that their opponent's remaining buildings would occupy.
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
based around a conflict between two factions ("dark" and "light") for territorial supremacy
Territorial dispute
A territorial dispute is a disagreement over the possession/control of land between two or more states or over the possession or control of land by a new state and occupying power after it has conquered the land from a former state no longer currently recognized by the new state.-Context and...
within the bounds of a mediæval city. The game is produced by Chrisbo I.P. Holdings Limited in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
History
Cathedral was invented between 1962 and 1979 by Robert Moore (16 August 1942-19 June 1998), a pilot in the Royal New Zealand Air ForceRoyal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
. Inspiration for the game was provided by Christchurch Cathedral and its environs in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand. From the air, Moore was fascinated by the way the cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
and neighbouring buildings intricately fitted together, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle
Jigsaw puzzle
A jigsaw puzzle is a tiling puzzle that requires the assembly of numerous small, often oddly shaped, interlocking and tessellating pieces.Each piece usually has a small part of a picture on it; when complete, a jigsaw puzzle produces a complete picture...
. He conceived of a game involving players trying to build interlocking buildings around a cathedral.
In 1979 Moore presented a prototype version of his game to Brightway Products, a New Zealand wooden toy and game company. Two versions of the game were originally created: a "formal piece" using three-dimensional wooden models of mediaeval buildings and towers; and an "abstract piece" consisting of two-dimensional squares. The formal piece proved more popular and is the only version produced today; in Standard, Tournalux (larger), and Grandelux (larger and higher quality) versions. The game was also recreated from as early as 1985 (from Mattel) in a more consumer accepted version in plastic moulded version with very highly detailed parts as well as a grided locking system added to the board.
It is generally accepted that the concept of the game is not subject to copyright. However, the name and specific wording of the rules and gameplay are copyright 1998 Chrisbo I.P. Holdings Limited.
Overview
The idea of the game is to capture territory on the game board, allowing you to place all of your gamepieces while preventing your opponent from doing likewise.Equipment
Cathedral is played on a woodWood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
en board divided into a 10x10 grid
Grid (spatial index)
In the context of a spatial index, a grid is a regular tessellation of a manifold or 2-D surface that divides it into a series of contiguous cells, which can then be assigned unique identifiers and used for spatial indexing purposes...
. The board is enclosed by turreted walls and represents a mediaeval city. There are 29 pieces, all small abstracts of buildings. One building is the Cathedral, painted grey. The rest of the buildings are divided into 14 dark and 14 light pieces, one set for each player. In the standard and tournalux versions of the game the darker pieces are stained
Wood stain
A wood stain consists of a colorant suspended or dissolved in a 'vehicle' or solvent. The suspension agent can be water, alcohol, petroleum distillate, or the actual finishing agent...
, in the grandelux version they are made of a darker hardwood. The pieces and the game board are covered with a lacquer
Lacquer
In a general sense, lacquer is a somewhat imprecise term for a clear or coloured varnish that dries by solvent evaporation and often a curing process as well that produces a hard, durable finish, in any sheen level from ultra matte to high gloss and that can be further polished as required...
finish. A plastic version was produced for a short period in the mid 1980s.
Rules
Whichever player is using the "light" pieces begins by placing the Cathedral anywhere within the play area, aligned with the squares. Next the "dark" player places one of their game pieces on the board. Play alternates between the two sides until one side is unable to make a move. At this point, the other side attempts to place all of their remaining pieces in areas they have captured.Players may capture territory within the city by completely enclosing it with their pieces alone, or with the help of the city walls. Boundaries of these areas must be "wall to wall;" that is, if two of the surrounding pieces only touch on their corners, that's not a capture. If the captured territory contains one and only one of the opponent's pieces or the cathedral, that piece may be removed and the opponent may no longer place pieces in that area. An opponent's piece so removed can return to play at a later stage, but the cathedral will remain absent for the remainder of the game. If the territory contains more than one piece (including the Cathedral), it is not captured and remains available for the opponent to use. Strategy: Use the largest pieces first, don't play into your captured space until you have no pieces left that will fit into the uncaptured areas.
The winner is the player who manages to place all of their pieces, while preventing their opponent from doing so. If neither player is able to place all of their pieces, then the player whose remaining pieces would take up the smaller area is declared the winner.
When playing multiple games in a row, players alternate placing the Cathedral and moving first. At the end of each game, each player gets a score based on the number of squares that their opponent's remaining buildings would occupy.