Weapons & Warriors: Castle Combat Set

About this board game

Weapons & Warriors: Castle Combat Set is a simple action game for 2–99 players that takes about 30 minutes to play. Each player commands a base protected by five or six targets, along with about ten men and a mechanism for firing small balls.

Begin by arranging one man on each target, then place the remaining men on grey dots across your base. Players take turns rolling the die to determine whether they can shoot 2–6 balls at the opponent’s targets. The battle continues until one player has wiped out all of the enemy’s targets.

• Bases with five or six targets, including some that require multiple hits or a particular order
• About ten men for each player
• Ball-firing mechanisms such as catapults and crossbows
• A cardboard battlefield strip with trees and grey circles

The cardboard strip between the bases adds another tactical option. Players can spend some of their shots to move a soldier toward the opposing base along the grey circles. When a soldier advances, the player may also move the shooting device forward until it is level with that soldier, bringing the action closer to the opponent.

Advancing soldiers are quickly targeted, so moving forward carries an immediate risk. In typical play, the easy shots—soldiers and simple targets—are knocked out during the first few rounds. The remaining battle becomes a challenge of making the trickier shots and finding a way to finish the opposing base.

Released in 1993, Weapons & Warriors: Castle Combat Set focuses on direct, physical play: aim, fire, advance when useful, and try to clear every target before your opponent does.