Ploy

About this board game

Ploy is a chess-like space-age strategy game for 2 or 4 players, with an approximate playing time of 60 minutes. Released in 1970 as part of the 3M Bookshelf Series, it challenges players to eliminate an opponent’s Commander or all of their forces.

Players move different types of pieces across a futuristic playing board. Each piece can move only along paths that align with the indicators radiating from its center, making direction and positioning central to the game.

The key tactical decision in Ploy is knowing when to move and when to rotate a piece. Rotating changes the direction in which that piece can travel, creating a distinctive blend of movement, orientation, and strategic planning.

• Chess-like strategic gameplay
• Movement guided by directional indicators
• Pieces that rotate to change direction
• Victory by capturing the Commander or eliminating all opposing forces
• Support for 2 or 4 players

The game’s Bookshelf case contains four sets of playing pieces, a futuristic playing board, and instructions. Its presentation is especially memorable for its space-age design, with artwork that captures the distinctive futuristic style of the late 1960s.

Whether planning an attack or repositioning a piece for a better line of movement, Ploy focuses on reading the board and choosing the right moment to act. It offers a compact, abstract contest built around directional control and the pursuit of a decisive capture.