Description

The game is for 2-6 players and is played on a board laid out as shown in the diagram. Each track or run is in two parts, the Base along the edge of the board, and the Approach. Each pair of Base and Approach runs would be of a different colour, but are lettered in the diagram for the purpose of identification. Each player would have a cube, of the same colour as his track. This cube is marked from 1-6 in a similar fashion to a dice, but with ants replacing the usual spots. A collection of ants' eggs with a container and a normal die complete the equipment. The eggs are quite simple to make from papier mache, plaster or a similar substance and painted white.

At the start of the game, the eggs are placed in the container, which in turn is placed in the Queen Ant's Nest in the middle of the board. The cubes are situated in their respective bases with the side showing the six ants uppermost. The die is thrown in turn, and the cubes moved the appropriate number of squares in the direction indicated, along the Base run and then up the Approach run.

The first player to reach his X on the Ant Nest surround, stops on that square and becomes the Defender of the Queen Ant's Nest. All other ants to reach their X's during that turn become Attackers, and attack the Defender. These attacks are resolved as follows: both players throw the die and the highest score wins, a draw counting as a win for the Defender. When the Defender wins, he remains where he is, and the Attacker returns to that square on his Approach run, having the same number as that thrown by the Defender. If the Attacker wins, he becomes the Defender, while the ousted Defender goes back to the square on his Base run having the same number as that thrown by the Attacker. Should a Defender be beaten by a throw of 6, he is returned to his Base and loses one ant from his group, and so recommences with the new ant group showing face up on the cube. A player with only one ant is knocked out of the game when beaten by an Attacker's throw of 6. On his turn, a Defender must attempt to circumnavigate the Nest, in accordance with throws of the die, and defend himself each time he lands on an opponent's X square containing a cube. When he returns to his own X, he stops (regardless of the throw) and is entitled to collect eggs as follows:

Size of
Ant Group
6-5 = 3 eggs
4-3 = 2 eggs
2-1 = 1 egg

Play continues until all the eggs have been removed from the nest. The initial number of eggs is optional, but an ideal number is 30. The winner is the player having most eggs at the end of the game.

Although it may sound complicated, 'Antheap' is in fact very simple to play. It is well worth going to the trouble of making the board and the cubes, for it will certainly provide the younger members of the family with hours of fun.