Printed card board game, L'Attaque, made in England by H P Gibson & Sons Ltd in about 1925

Design: paper printed black on white, mounted on card, folded; backed with pale blue paper
No. of squares: 90
Squares illustrated: 6 squares darkened
Square numbering: none
Squares titled: none
Subject of starting square: none
Subject of ending square: none

Given by Mrs M. Hover

The game was devised and printed in France with all the rights for the English speaking countries held by Messrs. H P Gibson & Sons Ltd.
playing surface marked BREVETE SGDG IMPORTED GOODS
contained in original box
sticker on box - JOHN TAYLOR THE TOY SHOP 28 PRESTON ST. BRIGHTON
see also Misc. 182-1978, Misc 1-1976, Misc 181-1978

CGG-Games & Puzzles, 1991

Rewards: ?
Forfeits: ?
No. of Players: two
Equipment required: 36 pieces of card with a printed figure on one side and dark blue paper on the other; representing English forces; each has a value
36 pieces as above backed with purple paper, representing french forces; each has a value.
all pieces are stood in metal stands

Rules:
L'Attaque, the Famous Game of Military Tactics

L'Attaque is a game for two players, and is played with 72 pieces mounted on metal stands, a chequered board of 90 squares being used.
Each player has an Army of 36 pieces.
Each Army having different coloured backs as well as being a different naltionality.
Each Army has the same value and comprises the following pieces:

No. Name Rank
1 Commander-in Chief Chef d'Armée 10
1 Brigadier-General Général de Brgade 9
2 Colonels Colonel 8
2 Majors Commandant 7
4 Captains Capitaine 6
4 Lieutenants Lieutenant 5
4 Sergeants Sergent 4
4 Sappers Sapeur 3
8 Scouts Eclaireur 2
1 Flag Drapeau 1
4 Mines Mine -
1 Spy Espion -

These pieces are placed on the board.
The board is placed between the two players
Each player then selects an Army and places it upon the four rows of squares nearest him, thus leaving the two rows containing the shaded squares (ie which represent rivers) unoccupied.
Each player places his pieces with their 'faces' towards him and backs towards his opponent, thus neither knows the value of his opponents pieces. The idea of this can be gathered.
When the two players are ready, ie have placed their pieces in the positions they desire (NB Pieces can be placed in any order the player desires) play proceeds as follows, it having been mutually agreed which player shall make the first move. Each movable piece may be move one square at a time forwards, backwards, or sideways but not diagonally.
Moves are made alternately by the players throughout the game.
No pieces may be placed on a river or move across one.
The object of the game is to capture the opponent's flag when this has been done the game is finished.
Pieces attack each other back to back only, by moving on to the square in front of an opponent and saying 'ATTACK!'.
Both players then show their pieces, the lower piece (according to the number on the face) is captured, ie removed from the board. The move then passes to the player who was attacked, whether he was successful or not.
The following are points to be noted when various pieces `attack'. First of all, the Flag and all Mines, remain stationary throughout the game.
Everything attacking a Mine is blown up (removed from the board), except the Sapper, in which case the Mine is removed from the board.
The Spy is for one purpose only, that of capturing the Commander-in Chief, but can be taken by any other piece.
Any piece including the Spy, can capture the Flag.
The Commander-in-Chief captures all pieces, except the Mine and the Spy.
All the other piecess capture according to their numerical value, the higher taking the lower in each case.
When two pieces of the same value attack both are removed from the board, with the exception of the Scouts when both remain, the move passing in the usual way.
SCOUTS. The Scouts are of course, used for the purpose that the name denotes and have a special privilege.
In order to take up a particular position, they are allowed to move several squares at a time, backwards, forwards or sideways (but not diagonally), provided that the intervening squares are unoccupied and there is no river in the way.
SPECIAL POINTS TO BE NOTED.
A great deal depends upon how a player sets out his pieces to begin with.
The Flag should be well protected, but may not be placed on the square directly behind the three rivers, or on any of the four squares behind the three rivers, with only Mines between it and the river. It is obvious that if this were done, the Flag could not be attacked and the object of the game would be defeated inasmuch that it would become a question of merely capturing the opponent's pieces.
Shoudl it by any chance happen, that a player has lost nearly all his movable pieces, but that his flag is still uncaptured it is possible for his oppenent to bottle up his remaining pieces so that he cannot move any of them, when it is his turn to move.
In this case he must surrender his Flag and loses the game.

Rules placement: separate sheet

This game is described as war without tears. It was devised and printed in France. All the rights for the English-speaking countries were held by H. P. Gibson & Sons Ltd. This particular game was originally sold by John Taylor, The Toy Shop, 28 Preston Street, Brighton.

L'Attaque is a game for two players. It is played on a chequered board of 90 squares, with 72 pieces mounted on metal stands. There are 36 soldiers in each army, representing the French and the English. The aim of the game is to capture the opposing army's flag.

MISC.244-1985