Subscribe to The Game Pile
14 k of g in a f p d
The Game Pile
Twitter
Flickr
Picasa
StumbleUpon
Breakthru - Strategic Game of Evasion or Capture
Breakthru is an abstract strategy game. One player, controlling the "gold fleet" receives 12 "escorts" and 1 "flagship". The other player is the "silver fleet" and receives 20 ships. The gold fleet is set up in the central part of the board and the silver fleet in the outer part. The object of the game is for the gold player to get their flagship off the board before it is captured by the silver player.
On their turn a player may make a "motion" move or a "capture" move. Ships may move any number of vacant squares either horizontally or vertically. Ships capture by moving one square diagonally. (Ships may not move diagonally or capture horizontally or vertically). Two motion moves or one capture move are allowed on a player's turn.
If the gold player manages to get the flagship to the outermost squares of the board then they are the winner. The silver player wins by capturing the gold flagship.
This is an interesting game with elements of both Chess and Fox and Hounds. The naval fleet metaphor is really meaningless in the context of the game; it is an abstract strategy game with no element of chance.
Also, continuing with my commentary on box art, look at the father/son pair playing the game. Their intense concentration is amazing.
5 comments on Breakthru:
This game was taken from a Viking game played the same way.
It's similar to the tafl family of games, but the rules about capture and moving twice are different. I'd say it's more inspired by them rather than copied from them.
I always thought it was funny that the game pieces were so substantial, being nice, heavy, solid metal... while the board was comparatively flimsy vacu-form plastic. Still, a pretty reasonable game. I played it a lot as a kid.
i loved this game,played it often when i was younger.
wish i could find a copy
James, I have a copy of the Breakthru game. Great condition. My sons are grown and I am downsizing and would sell it. contact me @ janlohmann46@yahoo.com. Thanks!