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| Players | 1–4 |
|---|---|
| Setup time | 1 minute |
| Playing time | 45 minutes |
| Chance | Medium |
| Age range | 8 + |
| Skills | Strategic thought |
Spectrangle is a triangular tile-based abstract strategy game invented by Alain John Fraser-Dackers, Maxwell Graham Gordon and Lester Wynne Jordan. The original game was for upto 8 players and used 60 tiles. A later more compact version for upto four players uses 36 tiles. It is this version that is described here.
The colourful double-sided triangular playing tiles are called trangs. The trangs use all the permutations of red, yellow, green, cyan and magenta to give 35 unique trangs, plus one all-white 'joker'. Each trang is marked with a number that is the basic scoring value of that tile. The trangs are played onto a triangular game board; some of the spaces are marked with a number that is the bonus value of the space (unmarked spaces having a bonus value of 1).
Gameplay
editThe aim of the multi-player game is to score the most points by playing their trangs most effectively.
All the trangs are placed the provided cloth bag, each player draws a trang from the bag. The player drawing the highest valued trang becomes the opening player. The trangs are returned to the bag and each player then draws a hand of four trangs which are placed on the table in front of the player. Thoughout the game all trangs drawn are to remain in full view of all players.
The opening player plays into a space on the board; this opening play can not be into numbered bonus space. The value of the trang is recorded as this player's score. The player then draws a trang from the bag to maintain a hand of four trangs on display. Once played, trangs are not moved.
Play now proceeds in turn. At each turn the player must, if they are able to, play a trang from their hand alongside at least one of the trangs already played. Wherever trangs touch they must match in colour (white matches any colour). The score for the play is calculated and added to the running total for that player. A replacement trang is then drawn from the bag as before. If the player is unable to play then they do not score; however, they do have the option of replacing one of their trangs with a replacement drawn from the bag.
The score for a play determined by multiplying the value of the trang by the bonus value of the space and then by the number of existing trangs that the trang is placed in contact with. This means that a high score can be obtained if it is possible play a trang onto a number bonus space that touches more than one existing trang.
When all possible plays have been made the game is over. The total value any trangs remaining in hand is deducted from that player's total. The winner is the one with the highest score.
History
editInvented by Alain John Fraser-Dackers, Maxwell Graham Gordon and Lester Wynne Jordan in the UK in 1989.
The original game was for upto 8 players and used 60 tiles. The later more compact version for upto four players uses 36 tiles.
The game has in the past been published by Greystone Games, Spears Games and Jumbo.
It is currently being published by the US based company Educational Insights, Incorporated.