How to play Twelve Lines

[hopkins@dg-rtp.dg.com (Edward Hopkins)]

.            HOW TO PLAY THE GAME OF TWELVE LINES

1.  This game is for two players, who each have fifteen counters.

2.  The players take turns throwing a set of three cubic dice.

3.  The counters are entered from the center according to the
    numbers on the dice, moving in opposite directions.
    For example, on the sample board above, a player who
    rolls a one, a three, and a six, would enter counters
    on the points marked 1, 3, and 6.

4.  After all of the counters have been entered, they begin
    to move counterclockwise around the board, as suggested
    by these sample boards:

      30 29 28 27 26 25   24 23 22 21 20 19
       6  5  4  3  2  1    *  *  *  *  *  *
       7  8  9 10 11 12   13 14 15 16 17 18

               Player One's path

      18 17 16 15 14 13   12 11 10  9  8  7
       *  *  *  *  *  *    1  2  3  4  5  6
      19 20 21 22 23 24   25 26 27 28 29 30

               Player Two's path

5.  The numbers rolled can be used singly or in combination,
    but cannot be divided.

6.  Double and triple throws have no special significance.

7.  A player may have more than one counter piled up on a
    single point.   Such a pile of pieces is called "ordinarii"
    ("regulars").  You may not land on a point that already
    has ordinarii of the opposite side, not even momentarily
    (as part of using dice in combination).

8.  A counter on a point by itself is called a "vagus"
    ("wanderer").  You may land on a point with an opponent's
    vagus, sending it off the board to be re-entered on the
    next throw.

9.  A counter that cannot move because of a long stretch of
    opposing ordinarii is known as an "incitus" ("immovable").

10. After all of your counters are assembled in the last six
    points (25-30) you can begin bearing them off.

11. The first player to bear off all of his or her counters
    is the winner.

OPTIONS AND VARIATIONS.  Either or both of the following rules
may be used if agreed to beforehand by both players.

2b. Players toss the dice through a "fritillus" (a small wooden
    tower with a spiral staircase inside) to prevent cheating.

4b. To make for more chances for sending back vagi, Player
    Two goes clockwise, while Player One still goes
    counterclockwise.

       19 20 21 22 23 24   25 26 27 28 29 30
        *  *  *  *  *  *    1  2  3  4  5  6
       18 17 16 15 14 13   12 11 10  9  8  7

            Player Two's path (variation)

NOTE:  The Game of Twelve Lines was replaced by Tabula in
the first century AD.  A complete set of the rules has not
been found.  The above rules are based on some mentions of
the game in Roman literature, on the rules of Tabula (which
are known) and on a beginner's board found in the Roman port
of Ostia:

	C C C C C C   B B B B B B
	A A A A A A   A A A A A A
	D D D D D D   E E E E E E

Rule 4b was made up purely on playability.

-- Alfredo el Bufon
hopkins@dg-rtp.dg.com