Overview

Barragoon is a purely strategic two-player game with no random element. Players move their tiles across a board, using Barragoon pieces (directional blockers) to control movement and capture opponent tiles. The central mechanic is that Barragoon pieces block or allow movement in specific directions based on their uppermost symbol. A player loses when they have no tiles that can move.

Components

• 1 Game board
• 7 White tiles (player 1)
• 7 Brown tiles (player 2)
• 32 Black Barragoon pieces (directional blockers with multiple symbol faces)
• Instructions

Tile Types (each color has)

| Tile | Full Move | Short Move | |——|———–|————| | 2-space | 2 squares | 1 square | | 3-space | 3 squares | 2 squares | | 4-space | 4 squares | 3 squares |

Setup

1. Draw lots to determine who plays white and who plays brown.
2. Place the 14 tiles and 8 starting Barragoon pieces on the board in starting positions.
3. Place the remaining 24 Barragoon pieces beside the board.
4. White moves first.

Turn Structure

Players alternate turns. On each turn, a player moves exactly one of their tiles. After moving (and any captures), it becomes the other player’s turn.

Actions

Moving a Tile

• Tiles move horizontally or vertically (never diagonally).
• A tile may change direction once during a move (90-degree turn only). No 180-degree reversals. No second turn.
• The starting square does not count toward the move; the target square does.
• Tiles cannot jump over other tiles (own or opponent’s).

Short Move

A tile can make a short move (1 fewer square than its full value):

• 2-space tile: moves 1 square
• 3-space tile: moves 2 squares
• 4-space tile: moves 3 squares

A tile cannot capture during a short move. It can only move to an empty square.

Full Move

A tile moves its full value and can:

• Move to an empty square, OR
• Land on an opponent’s tile to capture it, OR
• Land on a Barragoon piece to capture it

Barragoon Symbols

Barragoon pieces have symbols that control how tiles can cross their squares:

Symbol	Effect
No Entry	Cannot be crossed by any tile
One Way	Can only be crossed in the arrow direction
Two Ways	Can be crossed in either of the two arrow directions
Right Turn	Can only be crossed with a right turn in the arrow direction
Left Turn	Can only be crossed with a left turn in the arrow direction
All Turns	Can be crossed from any direction, but only with a turn (never straight through)

• Crossing a Barragoon square counts toward the move distance.
• If a Barragoon forces a turn, that counts as the one allowed direction change.

Capturing a Tile

When your tile lands on an opponent’s tile during a full move:

1. Remove the opponent’s tile from the board.
2. Take 2 new Barragoon pieces from beside the board.
3. Give 1 to your opponent.
4. Opponent places their Barragoon first (choosing symbol, direction, and empty square).
5. Then you place your Barragoon (choosing symbol, direction, and empty square).
6. Once a Barragoon is released, it cannot be changed.

Capturing a Barragoon

When your tile lands on a Barragoon piece during a full move:

1. Pick up the Barragoon.
2. Immediately place it on a different empty square (choose symbol and direction).
3. Once released, it cannot be changed.

Exception: 2-space tiles cannot capture a Barragoon with the “All Turns” symbol showing.

Touch Rule

Once you touch your own tile, you must move it (if a legal move exists). Once you touch an opponent’s tile or Barragoon, you must capture it (if possible).

Scoring / Victory Conditions

A player loses when it is their turn and they have no tiles that can legally move (either all tiles are captured or all remaining tiles are blocked).

Draw Conditions

• If both players’ tiles can still move but cannot capture anything, the game is a draw.
• If the same pattern of moves repeats 3 times, the player whose turn it is may offer a draw. If declined, the declining player must deviate from the pattern at the earliest opportunity.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• No diagonal movement.
• Only one direction change per move (90 degrees).
• A forced turn by a Barragoon’s symbol counts as the one allowed change.
• Short moves cannot capture anything.
• 2-space tiles cannot capture “All Turns” Barragoon pieces.
• When both players’ tiles are all captured or immobilized, the player whose turn it is loses.
• Open Variant: Set up starting Barragoon pieces with “All Turns” symbol showing for a different tactical experience.
• Express Rule (optional): Stage 1: Lose if you start your turn with only 1 movable tile. Stage 2: Lose with only 2 movable tiles. Can be used as a handicap system.

Player Reference

Tile Movement Values

| Tile | Full Move | Short Move | Can Capture? | |——|———–|————|————-| | 2-space | 2 | 1 | Full only | | 3-space | 3 | 2 | Full only | | 4-space | 4 | 3 | Full only |

Turn Sequence

1. Move one of your tiles (short or full move)
2. If capturing a tile: remove it, both players place new Barragoons
3. If capturing a Barragoon: relocate it immediately
4. Opponent’s turn

Barragoon Symbol Quick Reference

• No Entry: blocks all
• One Way: one direction only
• Two Ways: two directions
• Right Turn / Left Turn: forces a turn
• All Turns: any direction but must turn (cannot go straight)