Overview
Battleground: Crossbows & Catapults is a dexterity-based tabletop battle game for two players, published in 2007 as an updated version of the classic Crossbows and Catapults (originally 1983). Players build castle fortifications from plastic bricks and defend them with warrior figures, then use spring-loaded crossbow and catapult launchers to hurl projectiles at the opposing player’s castle. The goal is to knock down the enemy’s structures and eliminate their warriors.
Components
- Plastic castle wall and tower bricks (enough for two castles)
- Warrior figures (knights, soldiers, flag bearers) for each side
- Spring-loaded crossbow launchers
- Spring-loaded catapult launchers
- Plastic projectile discs
- Plastic base plates for castle construction
Setup
Each player constructs a castle on their side of the playing area using the plastic bricks, walls, and towers. Players place their warrior figures behind and atop the castle walls. Each player takes their crossbow and/or catapult launchers and a supply of projectile discs. Players sit across from each other with their castles facing each other.
Turn Structure
Players alternate turns:
- Aim: The active player positions their launcher (crossbow or catapult) behind their own castle.
- Fire: Launch a projectile disc at the enemy castle.
- Assess Damage: Check what was knocked over: walls, towers, and warriors.
- Pass Turn: The other player takes their turn.
Actions
- Fire Crossbow: Use the spring-loaded crossbow to launch a disc in a flat trajectory. Good for targeting specific wall sections.
- Fire Catapult: Use the spring-loaded catapult to lob a disc in an arc. Good for hitting targets behind walls.
- Castle Construction: Before the game, strategically build walls and position warriors to maximize defense.
- Warrior Placement: Position warriors behind walls for protection or atop towers for tactical advantage (but greater vulnerability).
Scoring / Victory Conditions
A player wins by knocking down all of the opponent’s warrior figures. Alternatively, the player who has knocked down the most enemy warriors after a set number of rounds (or after all projectiles are used) wins. Some variants award points for each warrior knocked down and each wall section destroyed.
Special Rules & Edge Cases
- Ricochet Hits: Projectiles that bounce off walls and then hit warriors still count as valid eliminations.
- Fallen Warriors: A warrior must be completely knocked off its base or knocked over to count as eliminated. Merely shifting position does not count.
- Rebuilding: In some variants, players may spend a turn rebuilding a small section of wall instead of firing.
- Projectile Limits: Each player has a limited supply of projectile discs per game. Once all are fired, scoring is tallied.
- Distance: Players should agree on a minimum distance between castles before the game begins to ensure fairness.
- Flag Bearer: Knocking down the flag bearer may award bonus points or trigger immediate victory in some rule variants.
Player Reference
| Launcher |
Trajectory |
Best For |
| Crossbow |
Flat/direct |
Targeting specific wall sections |
| Catapult |
Arc/lob |
Hitting behind walls |
| Victory Condition |
Trigger |
| All warriors eliminated |
Knock down all enemy figures |
| Most warriors eliminated |
End of projectile supply |