Overview

Ludus Duodecim Scriptorum (“game of twelve markings”) is an ancient Roman board game similar to Backgammon. Two players race their pieces around a board of three rows of 12 spaces, trying to be the first to move all pieces off the board. The game combines luck (dice rolls) with strategic movement.

Components

• 1 Board with 3 rows of 12 spaces (36 total), each row divided into two halves
• 5 Playing pieces per player (distinguishable by colour — e.g., pennies heads/tails)
• 3 Six-sided dice

Setup

1. Choose first player by rolling a die (higher number goes first).
2. All pieces start off the board and must be entered into the player’s home row (middle row, 6 home spaces).

Turn Structure

On your turn:

1. Roll all 3 dice.
2. Move 1, 2, or 3 pieces based on the dice values.

Movement Options

Dice values can be:

• Used separately to move 3 different pieces.
• Added together to move 1 piece (or 2 stacked pieces) the combined total.
• Split in any combination (e.g., roll 1, 3, 6: move one piece 1 and another 9; or one piece 4 and another 6).

Rules:

• No die may be ignored.
• A number may not be split (only added).
• Pieces move along the 3 rows in an S-pattern from start to finish.

Actions

Entering the Board

• All pieces must enter the home row before any may advance beyond it.
• Pieces may be stacked on the same space.
• No player may enter the opponent’s home row.

Moving

• Stacked pieces (2+) of your colour are safe from capture.
• You cannot land on opponent’s stacked pieces (but may count the space and move beyond).
• Landing on a single opponent’s piece captures it — the piece must start over from the beginning.
• Captured pieces: the owning player switches to using only 1 die until the piece re-enters the board.
• If all your moves are blocked by opponent’s stacked pieces, you lose your turn.

Exiting the Board

• All your pieces must gather in the final 6 spaces before any may exit.
• Exiting requires an exact throw (a piece on the last space needs exactly a 1).
• At this stage, players switch to using only 1 die.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The first player to move all 5 pieces off the board wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Blocked moves: If you cannot legally move, your turn is lost.
• One die for re-entry: When a captured piece needs to re-enter, switch to 1 die until it’s back.
• One die for exiting: Once bearing off, use only 1 die.
• Stacking is safe: Stacked pieces cannot be captured.
• Exact exit roll needed: Cannot overshoot the exit.

Variant Rules (to speed up play)

• Allow entire stacks to move as one if the 3-dice total allows reaching a free spot.
• Decrease number of pieces and/or dice.
• Allow exit once pieces reach the final 12 spaces (not just 6).
• Allow bearing off without waiting for all pieces to reach the final spaces.

Player Reference

Turn: Roll 3 dice → Move 1-3 pieces → Use values separately or combined

Path: Enter home (middle row) → S-pattern across 3 rows → Exit from final 6 spaces

Capture: Land on single opponent piece = send it back to start

Exit: All pieces in final 6 spaces → exact rolls to exit → use 1 die