SpaceWars
(requires a pencil (or pen) and paper)

Setup:
Draw a battlefield on a piece of paper (or click here to print one that we've already generated). The battlefield should contain one flag per player, and one "ship generator" per player (preferably very close to the flag). Each person should also pick a shape for their "ships" (square, triangle, x, or o). On our map, each of the ship generators only launches ships for the flag that is closest to it.

Play:
You win by destroying the other player's flag. We usually play that a flag is only destroyed by either three shots or a single crashed ship.

Players alternate taking turns. On your turn, you can move, launch a new ship, or fire. To launch or move a ship, place the tip of your pencil on the ship generator (or the ship that's moving), and the tip of your finger on the eraser of the pencil. Using only that one finger, tilt the pencil so that the point draws a line along the paper as it falls. You can push the pencil with your finger as it falls to get more distance. Draw a ship at the end of the line that was just drawn, and if you're moving a ship scratch out (or erase) the one that just moved.

Firing works the same as moving, except that the ship doesn't move.

When firing or moving, your line could hit several things:

• any part of another ship: The ship is destroyed. If you were moving, the ship you were moving is destroyed as well.
• a flag: The flag is damaged. If you were moving, the ship you were moving is destroyed as well.
• a ship generator: The generator is destroyed. If you were moving, the ship you were moving is destroyed as well.
• terrain (any lines that were on the map before you started playing): If firing, the shot is blocked. If moving, the ship you were moving is destroyed.

Etiquette:
It is very important to say "Firing" or "Moving" before doing either one. That way, everyone knows what you're doing. Firing when you meant to move (or moving when you meant to fire) can be a pretty disastrous mistake.

Make your own maps!
We've created a simple map with a couple fairly sheltered bases, and some asteroids. Once you get the hang of playing, you may want to expand into creating your own maps with more asteroids, or more ship generators.

If you create some maps that you like, e-mail them to us and we'll post them here. Let us know, of course, how you'd like us to list your name on the map..