Note—­This game can be fought with any sized force, but if it is fought with less than 50 a side, the minimum must be 10 a side.

(2) The Blow at the Rear game is decided when at least three men of one force reach any point in the back line of their antagonist.  He is then supposed to have suffered a strategic defeat, and he must retreat his entire force over the back line in six moves, i.e. six of his moves.  Anything left on the field after six moves capitulates to the victor.  Points count as in the preceding game, but this lasts a shorter time and is better adapted to a cramped country with a short back line.  With a long rear line the game is simply a rush at some weak point in the first player’s line by the entire cavalry brigade of the second player.  Instead of making the whole back line available for the Blow at the Rear, the middle or either half may be taken.

(3) In the Defensive Game, a force, the defenders, two-thirds as strong as its antagonist, tries to prevent the latter arriving, while still a quarter of its original strength, upon the defender’s back line.  The Country must be made by one or both of the players before it is determined which shall be defender.  The players then toss for choice of sides, and the winner of the toss becomes the defender.  He puts out his force over the field on his own side, anywhere up to the distance of one move off the middle line—­that is to say, he must not put any man within one move of the middle line, but he may do so anywhere on his own side of that limit—­and then the loser of the toss becomes first player, and sets out his men a move from his back line.  The defender may open fire forthwith; he need not wait until after the second move of the first player, as the second player has to do.

COMPOSITION OF FORCES

Except in the above cases, or when otherwise agreed upon, the forces engaged shall be equal in number and similar in composition.  The methods of handicapping are obvious.  A slight inequality (chances of war) may be arranged between equal players by leaving out 12 men on each side and tossing with a pair of dice to see how many each player shall take of these.  The best arrangement and proportion of the forces is in small bodies of about 20 to 25 infantry-men and 12 to 15 cavalry to a gun.  Such a force can maneuver comfortably on a front of 4 or 5 feet.  Most of our games have been played with about 80 infantry, 50 cavalry, 3 or 4 naval guns, and a field gun on either side, or with smaller proportional forces.  We have played excellent games on an eighteen-foot battlefield with over two hundred men and six guns a side.  A player may, of course, rearrange his forces to suit his own convenience; brigade all or most of his cavalry into a powerful striking force, or what not.  But more guns proportionally lead to their being put out of action too early for want of men; a larger proportion of infantry makes the game