Thud!

A book based on a game based on a war, based on a book, based on a game. Which ever came first, Thud the game is a playable board game available now in the dealers hall) and a lively spectators sport. The game is a re-enactment of the war in Koom Valley between the Trolls and the Dwarfs, with contentious issues in legend on either side about what actually happened and who might have won, if either side ever truly "wins" a war.

On this occasion, the game was played out on a life-sized board with actual people as the dwarfs and trolls, though obviously they weren't actual trolls and dwarfs, because that would have just led to too much bloodshed for the hotel staff to cope with.

The board is set up with 8 trolls in the centre, with 32 dwarfs around the outside of the board. Each race has a different method of movement around the board and different rules about what or who or how many of the opposite team they can "kill" at one time, and the strategic game is played a little like Roundworld's chess, but on a differently shaped board.

A battle of wits ensued, as the two people who seemed to know all the rules shouted out instructions to team members about who should move where and "kill" whom, and a cheer erupted from the appropriate team all around the board as the opposition was decimated.

The game is traditionally played twice, with the players swapping pieces for the second game, and on this occasion the final result was one-all.

Sarah Ganderton