Beetle
Every number on the die is a part of a beetle, and it can only be drawn when there is something to draw it onto.
A sheet of paper and a pencil each, one die between everybody. The numbers stand for parts of a beetle: one is the , two the , three a leg, four an eye, five an antenna, six the tail.
The order comes from the drawing rather than from a rule for its own sake: until a one comes up there is nothing to draw onto, and every turn is wasted. Legs and the tail attach to the body, eyes and antennae to the head, so a player with a body and no head collects legs and waits for a two.
A finished beetle is thirteen pieces: body, head, tail, six legs, two eyes and two antennae. The legs take the longest — six threes are needed.
Six-sided dice
Under these rules: One die between everybody.
Ordinary gaming dice, pipped from one to six.
The most widespread randomiser people have invented. Opposite faces add up to seven — not a rule of any game but a convention of manufacture, and the thing by which a die is recognised.
Rules of Beetle
What you need
A sheet of paper and a pencil each, one die between everybody.
The start
Everyone rolls the die; the highest goes first, and ties are rerolled. Play then passes clockwise.
The parts
| Rolled | Part |
|---|---|
| 1 | body |
| 2 | head |
| 3 | leg |
| 4 | eye |
| 5 | antenna |
| 6 | tail |
A turn
The player rolls the die and draws the corresponding part, if that is possible.
- the body is drawn first; nothing is drawn before it;
- legs and the tail need the body;
- eyes and antennae need the head.
If the part rolled cannot be added — there is nothing to attach it to, or there are already enough of them — the turn is simply wasted and the die passes on.
A finished beetle
Body, head, tail, six legs, two eyes and two antennae.
End of the game
The first to finish their beetle wins. If they like, the others play on to settle the remaining places.
Worth knowing
The set of parts and their number are sometimes changed — a beetle with four legs, or with wings added. Whether play continues after the first finisher, to settle the other places, is up to the table.
Glossary of terms
- The body
- The first part, without which nothing can be drawn at all. Until a one comes up, every turn is wasted.
- The head
- The drawing's second support: eyes and antennae attach to it and to nothing else.