This Instructable is on how to make a game called "Nine Men's Morris"out of cardboard. This was made for my Medieval Genius Hour Project. The game, "Nine Men's Morris" was played throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period, this game is basically a more strategic version of tic-tac-toe.

Supplies

-a cardboard box or any piece of cardboard

-Glue stick (glue guns would work better since it sticks everything in place better, but it does take glue gun sticks) -Ruler

-Black Sharpie (this was what I use, other colors are fine too)

-pencil

-eraser

-exacto knife or scissors

-dry erase marker cap

Step 1: Making the Base

Cut out two pieces of cardboard measuring 22cm x 22cm and 14cm x 14cm. Once you cut out the pieces, place the smaller piece onto the bigger piece. Make sure there are 3.5cm of space between the edges of the two pieces. Then trace the smaller piece onto the bigger piece.

Step 2: Draw the Lines

Use a ruler to measure 1.8cm, use a pencil to mark that measurement, next use a ruler and line it up with the mark, then draw the line 12cm long. Make sure there is 1.8cm of space all around the edge. Next, draw the middle line and space it 2cm away from the outer line all around. For the last line or inner line, space it 2cm away from the middle line all around. After all the lines have been drawn place down the points/dots on the vertices or edges of the squares. The last step is to place a dot in the middle of the lines, for the outer line place the middle dot 6cm from the vertices of the outer line. For the middle line the dot would be 4 cm from the vertices of the middle line. For the inner line the middle dot is 2 cm from the vertices of the inner line. Lastly connect all of the middle dots, and make sure to not connect the two dots in the center of the board.

Step 3: Glue It Together

After you have finished both of the pieces, you'll need to glue both of them together. Make sure the smaller piece aligns with the outline on the bigger piece.

Step 4: Making the "Men" Pieces

Cut out another piece of cardboard, then place the bottom of the dry erase marker cap on the cardboard and draw around it to make circles, you will need 18 circles. Next, cut out all 18 of the circles and color 9 of the circles black with a sharpie and leave the rest of the 9 circles uncolored (you can color the pieces other colors if you want to).

Step 5: Rules

Each player has 9 pieces which are called “men”, the two players should have different colored pieces. To win, the players would have to form a “mill”, 3 of a player’s “men” lined up horizontally or vertically. Once a “mill” is formed the player will remove one of the opponent's “men” and when there are only 2 “men” left on the opponent’s side the player would win.

NOTE:players cannot form diagonal "mills"

Phases

1:Placing Pieces

The game begins with an empty board, the players chooses who will go first. Then they will take turns placing their “men”. After all “men” have been placed down, phase 2 begins

2:Moving Pieces

After all "men" have been placed, players will take turns to form a "mill". The player can “break” a “mill” by moving one of their “men” out of their existing “mill”, then the player can move it back to the same spot the next turn to form another “mill” thus removing another one of their opponent's piece. When a player’s “men” are reduced to 3, phase 3 begins

NOTE:you cannot jump pieces

3:Flying

If the player only has 3 “men” left, they can “fly” or “jump” their “men” to any vacant point on the board. This means that the player who only has 3 “men” no longer needs to move to the adjacent points. Again, if one of the player's "men" are reduced to 2, their opponent wins.