Militaire

History

The Imperial War Museum dates the standard pack to the interwar period or Second World War, possibly used in trenches. Leather boxes were for officers, paper boxes for other ranks. The pocket version dates to the 1940s. The rank badge designs indicate a period of 1928–1953, as the brigadier rank was established in 1928 and Tudor Crowns were replaced in 1953.

Description

The standard 54-card pack includes four cards each of officer ranks (General 60 points, Brigadier 50, Colonel 45, Lieutenant Colonel 40, Major 35, Captain 30, Lieutenant 25, 2nd Lieutenant 20), seven cards each of other ranks (Sergeant 15, Corporal 10, Lance Corporal 5), and one Sergeant Major wild card (5–60 points). The pocket version has three of each officer rank, five of each other rank, and one wild card. Sets of four are only possible with other ranks in the pocket version.

Rules

Play is clockwise; players cut for first dealer. Seven cards are dealt each; the remainder forms a stock, with the top card turned to start a discard pile. The aim is to meld sets of three or four same-rank cards or runs of at least three in rank sequence.

Eldest hand draws either the upcard or stock top, then discards. A player may meld a valid set or run face up and score card points. The first to expose a complete hand of two sets, a set and a run, or a run of six or seven wins bonus points: set of three 30, set of four 40, run of three 10, run of four 20, run of six 50, run of seven 100.

An unused seventh card incurs a penalty equal to its value. Other players score only melded sets or runs. Scores are kept on a cribbage-style board; an agreed number of deals forms a rubber.

Did You Know?

• A variant for four or more players allowed bidding on a discarded card not immediately taken, with the winning bidder paying the bid amount to a pool taken by the rubber winner.
• The pocket version was sold in a cardboard wallet.