Starship -- Polar Coordinates Game

From the Mathematics Teacher, Feruary 1995

                                         Name _________________________
                  
Your mission, as commander of the Centerprize fleet, is to eliminate the 
dominance of the Cartesian fleet forever!

1. Each of the two players must distribute his or her fleet of squadrons on the left 
   grid of his or her sheet at intersection points other than the center. Use a solid 
   circle to represent each fighter. Each squadron must be contiguous, either along a 
   spoke or fanned out along a circle.
   Remember, the squadrons are of sizes 5, 4, 3, 3, and 2, respectively.

2. One player is selected to go first.

3. Each player is given four shots on each turn. Because of the damages to the ship, 
   the polar coordinates must consist of all combinations of sign, that is, one each 
   of (+, +), (-, +), (+, -), and (-, -). A player who violates this rule forfeits 
   the rest of the turn. Both players should record the shots on the charts for 
   further reference.

4. If a shot misses, the opponent declares "miss" and both players place an open 
   circle in the appropriate location.
 
5. If a shot hits, the opponent declares "hit" and both players place an X in the
   appropriate location.

6. The opponent announces when an entire squadron is "polarized." For example, the 
   opponent might say, "You polarized a squadron of five fighters." Of course, the 
   weapons do not destroy the Cartesians but convert them into mathophiles.

7. Players alternate until one polarizes the other's entire fleet.

From The Mathematics Teacher, February 1995