Dandelions

Welcome to Dandelions!

Dandelions is a two-player game of territorial expansion and strategic gusts of wind. One player is "The Dandelions," trying to spread across the meadow, and the other is "The Wind," aiming to keep some ground clear. Jump down to the game

The Basics:

• Players: 2 (The Dandelions vs. The Wind)
• Board: A 5x5 grid representing a meadow.
• Game Length: 7 turns.

Your Goal:

• The Dandelions: To completely cover the entire 5x5 meadow with either flowers (*) or seeds (.) by the end of the game.
• The Wind: To ensure at least one square of the meadow remains empty after 7 turns.

How to Play (The Turns):

The game proceeds in turns. Each turn consists of two actions: first the Dandelions, then the Wind.

1. Dandelions' Action: Plant a Flower
   • The Dandelions player places one new flower (*) onto the meadow.
   • On the very first turn: The flower can be placed on any empty square.
   • On subsequent turns (turns 2-7): The flower can be placed on any empty square OR on top of an existing seed (.), converting that seed into a flower.
2. Wind's Action: Blow a Gust
   • The Wind player chooses one of the 8 compass directions (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW) that has not been used yet in the game.
   • Once a direction is chosen, it's marked off and cannot be used again.
   • Seed Spreading: When the Wind blows in the chosen direction:
     • All flowers (*) currently on the board release seeds.
     • Seeds travel "downwind" from each flower in the chosen direction.
     • Any vacant (empty) square in the path of these seeds becomes occupied by a new seed (.).
     • If a seed's path from a flower is blocked by an existing flower or another seed, its journey stops there. The blocking square is not re-seeded, and no seeds from that specific flower will land in squares further along that line.
     • Importantly, seeds emerge only from flowers, not from existing seeds.

Ending the Game & Winning:

• The game ends after 7 full turns. This means the Dandelions will have placed 7 flowers, and the Wind will have blown in 7 different directions (leaving one compass direction unused).
• The Dandelions Win If: After the 7th turn, the entire 5x5 meadow is covered by flowers or seeds. No empty squares remain!
• The Wind Wins If: After the 7th turn, there is at least one empty square remaining on the meadow.

Good luck, and may the best strategist win!

Dandelions game