Escape from Colditz

Escape from Colditz is a game devised by successful escaper Pat Reid, based on the former POW camp at Colditz Castle in Germany during World War II.

The original game is a board game produced by Parker Brothers.

A computer game was also produced, based on the board game. It was a graphical Action and Adventure game from 1991, by Digital Magic, for the Amiga platform. Four prisoners; British, French, American and Polish, are about to try to escape from the Colditz Castle.

Board Game

From two to six players may take part in the game, one of which must always be the Germans; the others choose to be one of five nationalities represented by different coloured playing pieces:

• Black: German guards

Prisoners:

• Red: British
• Blue: American
• Brown: French
• Orange: Dutch
• Green: Polish

The number of playing pieces used for German Guards and Prisoners varies according to the number of players participating in the game:

• 2 players: 8 prisoners plus 6 guards
• 3 players: 7 prisoners for each allied nationality plus 12 guards
• 4 players: 6 prisoners for each allied nationality plus 14 guards
• 5 players: 5 prisoners for each allied nationality plus 15 guards
• 6 players: 4 prisoners for each allied nationality plus 16 guards

Historically, during the war, the guards were always outnumbered by the prisoners, and there were no American POWs until very late in the war.

The playing pieces are moved by the score on the throw of two dice.

The game is given a time limit or a target of escaped prisoners (usually the first to two) with the objective of the player operating the guards being to limit or stop the escape attempts.

In order to escape, each pow must first obtain an "escape kit", composed of food, disguise, compass and forged papers. There are also Opportunity cards, which can assist in obtaining escape equipment or use of tunnels. The German guards player has Security cards to assist with arresting prisoners or confiscating equipment.

The Opportunity and Security cards are obtained by throwing a 3, 7 or 11.

Other equipment or materials must also be obtained in order for a player to make a successful escape attempt: wire cutters; lengths of rope; forged passes; and keys. There are also three tunnels which can be used to escape if the relevant Opportunity card is held by the escaping player.

Computer Version

It is played with a combination of joystick and keyboard, whereby the player controls the four prisoners, one at a time, switching between them freely using the F1-F4 keys.

Guards patrol most zones of the prison day and night. There are curfews and there are calls for recounting the prisoners in the courtyard. Violating them would mean getting arrested into solitary cells; resisting would mean getting killed by the guards, who are quite skilled with guns.

Older / First Computer Version ?

In the early 1980's I wrote an emulation of this game for the Commodore 2000/4000/8000 PET series in BASIC. The listing was published in Home Computing Weekly magazine. The computer played the part of the German Guards, the single user played the part of the POW's. (D. Willis)

Related software

Colditz Escape!, a game engine recreation, was created by Aperture Software in 2009. The engine is available for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation Portable.

External links

• Escape from Colditz at MobyGames
• The 'Escape From Colditz' Webshrine: http://www.freudianslap.co.uk/escapefromcolditz/
• Escape From Colditz entry at Board Game Geek: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/715
• Colditz Escape! homepage
• RetroActive Review of Escape From Colditz