Battle Royal, A Game of Strategy, Pepys Series
First Published: circa 1946, Pepys Series Games, North Wallace Street, Glasgow & Bow Street, London
Illustrator or Designer: Alex Jardine
Contents: 2 x 4 page Rules leaflets, 1 Playing Board, 13 Cards ( 3 sets of 4 cards numbered 1-4 and 1 Zero card) and 54 playing pieces or Pawns (15 Black, 15 White, 12 Red and 12 Green).
Published in two editions with the same components, cards and rules. A large boxed edition and a more portable small boxed version.
Battle Royal - Large Box Top
Battle Royal - One Version of Large Box Board
Battle Royal - Another Version of Large Box Board
Battle Royal - Small Box Top
Battle Royal - Small Box Board
Battle Royal - Playing Board, common to both versions.
Battle Royal Cards: 3 sets of 4 cards numbered 1-4 and 1 Zero card.
Battle Royal wooden playing pieces or Pawns: 15 Black, 15 White, 12 Red and 12 Green.
Description from the rules:
"The board is designed as the pictorial map of an imaginary terrain, but the place names are of towns and features famous during the medieval Wars of the Roses, which gives this original and exciting game its name...The method of moving the Pawns of the opposing forces, though the essence of simplicity, has been most cleverly evolved from the tactics of the medieval battle and, as you will discover, is remarkably true to the logical idea of the game."
The board's artwork is signed Alex Jardine.
I have been unable to find any biographical information about Alex(ander) Jardine. He appears to have been a prolific illustrator whose works include the "Reluctant" series of books by Ethelind Fearon and works on angling such as "Luron for Angling".
Bear Alley suggest that there may have been two different artists named Alex Jardine. Any information on the artist behind Battle Royal would be appreciated.
The rules in some sets give North Wallace Street and Bow Street as addresses as does the advert below. In other sets no addresses are provided.
An undated magazine advert circa 1951 for Battle Royal and other Pepys games.
Locations on the London side of the board:
London - Black Capital, St Albans - Blue Capital, Northampton - Red Capital, Hadley Wood, Romney Marshes, Hedgley Moor, Barnet, Streatley Gap, Berkshire Downs, Losecoat Field, Bedford, Devil’s Punchbowl, Burnham Beeches, Rochester, Chiltern Hills, Stamford Vale, Kingston, Watlington, New Forest.
Locations on the York side of the board:
York - White Capital, Wakefield - Green Capital, Warwick - Yellow Capital, Sherwood Forest, The Fens, Pomfret, Vale of Chester, Salisbury Plain, Hexham, Blore Heath, Pennines, Cannock Chase, Towton, Welsh Mountains, Vale of Evesham, Tewkesbury, Ludlow.
Game & Version Details
 | Battle Royal - Large Box Contents |
 | Battle Royal - Small Box Contents |
 | Battle Royal - Card Back |
 | Battle Royal - Rules Front Page |
 | Battle Royal - Rules Back Page Games Advertised: Horse Racing Tonight Horsie Horsie Home Cricket Bottleneck Five-A-Side Stop or Go Housing Drive I Spy |
 | Battle Royal - Rules Back Page Variant No addresses given and different games promoted but otherwise identical.
Games Advertised: Horse Racing Tonight Marketeer Home Cricket Pirates Gold Five-A-Side Housing Drive |
 | Battle Royal - Large Box Lid, Short Side |