====== Branches and Twigs and Thorns ======

Branches and Twigs and Thorns, also known as Barsoomian Go, is Andrew Plotkin's game of pyramids branching across a chessboard, in which a player gains points when opponents point at their pyramids, and loses them when their own pyramids point at their opponents'.

===== Links =====

  * [[https://www.eblong.com/zarf/barsoom-go.html|Rules]]
  * BTT at [[https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/17298/branches-and-twigs-and-thorns|BoardGameGeek]]
  * BTT at [[https://looneypyramids.wiki/wiki/Branches_%26_Twigs_%26_Thorns|the Looney Pyramids wiki]]
  * More [[:pyramid_games|Pyramid Games]] at this wiki

===== Variants =====

In addition to the final version of the game, two variants are available:
  * **Arcade** is the same game scaled down to 9 pyramids per player (from 15) for Pyramid Arcade and a quicker game.  (This variant was suggested by Avri [[https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1734170/suggested-changes-to-make-btt-playable-with-pyrami|in the BGG forums]].) 
  * **Martian Go** was the original version of the game.  It used slightly different rules for setup (large central roots with no null squares) and scoring (penalties only), and led to a lot of tied games.

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==== AI generated, human reviewed ====

====== Branches and Twigs and Thorns ======

A game of pyramids branching across a chessboard, in which you gain points when opponents point at your pyramids, and lose them when you point at theirs.

Inventor: Andrew Plotkin

===== Rules =====

See [[https://www.eblong.com/zarf/barsoom-go.html|Andrew Plotkin: Barsoom / BTT]].

==== Goal ====

When the board holds ''players × 16'' pyramids, or a player has no legal placement, highest score wins. Tied high scores share the win.

You **gain** points when an opponent's pyramid **points at** yours, and **lose** points when yours points at theirs.

==== Setup ====

Rectangular board sized for the player count. 2–6 players. Default Icehouse stash of 15 pyramids per player (small, medium, large) with pointing (no uprights).

==== Gameplay ====

Place a pyramid on an empty cell, pointing at the root or another pyramid. Scores are updated for both players involved whenever one player's pyramid is placed pointing at a pyramid owned by another player.

==== Variants ====

=== Arcade ===

9 pyramids per player (Pyramid Arcade version).

=== Martian Go ===

Original setup (large central roots, no null squares) and **penalty-only** scoring. With more than 4 players, setup uses the standard layout but scoring is as for Martian Go.

===== Further details =====

==== Version history ====

  * Current engine version: ''20260308'' (2026-03-08). On Abstract Play since 2026-03-19.

==== Notes ====

  * 3, 5, or 6 players use a normal rectangle rather than a Martian chessboard.

==== Links ====

  * [[https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/17298/branches-and-twigs-and-thorns]]
  * [[https://www.eblong.com/zarf/barsoom-go.html]]