The game of the besieged town comprises a circular wooden board, with two circular patterns containing 19 hemisperical hollows each for marbles with rules pasted on reverse. The game is played with marbles of two sizes. The original marbles and the 'blocks' referred to in the rules are missing.

The game of the besieged town is a war game involving capture by either the besiegers or the besieged, and with the town winning the game if it reduces the besiegers to two men. For the besiegers to win they need to take all of the men of the besieged town.

Strategy games involve a level of skill beyond that of the simple race games. Strategy games come in several different categories: war games that require capture, such as Chess and Draughts; hunting or chasing games, such as Fox and Geese and Chinese Chequers; and alignment games, such as Nine Men's Morris and Noughts and Crosses.

Botermans, Jack [et al.] The World of games: their origins and history, how to play them, and how to make them, New York: Facts on File, 1989

Brandreth, Gyles. Everyman's indoor games, London: J.M. Dent, 1981

Goodfellow, Caroline. A collector's guide to games and puzzles, London: Apple Press, c1991

State Library of South Australia: Children's Literature Research Collection: Games

Hampshire Museums Service: Childhood Collection. A brief history of toys: Puzzles and history

Victoria and Albert Museum: Museum of Childhood. Collections: Games