Coppit

Lore & Background

Coppit was first released in 1927 by Otto Maier Verlag under the German name Fang den Hut, meaning Capture The Hat. The game was later renamed and re-released multiple times, with a notable edition by Spear's Games in 1964. Each player controls four conical, hat-shaped playing pieces of the same color, starting from a home base. The objective is to move pieces out of the base, capture opponents' pieces by landing on them, carry them back to one's own base, and imprison them there. A player may have any number of pieces out of the base at once, but while moving a captured piece back to base, other players can capture that piece in turn. The winner is the last player to have an uncaptured piece. Certain squares on the board are a different color; pieces on these squares cannot be captured.

Reader's Guide

Coppit holds a place in board game history as a running-fight game that blends luck and strategy, similar to Ludo but with a capture-and-imprison mechanic. Its multiple re-releases, especially by Spear's Games in 1964, helped sustain its presence in the market. The game is nominally aimed at children, though its strategic elements appeal to a broader audience. A notable cultural reference is the emblem on U-995, the world's only remaining German Type VIIC/41 submarine, which features two Fang den Hut characters from the game's board. This connection links a children's game to a historical military artifact, highlighting unexpected intersections between popular culture and history. The game's simple rules and colorful pieces have allowed it to endure as a recognizable title in the family game genre.

Did You Know?

• Coppit was originally called Fang den Hut, which translates to Capture The Hat.
• The game was created in 1927 by Otto Maier Verlag.
• The emblem on U-995, the world's only remaining German Type VIIC/41 submarine, features two Fang den Hut characters.
• Certain squares on the board are a different color; pieces on these squares cannot be captured.