diff --git a/connection.go b/connection.go
index 0baa12c..817efdd 100644
--- a/connection.go
+++ b/connection.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ func NewConnection(conn net.Conn) *Connection {
 	c := &Connection{
 		Conn:   conn,
 		Reader: bufio.NewReader(conn),
-		bombs:  1,
+		bombs:  options.startBombs,
 	}
 	c.SetState(SpawnRandomly())
 	currentGame.Join(c)
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index ef02c9f..8a9c840 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ var options struct {
 	respawnFrames  int64
 	respawnTime    time.Duration
 	speckPath      string
+	startBombs     int
 }
 
 var (
@@ -122,4 +123,6 @@ func init() {
 	flag.IntVar(&options.bombCost, "bomb-cost", 500, "price of a bomb")
 	flag.IntVar(&options.colonyCost, "colony-cost", 2000, "price of a colony")
 	flag.DurationVar(&options.makeColonyTime, "colony-time", 15*time.Second, "time it takes to make a colony")
+	flag.IntVar(&options.startBombs, "start-bombs", 0, "number of bombs a player has at game start")
+
 }