Single Comment

My experiences running IAGO Chess (near B-Class, without the recycling pawn promotion) a bunch of times on Zillions, to give a general feel how play lines up:
1. The non-static opening makes the game feel like it starts out in mid-game providing players a lot of different ways the game can go.  It is real hard to say that there is opening lines.  The way IAGO Chess works, with both the gatings and drops, is you can have a game where one of the Capablanca pieces (Chancellor, Archbishop) can remain off board until even mid to late game.  Yes, it FEELS like regular chess when you start, but then the game can take a bunch of unexpected turns, which makes it good, in my opinion.
3. Yes, the board is a bit more congested, but you still can engage in positional play.  Some games have a much more open board, others tighter.  There is still a lot of tactical play.  Range of pieces drop a bit perhaps, but then this congestion balances the new power in the game. What I will say is that it is more like the midgame lasts longers because more pieces are on the board.  Because the power pieces gate into the back row, the back row will be a bit more full.  The power pieces don't come out until they are justified to do so.
3. I have seen times where the game is slow plotting, and then everything breaks loose as the pawn structures begin to get blown away.  The end game will often end up with very out of balance positions and one or more rook level or higher pieces floating around.  More of the pieces also mean your pawn structure will tend to be protected more, creating stronger lines.  I will say a byproduct is the end game usually has more pawns in it, with holes in the line.
4. My biased verdict on it is that I believe this works as a solid chess variant, and robust enough for people to make needed tweaks.  Of course, it  is my game, but it has held up.

I would suggest people get ahold of the Zillions adaptation once it is out, and try it themselves, and see what they think.  Even if you don't play the AI, do watch some games.  It should hopefully be out in a week or two.  All goes well that is.  If it goes real well, B, C and a version of M-Class (two variants of M-Class that is), should be available.  In this the Empress/Amazon will be added into the mix.