Battle Chieftain Chess

Two kings lead their armies of berserker warriors into battle. The king is simply a warrior who has taken on leadership responsibility, so nobody needs to give their life in his defense. Instead, if the king is in danger, someone will fill his job for him. However, since this is an all-out war, the kings are not trying to kill one another. The goal is to eliminate opposing armies.

The board looks as follows:

BBBBBBBBBB
-W-WWWW-W-
-XXXXXXXX-
-XXX--XXX-
-XXXXXXXX-
XX-XXXX-XX
-XXXXXXXX-
-XXX--XXX-
-XXXXXXXX-
-w-wwww-w-
bbbbbbbbbb

The spaces marked with B or b represent the player's BERSERKERS. A berserker moves as a rook. When the berserkers leave their spaces, they leave FIELD behind them.

The spaces marked with W or w represent the player's WALL. A player's king must begin somewhere on their wall, and moves as a rook. No player may end a move on their opponents wall, except to capture. The wall is represented in the same case as that player's berserkers.

The spaces marked with X represent the FIELD. Pieces must begin and end their moves on the field.

The spaces marked with - are missing from the board. Only kings may move over these.

When the king is checkmated, it is transformed into a berserker. Another berserker is chosen by the player whose king has been checkmated and is promoted to a king. If a king is placed in check, then its owner may choose to make this transformation, or not. Such transformations require a turn -- that's the player's move for that turn. When a king is captured, its player loses a turn, and then promotes a berserker. Thus, swapping a king for a berserker always requires a turn.

A player wins by capturing all of their opponent's berserkers, leaving the king without an army. The king need not be captured or checkmated for victory to be achieved.

Variant Boards

These have not been playtested.

Far walls:

BBBBBBBBBB
-w-wwww-w-
-XXXXXXXX-
-XXX--XXX-
-XXXXXXXX-
XX-XXXX-XX
-XXXXXXXX-
-XXX--XXX-
-XXXXXXXX-
-W-WWWW-W-
bbbbbbbbbb

Differing field:

BBBBBBBBBB
-W-WWWW-W-
-XXXXXXXX-
-XX-XX-XX-
-XXXXXXXX-
XX-XXXX-XX
-XXXXXXXX-
-XX-XX-XX-
-XXXXXXXX-
-w-wwww-w-
bbbbbbbbbb

Uneven field:

BBBBBBBBBB
-W-WWWW-W-
-XXXXXXXX-
-XX-XX-XX-
-XXXXXXXX-
XX-XXXX-XX
-XXXXXXXX-
-XXX--XXX-
-XXXXXXXX-
-w-wwww-w-
bbbbbbbbbb

Comments:

mail to the author (mail address click on the link `Craig Daniel' below).

Notes:

Since there is no rook, there is no castling.

Written by Craig Daniel.

Webpage made: September 30, 2002. Edited by Hans Bodlaender.