CwDA: the Shatranjian Shooters

By Abdul-Rahman Sibahi and Joe Joyce

The Shooters are a shortrange leaping army. A range of shortrange leapers was tested against the Fabulous FIDEs and the results were somewhat surprising. What we are presenting as the main variant is the weakest combination of the pieces playtested. A slightly weaker Shooters army is offered for experienced players. A Grand CwDA army is also offered.

Setup

Board

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Pieces

The Shooters have the FIDE standard king, knights, and pawns. The three new pieces replace the queen, rooks, and bishops. According to David Howe's article on pieces posted here, "A Taxonomy", these pieces would be considered linear "inclusive compounds":

Inclusive: An Inclusive Compound piece has the option, on any one move, of moving as one or more of its component piece moves. Such pieces tend to be extremely powerful and should be used with care.

WarElephant - The WarElephant may move as either as either the Hero or Shaman. It may step one square, leap two squares, or do both, in either order, in either an orthogonal or diagonal direction. It moves in a straight line; it may not change directions during a turn. It captures by replacement, stopping and ending its turn on the square of the piece captured.

Hero - The Hero may move either 1 or 2 steps each turn. If moving two steps, it uses both parts of its move. The two parts of its move are a 1 square orthogonal slide and a 2 square orthogonal leap. It may slide 1; or jump 2; or slide 1 and jump 2; or jump 2 and slide 1. This piece is a linear mover. It may not change directions during its move. It captures by replacement, stopping and ending its turn on the square of the piece captured.

Shaman - The Shaman is the diagonal analog of the Hero. It slides 1 and/or jumps 2 in a diagonal line. This piece is a linear mover. It may not change directions during its move. It captures by replacement, stopping and ending its turn on the square of the piece captured.

Rules

Except where specific exceptions are noted, all standard FIDE rules are used. This includes pawn double first steps, en passant, and castling, with the hero as the rook for the Shooters.

Notes

All presets are created with the FIDEs as white and the Shooters as black.

The initial idea was suggested by Abdul-Rahman Sibahi to Joe Joyce, using Oliphants, Lightningwarmachines, and Parallel Generals, but these pieces were far too powerful on an 8x8 board. The last two playtest games used the above pieces, which became the "official" variant. However, these pieces are surprisingly powerful but quite unfamiliar to most. As players get used to these pieces, they may find the following 2 variants interesting.

CwDA: the Shatranjian Shooters II

Replace the WarElephant with a "Jumping General", or at least its icon [which is pictorially consistent]. This piece has been used in numerous games, and been called Squire, Mammoth, and Kozu, among other names, always independently reinvented. It is weaker than the WarElephant.

Jumping general. Moves as the modern elephant [AF] or warmachine [DW]. It may move 1 square or leap 2 squares orthogonally or diagonally.

Grand CwDA: the Shatranjian Shooters III

Place Christian Freeling's Grand Chess army against the original Shatranjian Shooters army plus the Minister and High Priestess from Great Shatranj.

Minister. Moves like the knight, dababbah, or wazir. It slides 1 or jumps 2 squares orthogonally, or jumps in the standard knight's "L".

High priestess. Moves like the knight, alfil, or ferz. It slides 1 or jumps 2 squares diagonally, or jumps in the standard knight's "L".

Boards

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