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This page is written by the game's inventor, M Winther.

External Link: Mangonel Chess

The Mangonel moves like a king, one step in any direction, but it cannot capture in this way. Instead the Mangonel, when it moves, has the power to sling a piece located behind itself to a forward square in the alignment direction. The slung piece, which can be of any colour, is the nearest piece in the opposite direction of the move. This piece can hit an enemy piece in the forward direction, provided that any intermediate squares are empty. If there is no enemy piece then the catapulted piece lands on the remotest square in a series of empty spaces. Thus the Mangonel can be used for transporting friendly pieces, attacking enemy pieces, or removing enemy pieces from good positions. This is a new and versatile weapon on the chessboard. Pawns can be catapulted to their promotion square, when they are promoted to queen as only alternative. Pawns cannot be catapulted to the first rank, that is, the second rank is the limit. Kings and rooks retain their castle rights if catapulted away and back, while they haven't moved by their own accord. The Mangonel's value is the same as a bishop (preliminary estimate).
Mangonel : a type of catapult or siege engine used in the medieval period to throw projectiles.

A Zillions program and more information is here.

External Link: http://www.two-paths.com/bg/mangonelchess.htm


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By M Winther.
Web page created: 2006-10-17. Web page last updated: 2006-10-17