Wednesday 30 December 2015

If you have lots of boards

As an intellectual exercise, I find chess variants interesting. Some work, some don't, but it is still interesting to see what can be done with 32 pieces and 64 squares. Or more.
As a practical exercise I am less of a fan though. Probably because I find standard chess hard enough, and often think that variants are just a way of making the game easier (cf a recent post of mine). The variants I really don't like are the ones where multiple sets get used and at the end of the session the sets are totally mixed up.
This of course can be dealt with by playing online or on a PC/tablet. While hunting around Steam to see what was on offer, I came across a game that might work on computer, but I would outright ban at my chess club. Regimental Chess involves multiple sets and multiple boards. It even involves multiple players in some versions, but 1v1 is the default case. It looks like normal chess (from what I have seen) except that groups of pieces can be moved in formation, and capture multiple pieces. Kings can be captured, and doing so knocks out that entire army.
It looks like a fun game (and too be honest might work as a party game irl), but is probably best experienced on a PC. The complexity of managing formations may be the hardest thing about it, but on the other hand, may also destroy the balance.

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