ChessWar!

By Kalle Marjola 1991,1994,1997

Update x.11.94, fixed melee rules, movement and firing, new spells and special abilities.
Updated x.3.97, rewrote some rules and clarified and balanced them

Not for commercial use, all rights reserved by author.

About ChessWar!

Required Components:

• Chess board or similar squared board
• Chess pieces, preferable two sets
• One or more six-sided dice (referred as d6 from now on)

Object in ChessWar! is similar to standard chess: Kill enemy king (called general or warlord etc. in ChessWar!) unless players want to have a lengthened game for total destruction (see extra rules).

Note: For simplicity all references to players are made with 'he'. Readers may substitute she instead of he in all places.

Units

King represents your king, warlord or general and his heartguards.
Queen represents mighty wizard or similar magician of your army.
Rooks represent your catapults, siege engines or giant troops. Rooks usually have long range support attacks.
Bishop represents your archers or other similar ranged units.
Knights represent your cavalry, was it 20 knightmen with war horses or two dozen wolf riders.
Pawns represent your core army, is it 50 pikemen, beastmen or fearsome zombies and skeletons.

Each unit has certain attributes which are used to represents its combat abilities.

Move is speed of the unit. Unit may move up to this number of squares each round in normal conditions. Movement can be done laterally or diagonally.
Save represents the toughness and morale of the unit. In most cases, the unit must make its save by rolling this number of more with d6 (but note that save roll 1 fails always)
Melee is unit close-combat skill and is used to modify melee combat rolls.

In addition to these basic attributes, some units have special abilities like bows or spells.

Starting the Game

Both players must select which race they will use (Human, Elf, Dwarf..). Choice could be made secretly or openly, as players like and players may have army of same race as opponent's.

After player has chosen which army he will be using, player has 45 'points' to select his troops with. Every unit has price in points which is shown in appropriate army list and total point cost of army cannot exceed that 45. Player is free to leave some points; they are used as scout points when determining who starts the game. 45 points is just enough to buy standard set of chess pieces if human army is used.

Contents of army is free to be chosen by player, but he must take all units with one or more as minimum number i.e. every army must have some kind of general and at least 4 infantry units. Army composition is not revealed to other player until set-up is over.

Both players deploy their army in first three rows in board on their half. Some kind of cardboard is recommended to 'split' the board so neither player can see where his opponent deploys.

After deploy is done, cardboard is removed and both players are free to investigate composition of enemy army.

Both players roll d6 and add any remaining whole points to that roll. The player who scores higher is free to choose which player moves first. Reroll any ties.

Playing the Game

Turn Sequence

1. Movement phase
2. Firing phase
3. Melee phase

Order in each phase is not fixed nor simultaneous. Player may do his actions one at the time, for example choose target by result of previous shot done by his other unit.

Movement phase

Moving:

Unit can move to any of its adjoining 8 squares, but unit cannot move from square adjacent to particular enemy to other square adjacent to that same enemy.

If unit is already in melee, it cannot leave (nor fire or cast spells unless noted otherwise).

After unit has moved it is free to charge any one opponent adjacent to it. Opponents can charged diagonally only if either square beside both units is clear or both squares are occupied by own units. Place unit on edge of its square toward enemy. Both units are now counted as being in 'melee' and cannot leave until either is destroyed (or some spell is used).

If target is already in melee with other unit this does not stop another unit attacking unit, just place the unit on the edge of square. Now target must destroy all its opponents before it is free to move.

Firing Phase

Firing is started by selecting the target unit to attack. Target for attack must be within range of weapons and visible by firer or other unit in their army if weapon can be fired indirectly. Visibility is determined from center of firer's square to center of target's square; any square that is crossed by this line blocks the visibility if any unit is in that square. If this line crosses exactly between two squares, firer is free to choose which one of these two squares is crossed.

If target hit is in melee, roll d6: on roll 1-3 its opponent is hit, too! If faced with multiple opponent's, one randomly determined is hit.

Bows

-1 If firer moved during movement phase
-1 If range is 3 or more squares
-2 If target is not visible to firer (i.e. indirect fire)

Long Bows: As bows but have maximum range of 5 and to-hit 2+
Crossbows: As bows but cannot be fired indirectly nor if the unit moved. Target saves at -1.

Catapults

Firing procedure: A target square is selected (must be seen by some friendly unit), and scatter roll (d6) is made:

1	1 square up (toward enemy)
2	1 square right
3	1 square down (toward firer)
4	1 square left
5-6	right on target!

If the catapult was fired indirectly, reroll scatter twice.

Any unit in target square is hit on roll 3+ and must make its save at -1 or it is destroyed.

Catapults of Fear: Unit in target square is hit automatically unless immune to fear.
Rocks: Can be fired even if unit moved, but have maximum range of 4 squares and no modifier for target save.

Melee Phase

If unit is facing 2 or more targets, opponent is free to choose which one unit must attack!

Attack roll (d6)

+	Own Melee
-	Opponent Melee

Result:

6+(*)	Defender is destroyed.
5	Defender is routed and it must make its save or it is destroyed unless immune to rout. If unit survives this save, refer to 4 (i.e.. new save)
4	Defender must make its save or it is destroyed.
2-3	Stand-off, melee continues
..1	Attacker destroyed unless save is made (if defender is under fear unit saves automatically)

* 6 always causes this result regardless of modifiers

If target is destroyed, one attacker not in melee with any other unit may advance to defender's square. Unit cannot make this advance move diagonally if both adjacent squares are occupied.
On result 1 or less previous defender cannot move to attacker's square even if attacker is destroyed.

Note that scared units (those who have failed fear test) have 1 point lower Melee skill.

Unit Saves

A saving throw is made with d6 roll, and player must roll same or more than unit's save. If the roll is successful, unit is unaffected. Otherwise it is destroyed (or is scared or moved).

Some attacks or effects have modifiers to roll, but in any case, save roll 1 always fails and roll 6 succeeds!

Wizards

Each wizard can cast one spell per turn. This spell can be cast during wizard's own turn, or during opponent's turn just before or after wizard's turn if the spell is instant, but no two instant spells can be cast during same opponent's turn.

For example, player A has wizard. During A's turn, the wizard casts 'summon'. During other player's turn the wizard is Zapped!, so player A uses wizard's next turn spell to dispel Zap!. The wizard cannot cast spells on its next turn, because it has already used it. If the wizard hadn't originally cast storm, the dispel would have been spell of the previous turn.

The wizard can cast same spell again and again, but choice of spells is limited by actual type of wizard (see army lists).

Each spell has its own restrictions about when it can be cast:

Instant spells can be cast anytime, even on enemy's turn!

Move, attack and melee spells are cast on appropriate phase of turn.

Summon spells require so much time that wizard cannot move during his movement phase. Spell starts to affect before firing phase, between firing and melee or after melee phase, as decided by wizard.

Zap! (attack)

This spell can be cast by wizard exactly like ranged attack (so wizard may not be in melee). It has range of 4, it cannot be targeted indirectly and it strikes target automatically, which must make its save or it is destroyed.

Appearance of this spell is always different: Human wizards prefer fireballs and lightning bolts, elves like thorn sprays while orc shamans cause a gigantic foot of their god to trample on enemy.

Wizard summons a powerful storm which hinders all ranged attack until start of wizard player's next turn. This spell can be cast after own firing phase so it prevents only firings by enemy!

All bow or similar attacks gain -1 to-hit per square of range, but normal modifier for range (-1 if range 3+) is not used. With scattering attacks, one extra scatter roll is made for each 2 squares of range.

This spell can be cast at any time. It can be used to try to dispel any temporary effect (Fear, Plague, Storm or Protection) or to counterspell any spell cast against wizard.

Target spell is dispelled on d6 roll of 4+.

This spell creates force field around wizard and all 8 adjacent squares. All own units within that area gain +1 to their saves and are immune to fear,rout and plague. Effect lasts until start of wizard player's next turn. Effects for multiple protections are not cumulative.
Units already scared are not affected by these rules as long as protection is in effect, but retain their status after spell effect is removed. Units charged by fear-causing units while protected must still make their save but are not affected as long as spell lasts.

This spell can be targeted on any unit visible to wizard. Target unit is immediately moved to any other square seen by wizard (the target place can be obstructed by moved unit but not by other units) and can make charge move if so desired, but charge target must be seen by the wizard. This charge do not rquire any possible fear or other tests, but unit forced to melee with unit it fears must make fear-save or fights at -1 melee (see fear).
If targeted to own unit it cannot have moved this turn and this spell counts as its move. It can be used to separate unit from melee.

This spell can be naturally cast on wizard itself or even on enemy unit! Enemy units are entitled to make save to resist this spell.

This spell can be cast at any time on unit adjacent to wizard which has been just destroyed by some means. On d6 roll of 4+ unit is healed and it can continue on fighting.

This spell has range of 4 and can be targeted at any enemy unit which just has been destroyed (it does not need to be visible). On a d6 roll of 2+ target unit is raised from dead and joins the ranks of undead army! Unit created cannot move or fire until player's next turn. Created unit is standard zombie infantry except that cavalry (any unit with charge) is raised as Night Riders, bowmen (not crossbowmen) are raised as undead bowmen and catapults are raised as undead catapults.

This spell can be also used to regenerate just destroyed friendly undead unit unless opponent immediately occupies their square with free advance move. Same targeting rules apply and d6 is rolled. On a roll of 4+ the unit is regenerated and left on board.

All own units cause Fear until start of wizard player's next turn. Consult special abilities for effects of fear. Note that your own unit's are still subject to fear caused by other units!

This unit makes all own units carriers of powerful plague. All own units have special ability plague until start of wizard player's next turn unless effect is dispelled. Consult special abilities.

Strike (melee)

Instead of attacking target during melee phase wizard may cast this spell and force one opponent to make its save at -2 or it is destroyed.

ARMY LISTS

Attributes for each unit are:

No	Minimum-maximum of this kind of units in army. The final army before set-up must have units of this kind in these boundaries. Note that each army must have 1 general and at least 4 basic infantry units!
Cost	Cost in points per unit of this type
Move	Maximum squares that unit can be move per movement phase (excluding charge). Note that catapults cannot move nor charge.
Save	Saving throw. D6 roll which must be made for unit to survive some attacks (also used for rout and fear tests)
Melee	Modifier to melee roll
Special	Any special abilities

Special abilities:

Charge:
When this units charges into melee it gains +1 to its Melee for this turn. If the unit itself is charged or melee continues, this bonus does not apply.

Cause Fear:
This unit is very frightening. Any unit wishing to charge this unit must make its save or its movement ends and it cannot enter melee this turn (but it may fire normally).
When this unit charges, target unit must make its save or is at -1 Melee until combat is over (or all fear-causing opponents are dead) and cannot destroy opponent defensively (it still can destroy fear causing opponent during its own turn).
A unit already in melee with fear-causing opponents does not roll new fear save. It is either scared for the entire combat or immune to fear until combat is over.
Immune to Fear:
Unit is immune to fear and does not need to roll fear saves.

Plague:
Unit is infected with plague; if it is destroyed in melee all units in melee with it or opponent have caught the plague and must make their save at +1 or are destroyed. This unit is also immune to any kind of plague.

Stupid:
Member's of this unit are stupid, very stupid. Each time player wants to move, charge or fire with this unit he must first roll a d6. On a roll of 1-2, the unit is stupid this turn and cannot do anything for the rest of the turn (except fight in melee if already engaged). If the test is passed (3+ rolled) unit can act normally until next turn, when the roll must be remade if any action is desired.

Rocks:
Giant boulders hurled by trolls or giants are counted as catapult attack with maximum range of 4 and no save modifier. Rocks can be thrown even if unit moved.

Special Rules:
All units are undead and therefore subject to following rules:

• Units cannot be healed or affected with Plague
• They are immune to Fear and cannot be routed.
• They cause Fear
• Units cannot be raised, but they can be regenerated
• All units gain +1 to saves against bows, crossbows and long bows.

**If Trolls are destroyed, they may regenerate at the end of turn if the square they occupied is still empty. Roll d6, and on roll 3+ trolls are returned back to game. Otherwise they stay dead (and cannot try again to regenerate). If killed again, they may again regenerate.

Extra Rules

Lengthened Game

In that case, some special rules apply:

• If general is killed, all units fail automatically rout tests (so they are destroyed in melee with result 5 or 6, except for units immune to rout)
• Units may withdraw from battle by moving out of field. This can be done only from army's own sideline.