King's Field

About

A strategy game which simulates a battle between two armies.

Other Names

King's Field / Emdrejenei - Legions (Waejir)

Board

A 9 by 9 grid of 81 squares representing the field of battle.

Pieces

Two differently coloured sets of 18 pieces representing the two armies; broken down as follows:

• 9 Men at Arms
• 4 Archers
• 4 Horsemen
• 1 King

Rules

Each type of piece has a specific set of valid moves (to relocate the piece) or attacks (to remove an opposing piece).

If one's King is threatened one must eliminate the threat of capture by attacking the threatening piece, by blocking the threat with an interposing piece, or by relocating the King.

If the King is unable to avoid the impending capture by the opponent one must surrender and the game ends.

Initial Set Up

The pieces are arrange along opposite edges of the field in two ranks.

The first rank is 9 Men at Arms

The second rank contains the King in the centre, four Horsemen flanking the King in pairs, and four Archers as pairs on either end of the rank.

There are five empty ranks between the two armies.

Play

Players agree on who gets the first move by consensus or at random.

Players take alternating turns moving a single piece.

Play continues until a player must surrender, or a stalemate (draw) occurs, where neither side can press the advantage further due to a lack of sufficient pieces.

Ransom

Players may agree upon a point value ransom for captured pieces which is paid out at the end of the game in addition to any reward offered for winning the contest.

Stories

King (fifty word fantasy)

Unexpected (fifty word fantasy)

See Also

The Rules of King's Field (pdf)