Movement and objectives are as per the usual chess game.
THE SKIRMISH
'Skirmishing' replaces 'capturing' and is more complex: the winner of a skirmish is decided by both players rolling the bones...
Attacking Piece Value* + Roll + Attack Bonus**
.versus.
Defending Piece Value + Roll.
BASIC
GAME
The attacker is, of course, the player whose turn it is. The attacking piece must be able to reach the defending piece in a single move. If the attacker wins the skirmish, the defender gives up the piece and the defender's square is then occupied by the attacker; thus far identical to a standard capture move.
However If the defender wins, the attacker's piece is captured by the defender, who then has the options of either keeping the defending piece in the original spot or immediately take the defunct attacker's old square.
Regarding the King....
Capture: the King captures pieces in the normal chess manner.
Check: a skirmish roll determines whether the King has to respond to the check or not.
Checkmate: a skirmish roll determines a game win for the attacker, or the loss of the checking piece(s).***
ADVANCED GAME
In this more skilled enhancement of the basic game, each player's turn consists of:
- a maximum of one Strategic or Tactical movement
- an unlimited amount of Skirmishes by pieces that are already in position.
Strategic Movement....
A regular chess move from point A to point B with no skirmishes involved.
Tactical Movement....
While making a Strategic Movement, a piece may skirmish with any pieces on adjacent squares along the way from point A to point B, except the final square. The catch is that the attacking piece's value is halved(rounded down) for the skirmishing portions of the move. This is also a technique used for attacking while remaining in the same spot. This must be announced prior to the skirmish taking place (to enable the piece value to be adjusted).
Sequential Skirmish....
After a successful skirmish, the attacking piece may subsequently attack a new piece from its new position, however, the Attack Bonus is decreased by half the attacking piece's original value (rounded up) with each new attack.
Divided Skirmish....
An attacking piece may simultaneously attack any targets it can reach from it's original position, however the piece's Value for the skirmish is divided by the number of attacks to be made (rounded down). The piece may be placed on any of the won squares if it wins all the skirmishes, but is given to the defender if it loses any of them. The attacking player must announce which pieces he will be attempting to capture, prior to the attack.
notes:
* Standardish Chesspiece Values:
Pawn:1, Bishop:3, Knight:3, Rook:5, Queen:9, King:4
** The attack bonus is a fixed value (default 1), set before the game, to any amount: positive, zero, or even negative. Obviously a positive number will result in more captures by the attacker during any given turn. Higher positive or negative numbers will result in "givens": no need for a dice for some skirmish combinations.
*** As a game variation, the piece-value of the King can be set within the range 1-9 for very different endgame play.