Siege Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• To Set Up the Game
• How the Pieces Move
• To Play the Game
• Special Rule

To Set Up the Game

1. Players face each other with the title "SIEGE" of the game board facing the ATTACKING player, with the DEFENDING player sitting opposite, back of the castle.
2. Place the four KNIGHTS (on horses) on the squares with Black Dots. The KNIGHTS should be facing the Castle in position to attack.
3. Place the COMMANDER (standing knight with flag) in the Castle on either of the two squares with CROWNS. These two squares are the Commander's Headquarters.
4. Place each of the four DEFENDERS in any arrangement, in the castle on each of the four squares marked with a dot.

Note: During the game each player, in his turn, must move one of his pieces. It is important to study the moves before starting a game.

How the Pieces Move

1. Only one piece may occupy a square at one time.
2. The ATTACKING pieces (KNIGHTS) all move alike.
   • A. In each turn a KNIGHT leaps two squares forward and one square to either the right or left. This move is indicated on the game board in the small diagram called "Knights' Moves," as shown by the BLACK DOTTED line. OR a KNIGHT may leap one square forward and two squares to either the right or left. This move is shown in the same diagram by the SOLID RED line. (These moves are similar to the way Knights move in Chess.)
   • B. A KNIGHT cannot move backward (toward the Black Dots) except when he is within the Castle or for the move that leaps him into the Castle from a square outside the Castle.
   • C. The KNIGHTS may move onto any of the board squares, green, blue and Castle squares, including the crown squares.
   • D. Once a KNIGHT moves into the Castle he CANNOT move out again.
   • E. A KNIGHT may leap over his own or opponent's pieces.

Diagram: "Some Examples of KNIGHT'S Moves." Dotted lines show moves taken. The first move ends in square "1"; the second in square "2"; and so on.

3. DEFENDERS (Four Footmen)
   • A. All DEFENDERS moves are alike.
   • B. In a turn, a DEFENDER may move one square in ANY DIRECTION, forward, backward, sideward or diagonally. The moves are shown in the "Defenders' Moves" diagram on the game board.
   • C. A DEFENDER may move on any of the Castle squares, including the Crown squares, and any of the Green squares, including the ones with the Black Dots in them; but NOT onto the BLUE SQUARES.
   • D. He may also be moved out of the Castle and back in again at any time.
4. THE CASTLE COMMANDER (Standing Knight with flag)
   • A. He must move on Castle squares ONLY.
   • B. He must move on the DIAGONAL ONLY.
   • C. He may move either 1, 2 or 3 squares in a turn toward the front or rear of the Castle as long as he moves diagonally. This move is shown in the diagram "Castle Commander's Moves."
   • D. He may move along empty squares only. He cannot jump over mounted KNIGHTS or DEFENDERS.
   • E. When he is on one of his CROWN squares (headquarters), he may move sideways to the other CROWN square, counting this as a move. THIS SIDEWARD MOVE ALLOWS HIM TO SWITCH TO A DIFFERENT SET OF DIAGONALS WITHIN THE CASTLE.

Place the pieces on the board and practice each different move, before playing your first game.

To Play the Game

1. Players take turns, moving one piece in each turn.
2. The ATTACKING player (KNIGHTS) moves first.
3. Attacking KNIGHTS capture any DEFENDER or the COMMANDER by landing on a square occupied by one of them. Pieces leaped over are NOT captured.
4. The DEFENDERS, although they can move in any direction, can capture ONLY while moving on a diagonal. (See red dots on "Defenders' Moves" diagram on game board.)
5. A DEFENDER captures a KNIGHT by moving onto a diagonal square occupied by it.
6. A DEFENDER CANNOT capture a KNIGHT that is on a BLUE SQUARE.
7. The COMMANDER captures a KNIGHT by landing on a square occupied by it, using a diagonal move within the Castle, or a sideward move from one Crown to the other.
8. A player is not forced to capture an opponent's piece even when he is in position to do so in his turn.
9. A captured piece is removed from the board and is out of the game.
10. The Game is won:
    • A. BY THE ATTACKING PLAYER: When he has captured the COMMANDER, even though one or more DEFENDERS are still in the game.
    • B. BY THE DEFENDING PLAYER: When he has captured all four attacking KNIGHTS.

Special Rule

At the start of the game, in the DEFENDING player's first FOUR TURNS he MUST move a DEFENDER (Footman), one in each turn, off of its starting square into a square without a Dot. This is to force the Castle defense to open up. AFTER HIS FIRST FOUR MOVES, THERE IS NO RESTRICTION ON A DEFENDER'S MOVES.

This special rule does NOT apply if, at any time during the first four turns, either player's piece is in position to be captured during his opponent's next turn. If this occurs, a DEFENDER may be moved without being restricted by this special rule.