Sixteen Soldiers - Game Play and Rules

Game Play and Rules

1. Players decide what colors to play, and who starts first. Players alternate their turns, and only use one piece to either move or capture per turn.

2. Each players pieces are initially set up on the first four ranks of their side of the board.

3. A piece moves one space per turn in any direction following the pattern on the board onto an unoccupied point on the board.

4. A piece can capture an enemy piece in any direction by the short leap as in draughts or Alquerque. The player's piece must be adjacent to the enemy piece, and leap over it onto a vacant point on the other side. The leap must be in a straight line following the pattern on the board. The same piece can continue to capture and even change direction to capture provided capturing requirements are satisfied. Captures are compulsory. A piece must continue to capture if it is able to do so. Captured pieces are removed from the board.

5. If a player does not capture any enemy piece during their turn, but was actually able to do so, then the other player removes that piece that failed to make its capture from the board. If there is more than one piece to choose from, any one will do. The piece is said to be "huffed", and then removed.

6. If a player has more than one option to capture, then the player can choose any one (and only one) of them.