Epaminondas (game)
| Epaminondas | |
|---|---|
 Board and starting grid |
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| Game data | |
| author | Robert Abbott |
| publishing company | Ariel, Bütehorn, Hexagames , Nestorgames |
| Publishing year | 1975 |
| Art | Board game |
| Teammates | 2 |
| Duration | 30 to 60 minutes |
| Age | from 8
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| Awards | |
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1980 in the shortlist for game of the year |
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Epaminondas , in English Language Area, also known as Crossings , is a modern abstract strategic board game for two players, developed by Robert Abbott and published in 1975. In 1979 it was published by the German publisher Bütehorn and was included in the selection list for Game of the Year in 1980.
The game is named after the Theban general Epaminondas , who is known for using the phalanx in his battles.
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after the train
The game is played on a board with 12 × 14 fields, but other sizes are also possible (e.g. 8 × 8 for a faster game). One player receives white stones, the other black stones. At the beginning they are set up in two fully occupied rows in front of the respective player. The players take turns, white begins and it is a move obligation.
You can either move your own stone orthogonally or diagonally to the next space, which must be empty, or you can move a phalanx of your own stones. A phalanx consists of two or more stones of the same color in a continuous orthogonal or diagonal row. It can only be moved in its longitudinal direction, and only as far as the number of stones it consists of. You can divide a phalanx and move only part of its stones, the maximum distance is then the number of stones involved in the move. A phalanx cannot move on or over its own stone.
If the first stone of the phalanx comes onto a space occupied by the enemy, it cannot be moved any further. In addition, this is only possible if the number of opposing stones that follow it in the direction of the move (including the stone reached directly) is smaller than the number of stones in the moving phalanx. These opposing stones are then captured by the train.
The goal is to get your own stones onto the opposing back row. Player A wins if, after B's move, he has more of his pieces on the back row of B than pieces from B are on the back row of A. So after every move the opponent still has the opportunity to balance this balance, and if he can't, he loses.
You may not move a piece onto the opposing back row if this move would result in a left-right symmetrical arrangement of the pieces. This rule prevents Black from forcing a tie through symmetrical moves.
Web links
- Epaminondas in the game database BoardGameGeek (English)
- Epaminondas in the Luding games database
Individual evidence
- ↑ Game of the Year website , accessed April 5, 2017