King of the Castle
King of the Castle, aka Montana, is a 1975 game by Mordecai Meirowitz, and published by Hasbro, among others.
The game is played on this board with six concentric circles (the Castle), having eight paths (or stairs) going from the bottom circle to the top circle (the levels):
Rules:
- Initially, players receive eight pieces, and place them in stacks of two, in alternating fashion
- The pieces can move upwards or downwards from one path to the next or sideways to adjacent paths on the same level.
- Pieces of any color can be stacked to form stacks (towers) of any height.
- A tower can only be moved by the player whose piece is on top. Using this "capture tactic," a player can block the opponent’s pieces or move them to a lower level.
- On his turn, a player moves a single piece, or an entire tower with a friendly piece is on top.
- In the case of a tower, the move consists of as many steps as there are pieces in the tower.
- The entire tower is lifted, and the bottom piece is placed first, followed by the next, and so on until the top piece is placed. For example, in a tower of three pieces, the bottom piece can be moved up one level, the next piece can be moved down, and the top piece can be moved sideways, or any other combination of steps on adjacent paths (notice that a player can move enemy pieces that belong to the moving tower).
- Each move can be made to an occupied place, placing that stone on the top of the other pieces standing there.
- Only one piece can be placed at the top circle, per turn.
- A piece on a top circle can no longer move.
- If a player cannot make a move, he must pass his turn.
- Individual pieces or towers cannot be captured on the bottom or top levels.
- Wins the player that first moves his eight pieces into the center circle (the highest level of the Castle).
- Each player can only occupy four of the eight places in the top circle, and at least two of these must be adjacent.
This is a little game with lots of rules. Some rules are just exceptions, or addendums, that seem to exist to compensate for the lack of overall design. Even so, it would be nice if the rules explicitly stated if pieces can move over stacks of any size. The rules seem to assume so, but I wonder if forcing a size restriction could introduce extra tactical depth to the game.
Here's a review from GAMES #2:
Labels:
old games,
stack pieces
3 comments:
Hi, this forgotten game could be interesting. Do you have the complete rules ?
Hi. The original rules, in German, are available at BGG. Perhaps a better translation can clarify some ambiguities (alas, I don't speak the language)
Thanks ! Here is an IA translation :
The game consists of the game board with six circular playing levels and eight paths marked by tracks that lead to the top platform. In addition, there are 16 playing pieces, 8 of each color.
RULES OF THE GAME
Before the start, each player receives 8 pieces of one color, which he places on the lowest level, always two stacked on top of each other on every second path. Thus, on the lowest ring there are always, alternately, two of one’s own pieces stacked and two of the opponent’s stacked.
The pieces can be moved along the path upward and downward from one track to the next, but also sideways to the adjacent track on the same level.
The pieces, regardless of color, can be placed on top of one another in order to form columns of arbitrary height.
A column may only be moved by the player to whom the top piece belongs. With this capture tactic, one can block the opponent’s pieces or bring them down to a lower level.
A move consists either of the movement of a single piece or of a column by the player to whom the top piece belongs. In the second case, the move consists of as many steps as there are pieces in the column. The entire column is lifted, and the bottom piece is set down first, then the next, and so on up to the top piece. Thus, with a column of three pieces, the bottom one may be placed one level higher, the next one one level lower again, and the last one one step sideways—or any other combination of steps on adjacent tracks.
The aim of the game is to bring one’s own pieces onto the top platform while preventing the opponent from doing so. If a player cannot move, he must pass.
Individual pieces or columns cannot be captured on the lowest or the highest level.
COURSE OF THE GAME
The first player moves one of his two-piece columns forward two spaces. Players then move alternately, each attempting, according to the basic rules mentioned above, to bring all of his pieces onto the top platform.
Players may move onto occupied and unoccupied tracks, but only one single piece or one column per move. Each move consists of as many steps as there are pieces in the column. It is therefore strategically sensible to build tall columns, as this makes one more mobile and allows one to reach the top more quickly.
Each player may occupy only 4 tracks on the top platform, on which he places his 8 pieces in any combination. At least two of these tracks must be adjacent. With each move, only one piece may be placed there. It may—but need not—be the last piece of a column. Once a piece has been placed on the top platform, it may not be moved again. Whoever is the first to bring all 8 pieces onto the top platform is the winner.
VARIATIONS
Players may occupy any tracks on the top platform, but columns there may consist of only one color.
Each player is assigned 4 adjacent tracks on the platform, and he may occupy only these.
Post a Comment