Rules of the Game Generalissimo
Generalissimo is a tactical strategy game for two players on a 9×12 board. There’s no room for luck here. Only cold calculation, concentration, and the total destruction of the enemy army.
Battle Scale: Each player commands an army of 27 units. You have six unique troop types, each with unique strength and its own movement mechanics.
Your goal: Completely destroy the enemy’s manpower or force them to surrender unconditionally.
A draw occurs when neither player has sufficient strength to eliminate the other (e.g., a Horseman versus a Shieldman).
BATTLE DYNAMICS: THE DOUBLE MOVE RULE
Order: Players take turns. The first player moves only one piece on their first turn.
In all subsequent rounds, each player makes two moves (moving two different pieces).
Right of Refusal: If a player does not want to make a second move (or both moves), they have the right not to make them.
Exception: When a player is down to their last piece, they make only one move.
UNIT MOVEMENT AND COMBAT
Units move on the battlefield cells. They cannot jump over each other. Exception: Horsemen (they are permitted to jump over their own units).
You cannot place two of your own units on the same cell.
Elimination (capturing) of an enemy unit is optional.
The elimination (destruction) of an enemy unit occurs through displacement (as in chess). If your unit’s strength allows, you move it onto the enemy’s cell and remove their unit from the board.
UNIT TYPES & CHARACTERISTICS
Horsemen (Elite Cavalry)
Starting Position: A1, A2, A3, I1, I2, I3 and A10, A11, A12, I10, I11, I12.
Movement: Up to 5 cells. Move orthogonally horizontally or vertically. A Horseman can change direction during its move (e.g., 2 cells forward and 3 cells sideways).
Special Ability: “Leap” The Horseman is the only unit capable of jumping over cells occupied by friendly units.
Rule 1: A single jump can clear only one friendly unit. The cell occupied by that unit counts toward the total movement distance (consumes 1 point of the 5-cell range).
Rule 2: You cannot jump over two friendly units if they are standing on adjacent cells. There must be at least one empty cell between them. Consequently, within a single 5-cell move, a Horseman can leap over a maximum of two friendly units.
Special Feature: “Breakthrough” Unlike other units that must stop after capturing an enemy, the Horseman can destroy multiple enemies in its path and continue moving until its 5-cell range is exhausted.
Attacking: Defeats all units except Shieldmen.
Defending: Loses to Shieldmen, Guardsmen, other Horsemen, and Archers (at range).
Archers (Ranged Combat)
Starting Position: C2, D2, E2, F2, G2, and C11, D11, E11, F11, G11.
Movement: 1 cell in any direction (vertical, horizontal, diagonal).
Action (Choice of): 1. Move 1 cell and shoot. 2. Shoot without moving. 3. Move 1 cell without shooting.
Attack Protocol: To perform a shot, the player must declare the target (e.g., “I am killing this Swordsman”) and only then remove the enemy piece from the board.
Shooting Mechanics: An Archer fires strictly in a straight line (horizontal, vertical, diagonal) up to a range of 3 cells. A shot is a completed action (one move).
Trajectory: There must be no other pieces (friendly or enemy) between the Archer and the target. Arrows do not fly “through” units.
Combat: Defeats everyone at range except Shieldmen and Catapults. An Archer can only destroy a Catapult in close combat (by moving onto its cell).
In Defense: In close combat, any unit can destroy an Archer by moving onto its cell.
Shieldmen (Heavy Infantry)
Starting Position: C3, D3, E3, F3, G3, and C10, D10, E10, F10, G10.
Movement: Up to 2 cells in any direction (can change direction during movement).
Special Feature “Armor”: The only unit completely immune to Archer fire.
In Attack: Defeats Archers, Horsemen, and other Shieldmen. After capturing a piece, the Shieldman’s move is completed.
When attacked by an enemy: Loses to Swordsmen, Guardsmen, and other Shieldmen.
Swordsmen (Assault Infantry)
Starting Position: B1, B2, B3, H1, H2, H3 and B10, B11, B12, H10, H11, H12.
Movement: Up to 3 cells in any direction (can change direction during movement).
In Attack: Defeats Shieldmen, Archers, and other Swordsmen. After capturing a piece, the Swordsman’s move ends (it cannot continue moving further within the same turn).
When attacked by an enemy: Loses to Guardsmen, Horsemen, other Swordsmen, and Archers (at range).
General’s Guardsmen (Elite)
Starting Position: D1, E1, F1, and D12, E12, F12.
Movement: Up to 4 cells in any direction.
In Attack: Defeats any unit on the board. After capturing an enemy piece, the move ends.
When attacked by an enemy: Loses to other Guardsmen, Horsemen, and Archers (at range).
Catapults (Heavy Artillery)
Starting Position: C1, G1, and C12, G12.
Movement: 1 cell only horizontally or vertically (forward, backward, right, left).
Siege Volley: The Catapult strikes targets in a zone 4 to 6 cells directly in front of it. The projectile flies over the near cells (1, 2, 3) without affecting units standing on them and hits everything in the target zone (cells 4, 5, 6). All units (including friendly ones) located on these cells at the moment of the shot are destroyed.
Sequence of Action: The Catapult first fires its shot (forward only), then moves 1 cell (optional).
Defense: Any unit can destroy a Catapult by moving onto its cell.
Note on Rules: The game features two difficulty levels based on the Archer’s capabilities:
- Aggressive Version: This is the standard version described in the rules. The Archer shoots up to 3 cells in all directions. This makes the gameplay faster and more intense.
- Tactical (Measured) Version: The diagonal shooting range is limited to 2 cells (horizontal and vertical ranges remain 3 cells). This version is better suited for a calm, positional strategy.
The choice of mode is at the players’ discretion before starting the match.
Playing Against the Clock
“Generalissimo” allows for gameplay with a strict time limit. Unlike classic chess, where players are given a total time bank for the entire match, here the time is strictly limited for each individual move.
- Move Limit: Before starting the game, opponents agree on a time limit per move: 10, 20, or 30 seconds (this can be adjusted by mutual agreement).
- Instant Countdown: The timer starts immediately after the opponent completes their move.
- Forfeit of Move: If a player fails to take action within the allotted time, they lose their turn, and it immediately passes to the opponent.