GREAT WALL

Great Wall Rules

Goal

Reduce the enemy army below four warriors. A fallen warrior never returns.

Preparation

Each player starts with 10 warriors in reserve, kneeling on the tower tops at each end of the wall.

A color for each player is chosen at random.

The wall's centre field — your Legendary Field — marks the root of your supply chain.

Gameplay

White begins and alternates with Black. On your turn, choose one action.

Place

Deploy a warrior from reserve onto a field within two clear steps of your supply chain. The chain runs from your Legendary Field through friendly warriors.

Move

Step up to two fields in any Chebyshev direction (all eight compass points). Then choose a new facing from eight compass directions. Standing still and rotating is allowed. A path of empty fields is required for distance-2 moves.

Shoot

Fire an arrow along your facing. It fells the first vulnerable warrior and chain-fires onward in the victim's facing. A shield struck dead-on reflects the arrow straight back; a shield hit at an angle deflects it 90° onward. Friendly fire is real.

Spin

Strike all eight surrounding fields at once. Any neighbour whose shield does not face the blow is removed. Then choose a new facing.

Shield

Each warrior's shield guards the three rear directions — the back and both rear flanks. Attacks from the front or open flanks are lethal. The shield is a broad plate strapped across the warrior's back, visible at long range by a banner.

Supply

If an enemy warrior stands on your Legendary Field, your supply is cut — no reinforcements until it is removed.

End

The game ends when a player's total force (warriors on the wall plus warriors in reserve) falls below four. The opposing player is declared the winner.