A Tactical Miniatures Strategy Game
Battleground Chess combines classic strategy with battlefield combat. Every unit has movement, health, attack power, and special abilities. Protect your Warlord, break the enemy Fortress, and outplay your opponent one turn at a time.
How to Win
The game ends immediately when any one of these victory conditions is met.
Eliminate the Warlord
Destroy your opponent’s Warlord to claim victory.
Destroy the Fortress
Bring down the enemy Fortress and the game ends at once.
Win on Time
If your opponent runs out of time, you win immediately.
Opponent Surrenders
A player may surrender at any time to end the game early.
Draw Rule
If both Warlords are eliminated during the same combat resolution, the game ends in a draw.
Turn Order and Sequence
The game keeps turns simple: activate one unit and resolve the action in order.
Who Goes First?
- The computer randomly determines which side goes first.
- If you lost the previous game to the same opponent, you automatically go first next game.
- Players alternate turns until the game ends.
Turn Flow
Move one unit if you choose.
Make either a melee attack or a ranged attack if available.
If the defender survives, they must counter attack or retreat.
Movement
Movement is quick and visual in the online version.
How to Move
- Left-click the unit you want to move.
- Available movement spaces light up in blue.
- Left-click the destination square.
Each unit has a Movement Value (MV) shown in the upper-right corner of the screen.
Fortresses and Artifacts often have an MV of 0 and cannot move.
Movement Rules
- You may move one unit per turn.
- You may move up to the unit’s full MV.
- You may choose to move fewer spaces than the maximum.
- Only one unit may occupy a square at a time.
- Units cannot move through units, Artifacts, or Fortresses.
Selecting a warrior, blue squares lighting up, then moving the unit
Combat
Attacks are determined by range, attack values, and automated dice rolls.
Melee Attacks
- A melee attack may only target an adjacent or diagonal enemy unit.
- A unit may engage only one enemy per turn.
- Enemy units in range are highlighted in red.
- Left-click the enemy unit you want to attack.
- Dice automatically roll to determine hits.
- Any die equal to or below the unit’s Attack value scores a hit.
- Each hit deals 1 damage.
- If Health reaches 0, the unit is removed immediately.
- After attacking, the unit becomes exhausted.
Ranged Attacks
- Some units have the Ranged Attack special ability.
- Ranged attacks are made instead of a melee attack.
- Units may move and then perform a ranged attack in the same turn.
- Ranged attacks may be made in straight lines or diagonally.
- Line of sight is not required.
- You may shoot over units, Artifacts, and buildings.
- After attacking, the ranged unit becomes exhausted.
Selecting an enemy unit, dice rolling, and damage being taken
Selecting an archer, moving one space, then making a ranged attack
Defender Response
If the defender survives, the controlling player must choose exactly one response.
Counter Attack
- Resolve a melee attack against the attacker.
- The defending unit becomes exhausted after counter attacking.
- Exhaustion only limits attacks during the unit’s next activation.
Retreat
- Immediately move the unit up to its full MV.
- Retreat follows all normal movement rules.
- The unit may not move during its next activation.
- The unit may still attack if it is already adjacent to an enemy.
Important
A unit may not both Counter Attack and Retreat.
Exhaustion
Attacking creates a temporary cooldown shown directly on the board.
When Exhaustion Happens
A unit becomes exhausted only after making an attack:
- Melee attack
- Ranged attack
- Counter attack
What Exhaustion Does
- The unit may still move normally.
- The unit may not attack during its next activation.
- The unit may still counter attack if attacked.
- If another unit is activated first, the exhausted unit is ready the next time it activates.
Exhausted unit showing the animated ZzZ symbol
Artifacts and Fortresses
These battlefield objects shape your strategy and can decide the game.
Artifacts
- Some units are powered by Artifacts.
- If an Artifact is destroyed, bound units may lose power.
- Artifacts may be attacked like normal units.
- Some Artifacts may counter attack.
- Once destroyed, an Artifact is removed from the board.
- If an enemy unit is adjacent to your Artifact, you may activate the Artifact instead of a unit on your turn.
Fortresses
- Fortresses have Health and may have special abilities.
- Fortresses do not move.
- Fortresses may be attacked like normal units.
- Destroying the enemy Fortress wins the game immediately.
Special Abilities
These signature powers give each key unit a unique tactical role.
Charge (Knight)
- If a Knight starts its turn not adjacent or diagonal to an enemy and then moves into melee, its Attack becomes 12 for that attack.
- A Knight may not leave adjacency and re-enter in the same turn to gain Charge.
- Charge applies only to the attack, not to counter attacks.
Ranged Attack (Archer)
- Allows the unit to attack from up to 2 squares away.
- Range may be counted straight or diagonally.
- The unit may move and then perform a ranged attack in the same turn.
- Line of sight is not required.
- Non-ranged units may only counter if adjacent or diagonal.
- Ranged units may counter at range if the attacker is within range.
Bonded (Monster, Wizard)
- If both friendly Artifacts remain, use full attack dice.
- If one Artifact remains, roll one fewer die.
- If no Artifacts remain, roll two fewer dice, to a minimum of 1 die.
- This applies to both melee and ranged attacks where applicable.
Shield (Warlord)
- The Warlord is immune to all ranged attacks.
- Ranged attacks targeting the Warlord automatically fail.
- Melee attacks resolve normally.
Moat (Fortress)
- When an enemy attacks a Fortress, that attacker’s Attack value is reduced by 2 for that attack.
- This applies to both melee and ranged attacks against the Fortress.
- Moat does not affect counter attacks made by the Fortress.
Quick Start
A fast reminder for first-time players.
Beginner Tips
Small decisions matter. These tips help new players avoid early mistakes.
Losing the Warlord ends the game instantly.
A direct push against your Fortress can end the match fast.
Charge makes them dangerous when they attack from outside adjacency.
Your Monster and Wizard depend on them for full strength.
A unit that attacked cannot attack on its next activation.
Interface Notes
The online version uses simple visual cues to keep the game easy to follow.