Strategic Reserve Rulebook

Table of Contents

Reserve
Dice
Play
Group
Hits
Object of the Game
Design Notes
Author's Note

Reserve

You begin with 6 checkers of your own color in your "reserve" - basically a bunch of checkers on the table on your side of the board. Checkers that you place on the board come from your reserve.

Dice

Two dice are used - one purple and one green. A dice roll defines one square on the board. The purple die value is the horizontal coordinate. The green die value is the vertical coordinate. Horizontal coordinates span from your left column to your right column. Vertical coordinates span from your near row to your far row.

Play

Begin your turn by rolling the dice. Remove zero or more enemy checkers, based on the dice roll (explained below), and return them to your opponent's reserve. Then place a checker on the board.

Group

A group is a group of at least one orthogonally (horizontally or vertically) interconnected, like-colored checkers. A group is never a subgroup of a larger group.

Hits

If your dice roll hits an enemy group, remove that group, return it to your opponent's reserve, and place a checker onto any unoccupied square on the board. For example, if Red rolls a 5-2 that lands on an enemy group, he must immediately remove all of the checkers in that group, return them to his opponent's reserve, and then place one of his own checkers onto an unoccupied square.
If you hit a friendly group with your dice roll, remove all enemy groups adjacent to your friendly group, return them to your opponent's reserve, and place a checker orthogonally adjacent to your friendly group. For example, if Blue rolls a 6-3 that lands on one of his own groups, he must remove all enemy groups adjacent to that friendly group and return them to his opponent's reserve, then conclude his turn by placing a checker adjacent to his killer group.
If you don't hit any groups with your dice roll, place a checker onto any unoccupied square.

Object of the Game

Empty your reserve. When you remove the last checker from your reserve, you win.

Design Notes

I've long wanted a game with dice mapping to a single square on the board. I finally solved the problem with Strategic Reserve.

Author's Note

Feel free to publish this rule sheet and to program the game of Strategic Reserve. No licensing fee or royalties are expected. However, please don't change the name or the rules, and please attribute the game to me, Mark Steere. My other games can be found at marksteeregames.com.