Turm & Wächter (1998)

Turm & Wächter (Tower & Guard) is a simple abstract 2-player game that is played on a 7x7 grid. Each player starts with 7 Tower-stones and 1 Guard-stone. The aim of the game is to use these stones to capture your opponent's all important Guard-stone, or to occupy the starting position of this stone with your own Guard.

Each turn a player can move one stone, or one stack of stones. How far (forwards, backwards or sideways, but never diagonal) is determined by the height of the stack. It is possible to move only a part of a stack if you don't want to move the full possible distance, but it is not allowed to jump over any other stones in this path. A move can end on a friendly Tower-stone or -stack, but Guard-stones can never become part of a stack.

It is possible to capture enemy stones by landing on them, under certain conditions. Guard-stones can always land on any enemy stone or stack and likewise, anything can land on the enemy Guard-stone. A tower-stone or stack can capture enemy stones or stacks only when it at least matches the height of the opposing stack. All Tower-stones that are captured are removed from play and as stated before, taking the enemy Guard-stone is one way of two ways to win the game.

PUBLICATION HISTORY:

• 2000 Turm & Wächter Clemens Gerhards - deluxe wooden version - in print (last checked oct 2006)
• 2000 Turm & Wächter W. Nostheide Verlag GmbH - glossy magazine game insert, issue #3/2000 (july-august) - out of print (authorised download available)
• 1998 Turm & Wächter Spiel & Autor - magazine game insert, issue #35 (october) - out of print

This game appeared in two game magazines before it was issued in a deluxe wooden format by Clemens Gerhards in 2000. The first magazine publication was for the specialist Spiel & Autor fanzine, and the next one appeared in the more prolific W. Nostheide Verlag GmbH magazine, where it was #45 in the Edition Spielbox series.

ADDITIONAL INFO:

• language skill needed: language neutral. All versions come with German rules.
• English translation: Clemens Gerhards has made an English translation available.
• artwork: Doris Matthäus did the graphics for the downloadable Spielbox version.
• awards won: none.

Online Play

• Super Duper Games