Tesulda

In the Konsil Ncxons, Tesulda is played with the regularity and reverence that is placed on Chess in our world.  Anyone with measurable education learns how to play Tesulda and true Tesulda Masters compete regularly for money and national honor.  Following are the rules for Tesulda. 

Select Terms

Base: An item worked into one of three shapes (circle, square, triangle) with a dowel/rod placed in the center of the shape that is long enough to hold up to five other “pieces”. The Base is the central item for each figure used in the game. Each game should have Bases of two visually different colors. Often one color will be referred to as “Light” and the other Color will be referred to as “Dark”.

Enemy: A figure that did not begin the game in your Starting Zone.

Figure: A playing piece comprised of one base and up to 5 additional pieces.

Friendly: A figure that began the game in your Starting Zone.

Piece: An item worked into one of seven shapes (circle, square, diamond, trapezoid, hexagon, star, or crown) with a central hole large enough for the rod of a figure to pass through. Each piece has a special ability that it confers to the figure it is placed on. Pieces are grouped into three categories: Abilities (Diamond, Trapezoid, Hexagon), Reach (Square, Circle), and Leadership (Star, Crown).

Starting Zone: An area comprised of two rows. These two rows consist of the row containing that Player’s Home and the next row.

The Board

Tesulda is played upon a board of a hundred alternating visually differing colored squares, traditionally blue and green.  For ease of discussion, one color is usually referred to as “Light” and one as “Dark”. One of the Corner “Light” Squares will have a Star engraved/printed into the square, this is the “Home” square.  Players should play with pieces matching the Home square closest to them.

Set-up

Each player begins the game with the following Bases: 6 Circles, 6 Squares, and 8 Triangles.

Each player begins the game with the following pieces: 16 Circles, 16 Squares, 4 Diamonds, 9 Hexagons, 4 Trapezoids, 1 Star Piece, and 1 Crown.

Each player assigns one piece their crown. Each Triangle Base is then assigned two pieces. Each Circle or Square Base is assigned 3 pieces. Any base with the crown is assigned one less piece (because of the additional cost of the crown).

In order to differentiate Figures during play, each player will use Figures with bases of the same color, but of a different color than the opponent. Often, one color will be called “Light” and the other color will be called “Dark”.

Each player places their Figures in their Starting Zone with the limit of one figure per square, until all of their figures have been placed in their Starting Zone. The Starting Zone for the player using the “Light” pieces will have the “Home” square be light colored. Triangle Bases may not be placed in the same row as the nearest Home square.

Order of Play

Once all players have set-up their figures, the players may use any method to select the player that will go first to decide in a mutually agreeable manner.  It is tradition that when players play more than one game, that the winner of the previous game determines who will make the first move in the next game.

Ending the Game

The game ends when a player does not have any friendly figures in play with a Crown Piece or can not perform any Move Actions.

The game ties when both players still retain figures with a Crown piece (their Prime), If the current player’s Prime is not currently in danger, but the current player can not make a Move Action (usually because such movement would allow the opponent to Attack their Prime on the next turn).

Playing Pieces

BASE

Square: This figure has a base straight movement rating of 1.

Circle: This figure has a base diagonal movement rating of 1.

Triangle: This figure has the Minion trait.

PIECES

Circle: Increase the diagonal movement rating of this figure by 1.

Square: Increase the straight movement rating of this figure by 1.

Trapezoid: This figure gains the Dodger trait.

Hexagon: This figure gains the Boost trait.

Diamond Piece: This figure gains the Jumper trait.

Star: This figure gains the Tactician trait. The Tactician trait can stack, meaning you can receive the bonus from both stars, if one figure gains both stars.

Crown: This piece represents the Prime. Each side begins with one Crown Piece. If at any time, a player does not have a Crown Piece, they lose. This counts as two pieces.

Traits

Boost: Double all movement rating increases provided by Circle, Square, Star pieces for this figure.

Dodger: This figure may utilize both its straight movement rating and its diagonal movement rating during the same movement action; however, all straight movement must be in the same direction and all diagonal movement must be in the same direction. Additionally, if a figure is moving straight and then moves diagonally, the figure may no longer make straight movements for the remainder of the Move Action. Vice versa, if a figure was moving diagonally and then moves straight, the figure may no longer make diagonal movements for the remainder of the Move Action.

Jumper: This figure may move through any occupied spaces as if they were not occupied. This figure must move its full movement rating each turn.

Minion: Any movement made by this figure must end with the figure closer to the Enemy Starting Zone. This trait has no effect if this figure has more than two pieces.

Tactician: Increase the Straight Movement Rating and Diagonal Movement Rating of this figure by three.

Actions

When it is a player’s “turn”, they may perform each of the following actions up to once per turn:

A Move Action: A player may select a friendly figure and then select to move it either in a straight line (vertically or horizontally) or diagonally. The figure will have a “Straight Movement Rating” and/or “Horizontal Movement Rating”. The player may move the figure a number of squares up to the appropriate Movement Rating. When moving this figure, the path of movement may not pass through any square occupied by another figure, except the last square (ignore this restriction if this figure possesses the Jumper trait). The movement must be in the same direction, it may not go left one space and right one space. The figure must move at least one space. Some pieces may confer other restrictions. 

If this figure ends its movement in the same square as a friendly figure, this movement is not allowed. If this figure ends its movement in the same square as an enemy figure, this figure may perform an Attack action. A player may not move any piece if the movement would allow any opponent’s piece to Attack a figure with a Crown piece (a Prime) after a Move Action by that piece. Movement is traditionally considered complete when a figure has been moved to a new, legal, square and the player is no longer touching the figure.

An Attack Action: If the figure performed a Movement Action and the last square of that movement contained an enemy figure, remove the enemy figure from play. This figure may select up to two pieces that were attached to the enemy figure and add them to the figure that just completed the Move Action. Any additional pieces attached to the enemy figure are removed from the game. The player may not select to add pieces to their figure if the number of pieces selected would cause this figure to have more than five pieces.

A Swap Action: After completing a Move Action, if the figure completing the Move Action is adjacent to another friendly figure, the player may select to remove up to two pieces from one figure and add the removed pieces to the other figure. Pieces may not be swapped if it would cause either of the figures to have less than 1 piece and/or more than 4 pieces. Remember: Crowns and Stars do not count toward the number of pieces a figure has (maximum or minimum). Also, a figure may not have both (Crown and Star) on the same figure.

A Resource Action: After completing a Move Action, if the figure finished its Movement in the Starting Zone of the other player, they may elect to take up to two pieces that were previously removed from the game and add them to this figure. Those pieces may be from any player.

Once the player has completed the Movement Action and any other Actions they can and/or wish to perform, their turn ends. The other player may now begin their turn. Repeat until someone loses the game.