Overview

Arcanor is a two-player abstract strategy game published by nestorgames. It is played on an 8x7 board where each player commands 12 cylinders of four different sizes, each with a different point value. The cylinders can be stacked on top of each other like Russian nesting dolls. The objective is to move 12 points worth of your cylinders to the row directly in front of your opponent. The game combines spatial reasoning with tactical stacking and maneuvering.

Components

• Game board (8 columns x 7 rows)
• 12 cylinders per player (24 total), in two colors:
  • 3 small cylinders (4 points each)
  • 3 medium cylinders (3 points each)
  • 3 large cylinders (2 points each)
  • 3 extra-large cylinders (1 point each)
• Rules sheet

Setup

1. Place the board between the two players.
2. Each player places their 12 cylinders on the row closest to them: 6 cylinders on the row, with 6 more stacked on top of the first 6 (creating 6 stacks of 2 cylinders each).
3. Smaller cylinders sit on top of larger ones (Russian doll style).
4. Determine the first player.

Turn Structure

On each turn, a player must:

1. Move one cylinder (or stack) according to the movement rules.
2. Check for nesting: Cylinders may stack on top of or inside larger cylinders.
3. Check victory: If a player has accumulated 12 points worth of cylinders on the opponent’s home row, they win.

Actions

Movement

• Move one cylinder (the topmost in a stack) to an adjacent square.
• Movement is orthogonal (not diagonal).
• A cylinder can move onto an empty square or onto a square containing a larger cylinder (nesting inside it).

Nesting (Stacking)

• Smaller cylinders can be placed inside larger cylinders, like Russian dolls.
• A nested group moves as a single unit, with the outermost (largest) cylinder determining movement.
• When a cylinder moves onto a larger cylinder’s space, it nests inside.
• You can only move the topmost/outermost cylinder off a stack.

Capturing / Blocking

• Strategic placement can block opponent movement or threaten key positions.
• Nesting an opponent’s cylinder inside yours effectively captures it (it moves with your piece).

Scoring / Victory Conditions

A player wins by moving cylinders totaling 12 or more value points to the row directly in front of their opponent (the opponent’s home row). Since each player starts with exactly 12 points of cylinders on each side (3x4 + 3x3 + 3x2 + 3x1 = 12+9+6+3 = 30 total, but arranged so 12 points is the threshold), reaching 12 points on the opponent’s side triggers victory.

Point values:

• Small cylinder = 4 points
• Medium cylinder = 3 points
• Large cylinder = 2 points
• Extra-large cylinder = 1 point

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Inverse value: Smaller cylinders are worth more points but are more vulnerable to being nested by larger ones.
• Russian doll mechanic: The nesting system means larger cylinders can swallow smaller ones, carrying them along.
• Movement of nested groups: The entire nested stack moves as one unit when the outermost cylinder moves.
• 12-point threshold: You need exactly 12 points on the opponent’s row — smaller, higher-value cylinders reach this faster but are easier to capture.
• Abstract strategy: Perfect information game with no random elements.

Player Reference

Cylinder Size	Count per Player	Point Value
Small	3	4 points
Medium	3	3 points
Large	3	2 points
Extra-large	3	1 point

Board: 8 x 7 grid Victory: Accumulate 12 points of cylinders on opponent’s home row Key mechanic: Smaller cylinders nest inside larger ones (Russian doll stacking)