Overview
Fields of Action is a two-player abstract strategy game designed by Sid Sackson, first published in the German magazine Spielbox in 1982 and later in Games magazine in 1989. Played on an 8x8 board, each player controls 12 numbered pieces. The unique movement mechanic ties a piece’s movement range to the number of pieces (friendly or enemy) adjacent to it. The goal is to capture five of the opponent’s pieces in ascending numerical sequence (1 through 5, then any five).
Components
- 1 game board (8x8 grid)
- 12 Black pieces (numbered 1-12)
- 12 White pieces (numbered 1-12)
Setup
- Place the 8x8 board between the two players.
- Each player places their 12 numbered pieces on the board according to the starting arrangement.
- Black moves first.
Turn Structure
Players alternate turns. On each turn, a player moves one of their pieces.
Movement
- A piece moves in a straight line (orthogonally or diagonally) a number of spaces exactly equal to the number of pieces (of either color) adjacent to it at the start of the move.
- A piece with no adjacent pieces cannot move.
- A piece cannot jump over other pieces.
Capture
- A piece captures an enemy piece by landing on its space.
- Captured pieces are removed from the board and kept by the capturing player.
Actions
- Move: Move one piece in a straight line (any of 8 directions) exactly the number of spaces equal to adjacent pieces.
- Capture: Land on an enemy piece to capture it.
- Pass: If a player has no legal moves, they must pass (this is rare due to the adjacency-based movement system).
Scoring / Victory Conditions
A player wins by capturing five of the opponent’s pieces in ascending numerical order. Specifically, the player must capture piece #1 first, then #2, then #3, then #4, then #5 (or the next uncaptured number in sequence). Pieces captured out of order do not count toward victory.
The first player to complete a sequence of 5 captures wins.
Special Rules & Edge Cases
- Adjacency counts both colors: When determining how far a piece can move, count all adjacent pieces — both your own and your opponent’s — including diagonally adjacent pieces.
- Exact movement: A piece must move exactly the number of spaces determined by its adjacency count. It cannot move fewer.
- No jumping: Pieces cannot jump over other pieces during movement.
- Zero adjacency: A piece with no adjacent pieces at all is stuck and cannot move until another piece moves next to it.
- Sequence requirement: Captures must follow ascending numerical order. If you capture piece #3 before capturing #2, the #3 capture does not count toward your victory sequence. You still need to capture #2 before #3 counts.
- Designer: Sid Sackson, renowned designer of Acquire and many other abstract strategy games.
Player Reference
| Item |
Details |
| Players |
2 |
| Board |
8x8 grid |
| Pieces |
12 per player (numbered 1-12) |
| Movement |
Equal to number of adjacent pieces |
| Directions |
8 (orthogonal + diagonal) |
| Win condition |
Capture 5 pieces in ascending numerical order |
| Designer |
Sid Sackson |