Overview

Game of the Generals (also known as GG or Salpakan) is a two-player strategy board game invented in the Philippines in 1970. Players each command 21 pieces of varying military ranks arranged on an 8x9 rectangular board. Pieces are placed face-down so the opponent cannot see their ranks, creating a game of deduction and bluffing similar to Stratego. Players move one piece per turn, and when opposing pieces meet, a neutral arbiter (or the honor system) determines which piece is eliminated based on rank. The objective is to capture the opponent’s Flag or to maneuver your own Flag to the opponent’s back rank.

Components

• 1 game board (8 columns x 9 rows = 72 squares)
• 42 playing pieces (21 per player in two different colors), each with rank printed on one side only
• 1 arbiter (optional; a third person or agreed-upon honor system)

Setup

1. Each player arranges their 21 pieces face-down in the 3 rows closest to their side of the board (24 squares available; 3 remain empty).
2. Players have freedom in how they arrange their pieces within their 3 rows.
3. Neither player may see the opponent’s piece ranks.

Piece Ranks (21 pieces per player)

Piece	Quantity	Rank (higher eliminates lower)
5-Star General	1	Highest officer
4-Star General	1
3-Star General	1
2-Star General	1
1-Star General	1
Colonel	1
Lt. Colonel	1
Major	1
Captain	1
1st Lieutenant	1
2nd Lieutenant	1	Lowest officer
Sergeant	1
Private	6	Eliminates Spy only
Spy	2	Eliminates all officers (not Privates)
Flag	1	No combat value

Turn Structure

Players alternate turns. On each turn, a player moves exactly one piece.

Movement Rules

• All pieces move identically: one square forward, backward, or sideways (not diagonally).
• A piece cannot move onto a square occupied by a friendly piece.
• A piece cannot move off the board.

Challenges

When a piece moves onto a square occupied by an opposing piece, a challenge occurs:

1. Both pieces are revealed to the arbiter (or both players if using honor system).
2. The arbiter removes the lower-ranked piece from the board.
3. If both pieces are the same rank, both are removed (mutual elimination / “split”).
4. The surviving piece remains on the contested square.

Elimination Hierarchy

• Higher-ranked officers eliminate lower-ranked officers.
• Spy eliminates any officer (from 5-Star General down to 2nd Lieutenant) and Sergeant.
• Private eliminates Spy.
• Spy is eliminated by Private.
• Flag is eliminated by any piece.
• Same rank: both eliminated.

Actions

There are no special actions beyond the standard move-or-challenge on each turn. Strategy involves:

• Positioning: Protecting the Flag while probing for the opponent’s Flag.
• Bluffing: Moving pieces aggressively or defensively to mislead the opponent about their rank.
• Deduction: Tracking which pieces the opponent has lost to narrow down remaining threats.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

A player wins by either:

1. Capturing the opponent’s Flag: Move any piece onto the opponent’s Flag.
2. Flag reaches the opposite end: Move your Flag to any square in the opponent’s back rank (the row furthest from you). If no adjacent opposing piece can challenge it on the opponent’s next turn, you win immediately. If an opponent’s piece challenges the Flag on their next turn, the Flag is captured and you lose.

Draw: If both players are unable to make progress (no challenges possible, repeated positions), the game may be declared a draw by mutual agreement.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

Arbiter

An impartial third party serves as arbiter, examining challenged pieces and removing the loser without revealing ranks to either player. Without an arbiter, both players briefly reveal their pieces during a challenge and the loser is removed.

Flag Movement

The Flag moves like any other piece (one square in any orthogonal direction) but has no combat ability. It is eliminated by any opposing piece in a challenge.

Spy vs. Private

The Spy eliminates all officers but is eliminated by the Private. This creates a rock-paper-scissors dynamic: Generals beat Privates, Spies beat Generals, Privates beat Spies.

Tournament Rules

In competitive play, a time limit (typically 1-2 minutes per move) may be enforced. Exceeding the time limit forfeits the game.

No Retreat Rule (Variant)

Some variants prohibit the Flag from moving backward once it has advanced past its starting rows.

Player Reference

Turn: Move 1 piece one square (orthogonal only)

Challenge Resolution: Higher rank wins. Same rank = both eliminated.

Special Eliminations: | Attacker | Eliminates | |———-|———–| | Any officer | Lower-ranked officers, Privates, Flags | | Spy | All officers + Sergeant + Flag | | Private | Spy + Flag |

Victory Conditions:

1. Capture opponent’s Flag
2. Move your Flag to opponent’s back rank (survives one turn)

Key Numbers: | Item | Value | |——|——-| | Board size | 8 x 9 (72 squares) | | Pieces per player | 21 | | Privates per player | 6 | | Spies per player | 2 | | Flags per player | 1 | | Movement | 1 square orthogonal |