Overview

Luzhanqi (Land Battle Chess / Army Chess) is a traditional Chinese strategy board game for 2 or 4 players. Each player commands a hidden army of 25 pieces with the objective of capturing the opponent’s Flag. Pieces remain face-down (hidden from opponents) throughout the game. The game combines elements of Stratego-like hidden information with unique railroad movement mechanics and fixed defensive positions.

Components

• 1 folding game board with designated spaces, camps, headquarters, railroads, and mountain borders
• 50 game pieces (25 per side, face-down to hide identity):
  • 1 Field Marshal (Rank 1, highest)
  • 1 General (Rank 2)
  • 2 Lieutenant Generals (Rank 3)
  • 2 Brigadier Generals (Rank 4)
  • 2 Colonels (Rank 5)
  • 2 Majors (Rank 6)
  • 2 Captains (Rank 7)
  • 2 Lieutenants (Rank 8)
  • 3 Engineers (Rank 9, lowest rank)
  • 3 Grenades (special)
  • 3 Landmines (special, immobile)
  • 1 Flag (special, immobile)

In a 4-player game, two boards are placed together and teams of two sit across from each other.

Setup

1. Each player secretly arranges all 25 pieces face-down on their half of the board.
2. Placement restrictions:
   • The Flag must be placed in one of the two Headquarters spaces.
   • Landmines may only be placed on the back two rows (farthest from the mountain border).
   • Grenades may not be placed on the front row (closest to the mountain border).
3. All other ranked pieces may be placed freely on any remaining space on the player’s side.
4. Determine the starting player.

Turn Structure

Players alternate turns. On each turn, a player must move exactly one piece according to the movement rules.

Actions

Movement

• Roads: All mobile pieces (Ranks 1-9 and Grenades) may move one space along a road line to an adjacent empty space or occupied enemy space.
• Railroads: Ranked pieces (Ranks 1-9) and Grenades on a railroad may move any number of spaces along a straight railroad line, provided the path is unobstructed. They may not turn corners on railroads.
• Engineers on railroads: Engineers are the only pieces that may turn corners while moving along railroads, as long as the entire path is unobstructed.
• Flag and Landmines: These pieces are immobile and cannot move from their initial positions. They remain stationary until attacked.
• Camps: Pieces in Camp spaces are safe and cannot be attacked. A piece may move into and out of camps freely.

Combat Resolution

When a mobile piece moves onto a space occupied by an enemy piece, both are revealed and combat is resolved:

Situation	Result
Higher rank attacks lower rank	Defender is removed; attacker takes the space
Lower rank attacks higher rank	Attacker is removed; defender stays
Equal ranks meet	Both pieces are removed from the board
Grenade attacks or is attacked by any piece	Both pieces are removed
Engineer attacks Landmine	Landmine is removed; Engineer survives
Any other piece attacks Landmine	Both pieces are removed
Any piece attacks the Flag	Flag is captured; attacker wins

• Pieces in Camp spaces cannot be attacked.
• A referee or neutral third party may be used in the 2-player game to verify combat results without revealing piece identity unnecessarily.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

• Immediate victory: A player wins by moving any piece onto the opponent’s Flag.
• In a 4-player team game, a team wins when either opponent’s Flag is captured, or when both opponents’ Flags are captured (depending on the variant played).
• If a player has no mobile pieces remaining but their Flag has not been captured, the game may continue if the opponent can still reach the Flag; otherwise it may be declared a draw.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• In the 4-player version, teammates sit across from each other and coordinate strategies. Pieces may cross from one side of the combined board to the other.
• Camps provide absolute protection; no piece in a Camp can be attacked regardless of circumstance.
• Pieces must be hidden from all opponents at all times until revealed through combat.
• If both players agree that neither can win, the game is declared a draw.
• Railroads connect distant parts of the board and are the primary means of rapid movement; controlling railroad access is strategically critical.

Player Reference

Piece	Rank	Quantity	Special
Field Marshal	1	1	Highest rank
General	2	1
Lieutenant General	3	2
Brigadier General	4	2
Colonel	5	2
Major	6	2
Captain	7	2
Lieutenant	8	2
Engineer	9	3	Defeats Landmines; turns corners on railroads
Grenade	-	3	Destroys any piece (mutual destruction)
Landmine	-	3	Immobile; destroyed only by Engineers
Flag	-	1	Immobile; capture = victory