1916 · Saussine Editeur
Damier géographique is French game from the WWI-era.
This game is a variation on the classical game of checkers, with a World War I theme.
2 teams of 2 players compete on a map of Europe that is overlaid with a checkerboard pattern. Each team has an equal number of pawns that represent armies. One team represents Germany and the Austrian Empire. The other team represents France, the UK, Russia and their allies.
The board is divided in a western and an eastern battle zone. At the beginning of the game, one player of each team plays in each zone. In the western zone, each player has 36 pieces. In the eastern zone each player has 24 pieces. The battles are played simultaneously, but separately (pawns cannot move from one battle zone to the other). When there is a victor in one zone, his remaining pieces go to his ally in the other zone.
The movement rules are those of the game of checkers. Each players moves in turn. Armies move one space diagonally and capture by jumping over an enemy pawn. Each country has one or two squares that are marked as fortresses. Armies promote to 'generals' when they can occupy an enemey fortress. A general moves as a king in checkers.
A battle in a zone is won by capturing all enemy pieces in that zone. The team that wins in both zones, or wins in one and draws in the other is the winner of the game.
