Check out Atomic Chess, our featured variant for November, 2024.


DISCLAIMER: The ideas expressed on this page are the creative work of its author, Charles Gilman, and they might not be shared by others responsible for this website. They do not represent any convention, consensus, or standard regarding piece names.

Man and Beast 11: Long-nosed Generals

My article MAB 01: Constitutional Characters features the simplest radial pieces - symmetric and forward-only one-step pieces and their riders and partial riders (Shogi's promoted linepieces are partial riders). MAB 04: Generalised Generals adds pieces differing from these in being part-symmetric (such as Shogi's generals), and MAB 06: The Heavy Brigade adds pieces missing out intermediate cells. This article's pieces combine both. Its first section prefixes MAB 06 pieces with Gold-, Silver-, Brass- et cetera, combining the two extensions to name part-symmetric pieces with one or more non-coprime components. As with unprefixed pieces the context of individual games determines whether non-coprime moves are stepping or leaping. Where a compound's component may be suffixed -rider or -bante the latter indicates that only non-coprime moves are being extended. Hex diagonals on a hex-prism board whose ranks are hex boards are purely within-rank. As with MAB 04 this eliminates Brass, Steel, Sun, Moon, and Sky pieces and gives Azure, Jade, and Coast ones sideways moves - with which they can triangulate - but no backward ones. Because such pieces make the same kind of step to and from the intervening cell(s) they cannot exist on a Pentagonal 2d board, and only those whose only non-coprime component is orthogonal and not FO can exist on a Pentagonal-prism one.

The acknowledgments, overview, and glossary to the series can be found here. Established pieces have a link to their Piececlopedia page. The images used in this series, and indeed in most of my pages, can be found here.

Pieces

Easiest to name are pieces with components in different types of direction, such as the Gold combination of symmetric orthogonal and forward-only (FO) standard diagonal (SD). Taking this example, the Gold prefix can:
add forward Ferz moves to symmetric orthogonal pieces: GOLDDABBABA[-NTE] (has Bishop's binding), GOLDWAZBABA=Goldgeneral+Dabbaba, GOLDPOCKET, GOLDCANNON (SD step may be capturing), GOLDMUSKET (ditto), GOLDPANDA (can triangulate), GOLDTREBUCHET (unbound), GOLDGUARDIAN;
add all Wazir moves to FO SD pieces, unbinding and giving retractibility: GOLDTUSK[-BANTE] , GOLDFEARLESS=Goldgeneral+Tusk, GOLDPIKER, GOLDARROWHEAD (orthogonal move may be capturing), GOLDSPEARHEAD (ditto), GOLDCUB=Bearcub+Wazir (any prefix applies to only one out of Pandacub, Bearcub, or Raccooncub), GOLDTRISK, GOLDRESTLESS;
make Princesswise compounds' orthogonal move symmetric, giving retractibility: GOLDTHIEF=Dabbaba+Tusk, GOLDFACULTY=Rook+Tusk, GOLDBEAK=Dabbaba+Mitre, GOLDPASHTUN=Wazbaba+Fearless, GOLDPICKPOCKET=Pocket+Piker, GOLDTANKTURRET=Cannon+Arrowhead, GOLDGUNDECK=Musket+Spearhead, GOLDMINE=Cannon+Tusk, GOLDDART=Dabbaba+Arrowhead, GOLDHARLOT=Panda+Bearcub, GOLDCOLETTE=Rook+Bearcub, GOLDCLOUT=Panda+Mitre, GOLDFLASK=Rook+Trisk, GOLDVESTMENT=Trebuchet+Mitre, GOLDNUKE=Trebuchet+Tusk, GOLDLINING=Guardian+Restless. Tai Shogi has examples of both the first two kinds of piece: its Old Kite and Flying Horse are a Goldwazbaba and Goldfearless. Here are the movement digrams for the Golddabbaba, Goldtusk, Goldthief, Goldfaculty, Goldbeak:

Likewise the Silver prefix, for symmetric SD plus FO orthogonal, can:
add forward Wazir moves to symmetric SD pieces: SILVERELEPHANT, SILVERELEPHBANTE, Saint Pancras Shogi's SILVERFEARFUL=Silvergeneral+Elephant, SILVERPICKET, SILVERARROW (orthogonal step may be capturing), SILVERSPEAR (ditto), SILVERBEAR (can triangulate), SILVERTRIPPER, SILVERWRESTLER;
add all Ferz moves to FO orthogonal pieces, giving retractibility: SILVERDABCHICK, SILVERDABCHBANTE, SILVERWAZCHICK=Silvergeneral+Dabchick, SILVERPOKER, SILVERCANNONBALL (SD move may be capturing), SILVERMUSKETBALL (ditto), SILVERCUB=Pandacub+Ferz, SILVERTRECHICK (unbound), SILVERGARDENER;
make Princesswise compounds' SD move symmetric, giving retractibility: SILVERTHIEF=Elephant+Dabchick, SILVERFACULTY=Elephant+Wing, SILVERBEAK=Bishop+Dabchick, SILVERPASHTUN=Fearful+Wazchick, SILVERPICKPOCKET=Picket+Poker, SILVERTANKTURRET=Arrow+Cannonball, SILVERGUNDECK=Spear+Musketball, SILVERMINE=Elephant+Cannonball, SILVERDART=Arrow+Dabchick, SILVERHARLOT=Bear+Pandacub, SILVERCOLETTE=Bear+Wing, SILVERCLOUT=Bishop+Pandacub, SILVERFLASK=Tripper+Wing, SILVERVESTMENT=Bishop+Trechick, SILVERNUKE=Elephant+Trechick, SILVERLINING=Wrestler+Gardener. Here are the movement diagrams for the Silverelephant, Silverdabchick, Silverthief, Silverfaculty, and Silverbeak.

Note that prefixed thieves inherit the plural.

3d and/or hex prefixes follow the same pattern. Thus Brass for symmetric orthogonal plus FO nonstandard diagonal (ND) can:
add forward Viceroy moves to symmetric orthogonal pieces: BRASSDABBABA[-NTE] (has Unicorn's binding), BRASSWAZBABA=Brassgeneral+Dabbaba, BRASSPOCKET, BRASSCANNON (ND step may be capturing), BRASSPANDA, BRASSTREBUCHET, BRASSGUARDIAN;
add all Wazir moves to FO ND pieces, unbinding and giving retractibility: BRASSKEY[-BANTE], BRASSVICKY=Brassgeneral+Key, BRASSPAKER, BRASSCUB=Raccooncub+Wazir, BRASSWETHER;
make Countesswise compounds' orthogonal move symmetric, which gives retractibility: BRASSIMP=Dabbaba+Key, BRASSAPARTMENT=Rook+Key, BRASSHORNBILL=Dabbaba+Horn, BRASSKASHMIRI=Wazbaba+Vicky, BRASSPACKPOCKET=Pocket+Paker, BRASSBALLADE=Cannon+Slingshot, BRASSPANDIT=Panda+Raccooncub, BRASSCRINET=Rook+Raccooncub, BRASSPADGET=Panda+Horn, BRASSEFT=Trebuchet+Key, BRASSGARAGE=Guardian+Wether.

Three-way combinations are more complex. Thus the Sun prefix for orthogonal plus FO standard and nonstandard diagonals can:
add forward moves of both Ferz and Viceroy to symmetric orthogonal pieces: SUNDABBABA[-NTE] (unbound), SUNWAZBABA=Sungeneral+Dabbaba, SUNPOCKET, SUNCANNON, SUNPANDA, SUNTREBUCHET, SUNGUARDIAN;
add all Wazir moves to Missionarywise compounds: SUNANTLER, SUNANTLEBANTE, SUNWACKY, SUNVITCHICK, SUNDERVISH, SUNDOOR, SUNBABIRUSA, SUNPACKPICKET, SUNBANDIT, SUNBUFFET, SUNBONNET, SUNRECKLESS;
make Conqueresswise compounds' orthogonal move symmetric: SUNIMPALA=Dabbaba+Antler, SUNSUBALTERN=Wazbaba+Dervish, SUNPAMPHLET=Pocket+Packpicket, SUNCLASHER=Pocket+Imp, SUNTWITCHER=Dabbaba+Packpicket, SUNMAGAZINE=Cannon+Headrest, SUNQUISLINGSHOT=Rook+Blessingshot=Goldrider+Slingshot, SUNHARPIST=Panda+Bandit, SUNPANTER=Panda+Antler, SUNBALCHICK=Dabbaba+Bandit, SUNLINER=Guardian+Reckless.

Likewise the Sky prefix for Queenwise plus FO ND can:
add forward Viceroy moves to Queenwise pieces: SKYALIBABA[-NTE], SKYWAFFLE, SKYPASHA, SKYINFANTA, SKYINQUISITOR, SKYFAGIN, SKYMANSION, SKYDEAN, SKYTANK, SKYSTARLING, SKYSAINT, SKYHARLEQUIN, SKYCOLUMBINE, SKYCLOWN, SKYFLAPPER, SKYBROGOP, SKYLIONDOG;
add all Prince moves to FO ND pieces: SKYKEY[-BANTE], SKYVICKY=Skygeneral+Key, SKYPAKER, SKYCUB=Raccooncub+Prince, SKYWETHER;
make Conqueresswise compounds' orthogonal and ND moves symmetric: SKYIMPALA=Alibaba+Key, SKYSUBALTERN=Pasha+Vicky, SKYPAMPHLET=Fagin+Paker, SKYCUTPURSE=Fagin+Key, SKYMUGGER=Alibaba+Paker, SKYMAGAZINE=Cannonade+Slingshot, SKYQUISLINGSHOT=Queen+Slingshot, SKYHARPIST=Harlequin+Raccooncub, SKYHARKEY=Harlequin+Key, SKYRUFFIAN=Alibaba+Raccooncub, SKYLINER=Liondog+Wether.

Adding a forward Wazir move can give unusual bindings. The Silverelephant and Silverelephbante are bound to all of alternate files on square-cell boards; to all of 1 in 4 on face-to-face cubic, hex-ranked hex-prism, and Glinski8-level hex-prism boards; and to all of alternate levels on corner-column cubic and Wellisch-level hex-prism boards. The Azureeunuch and Azureeunucbante are bound to all of alternate files in Glinski 2d boards but unbound on Wellisch ones, and to the same proportions of single levels of corresponding 3d boards. On face-to-face cubic boards they are bound to all of 1 in 8 files, on corner-column ones to all of alternate levels, and on hex-ranked boards to all of 1 in 12 files but with no backward move. The SEAELK[-BANTE] do not exist in 2d but inherit the Silverelephant's bindings in 3d.

On Pentagonal boards directions vary with position. Exact numbers can be calculated by adding the directions of the symmetric and FO components as listed in MAB 01. The only long- or mixed-range pieces available are prefixed orthogonal pieces, which again are long-range only up and down.

.

Where two symmetric non-coprime components have a leap length ratio of 2 I suffix the shorter with -POTENTATE as a generalisation of Pasha. Thus Dabbaba+Cobbler=DABBAPOTENTATE, Elephant+Commuter=ELEPHPOTENTATE, Alibaba+Colby=ALIBAPOTENTATE, Trebuchet+Bitrebuchet=TREBUPOTENTATE, Eunuch+Corpse=EUNUCPOTENTATE, et cetera. The PANDAPOTENTATE, BEARPOTENTATE, et cetera omit every fourth step. FO versions still suffix the symmetric name, but with -SUBJECT - Dabchick+Cobchick=DABBASUBJECT, Tusk+Comsk=ELEPHSUBJECT, Trechick+Bitrechick=TREBUSUBJECT, et cetera.

A LORISIAN version of the Wazbaba, Watcher, Fezbaba, Fetcher, Toad, Trifle, Cor-/Qui-dwainer, Com-/Qui-forter, or any FO version or compound thereof can make the move of either component of the standard compound but can also make both moves successively in one move of its own, in either order in the same direction, but with the first noncapturing. A GRAND-LORISIAN piece differs in that it can also move as the same component twice in one move of its own. The term is derived as a weaker form of Lemurian, from the loris being a relative of the lemur.

Reading a comment from someone thinking that the Dean's move also allowed a single orthogonal step highlighted that pieces moving up to n steps along one kind of radial and at least n along another are worth mentioning here. I hyphenate the linepieces giving the shorter and longer moves, and suffix with SECUNDIGRADE, TERTIIGRADE, QUARTIGRADE, QUINTIGRADE, SEXTIGRADE, SEPTIMIGRADE, OCTAVIGRADE, NONIGRADE, DECIMIGRADE for succesive values of n starting with 2. Thus a ROOK-BISHOP SECUNDIGRADE moves as the mistaken contributor thought that the Dean did. A BISHOP-ROOK TERTIIGRADE makes up to 3 steps as a Bishop or at least 3 as a Rook. Likewise there can be such pieces in FO directions or even a mixture. A HORN-WING SECUNDIGRADE makes up to 2 steps as a Horn or at least 2 as as a Wing, a MITRE-HORN QUARTIGRADE up to 4 as a Mitre or at least 4 as a Horn, a WING-MITRE SESQUITERTIIGRADE up to 3 as a Wing or at least 4 as a Mitre, a WING-BISHOP SECUNDIGRADE up to 2 steps as a Wing or at least 2 as a Bishop, and a ROOK-HORN TERTIIGRADE up to 3 as a Rook or at least 3 as a Horn. Where the longer-range move takes over at n+1, SESQUI- is added to the suffix so that a QUEEN-UNICORN SESQUISECUNDIGRADE makes up to 2 steps as a Rook or Bishop or at least 3 as a Unicorn, a MITRE-ROOK SESQUIQUARTIGRADE makes up to 4 steps as a Mitre or at least 5 as a Rook. Part-coprime directions drop the -rider so that a GOLD-BISHOP QUARTIGRADE moves up to 4 steps as a Goldrider or at least 4 as a Bishop, and a UNICORN-SILVER SESQUISECUNDIGRADE up to 2 as a Unicorn or at least 3 as a Silverider. Where one linepiece is a compound of the other the stronger linepiece's first/last distance is taken to cover both, so that the name without Sesqui- is used. Thus a full Rook also moving up to 4 steps as a Bishop is a QUEEN-ROOK QUARTIGRADE, a full Mitre also moving at least 3 steps as a Horn a MITRE-MISSIONARY TERTIIGRADE, a full Mitre also movig up to 4 steps as a Bishop a BISHOP-MITRE QUARTIGRADE, a full Horn also moving at least 3 steps as a Duchess a HORN-DUCHESS TERTIIGRADE, and a Goldrider also moving up to 2 steps as a Bishop a QUEEN-GOLD SECUNDIGRADE. There is a suitable image for the Queen-Rook Secundigrade, and here is the movement diagram:

.

Prefixing breaks down if both components of a piece share directions, such as Wazir+Dabchick. As the suffix -general indicates an enhanced Wazir or Ferz, and Chinese sailors use a euphemism for the pig meaning "long-nosed general", this theme suits a one-step piece extended a second step in forward directions. As a bonus, a pig is of course eponymous to Lewis Carroll's Pig Tale. All this inspired me to name such pieces (each as bound as its coprime component) after pigs: Wazir+Dabchick=SOW, Ferz+Tusk=BOAR, and for its severe binding Viceroy+Key=PIGLET. The first two's 2d destinations suggest a pig's head with the snout sticking out and a boar's snout closer up with tusks sticking out! My Truffle Hunt and Year of the Pig variants use partially leaping forms of these. Noting that Elephant+Cross suggests a Christian power in Asia, I decided to name such pieces with titles from the British Raj in India: Dabbaba+Point=MEMSAHIB, Elephant+Cross=SAHIB, Eunuch+Saltire=NABOB. Memsahibs share the Azureeunuch binding on hex 2d boards, and Silverelephant one on cubic and 3d hex boards. Sahibs always share the Bishop binding. Nabobs share the Unicorn binding on rectilinear and Glinski boards, both 2d and 3d, but are bound to 1 in 6 cells of both Wellisch 2d boards and single levels of Wellisch-level 3d boards. Of these Pentagonal-prism boards have only Memsahibs which move one step forward, or two up or down. Lorisian versions of these pieces are Lorisian only as regards their forward moves. The AVERSE SOW and AVERSE MEMSAHIB on 2d and 3d, and AVERSE BOAR and AVERSE SAHIB on 3d, Glinski-orientation boards would need to be promotable as a move is not guaranteed on the last two cells of a file, only on earlier files whence they have both the 1- and 2-step forward move. here are the movement diagrams for the Sow, Boar, Memsahib, and Sahib on a square-cell board; the Sow, Piglet, Memsahib, and Nabob in the Wellisch geometry; and the same four in the G/McC geometry:



Compounds of these I name as combinations of Symmetric+FO rather than by type of direction. Thus Sow+Boar=Prince+Thief=HOOD (from the film Robin Hood Prince of Thieves), Sow+Piglet=Duke+Imp=FIEND (high-ranking demon), Boar+Piglet=Baron+Antler=LAIRD (minor Scots lord), Sow+Boar+Piglet=Archduke+Impala=COLONISER (of Africa, for one of the European empires), Memsahib+Sahib=Princeling+Alibaba=ALADDIN (adviser to Timur), Memsahib+Nabob=Count+Dybbuk=IDOLATOR, Sahib+Nabob=Heir+Elk=FAWN, Memsahib+Sahib+Nabob=Conqueror+Alibuck=RECONQUEROR. All are unbound. Here are the movement diagrams for the Hood and Aladdin on square-cell boards, the Fiend and Idolator in the Wellisch orientation, and the same in the G/McC orientation, plus the piece images for the Laird and Fawn:



This section's concept is simple enough to extrapolate to oblique pieces, effectively combining two sections of MAB 07: When Beasts Collide. Suffixing a symmetric piece with -PIG adds the FO piece having twice its leap length, with -MASTER that having half its leap length. Thus Knight+Calf=NIGHTPIG, Camel+Canard=CAMELPIG, Zebra+Zelf=ZEBRAPIG, Gnu+Hull=GNUPIG, Charolais+Helm=CHAROMASTER, Crane+Hump=CRANEMASTER, Catamaran+Handyman=CATAMMASTER. These can also be extended to longer radial pieces with Dabbaba+Cobchick=DABBAPIG, Elephant+Comsk=ELEPHPIG, Cobbler+Dabchick=COBBLMASTER, Commuter+Tusk=COMMUMASTER. This applies equally in 3d: Sexton+Senard=SEXTOPIG, Nintu+Dull=NINTUPIG, Elf+Leyline=ELFPIG, Srene+Shovel=SRENEMASTER, Nitamaran+Dandyman=NITAMMASTER, Lemming+Cloak=LEMMIMASTER.

Compounds across the Pig/Raj divide are less straightforward. Sow+Memsahib, Boar+Sahib, and Piglet+Nabob override FO components with symmetric ones to produce the MAB 06 Wazbaba, Fearful, and Vinnock. Others become "bimetallic" compounds, for example Sow+Sahib is a Goldgeneral "within" a Silverthief. As the resulting pattern of destinations suggests a turtle I prefix turtle with the general's prefix. Turtles are not especially long-nosed but tie into the Japanese culture giving us the part-symmetric concept, and appear in Lewis Carroll's Lobster Quadrille. Examples include Sow+Sahib=Goldgeneral+Silverthief=Waffle+Fezchick=GOLDTURTLE, Boar+Memsahib=Silvergeneral+Goldthief=Fearful+Walrus=SILVERTURTLE, Sow+Nabob=Brassgeneral+Azureimp=BRASSTURTLE=Wazzock+Vitchick, Sow+Fawn=Sungeneral+Seaimpala=SUNTURTLE, Hood+Nabob=Skygeneral+Coastimpala=SKYTURTLE. Extrapolating to pairs of oblique diections gives Nightpig+Cranemaster=NIGHTTURTLE, Camelpig+Charomaster=CAMELTURTLE, Zebrapig+Zrenemaster=ZEBRATURTLE, et cetera. Here are movement diagrams for the Goldturtle and Silverturtle, represented as an enhanced Waffle and Fezbaba:

MAB 06 suffixes indicate extending longer-range moves. Thus Wazir+Poker=SOWON, Wazir+Dabchrider=SOWBANTE, Ferz+Piker=BOARON, Viceroy+Keyrider=PIGLEBANTE, Prince+Pickpocket=HOODON, Prince+Thiefrider=HOODBANTE, Pocket+Point=MEMSAON, Elephrider+Cross=SAHIBBANTE, Packet+Key=NABOBON, Alibarider+Princeling=ALADDBANTE, and many more. Full riders are meaningful for Raj pieces so that a MEMSARIDER, SAHIBRIDER, NABOBRIDER, and their compounds can move an even number of steps in all their respective directions, but an odd number in only forward ones. Extending suffixes to oblique directions and -turtle pieces I modify what would otherwise be double suffixes so that at least the suffixes remain real words. Thus Knight+Calfon=NIGHTPIGEON, Charoon+Helm=CHAROMASTODON, Knight+Calfrider=NIGHTPIGMENT, Charorider+Helm=CHAROMANATEE, Goldgeneral+Silverpickpocket=GOLDTALON, Goldgeneral+Silverthiefbante=GOLDTORRENT.

For ratios of 1½ instead of 2 I select suffixes with T for 2 and TR for 3 but on a related theme. Thus Dabbaba+Trechick=DABBATROTTER, Elephant+Trisk=ELEPHTROTTER, Trebuchet+Dabchick=TREBUTANTRA, Tripper+Tusk=TRIPPTANTRA, Chamois+Calf=CHAMOTANTRA. Like the Toadrider and Triflrider, pieces ending in -TROTTRIDER and -TANTRRIDER cover the 6-step move (and multiples if any) twice over.

Hex-ranked boards cannot have Piglets, Nabobs, or their compounds and extensions.

.

Pig and Raj pieces and their extensions can in turn be gilded and silvered and so on, each piece having both a symmetric element to add a FO complement to and vice versa. The length of the resulting names reflects piece complexity. Thus (a) GOLDSOW/BRASSSOW/SUNSOW, (b) SILVERBOAR/STEELBOAR/MOONBOAR, (c) AZUREPIGLET/JADEPIGLET/COASTPIGLET add the (a) Dabchick, (b) Tusk, (c) Key move to the corresponding general. Similarly (a) SILVERSOW/AZURESOW/SEASOW, (b) GOLDBOAR/JADEBOAR/FORESTBOAR, (c) BRASSPIGLET/STEELPIGLET/SKYPIGLET add the (a) Wazir, (b) Ferz, (c) Viceroy move to the two-step piece. Compounds of Pig pieces enhanced in the third type of direction are Skygeneral+Thief=SKYHOOD, Forestgeneral+Imp=FORESTFIEND, Seageneral+Antler=SEALAIRD, Sunimpala+Baron=SUNLAIRD, Moonimpala+Duke=MOONFIEND, and Coastimpala+Prince=COASTHOOD. Conversely (a) GOLDMEMSAHIB/BRASSMEMSAHIB/SUNMEMSAHIB, (b) SILVERSAHIB/STEELSAHIB/MOONSAHIB, (c) AZURENABOB/JADENABOB/COASTNABOB add the (a) Point, (b) Cross, (c) Saltire move to the two-step piece, while (a) SILVERMEMSAHIB/AZUREMEMSAHIB/SEAMEMSAHIB, (b) GOLDSAHIB/JADESAHIB/FORESTSAHIB, (c) BRASSNABOB/STEELNABOB/SKYNABOB add the (a) Dabbaba, (b) Elephant, (c) Eunuch move to generals. Compounds of Raj pieces enhanced in the third type of direction are Skyimpala+Princeling=SKYALADDIN, Forestimpala+Count=FORESTIDOLATOR, Seaimpala+Heir=SEAFAWN, Sungeneral+Elk=SUNFAWN, Moongeneral+Dybbuk=MOONIDOLATOR, and Coastgeneral+Alibaba=COASTALADDIN.

In October 2014 Bn Em enquired about pieces indefintely extending subsets of the moves of MAB 04 generals other than those covered in that article. This inspired me to investigate what, for example, GOLDSOWON should mean. On the face of it there are two approaches - taking Sowon as an orthogonal piece with Gold- adding the moves of the Cross, or taking Goldsow as a piece with a 2-step move and -on extending it. As it transpires, the latter also results in Sowon+Cross, so that is what the Goldsowon is. Likewise SILVERBOARON is Boaron+Point, BRASSSOWON Sowon+Saltire, SUNSOWON Sowon+Heir, SKYSOWON Sowon+Steelgeneral, SKYHOODON Hoodon+Saltire, et cetera. This also clearly applies when adding a one-step FO move to a Raj piece so that GOLDSAHIBON is Sahibaon+Wazir, SILVERMEMSAON Memsaon+Ferz, BRASSNABOBON Nabobon+Wazir, AZUREMEMSAON Memsaon+Viceroy, SUNLAIRDON Lairdon+Wazir, SKYNABOBON Nabobon+Prince, et ccetera. When it comes to the likes of SILVRESOWON, GOLDBOARON, AZUREBOARON, SUNFAWNON, SKYPIGLEON, GOLDMEMSAON, SILVERSAHIBON, BRASSMEMSAON, SUNMEMSAON, and SKYALADDON I initially thought that there were two definitions that did not line up, but Bn Em cnvinced me that this is not the case. there is only one obvious definition based on adding -on afterward, while deriving a definition adding it first by the same stretch as with the unsuffixed pieces gives the same defintion after all. Thus those pieces are Sowon++Picket, Boaron+Pocket, Boaron+Packet, Fawn+Pocket, Pigleon+Fagin, Memsaon+Piker, Sahibon+Poker, Memsaon+Paker, Memsaon+Shopsteward, and Aladdon+Paker..

Some years earlier John Smith enquired about pieces moving one step in all an MAB 04 general's directions but further in the entire forward subset. These pieces can also be seen as adding extra extensions to the Goldsow, Brasssow, Silverboar, Steelboar, Azurepiglet, Jadepiglet, and their -bantes and -ons. As the latter are the pieces inspiring the oblique -pig, -pigment, and -pigeon I use names inspired by these. Thus adding Goldgeneral to Thief/Thiefrider/Pickpocket gives GOLD-GOURMET/-PAINTER/-DOVE, adding Silvergeneral to the same gives SILVER-GOURMET/-PAINTER/-DOVE, adding Brassgeneral to Imp/Imprider/Packpocket gives BRASS-GOURMET/-PAINTER/-DOVE, adding Sungeneral to Impala/Impalrider/Pamphlet gives SUN-GOURMET/-PAINTER/-DOVE, et cetera. Conversely a piece can have a non-coprime move in all of an MAB 04 general's directions but a single step in just the forward subset. Likewise I take inspiration from the -master, -manatee, and -mastodon suffixes. Thus adding Princeling to Goldthief/Goldthiefrider/Goldpickpocket gives GOLD-OCCUPIER/-DUGONG/-MAMMOTH, adding it to corresponding Silver pieces gives SILVER-OCCUPIER/-DUGONG/-MAMMOTH, adding Count to Brassimp/Brassimprider/Brasspackpocket gives BRASS-OCCUPIER/-DUGONG/-MAMMOTH, adding Conqueror to Sunimpala/-rider/Sunpamphlet gives SUN-OCCUPIER/-DUGONG/-MAMMOTH, et cetera. Mastodons and mammoths are extinct members of the same order, and manatees and dugongs marine herbivores of the same wider Afrotherian subset of placental mammals, as elephants.

Jared McComb coined a further use of part-symmetric prefixes for his variant Ryu Shogi. His pieces are (with or without spaces according to taste) the GOLDDRAGON and SILVERDRAGON, a Goldrider and Silverrider with the remaining King (or Prince) moves added in. How are this last group of pieces extrapolated to 3d? For two-direction-type prefixes the "remaining" short-range moves are in the same types of direction. Thus the BRASSDRAGON and AZUREDRAGON add remaining Duke moves to the corresponding riders with no move on the SD (and so are also 2d hex versions of the Gold and Silver ones), and the STEELDRAGON and JADEDRAGON add remaining Baron moves with no orthogonal move. These last two are available only in 3d, and the Steeldragon shares its name with the world's longest roller-coaster track, at Japan's Nagashima Spa Land theme park. Three-direction-type dragons - the SUNDRAGON, MOONDRAGON, SKYDRAGON, COASTDRAGON, FORESTDRAGON, and SEADRAGON - can move to all 26 adjacent cells as well as any distance in their prefix directions. Moves to all 26 adjacent cells can also be added to the riders of two-direction-type generals. As these further enhance the dragons I name them GOLDDRAGONNADE, SILVERDRAGONNADE, BRASSDRAGONNADE, AZUREDRAGONNADE, STEELDRAGONNADE, and JADEDRAGONNADE. A dragonnade is an act of dragooning, and its use here is analogous to the MAB 06 Cannonade being a Cannon extended in 3d.

Notes

Hex-specific pieces that are wholly or partly non-coprime have their own article, MAB 17: Hex Heavies.

This 'user submitted' page is a collaboration between the posting user and the Chess Variant Pages. Registered contributors to the Chess Variant Pages have the ability to post their own works, subject to review and editing by the Chess Variant Pages Editorial Staff.


By Charles Gilman.

Last revised by Ben Reiniger.


Web page created: 2008-03-09. Web page last updated: 2024-01-21