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Huge variants[Subject Thread] [Add Response]
H. G. Muller wrote on Sat, Apr 22, 2023 06:28 PM UTC in reply to H. G. Muller from Wed Apr 19 09:59 AM:

Based on the experience of setting up the 14x14 variant, I would now do the 16x16 like this:

satellite=megalo files=16 ranks=16 promoZone=1 maxPromote=2 promoChoice=EA,AM,G graphicsDir=/graphics.dir/alfaeriePNG/ squareSize=33 graphicsType=png theme=DD whitePrefix=w blackPrefix=b borders=0 firstRank=1 useMarkers=1 newClick=1 protected=32 captureMatrix=/"27/27^^^^^=/"/27^^^^^%= pawn::fmWfceFifmnDifmnH::a5-p5 warrior::fmWfmnnDfceFbhcN:quickpawn:a2-d2,m2-p2 ram:RM:mgQcfD::c1,n1,e2,l2 scout::mNcA:knightpawn:g4,j4 vao::mBpcB::d1,m1 camel::::d3,m3 zebra::::e3,l3 war machine:D:WD:warmachinewazir:f4,k4 elephant::FA:elephantferz:d4,m4 frog::FH::a4,p4 prince:PR:KfmnD:duke:b3,o3 knight:N:::b4,o4 bishop::::h4,i4 cannon:CN:::e1,l1 rook::::a3,p3 leo:LE:mQpcQ:paovao:c3,n3 nightrider:NR:::b1,o1 dragon horse:DH:BW:promotedbishop:c4,n4 dragon king:DK:RF:promotedrook:a1,p1 rhino:RH:[W?fsB]::g1 gryphon::[F?fsR]::f1 archbishop:::cardinal:e4 marshall:::chancellor:l4 queen::::j1 lion::KNAD::h2 amazon:AM:QN::i2 archer:AR:WA::f3,k3 spearman:SM:FD:nspearman:g3,j3 bat:BA:B(paf)14cB::h3,i3 raven:FA:R(paf)14cR:bird2:g2,j2 eagle:EA:Q(paf)14cQ:bird:h1,i1 terror::QNADcamK:dragon:f2,k2 king::KispO9::k1

I was never happy with the Steward, so I replaced it by a novel piece that I called 'Scout'. I want this to be worth about 2 Pawns, so that it can take on a Pawn protected by a Pawn (if it has backup). But I am in doubt what move I should give it. Pieces with 4 captures and 8 noncaptures (e.g. Mat Winther's Alpaca) have this value, but are necessarily divergent. The alternative is a piece with 5 or 6 normal moves. But that would have to be asymmetric. In the Diagram above I chose mNcA, to not make it too slow, not make it color bound, give it two forward captures rather than one, and allow it to attack a Pawn without being attacked back by it. (The most suitable asymmetric alternative would be fhNbD.)