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        Arimaa >> Off Topic Discussion >> Elephant King Variant
        
(Message started by: MojoJojo on Dec 12^th, 2013, 12:25am)

Title: Elephant King Variant
Post by MojoJojo on Dec 12^th, 2013, 12:25am

In this Arimaa variant a rabbit can "startle" & switch places with an elephant, at the cost of a single move, even if the switch would move the rabbit backwards.

The elephant is neither being pushed nor pulled; both pieces simply circle one another at the same time thus counting as a single move.

There are three ways to win this game:
a) crossing the board with a rabbit
b) elimination of all your opponents rabbits
c) trapping/killing your opponents elephant

I came up with this variant for a few reasons:

1) I feel that there is fewer variation in the initial setup than the math suggest because everyone is going to start with most of their rabbits in the back.

2) It doesn't feel right that the elephant can camp out on any square with impunity.

3) three ways to win is more exciting than two ;D

Title: Re: Elephant King Variant
Post by supersamu on Dec 12^th, 2013, 8:44am

So I would be able to switch my elephant on the 8th rank with a rabbit on the first rank, winning the game?

Title: Re: Elephant King Variant
Post by ChrisB on Dec 12^th, 2013, 10:23am

on 12/12/13 at 08:44:03, supersamu wrote:

So I would be able to switch my elephant on the 8th rank with a rabbit on the first rank, winning the game?

One could interpret the added rule that way, although by reading the entire post, this rule only makes sense to me if it only allows a rabbit to initiate the switch against the opponent's elephant when the two pieces are adjacent.

Since the "elephant is neither pushed nor pulled", I'm also assuming that the switch could always be done, no matter how congested the board is by the rabbit and elephant.

At first thought this variation looks like an interesting and rich game, although I suspect the strategies for this game would dramatically differ from those in regular arimaa.

Title: Re: Elephant King Variant
Post by MojoJojo on Dec 12^th, 2013, 2:09pm

Sorry if I wasn't clear :o

Where a rabbit is frozen by an elephant, the rabbit can switch places with the elephant.

If a silver elephant is on e4 and a gold rabbit is on e3 then the rabbit can move to e4 while the elephant is "startled" and cirles around the rabbit to the e3 square.

The elephant does not initiate the switch; think of it as a rabbits "special move".

Notice that:
a) an elephant rush can be defended against by silver placing a pair of rabbits on row 7 (more variance in the initial setup)

You have to be more careful with your elephant because if he goes down then that is the game.

b) you can save your camel with a rabbit rush.

c) gold can put cats in the row 2 and try to lure rabbits with the elephant; since rabbits can't move backwards, it is easy for them to get into trouble if they are overly zealous (even more variance in the setup)

d) rabbit defense & attack opens up the players back row creating openings for the opponents rabbits to slip through so there is a cost involved & timing to consider.

...there is definitely more to think about...
but since Arimaa is about player creativity it shouldn't pose a problem ;D

Title: Re: Elephant King Variant
Post by Arimabuff on Dec 13^th, 2013, 10:13am

I believe it would be a radically different game. So not really a variant which implies that there could be some tactical/strategic commonalities but a new game altogether.

Title: Re: Elephant King Variant
Post by MojoJojo on Dec 13^th, 2013, 2:35pm

A good way to test the rule is to play mini games:

1) 1 gold elephant on row one and 8 silver rabbits defending row 8.
Object: stop the gold elephant from getting to row 8.

2) game starts with silver camel on e7, silver rabbits on d7 & f7, & a gold elephant on e6.
Object: stop the gold elephant from trapping & killing your camel.

remember that the rabbit and elephant simply switch places as ghosts moving through one another.

With my Arimaa board, I pick up the rabbit, touch the base of the rabbit to the elephants shoulder, push the elephant onto the rabbits former square, then set the rabbit down where the elephant moved from.