Chess 1999 is the newest form of the world's oldest war board game.  It is designed to simulate the modern strategic battlefield, rather than the medieval one.  The game pieces represent today's weapons and are empowered and handicapped accordingly.  As with traditional chess, strategy and attention to detail are the way to win.

 

Movement

Each player takes one move in turn.  The younger player always takes blue and moves first.

All play takes place with pieces sitting on line intersections. No piece may jump any other piece unless stated otherwise below.  Pieces may take opponent's pieces only when encountered at the end their movements.  See special rules for movement within command posts (CPs).  The CP is the rectangular box colored in either red or blue at each end of the playing board.
 
 

Infantry battalions (pawns) move one space forward or sideways, but not back, always following lines.

APCs move one or two spaces forward, backwards or sideways, always following lines

 

The General moves one space at a time, following the lines in his command post (CP).  The general must remain within the confines of the CP.

Guards move in the same manner as the general and may not leave their post in the CP.

 

Jets move an unlimited number of spaces forward, backward, or sideways, as a rook does in western chess.

 

MRLs move three spaces diagonally and one or two spaces straight forward or sideways in relation to the direction of their diagonal movement.  MRLs may not traverse the same square twice in one move.  In other words, an MRL may not double back on its own path when making a turn.  MRLs may jump one piece but do not have to.

Howitzers must jump one and only one piece.  A howitzer may not take another howitzer or jump over another howitzer.  This piece may move forward, backwards, or sideways.

Tanks move one space forward, backward, or sideways, followed by one space diagonally, or one space diagonally followed by one space forward, backward, or sideways.  Tanks, like MRLs, may not traverse the same square twice in one move.  In other words a tank may not double back on its own path when making a turn.

Infantry capture rule:  A piece captured by an infantry piece (infantry battalion, APC, or guard) or by a general may be reused during any turn as a special forces drop by the capturing player.   A player may use his turn to drop a piece.  The captured piece may be dropped on any open space on the board.  When dropping a piece turn it over to indicate that it has switched sides.
 A player may not drop and move a piece during the same turn.  If the captured piece is an infantry battalion or APC it may not be dropped on the furthest most line on your opponent's side.  If a previously dropped piece is recaptured it is considered destroyed and may not be reused.

Promotions:  Infantry battalions reaching the last line on your opponent's side are promoted to APCs.  APCs reaching the last line on your opponent's side may be promoted to either attack helicopter, tank, or MRL.  Once an infantry battalion has been promoted to APC, it may not be promoted again.

Checkmate: Any time a piece is moved into a position where it may take the opposing general in the next move, the player moving the piece must call out "checkmate".  It is the burden of the general in checkmate to prove that he can get out of checkmate.  The game is over when a general is trapped into a space where he cannot move out of checkmate or be protected from capture in one move.

Diagonal lines in CP:  These lines may be traveled on as if they were purely vertical or horizontal, provided that a straight moving piece does not turn in its path, and that turning pieces turn at the appropriate spot, but not necessarily at the normal angle. Click here for illustration.