Chess Variant 6 - Cruise Pawns, by Terry H Jones

CHESS VARIANT 6 - CRUISE PAWNS
by Terry H Jones

"Queen targeted and locked on, sir!"

General
- Pawns are converted to cruise missile platforms - Cruise Pawns.
Rule
1. Except as described here, Cruise Pawns move, capture and behave as regular FIDE pawns.
2. Any time after a pawn has made it's initial move, the owning player may declare that the carrier has fired it's missile.
3. The launching pawn does not move during it's turn prior to firing.
4. A launched pawn may move from zero (0) to seven (7) spaces in any direction or combination of directions with the following limitations.
  - Each square must be specified since there are limits on turning, some squares are impassible, etc.
  - It may not move through an enemy occupied square.
  - It may move through but not end a move in a friendly occupied square.
  - It may not end the move in an unoccupied square.
  - Unless it moves zero (0) spaces, it must end the move in a square occupied by an enemy piece of any rank.
  - Each square entered must be in a straight line from the immediately previous square through the current square, to one square to each side. In other words, a Cruise Pawn may only turn one square to either side for each square ahead it moves. (It ain't just "any direction or combination of directions!")
5. Each square entered by the Cruise Pawn, except it's starting and ending squares, leave it open to being shot down.
  - As it enters each square en route to it's target, if the defending player has a way of attacking the pawn, and wishes to do so, he may take the pawn while it is still en route.
  - Cruise Pawns taken en route do not detonate or destroy the piece that captures them.
  - The defender may not shoot down a Cruise Pawn if the "shoot-down" move is illegal, exposes the defending King to check, etc.
6. Upon entering an enemy occupied square, a Cruise Pawn detonates, destroying (capturing) the opposing piece and itself.
7. Firing a missile uses and completes a player's turn; no other moves, captures, etc. may be made.
8. Cruise Pawns may not fire from their starting space.
9. Missiles may detonate in their own square (move zero squares). The owning player does not capture anything, but he does lose the pawn.
Commentary
- Launching a Cruise Pawn is a suicide mission for the pawn, but most players will sacrifice pawns for material or position, and this lets the owning player better control where such a sacrifice occurs.
- A launched pawn can move up to seven (7) squares because that's would be a straight line from any point on a board to the farthest edge.
- Having a pawn self-immolate without moving could be a way to reveal check, expose a trap, clear an escape route, etc.
- Except for a self-immolation, a Cruise Pawn may not attack a friendly piece. A missile launcher crew will indeed rig the platform to explode and then abandon it, but they won't attack their own.
- Note that the Cruise Pawn's move is not a single, smooth movement like that of a Queen. It's open to attack all along it's route.
Optional
- Cruise Pawns may not attack opposing Kings. Unrealistic, but a flock of these things could seriously unbalanced things on the board. Just like in the real world.

Fin