Cyvasse: The Iron Throne

Cyvasse is a game from Old Volantis oft mentioned in the book series A Song of Ice and Fire. Played by lords, ladies, and commoners in the east. It has developed quite a following and has been used for everything from a good wager to teaching wisdom to the young.

The board consists of an 8 by 8 play area with 64 tiles in total. Each half, referred to as a homeland, is an area of 8 by 4 and is separated at the start of the game by a screen providing sufficient cover so as each player cannot see the other’s homeland. During this phase each receives their tiles and may construct their homeland by placing tiles according the each of the tile’s attributes and considerations as defined below. After the tiles are arranged, players then place their pieces. Once both players have agreed that they are finished the screen is removed and play commences.

Tiles:

- Mountains: This tile is impassable to all units except Dragons. Ranged units may attack Dragons that are on mountain tiles but they cannot attack through one (except trebuchet). Players may not have more than two contiguous mountains. This prevents mountains from being built into impassible walls.

- Waters: This tile stops a unit’s movement once they enter it. That unit can not be moved next turn and must wait until that turn is passed before it moves again. Trebuchets, Catapults, Crossbowmen can not attack while they are in this tile.

- Forest: A forest tile diminishes a unit’s maximum range by one upon entering it.

- Grass does not hinder or improve any unit’s abilities.

- Fortress is a tile that provides an occupying unit salvation. A unit can only attack an occupied fortress if it is capable of capturing the unit inside. If a unit is occupying a fortress and is attacked and would normally be taken, it is instead left in play and the fortress is ‘ruined’ in it’s stead and the attacking unit is placed on the last tile in it’s path to the fortress. A ruined fortress cannot be used again in this manner. Unoccupied fortress tiles can be occupied by any unit.


The Units:

- Rabble can move one orthogonal space at a time.

- Spearmen can move one orthogonal or diagonal space at a time.

- Crossbowman can move two orthogonal or one diagonal space at a time and can attack in a two orthogonal or one diagonal block radius. Crossbowmen are capable of capturing dragons. Cannot attack through mountains and other tiles.

- Light Horse can move three diagonal spaces at a time.

- Heavy Horse can move three orthogonal spaces at a time.

- Elephant can move three orthogonal or diagonal spaces at a time.

- Catapult can move one orthogonal or diagonal space at a time and can attack in a 3 orthogonal or 2 diagonal block radius. Catapult capable of capturing dragons. Cannot attack through mountains and other tiles.

- Trebuchet can move two orthogonal or one diagonal space at a time and can attack in a 4 orthogonal or 3 diagonal block radius. Trebuchet capable of capturing dragons. Cannot attack through mountains and other tiles.

- Dragon is capable moving any number of squares vertically, horizontally, or diagonally with no penalty. It can roost on mountains, but it cannot attack units that inhabit forests.

- King can capture or be captured by any other unit. It may move one space.