So this is not a deathmatch, stale mate can exist.
Since the players cannot see where the opponent is placing the pieces on the board, what kind of strategies do you project the players would use when placing the bids on the tiles?
Suppose you have K B N R and the enemy has Q N N R
(bid values not shown, assume that all the bid values are the same and player 1 will attack first. arrange your pieces intelligently to get the most kills, without knowing exactly how the enemy will the pieces.)
+---------+| . . . . || . . . . || . . . . || . . . . |+---------+
How would you go about placing your pieces?
Some thoughts:
It seems undesirable that the board is symmetrical: not only you have to guess the pattern, but also the orientation of the enemy's placement. How about the players take turn to bid on the tiles, and after the tiles are bid, the players can then place the pieces?
Actually, instead of bidding, just have them take turn claim a tile. While doing this, you would have an idea of what strategy your opponent is attempting, and you can defend against the strategies. There seems to be more interactions this way.
For example, after the two had already claimed the tiles, but before placing the pieces:
+---------+4| . 1 . . | Player 1 is you. You have K, B, N, R3| . 1 . 2 | Player 2 is the enemy with q, n, n, r2| . 1 2 . |1| . 2 2 1 | +---------+ a b c d
Now it looks possible that the enemy is going to put the Q at c2, and R at b1. The enemy's Q can target three of your positions, the R can target all four of your pieces, the knights can target 2 pieces and 1 piece respectively.
For your pieces, d1 can only be attacked by a queen d2 and a rook at b1. However, as long as the knight at C1 does not die, the rook cannot attack your d1. Your most vulnerable positions are b2 and and b3, where both are targeted by three enemies. However, if you can kill the enemy queen and rook, your rook at d1 will guarantee victory. But is that likely to happen?
Since you are player 1, you will attack first. Thoughts:
+---------+ +---------+4| . N . . | 4| . N . . | 3| . B . n | 3| . R . n | 2| . K q . | 2| . K q . | 1| . r n R | 1| . r n B | +---------+ +---------+ a b c d a b c d placement 1 placement 2
which configuraion is better?
For placement 1: K x r K x q K x n1 N x n3q x R r x K q x R r x KK x n1 R x n3 K x r B x qn x N r x B q x K r x BK x q R x n1 N x n R x nn x K r x R r x B r x RDraw r x N r x N r x N Lose Lose Loseplacement 2:K x n1 K x q K x r N x n3q x K r x K q x B r x KR x r R x r N x n R x rq x R n x N q x K q x BN x n3 R x n N x q N x qq x B n x R n x R n x RN x q Draw Draw DrawWin
Do the rules seem manageable for a strategy game?
