Das Krieges-Spiel (1817)

Full title was "Das Krieges-Spiel, oder Versuch, dem Kampf zweier gegeneinander Krieg fuhrenden Armeen in einem Brett-Spiele nachzuahmen". The game is played on a hexagon-shaped board divided into triangular areas, divided down the center by a border river. Two players each set up 52 different circular paper markers representing different military units and officers. Different types of units can move and fire in different patterns around them. Each turn a player can move or attack with up to five units and five officers. Combat is deterministic based on the combat power of different units in close combat or when firing at enemy units at a distance. If one side is strong enough in a battle an attacked unit can be either eliminated or captured. If an attack is not strong enough the difference in combat power is recorded, per unit type, so that the next battle against a unit of the same time becomes easier. The remaining strength of individual units are not tracked, only an abstract counter per type of unit. Units in a player's capital city, located at two opposite sides of the board, can be covered and moved without revealing its type to the other player, providing some fog of war and introducing some uncertainty into the otherwise deterministic combats. Each player is allowed to have 10 covered units or officers. A player wins by eliminating the highest ranked officer of the other player, the king. —user summmary