Payload (v2) is a strategy game where you have to get your payload (P) to the enemy side during a war. Who knows what it is; it could be explosives or spy equipment. Using the pieces at your disposal you have the opportunity to defeat your enemy and reign supreme. Key Terminology: Take - Being able to take enemy pieces / destroy them. Claim - Being able to claim cells. Using the keyboard 0-3 you can colour cells. 0 - White. 1 - Red. 2 - Blue. 3 - Scorched (paths Ballistae were sent down). P - Payload - 2 Points Moves 1 tile in any direction. Are immortal on cells claimed by their team and cannot be taken. Cannot take, cannot claim. S - Spearman - 5 Points Moves 1 tile in any direction OR can take 2 spaces NESW (will move to the piece it takes) OR can claim a cell (uses entire turn). Defensive units. C - Knights - 5 Points Moves 1 tile in any direction and can take (meaning it can move onto a tile with an enemy and take it (not protected Payloads)). Or can jump over any nearby piece no matter the team, and move 2 or 3 tiles in that direction and can take. V - Ballista - 5 Points When in Idle mode it can move horizontally by 4 tiles left or right. When fired instantly propel forward 3 spaces, taking any piece regardless of team in its way. Next turn completes the fire the rest of the collum, taking anything in its way. Can take a maximum of 2 pieces. L - Leader - 8 Points The core of the early game. Can move 1 in any direction and can take, like the Knight. However, any tile that it moves onto gets claimed. Useful to carve a path early for your Payloads. Q - Queen - 11 Points Can move and take 1 in any direction. Can move onto a space with a Ballista, and they swap when they do. The only piece that can take protected Payloads. As a last resort the Queen is also eligible for the Payload win condition (getting it to the other side wins the game). However, if the Queen is taken, the game is instantly lost.
Setup: ==SPLPS== =C=PPP=C= ===VQV=== And flip for the other side. Strategy: Early Game Standard Opening 1: Use your Leader to progress as deep as you can into enemy territory. Always stay diagonal to Spearmen, making it extremely hard to take the Leader. Standard Opening 2: Advance your Knights (or Spearmen) to the frontlines to prevent the enemy Leader from progressing and to get a good offense. Mid Game: Possibility 1: Progress your Payloads on protected cells. Possibility 2: Take as many enemy Payloads as possible, advance your offense. Possibility 3: Fire Ballistae to take enemy offense or to force open pathways. Finally, if the enemy Queen prevents your Payload from making it to the other side, you can protect it using Spearmen or Knights. If the Queen takes the Payload, it can be taken by your offense, letting you win. Victories: Payload Victory - Getting a payload to the enemy side. Queen's Victory - Getting the Queen to the enemy side. Victory via Regicide - Winning through the enemy Queen's demise. Stalemate - Neither team can win anymore.
