Draughtnauts

Draughtnauts is a two-player abstract strategy game inspired by checkers, played on an 8x8 board with 3D-printed figures. It is set in an original science-fiction universe where mech warriors called Draughtnauts compete in the Tournament of Champions.

Each player has four pieces: one Champion and three Drones. The Champion starts on the center-right space of the first row. Drones may be placed on any playable space in the player's first two rows, so setups vary from game to game.

Drones move one space diagonally forward. The Champion takes two actions in a turn if its first action is forward (move then move, move then jump, or jump then move), but only one action if it starts by moving backward. Pieces never turn around at the far edge. Captures are made by jumping an adjacent enemy piece into the open space beyond. Jumping is mandatory, and chains of jumps are allowed. Each player has three Crowns per game. A Drone that reaches the opponent's back row gains a Crown and can then move forward or backward. A crowned piece that is captured loses its Crown and returns to an open space on its owner's first row. Crowns cannot be reused.

A player wins by capturing the opposing Champion. A player who cannot make a legal move on their turn loses.

Additional Bases and Champions are released in collectible waves, and any two compatible sets can be combined for a match.

—description from the designer