Stratego is a game for two that requires memory and strategic skills. The goal is to capture the opponent's flag first or all of his pieces that can move. To do this, you have to attack your opponent's pieces with yours. Each token has a different rank and some have special abilities. On your turn, you can move one of your pieces or attack one of your opponent's. Get the game, learn the rules, and you'll be ready to start a game of Stratego.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Preparation
Step 1. Prepare the board
Each Stratego set contains a 10x10 board to play on, large enough to accommodate both players' armies plus the pieces that don't move. The game map also contains two 2x2 lakes that cannot be crossed by counters and which act as barriers. Don't put any pieces in those spots when setting up the game. Also keep the two middle rows of the board empty until the game begins.
Step 2. Get to know the pieces in your army
Each Stratego box contains two armies (one red and one blue) of 33 pieces, with a rank ranging from 1 to 10 (1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest). Each set also contains six bombs and a flag, but these pieces have no rank and do not move. Only army pieces can move and attack. Each army includes:
- Step 10.: 1 Marshal
- Step 9.: 1 General
- Step 8.: 2 Colonels
- Step 7.: 3 Commanders
- Step 6.: 4 Captains
- Step 5.: 4 Lieutenants
- Step 4.: 4 Sergeants
- Step 3.: 5 Bomb Squad
- Step 2.: 8 Explorers
- Step 1.: 1 Spy
Step 3. Choose the color of your army
Since there are two armies, you and your opponent must choose which color to use before starting. If you want to leave the choice to chance, hold a piece of each color in your hand (so that the opponent can't see them), then ask the other person to pick one. The color of the chosen piece will be that of his army.
Step 4. Place the screen that hides your half of the board
Before placing your army, you must place the screen that prevents your opponent from seeing your strategy. Do not remove it until you have finished setting up your troops.
Step 5. Arrange your pieces
After placing them on the board, make sure they are facing you and not your opponent. The other player shouldn't be able to see the type of your pieces and you shouldn't be able to either. Once the army is ready, you are ready to play.
Part 2 of 3: Play
Step 1. Learn the game mechanics
On your turn, you can move or attack an opponent's piece. You cannot do both actions. If you find yourself unable to move or attack, you have lost the game and must announce defeat to your opponent.
Step 2. Move the pieces
On your turn, you can move the pieces vertically or horizontally, but not diagonally. You can only move pieces one space, except explorers, who can move any distance. For this reason, consider that moving a piece more than one space reveals to your opponent that he is an explorer and he may decide to attack him.
- Pieces cannot cross the lake or jump over other pieces. They cannot end their turn in the square occupied by another piece either.
- You cannot move a piece back and forth in the same squares for three consecutive turns.
Step 3. Attack your opponent's pieces
You can do this to reduce the size of his army and capture his flag. You can only attack pieces adjacent to the other player's pieces. If there is a space between the two pieces or they are in two diagonally adjacent squares, you cannot attack. The pieces must be adjacent horizontally or vertically.
- When attacking an opponent's piece (or vice versa), both of you must announce the rank of the piece involved. The highest-ranked piece wins the battle, while the other is removed from the board. If the two pieces have the same rank, remove them both from the game.
- Return the captured pieces to the box. This will make it easier to keep them sorted for future matches.
- Move the piece that wins the match to the space that was occupied by the defeated one.
Step 4. Consider the special attack abilities of some pieces
Some tokens have special abilities that make them capable of attacking more powerful pieces. Make sure you remember these rules while playing.
- The spy can catch the marshal if she is the one attacking. If it is attacked by the marshal, it loses the fight.
- Scouts can move and attack in the same turn. No other pawn can do this.
- Bomb squads can defuse bombs. All other pieces must be removed from the board when attacking a bomb.
Step 5. Win the game by capturing your opponent's flag or all his pieces that can move
Whoever captures the opponent's flag first wins, but you can also achieve victory by forcing the other player to no longer be able to make any moves. For example, a player loses if all of his moving pieces have been captured or blocked.
Part 3 of 3: Using the Strategy
Step 1. Protect your flag with bombs
Preventing access to the flag with bombs is a common strategy in Stratego. However, it can fail if the opponent uses a bomb squad to defuse bombs and capture the flag. If you decide not to follow this approach, be sure to defend the flag with high-ranking pieces capable of moving.
Step 2. Don't miss the blasters
Since circling the flag with bombs is a widely used strategy, bomb squads play a key role. These pieces allow you to defuse bombs and capture the opponent's flag.
Step 3. Place some explorers in the first two rows
These pieces are useful for identifying your opponent's more advanced pieces, so it's a good idea to keep some in the front rows. Since they are not of high rank, you can sacrifice a couple of them in the first few turns to try to identify your opponent's higher-value pieces.
Step 4. Leave some high-ranking pieces free
While you shouldn't have all the more powerful pieces in the front rows, it's a wise choice to keep some in an advanced position so that you can use them if necessary. Otherwise, your opponent's more powerful pieces may defeat your weaker pieces before you are able to stop them.
Step 5. Pay attention to the position of the pieces that do not move
Stratego requires good memory and attention skills, so you can remember the position of the pieces when your opponent attacks. It will also be useful to note which pieces have never been moved. Chances are they are bombs, so you could send your scouts to check or your bomb squad to defuse them.
