The rules say: "Whenever a piece attacks the spy, it is captured..." My kids think it means whatever piece, but I think it's the spy. What say you? There would be no need for a "but" in the next phrase outlining that the spy can capture a marshall.
Posted by Lissande (Member # 350) on :
We always played that any piece captured a spy, except the marshall, like you said. I haven't thought about that game in years...
Posted by dantesparadigm (Member # 8756) on :
Any piece will capture the spy, and the spy only captures the marshal if the spy attacks the marshal first. If the marshal blunders into the spy, the marshal captures the spy.
I've avoided the use of pronouns to eliminate ambiguity.
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
Obviously, I've never played it.
Posted by Alcon (Member # 6645) on :
The way we always play:
- Any time the spy attacks it wins. - Any time the spy is attacked, it loses.
Posted by King of Men (Member # 6684) on :
The spy loses any battle unless it is attacking the marshal. (If you are playing with "Attacker wins draws", the spy also wins if it attacks another spy.)
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
quote:If the Spy attacks an officer, but it is not the Marshal, does the Spy die?
I have a question regarding the Spy. Can the Spy attack and capture pieces on the board other than the Marshal? For example, if my Spy attacks a General, who wins, the Spy or the General?
Is the Spy the only piece capable of defeating the Marshal?
Can the Spy defeat any piece other than a Marshal?
What are the rules for the Spy? Can any piece kill them including a Scout? Can a Spy kill any piece?
It really amazes me that I get asked this question so frequently, because the rules (to me) are very clear!
I'll answer this here, one more time.
*
If ANY officer ever attacks the Spy, the Spy is defeated. *
If the Spy attacks ANY officer (except the Marshal) the Spy is defeated.
The only time the Spy EVER wins a battle is if the Spy attacks the Marshal. If this happens the Spy is the winner and the Marshal dies.
Still not clear? Okay, I'll rephrase it. The Spy is the lowest ranking piece. Every time an enemy officer strikes it, the Spy dies. Every time the Spy strikes an enemy officer, the Spy dies... unless this officer is the Marshal. If this happens, the Spy wins.
And yes, if one Spy attacks another Spy, both die.
Note: The Spy can capture the enemy Flag.
Posted by Alcon (Member # 6645) on :
Huh, that makes the spy downright useless. I think I'll keep playing the way I always have. It's much more interesting to have a piece that always wins when attacking and always loses when attacked. Having a piece that can only kill one other piece is boring and makes the spy impossible to use.
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
No, that makes the spy strategic. You have to situate him in a location that makes the Marshal come to him (which actually isn't that hard). The way you play makes him far too powerful; I would have no problem making nigh-impenetrable defenses given a spy that could kill anyone on attack.
Posted by dantesparadigm (Member # 8756) on :
Agreed, having the spy's only ability be defeating the Marshal makes its use much more strategic, you get to spring fancy traps after luring out your opponents marshal, and it gives the game a nice kind of rock paper scissors balance.
Posted by prolixshore (Member # 4496) on :
I have always played the way Alcon does, but I can see the attraction of playing this way as well. Though I haven't actually played stratego since high school.
Now I am in the mood. Thanks.
--ApostleRadio
Posted by Eduardo St. Elmo (Member # 9566) on :
I've always understood the rules as Dagonee listed them, and will continue playing Stratego in that way. I am, however, not unknown to the fact that the rules inside the lid can be so poorly worded that they can be interpreted in several ways. How many of you have tried playing Stratego Legends? You'll go friggin' nuts trying to decide what exactly constitutes the 'Flying' and 'Jumping' movements. Let alone the power-ups some pieces get when they're standing on certain terrain types or in the vicinity of certain other pieces. Ah well, I'm just saying that if you don't reach some agreement on the rules it is likely that the battle will move outside the borders of the board. And we don't want that, now do we?