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Man and Beast 13: Straight and Crooked Moving

MAB 09: Mighty Like a Rose covers Curved, Crooked, and Bent pieces, including compounds of Curved with Curved, Crooked with Crooked, and Bent with Bent, but not compounds with Straight pieces or between pieces which are non-Straight in two different ways. This article covers such compounds, but also pieces which are non-Straight in more complex ways first. No piece considered here is available on a pentagonal board or, unless specified, meaningfully on a pentagonal-prism one.

The acknowledgments, overview, and glossary to the series can be found here. Established pieces have a link to their Piececlopedia page. The images used in this series, and indeed in most of my pages, can be found here.

Pieces

More complex non-Straight moves can be Sissoid, making a single turn between equal numbers of steps; Ricochet, turning at the piece which they Hop; Corkscrew, cycling between three or more Straight moves rather than just two; or Double-Bent, turning at both first and last intermediate cell rather than just one or the other.

The SISSA moves as a Queen but with a 45° or 135° turn after half the steps. It has the MAB 08 Marshrider's destinations. Modelled on this, Sissoid pieces make equal numbers of steps (or leaps) before and after a single turn, with only the corresponding Crooked piece's even destinations - Nightrider ones for the SISSOID RHINO (which has only the 45° turn), Bishop ones for the SISSOID GIRLSCOUT and SISSOID [SHORT]NIGHTSIDLER, Dabbarider ones for the SISSOID BOYSCOUT and SISSOID [SHORT]NIGHTFLYER, and Camelrider ones gor the SISSOID ALPACA and SISSOID NIGHTDUELLER. Sissoid Longnight- pieces are more severely bound. Cubic boards add Sissoid forms of the Tapir, Navvy, Thug, Churchgoer, Gangster, Puck, Dwarf, et cetera

Ricochet pieces may be Hoppered, Canonised, or Beatified as defined in MAB 06: The Heavy Brigade. In the first case they turn on every move, in the other two only on moves involving a Hop. The RICOCHET CANNON moves orthogonally to the piece being Hopped, and then along a different orthogonal to its destination. Likewise the RICOCHET ARROW with standard, and RICOCHET SLING with nonstandard, diagonals. 3d geometries have no restriction as to what angle they can turn, save that it is more than 0° and less than 180°. The RICOCHET TANK cannot switch between orthogonal and diagonal within one move. Likewise RICOCHET CANNONADE and RICOCHET ARBALEST with their two kinds of direction. Pieces which can but need not are GRAND-RICOCHET and pieces which must are CONTRARICOCHET.

Corkscrew pieces' Cycle Length (CL), the number of Straight moves interwoven, is typically 3, 4, or 6. Replacing the Crooked ones' Even Move Direction is a Cyclic Move Direction (CMD) - the direction of every CLth move. Pieces can share a CL and CMD, but differ in turning angle. Names are themed on multiple births. Cubic pieces with a CL of 3 and nonstandard-diagonal (ND) CMD include the 90° GIRLTRIPLET, the only Corkscrew Rook; the 60° BOYTRIPLET, a Corkscrew Bishop; and more obviously-named oblique ones the 66° NIGHTTRIPLET, 72° CAMELTRIPLET, 63° ZEBRATRIPLET et cetera. These follow the sequence +m:+n:0, +n:0:+m, 0:+m:+n. Cubic-board ones with a CL of 4 and orthogonal CMD include the 60° BOYQUADRUPLET, another Corkscrew Bishop; the 35° RANGEQUADRUPLET, a Corkscrew Unicorn; and another oblique lot in the form of the 37° LONG-/78° SHORT-NIGHTQUADRUPLET, 26° LONG-/84° SHORT-CAMELQUADRUPLET et cetera. The Long sequence is +m:+n:0, +m:0:+n, +m:-n:0, +m:0:-n and the Short one +m:+n:0, 0:+n:+m, -m:+n:0, 0:+n:-m. As usual Long- plus Short- equals unprefixed. Hex-prism ones with interhex-orthogonal CMD include with CL 3 the 76° BOYTRIPLET, 45° LONG-/102° SHORT-NIGHTTRIPLET, 32° LONG/-110° SHORT-CAMELTRIPLET et cetera, and with a CL 6 the 41° BOYSEXTUPLET, 26° LONG-/53° SHORT-NIGHTSEXTUPLET, 18° LONG/-57° SHORT-CAMELSEXTUPLET et cetera. Pieces with twice the leap length such as the DABBATRIPLET, ELEPHTRIPLET, CHAROTRIPLET, CRANETRIPLET, ELEPHQUADRUPLET, EUNUCQUADRUPLET, LONGCHAROQUADRUPLET, and ELEPHSEXTUPLET share the turns, CLs, and CMDs.

45° Orthogonal/SD and 35° Orthogonal/ND alternators can also be Corkscrew, with a CL of 8 and orthogonal CMD. For example the CORKSCREW RHINO alternates steps of Rook and Boyquadruplet, giving the destinations of Wazir, Knight, Camel, Nimel, Exorcist, Flamingo, Namel, Bicobbler... Likewise the CORKSCREW NAVVY alternates Rook and Rangequadruplet moves, the CORKSCREW ALPACA Dabbarider and Boyquadruplet ones, the CORKSCREW DWARF Dabbarider and Rangequadruplet ones, the CORKSCREW QUAGGA Rook and Elephquadruplet ones, et cetera.

Tim Stiles invented Double-Bent pieces. The WOLF (plural WOLVES) makes two Ferz steps, two 45° turns in between that either add up to 90° or cancel out, and an optional Rook move in between those. Its destinations are Pocket+Zephyr ones but along different routes, plus the Xiang Qi Elephant's by its usual move. The FOX makes the same turns between two Wazir steps, with an optional Bishop move in between. Its destinations are Bishop+Lama+Dabbaba ones. The first variant in which they appeared was 4 Linepiece Fusion.

Cubic boards add pieces replacing the first and last steps with Viceroy ones, and I extrapolate Mr. Stiles' canine names. The JACKAL (as used in the Armies of Faith 1 Egyptian army) has Viceroy steps, 55° turns, an optional Rook move, and Pocket+Aviator+Eunuch destinations; the HYENA has Viceroy steps, 35° turns, an optional Bishop move, and Picket+Theologian+Eunuch destinations. On hex boards the Jackal has 30° instead of 55° turns, along with a COYOTE with the same turns between two Wazir steps and an optional Unicorn move. On hex-prism boards the Hyena has 52° instead of 35° turns, along with a DINGO with the same turns between two Ferz steps and an optional Unicorn move. Compounds are Wolf+Fox=WEREWOLF, Wolf+Jackal=ROOKDOG, Wolf+Dingo=BRERWOLF, Fox+Hyena=BISHODOG, Fox+Coyote=BRERFOX, Jackal+Coyote=WEREJACKAL, Jackal+Hyena=BRERJACKAL, Hyena+Dingo=WEREHYENA, Coyote+Dingo=UNICODOG. Prefixed wolves inherit the plural. As well as being compounded they can be split into components: samewise ones, shortened to SAM-, whose turns add to give Straight-piece destinations, and contrariwise ones, shortened to CON-, whose turns cancel out to give Bent-piece ones. Thus the SAMWOLF and SAMJACKAL have Pocket destinations, the CONWOLF Zephyr and Elephant ones, the SAMFOX Bishop ones, the CONFOX Lama and Dabbaba ones, et cetera. Cubic geometry adds a SKEWWOLF whose 45° turns neither add nor cancel but combine to a 60° turn, giving Simurgh destinations, and a SKEWJACKAL whose 55° turns combine to a 70° turn, giving Zephyr and Elephant ones. Combining Samewise, Contrariwise, and Skew gives Maximum, abbreviated to MAX-, thus Wolf+Skewwolf=MAXWOLF and Jackal+Skewjackal=MAXJACKAL. Conversely xyrixa boards have a SKEWFOX whose 45° turns neither add nor cancel but combine to a 60° turn, with Fox+Skewfox=MAXFOX.

The Wolf and Fox are available on pentagonal-prism boards, but only in a primarily vertical direction and never more than one column per move.

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Straight+Curved pieces have further suffixes and prefixes.

Straight and Curved riders of the same stepper or leaper add -rider to the Curved piece. On square boards Nightrider+Rose=ROSERIDER, Camelrider+Macel=MACELRIDER, Zebrarider+Bezra=BEZRARIDER. On cubic ones Bishop+Apostle=APOSTRIDER, Sextorider+Xeston=XESTORIDER. On hex ones Rook+Finch=FINCHRIDER, Unicorn+Rabbi=RABBIRIDER. These compound through to Gnurider+Ung=Roserider+Macelrider=UNGRIDER, Gazelrider+Zagelle=Roserider+Bezrarider=ZAGELRIDER, Cardirider+Racdinal=Apostrider+Roserider=RACDIRIDER, Duchess+Cohen=Finchrider+Rabbirider=COHENRIDER, Canvarider+Nacvasser=Finchrider+Macelrider=NACVARIDER. Either component of a mixed-range Straight radial piece can be replaced by the corresponding Curved piece, the suffix -RANGER when replacing the short component and the suffix -WARBLER the long one. Cubic Rook/Unicorn/Duchess/Wazir/Viceroy/Duke compounds with the Apostle are CHATERANGER, HERETRANGER, DOWAGRANGER, PRIMAWARBLER, MODERWARBLER, and POPEWARBLER. Those with the Flail are INFANRANGER, BEHEMRANGER, CELESRANGER, WAFFLWARBLER, and WILFUWARBLER. On all hex boards Rook+Rabbi=VICERRANGER, Rook+Nueuch=CONCURANGER, Wazir+Rabbi=BESIEWARBLER, Wazir+Nueuch=WAZZOWARBLER, Unicorn+Finch=BESIERANGER, Unicorn+Badbaba=CYCLORANGER, Viceroy+Finch=VICERWARBLER, and Viceroy+Badbaba=VICBAWARBLER. On 3d hex boards Finch compounds include the PRIMARANGER/REGENRANGER/CHATEWARBLER/BARONWARBLER, Rabbi ones the MODERRANGER/DIARCRANGER/HERETWARBLER/USURPWARBLER, Badbaba ones the INQUIRANGER/MECHARANGER/FEZBAWARBLER, and Nueuch ones the MUTILRANGER/TRIARRANGER/FEZZOWARBLER. Bishop+Cohen=POPERANGER and Ferz+Cohen=DOWAGWARBLER. Here are the movement diagrams for the Roserider, Marshranger, Cardiranger, and Aceranger on square-cell boards; and the Finchrider, Vicerranger, Besieranger, and Rabbirider on a hex one:



Among part-symmetric pieces cubic boards have Apostle+Point=SILVERAPOSTLE and Apostle+Saltire=STEELAPOSTLE, all hex boards Finch+Saltire=BRASSFINCH and Rabbi+Point=AZURERABBI, and 3d hex boards Finch+Cross=GOLDFINCH and Rabbi+Cross=JADERABBI. The likes of Nightru are too cumbersome to suffix, so for oblique compounds I use two flower names starting with Ca-,. Nightrider+Macel=CARNATION and Camelrider+Rose=CAMPION, in the Gnu-based case and extrapolate to the likes of Zebrarider+Mezel=ZERNATION and Zemelrider+Bezra=ZEMPION. If one component is simple and one compound, the Curved one becomes the suffix. Nightrider+Ung=NIGHTUNG and Gnurider+Macel=GNUMACEL give the general idea.

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Names for Straight+Crooked pieces also use further suffixes.

Straight and 90° Crooked riders of one stepper or leaper, or of a pair of duals, prefix the Straight piece with Girl- for the non-colourbound Crooked piece, Boy- for the colourbound one. This idea began with Rook+Girlscout=GIRLROOK, Rook+Boyscout=BOYROOK, Bishop+Girlscout=GIRLBISHOP, Bishop+Boyscout=BOYBISHOP. To this I added the suffix -scout for the compound Crooked piece to give Rook+Doublescout=ROOKSCOUT, Bishop+Doublescout=BISHOSCOUT, Queen+Girlscout=GIRLQUEEN, Queen+Boyscout=BOYQUEEN, and Queen+Doublescout=QUEENSCOUT.

Pieces in pairs of oblique directions follow the pattern of the first four. This gives Nightrider+Nightdueller=GIRLNIGHTRIDER, Nightrider+Cameldueller=BOYNIGHTRIDER, Camelrider+Nightdueller=GIRLCAMELRIDER, Camelrider+Cameldueller=BOYCAMELRIDER. The second group give Nightrider+Gnudueller=NIGHTSCOUT, Cameleider+Gnudueller=CAMELSCOUT, Gnurider+Nightdueller=GIRLGNURIDER, Gnurider+Cameldueller=BOYGNURIDER, Gnurider+Gnudueller=GNUSCOUT. The last give Nightdueller+Camel=GIRLCAMEL, Cameldueller+Knight=BOYKNIGHT, Nightru+Nightdueller=GIRLNIGHTRU, Camelru+Cameldueller=BOYCAMELRU. Other directions extrapolate names in the usual way.

Straight and orthogonal-EMD or diagonal-EMD Crooked riders of one stepper or leaper change suffix: Nightrider+Nightflyer=NIGHTOFFICER, Nightrider+Nightsidler=NIGHTPRELATE, Nightrider+Nightlady=NIGHTEXPERT. This extrapolates to other oblique directions, Long-and Short- prefixes, and compounds: Camelrider+Camelflyer=CAMELOFFICER, Zebrarider+Longzebrasidler=LONGZEBRAPRELATE, Girafrider+Shortgiraflady=SHORTGIRAFEXPERT, Gnurider+Longgnuflyer=LONGGNUOFFICER, Gazelrider+Shortgazelsidler=SHORTGAZELPRELATE, Bisonrider+Bisonlady=BISONEXPERT. The suffixes of course echo Marshal, Cardinal, and Ace. Suffixes along similar lines for compounds with cubic and hex Crooked riders include -rider+-hexer=-RACER (including the orthogonal GIRLRACER, SD BOYRACER, ND RANGERACER, and their Long-/Short- components) -rider+-cuber=-CLUBBER (punning on NIGHTCLUBBER), -rider+-turner=-GROUPER, -rider+-angler = -TRAWLER (a larger-scale fisherman). Here are the movement diagrams for the Nightofficer and Nightprelate:

If the Crooked component alternates two kinds of radial, or a pair of dual oblique directions, I prefix with WOMAN- if the Straight piece is in the shorter-range direction, MAN- if in the longer-range, PAIR- for both. Thus Rook+Rhino=WOMANRHINO, Bishop+Rhino=MANRHINO, Rook+Navvy=WOMANNAVVY, Unicorn+Navvy=MANNAVVY, Bishop+Thug=WOMANTHUG, Unicorn+Thug=MANTHUG, Nightrider+Hippopotamus=WOMANHIPPOPOTAMUS, Camelrider+Hippopotamus=MANHIPPOPOTAMUS. Woman- and Man- combine with an existing Side- prefix into MATRI- and PATRI- in reference to inheriting things on the "mother's side" or "father's side", and with an existing Corner- prefix into SORORI- and FRATRI- combining the ideas of sibling rivalry and opposite corners in e.g. boxing. As this exhausts relatives giving Latin prefixes easily distinguished by sex I turn to spouses to combine Woman- and Man- with an existing Angle- prefix to give UXORI- and MARITI-. CONTRA-, MIRROR, and DOUBLE precede the prefix. Rook+Mao is a CHINESE-STYLE MARSHAL, Mao+Xiang a CHINESE-STYLE KANGAROO. Cannon+Mao and Arrow+Mao are Chinese-style - or Korean-style if the radial component is Hopping for noncapturing as well as capturing moves - versions of the MARKSMAN and CAREERIST. Daniil Frolov's Korean Carrera uses pieces of this kind.

A LEMURIAN compound of two simple pieces can make the move of either component of the standard compound but can also make both moves successively in one move of its own, in either order and optionally turning by any angle in between, but with the first noncapturing. The Bent Hero and Bent Shaman of the variant in the link are a LEMURIAN WAZBABA and LEMURIAN FEARFUL respectively but Lemurian compounds can also mix directions. The LEMURIAN PRINCE moves as a Prince or stepping Squirrel. A GRAND-LEMURIAN piece differs in that it can also move as the same component twice in one move of its own.

Planetary Shogi pieces have the common feature of a FO first stage, required for some pieces and optional for others, and a required symmetric second. The latter is a Wazir move for most Planetary Shogi pieces. The variant's commonest piece the ASTEROID, preceding this with a required Dabchick leap, has 4 destinations; the COMET with a required Poker move (2 or more steps like a Wing) has a large but dwindling number; the MERCURY with an optional Hump (FO Camel) leap has 11; and Wazir+Asteroid=VENUS with an optional Dabchick leap has 7. This makes the Asteroid, Venus, and Mercury colourswitching. The Venus' diagonal counterpart the MARS makes a Ferz move preceded by an optional Tusk (FO leaping Elephant) leap. It is colourbound, but its two forward directions give it 10 destinations. Further pieces of this kind are easily devised. Combining the Mars and Venus gives a 17-destination EARTH, reflecting the planets' relative volumes/masses. Swapping their stages gives the colourswitching EROS (Wazir preceded by optional Tusk, 12 destinations in a heart-shaped pattern) and colourbound ANTEROS (Ferz preceded by optional Dabchick, 6 destinations). Diagonal Asteroid and Comet counterparts are BILOBAR after a particular shape of asteroid resulting from a gentle collision of two smaller objects, making Mars Ferz+Bilobar, and METEOR after cometary fragments diverging from where they enter our atmosphere. The piece on root-3 diagonals (cubic or hex) corresponding to the Mars and Venus is a VULCAN after the hypothetical planet once believed to orbit nearer the Sun than Mercury. Such geometries give the others further destinations.

UBIQUITOUS pieces can make any turn at any stage of a move. This term derives from the UBI-UBI or UBIQUITOUS NIGHTRIDER, which makes any number of Knight leaps until it captures or reaches a desired empty square. The UBIQUITOUS ROOK, doing the same with Wazir steps, cannot cross a file or rank filled with pieces. The UBIQUITOUS BISHOP and UBIQUITOUS CAMELRIDER, and on hex boards the UBIQUITOUS UNICORN, retain their Straight counterparts' bindings. Ubiquitous pieces are probably too strong for 3d use.

These pieces are available on pentagonal-prism boards only where both or all components are.

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Straight+Bent compounds hint at either stronger versions, or collections, of one or more components.

Ralph Betza's Tripunch Chess introduces Rook+Gryphon, Bishop+Anchorite, and the compound of all four under the names REAPER (which can be seen as a monster in the form of the Grim Reaper), HARVESTER, and COMBINE. The first two combine a Straight piece with a Bent one whose long stage is in the same direction, and others can easily be extrapolated. The square board has Rook+Zephyr=ARMADA (something fortified which the wind mobilised), and Bishop+Lama=LAMASERY. 3d boards add Rook+Simurgh=HARPY (plural HARPIES, a female monster), Rook+Aviator=SQUADRON, Bishop+Celebrant=EPICURE, Bishop+Theologian=SEMINARY, Unicorn+Farrier=GUNSMITH, Unicorn+Pony=HOBBIT (an imaginary rider, even in adulthood, of ponies), Unicorn+Nag=MANTICORE (a horned monster), Unicorn+Pathfinder=POSTHORN. Hex 2d boards share the Harpy, Squadron, Gunsmith, and Hobbit. For the Harvester and Epicure the Bishop's binding and Bent component's switching cancel out. The Lamasery and Seminary retain their components' bindings; likewise the Hobbit (cubic or hex) and Posthorn. Straight pieces also have compounds with the Bent one whose short stage is in the same direction. Thus Rook+Anchorite=ANCRESS (a female anchorite) and Bishop+Gryphon=METROPOLITAN (a rank in many episcopal churches), giving Combine a third definition as Ancress+Metropolitan. Others are Rook+Farrier=FARRIERESS, Bishop+Nag=PATRIARCH, Unicorn+Simurgh=COSMOPOLITAN (mixing different cultures' monsters), Unicorn+Celebrant=GODFATHER. Here are the movement diagrams for the Reaper, Ancress, Metropolitan, Harvester, and Combine:

For multiple compounds like the Combine I mix female monsters such as Queen+Termagant=Harpy+Epicure=Harpy+Godfather=LAMIA and Duchess+Hippogryph=Reaper+Patriarch=FURY with powerful agent nouns such as Queen+Fulmar=Armada+Lamasery=FLEET, Duchess+Mechanic=Harpy+Gunsmith=Farrieress+Cosmopolitan=CLEARER, Duchess+Pegasus=Squadron+Hobbit=RUNWAY, Governor+Ostler=Harvester+Gunsmith=RELIEVER, Governor+Highhorse=Lamasery+Hobbit=ENFORCER, Governor+Laypreacher=Epicure+Manticore=Godfathre+Patriarch=PLAGUER. MAB 09's FIMBRIATED prefix adds to Reaper Zephyr, to Harpy Aviator, to Harvester Lama, to Epicure Theologian, to Squadron Seminary, to Combine Fulmar, to Lamia Astronaut, to Gunsmith Pony, to Manticore Pathfinder, to Fury Tradewind, to Clearer Pegasus, to Reliever Highhorse, and to Plaguer Pilgrim. Other more complex pieces are Queen+Astronaut=Squadron+Seminary=SPACECRAFT, Duchess+Tradewind=Armada+Posthorn=THUNDERER, and Governor+Pilgrim=Seminary+Posthorn=SHRINE.

Combining Straight linepieces with their sacks and sheaths gives the likes of Rook+Rooksack=Reaper+Simurgh=Harpy+Gryphon=ROOKPLUS, Queen+Queensheath=QUEENPLEX, Unicorn+Unicosheath=Hobbit+Posthorn=UNICOPLEX, Governor+Goversack=Reliever+Plaguer=GOVERPLUS. The combination of all 3 simple Straight pieces and all 12 simple Bent ones is of course the FIMBRIATED EMPREPLUS. Conversely Queen+Unicosheath=Farrieress+Patriarch=MATRIARCH, Duchess+Bishosheath=Ancress+Godfather=GODMOTHER, Governor+Rooksheath=Metropolitan+Cosmopolitan=MEGALOPOLITAN. A megalopolis is a larger conurbation than a metropolis.

A curious simlarity of piece names brings me on to the Bent-Crooked pieces of Jörg Knappen's Seenschach. The HARVESTMAN moves one step as a Wazir and then any number as a Boyscout in the same general direction. Like the Anchorite and in contrast to the colourbound Boyscout, it is colourswitching. What the Boyscout and Harvestman are to the Bishop and Anchorite, their compoud the HORNET is to the Harvester. A further link to Tripunch pieces is that the Boyscout's oblique destinations are those of the Angel and its radial ones those of the Dabbarider, albeit by different routes, and the Harvestman's are those of the Nightingale and Panda. Putting together the two lots of oblique destinations gives the full Gryphon and the radial ones the full Rook, giving the Hornet the destinations of the Reaper. It seems logical for a piece moving one step as a Ferz and then any number as a Girlscout to be a REAPMAN. Unlike the Girlscout itself, which shares all its destinations plus two more, it can squeeze through a gap between two pieces adjacent to it. Likewise as MAB 09's Bruegel has the Angel's destinations the BALE, making a Wazir step followed by a Bruegel move in the same general direction, has the Nightingale's and their compound the BELLEROPHON, named after a mythical monster-killing hero, the full Gryphon's. Here is a diagram contrasting how the Reaper and Hornet move to their destination, statring with their componetns:

As Bent pieces lack symmetry, prefixed versions - CONTRA- indicating that the long-range stage precedes the short-range one and DOUBLE that either order is allowed - also have compounds with Straight ones inheriting their prefixes. Thus Rook+Contragryphon=CONTRAREAPER, Rook+Double Anchorite=DOUBLE ANCRESS. Compounds of Brook-style pieces are Brook+Csimurgh=EHARPY, Brook+Nfarrier=PFARRIERESS, Brook+Taviator=SSQUADRON, Unicorn+Csimurgh=MCOSMOPOLITAN, Unicorn+Nfarrier=MGUNSMITH, and Unicorn+Ppony=PHOBBIT.

These pieces are available on pentagonal-prism boards only where both components are.

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Finally there are compounds between Straight pieces and more complex non-Straight pieces, or between two kinds of non-Straight piece.

Straight+Ricochet is TRAMPOLINING, meaning that they treat the Hopped piece as if it were the Trampoline of Trampoline Chess. Thus a TRAMPOLINING CANNON can Hop and either continue along the same orthogonal or turn. Pieces such as the GRAND-TRAMPOLINING TANK can continue in the same direction or turn to either the same kind of direction or the other kind. Ricochet pieces also have compounds with non-Hopping Straight pieces in another kind of direction, so that the RICOCHET SPARROW's orthogonal component remains the Rook.

Straight+Corkscrew substitutes musical ensembles so that Rook+Girltriplet=GIRLTRIO, Bishop+Boyquadruplet=BOYQUARTET, Nightrider+Nightsextuplet=NIGHTSEXTET.

Straight+Double Bent extends the canine theme. Rook compounds take the prefix SHE- (preceded by any other prefixes) except that the Fox is feminised to VIXEN, Bishop ones have the suffix -HOUND after the dogs chasing them (from the Bishop as runner in central Europe), Queen ones have the suffix -BITCH as the feminine of the hound, and Unicorn ones the suffix -TRAP. Examples include SHEWOLF, FOXHOUND, JACKABITCH, and HYENATRAP. Square-cell examples feature as fusion pieces in 4 Linepiece Fusion and also, for their diversity of initials, in the array of alphabet-themed Missing Ox Chess.

Curved+Crooked in the same kind of directions add the Crooked suffix, and prefix if any, to the Curved piece so that Rose+Nightflyer=ROSEFLYER, Macel+Longcamelsidler=LONGMACELSIDLER, Bezra+Shortzebralady=SHORTBEZRALADY. On a hex board Finch+Shortgirlhexer=SHORTFINCHHEXER, and on a cubic one Apostle+Boyscout=APOSTDUELLER. Names for Straight+Curved+Crooked, all in the same kind of direction, follow the same rule. Thus Nightrider+Rose+Shortnightsidler=SHORTROSEPRELATE, Zebrarider+Bezra+Zebraflyer=BEZRAOFFICER, Bisonrider+Sibon+Longbisonsidler=LONGSIBONPRELATE. The UNGEXPERT is a compound of 12 simple symmetric pieces - 2 Straight, 2 Curved, 8 Crooked - and the FUBFAEXPERT of no fewer than 18 - half as many again of each.

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George Duke devised pieces mixing Crooked and Bent moves. These move either as a Double Rhino, Double Gryphon, Double Anchorite, stepping Double Lama, stepping Double Zephyr, or Werewolf but restricted to moving a specific number of steps, the short-range stage of the Double Lama and Double Zephyr move counting as two. His first example, the FALCON of Falcon Chess, moves exactly 3 steps. As it happens it is overspecified by the above definition as the Rhino shares the Fox' 3-step move, the Mirror Rhino the Wolf's, the Gryphon the Contralama's, the Contragryphon the Lama's, the Anchorite the Contrazephyr's, and the Contraanchorite the Zephyr's. However all must be specified for the next two pieces of this kind. The SCORPION moves exactly 4 steps, for which the Lama shares the Contrazephyr's move, the Contralama the Zephyr's, and the rest are uniquely defined. The DRAGON moves exactly 5 steps and all its moves are uniquely defined. What the Moo (Mao+Moa) is to the Knight the Falcon is to the Bison and the Scorpion and Dragon to the MAB 08 Gleaner and Corsair. Fully describing the corresponding 6- and 7-step pieces, which Mr. Duke reminds me are the PHOENIX and ROC, would require additional moves to be specified.

Longer ranges can also be achieved, and/or extrapolation to cubic boards, by substituting longer radial stages. Thus for the Falcon's Ferz step the VULTURE, PUFFIN, and SWORDBILL substitute a Viceroy step, Elephant leap, and Eunuch leap and for the Falcon's Wazir step the KITE, FANTAIL, NANTAIL, OSTRICH, and PUNTAIL substitute a Viceroy step, Dabbaba leap, Eunuch leap, Trebuchet leap, and Cobbler leap. Double substituions include the NAZGUL with Viceroy/Dabbaba stages, KINTAIL with Viceroy/Trebuchet ones, and PENGUIN with Viceroy/Elephant ones. Their compounds include Falcon+Vulture=MERLIN, Falcon+Kite=KESTREL, Vulture+Kite=OSPREY, Falcon+Vulture+Kite=EAGLE, Falcon+Fantail=FALTBOAT, Kite+Kintail=KILTBOAT, Nazgul+Nantail=NALTBOAT, Puffin+Puntail=PULTBOAT. As the Falcon complements the Knight these pieces respectively complement the Sexton/Zebra/Fencer, Ninja/Camel/Lecturer/Giraffe/Zemel, Elf/Nimel/Underscore, and Churchwarden/Samurai/Oberon/Canoe/Gnu/Nintu/Lefanu/Zebu. While Fantail/Faltboat are pre-existing words, other piece names with the same endings are extrapolations. Regarding Brook-style mixtures of moves the KVULTURE uses Fwazir and Viceroy steps, and on a hex board the SHEARWATER Forewazir and Hindwazir steps.

The Falcon, Fantail, and Ostrich are available on pentagonal-prism boards but only to 2n:1 destinations, likewise the Vulture, Nazgul, and Kintail to 2n:1:1 ones. Compounds are available on pentagonal-prism boards only where both components are.

Notes

Pieces with a radial and an oblique component, one or both forward-only or Curved or Crooked or hex-specific, are covered in MAB 19: The Vice Squad. The most complex hex-specific pieces have their own article, MAB 20: Far From Square.

Max Wolf (in his case short for Maximilian) was an astronomer who discovered several small planetary bodies. Sam Fox (in her case short for Samantha) was, and for all I know may still be as their careers are longer than was once the case, a model. Brer Wolf and Brer Fox are characters in Joel Chandler Harris' Uncle Remus stories.

Harpy is also the name of a piece in Poison Chess moving like a Rook but with a special form of attack. It is deliberate that my usage is for a piece whose only move within a rectilinear plane is that of the Rook. Theoretically another piece has the name Wolf (complete with plural) - an extrapolated name for the forward-only form of the non-coprime oblique leaper the 14:4:4 Whorolais. However as this piece requires such colossal 3d boards to be of much use I would be surprised if it is ever used.

While the generic Meteor is a Planetary piece, individual meteor types supply piece names ending with -id in MAB 18: Complex Pieces with Simple Ratios. No connection is intended between the Mars and MAB 08's Marshal or between the Venus and Parvenus, the plural of MAB 03's Parvenu.

Originally I termed Fimbriated -pluses -blockers, but I have now replaced this with the same use of Fimbriated as with their components.


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By Charles Gilman.

Last revised by Ben Reiniger.


Web page created: 2008-04-18. Web page last updated: 2024-01-22