💡📝Charles Daniel wrote on Fri, Jun 27, 2008 05:50 PM UTC:
On a humorous note:
If I were to take the Sorcerer Knight - remove the knight move and add the camel move - I would be in violation of a very *** patent!
I can second H. G. Muller's previous rating of said game from pure play-testing point of view. Two lame Zebra-Camels are awkward on a small rectangular board configuration with unprotected pawns from the onset. The game rapidly improves once they are exchanged but then one is merely playing orthodox chess on a slightly bigger board.
Herculean chess (and up-coming Hadean Chess) emphasize the Ferz-Zebra/ Wazir compounds more. Having two leaping movements even zebra + knight much less zebra + camel plays awkwardly even on much bigger board and does not lend to pleasing game-play.
I find the Sorcerer Knight version (both sliding dual path and leaping) a bit problematic - and the last example game made me change Herculean to use the Ferz/Wazir compounds.
On paper, two leaping movements or limited sliding movement as in Korean Chess etc seems interesting but never translates play-wise. It plays more like some sort of puzzle solving trivia than anything else.
In effect I am criticizing my sub-variation for poor game-play along with similar piece form in different board.