Man and Beast 06: The Heavy Brigade

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

The orthogonal counterpart of either Elephant is the corresponding form of the DABBABA or DABBABAH, meaning war engine. Some sources say that in proto-Chaturanga this preceded the Rook. So what name suits a corresponding piece on the nonstandard diagonal (ND), a root-12 "proto-Unicorn" in a notional "Raumchaturanga"? EUNUCH combines the Elephant's initial, the sound of Unicorn, and a meaning conveying the piece's weakness. It takes 4 Dabbabas to cover any 2d and 8 any 3d board, 8 Elephants to cover a square or hex-prism and 16 a cubic board, and 12 Eunuchs to cover a hex and 32 a cubic board. On the last a Dabbaba binding is an intersection of Bishop and Unicorn ones. On xyrixa boards the Eunuch shares the Dabbaba binding, which comprises 4 Elephant bindings. All inherit their one-step counterparts' switching properties in the same geometry, writ large, including a hex Dabbaba not being switching unless it is Averse. Dabbaba+Elephant is named ALIBABA after the appropriator of 40 Thieves in the Arabian Nights, as my variant Alibishogi alludes to. Yhis inspires Dabbaba+Eunuch=DYBBUK (a demon in Jewish lore), Elephant+Eunuch=ELK (a N. European ungulate), and for all three I coin ALIBUCK. All share the Dabbaba's binding. Forward-only (FO) versions I name after attributes and diminutives: TUSK, DABCHICK (a bird, recalling the Rook connection), KEY (from Eunuch's access to harem), THIEF (plural THIEVES), IMP, ANTLER, and IMPALA (an ungulate starting with Imp). Here are the movement digrams for the Dabbaba, Dabchick, Elephant, Tusk, Alibaba, and Thief on a square-cell board; and the Dabbaba, both orientations' Dabchick, Eunuch, and Dybbuk on a hex one:

For compounds of a coprime and a non-coprime simple short-range piece Ralph Betza's WAFFLE=Wazir+Elephant inspires other names combining the start of the coprime and end of the non-coprime name (Elephant as Alfil), modified into real words if possible (mostly resorting to adjectives) otherwise left as new coinages. These are Wazir+Dabbaba=WAZBABA, Wazir+Eunuch=WAZZOCK (a kind of idiot), Ferz+Dabbaba=FEZBABA, Ferz+Elephant=FEARFUL, Ferz+Eunuch=FEZZOCK, Viceroy+Dabbaba=VICBABA, Viceroy+Elephant=WILFUL, Viceroy+Eunuch=VINNOCK. On rectilinear boards all these pieces have their 1-step component's binding and none are switching - although an AVERSE WAZBABA is switching on 2d hex boards, as is an AVERSE FEARFUL on hex-prism ones. For FO versions I modify the non-comprime end but retain the coprime start to give WALRUS (a Lewis Carroll poem features a Walrus alongside the Carpenter), WAZCHICK, WACKY, FEZCHICK, FEARLESS, FREAKY, VITCHICK, WIRELESS, and VICKY (short for the forename Victoria). Unlike its components an AVERSE WAZCHICK suits all hex orientations. For pieces which, on each kind of radial, have both 1- and 2-step moves I extrapolate from Prince+Alibaba=Wazbaba+Fearful=PASHA to Duke+Dybbuk=Wazbaba+Vinnock=KHAN, Baron+Elk=Fearful+Vinnock=IMAM, and Archduke+Alibuck=Wazbaba+Fearful+Vinnock=SULTAN. The GRANDWAZBABA, GRANDPASHA, GRANDKHAN, and GRANDSULTAN are royally-restricted versions of the unprefixed pieces. FO pieces echo the start of symmetric ones - Princeling+Thief=PASHTUN, Count+Imp=KASHMIRI, Heir+Antler=IMAGEMAKER, and Conqueror+Impala=SUBALTERN. Here are the movement diagrams for the Waffle, Wazbaba, Fezbaba, Fearful, Wazchick, Fearless, and Pasha on a square-cell board, and the Wazbaba, both orientations' Wazchick, and Vicbaba on a hex one:

On Pentagonal-prism boards the Dabbaba is bound to alternate cells of a single column, and its compounds with one-step pieces move by no more than one column per move.

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All these pieces have long-range forms, those of the Wazbaba/Fearful/Vinnock being the familiar Rook/Bishop/Unicorn and of 16 more complex ones the Queen/Duchess/Governor/Empress! To the first 5 letters is suffixed -RIDER if entirely long-range, or -BANTE if only the non-coprime component. The two are interchangeable for pure non-coprime pieces, thus DABBARIDER or DABBABANTE, but with preferences based on whether they are stepping, standard-leap (requiring empty cells on even but not odd cells), or long-leap (unblockable, as in Dabbabante Chess). Long-leap versions of the Rook, Bishop, and Unicorn are also possible. Contrast the Rook and Bishop with Wazir+Dabbarider=WAZBABANTE and Ferz+ELEPHRIDER=FEARFBANTE that can move 1 step but no other odd number. More typically Rook+Elephrider=WAFFLRIDER and Bishop+Dabbarider=FEZBARIDER but Wazir+Elephrider=WAFFLBANTE and Ferz+Dabbarider=FEZBABANTE. Here are the movement diagrams for the Dabbarider, Elephrider, Wazbabante, Fearfbante, Wafflrider, and Fezbarider on a square-cell board; and the Dabbarider and Wazbabante on a hex one:

An alternative extension allows any number of steps except one. The PICKET of Timur's Chess so extends the Elephant. Corresponding Dabbaba and Eunuch extensions I term POCKET and PACKET and FO versions PIKER, POKER, and PAKER. Compound extensions draw on Dickens and trade unions: Alibaba/Thief to FAGIN/PICKPOCKET, Dybbuk/Imp to SCROOGE/PACKPOCKET, Elk/Antler to MALCONTENT/PACKPICKET. Alibuck extends to DICKENS himself and Impala to PAMPHLET, alluding to his early novels being published in instalments. All can be stepping (blocked by any intervening piece), early-leap (over first intervening cell), late-leap (over last intervening cell), or flexi-leap (over any one intervening piece). Compounds so extending the non-coprime component get the suffix -ON to be short but not diminutive, thus Pocket+Ferz=FEZBAON, Picket+Wazir=WAFFLON. Here are the movement diagrams for the Picket, Pocket, Fagin, and Wafflon:

Some pieces cannot move a single step because they must leap an intervening piece. Pieces so restricted for all moves are HOPPERED; for just capturing moves CANONISED as a pun on the Chinese CANNON; and for just non-capturing moves BEATIFIED for completeness' sake! HOPPING is the collective term for all three, but HOPPED describes the intervening piece, which may be anything! The Korean Cannon can be considered a Hoppered Rook or Hoppered Pocket, but the Chinese Cannon is only a Canonised Rook as it can make a non-capturing Wazir move, which a Canonised Pocket cannot. Fergus Duniho's ARROW in Yang Qi is a Canonised Bishop, while a Hoppered Bishop (or Picket) can be considered a "Korean Arrow". My 10-Chess contest entry Wildeurasian Qi uses Chinese-style Cannons and Arrows along with their compound, which I term a TANK and also use in Alibaba Qi. John Smith's Grand Jang Gi uses Korean-style ones. My 3d variant Weltschach adds Hopping forms of the Unicorn/Duchess/Governor/Empress, which I term SLING/CANNONADE/ARBALEST/ARSENAL, the middle two as enhanced Cannon and Arrow. FO versions I add a suffix - CANNONBALL, ARROWHEAD, and TANKTURRET. SLINGSTONE - or combine two suffixes - BALLADE, HEADREST. The FO Arsenal is a MAGAZINE. The Cannon and Arrow have established piece images and the Tank an obvious one. As the first two have miniaturised imges I arbritrarily choose the lion image as another such image for the Sling - the weapon, perhaps, of a lion of Judah. Here are the images with the FO pieces immediately below the symmetric ones:

Hopping versions of Dabbaba, Elephant, and Eunuch I term MUSKET, SPEAR, and MILL to give FO versions the same suffixes as the longer-range ones in the same directions: MUSKETBALL, SPEARHEAD, and MILLSTONE. Mill and Millstone refer to the metaphors of putting someone through the mill and putting a millstone round someone's neck. For Hopping forms of Alibaba and Thief Ken Franklin's Leap Chess imagery inspires GUNBOAT and GUNDECK. Hopping forms of Dybbuk/Elk enhance the square-cell components' names to MUSKETEER and SPEARTHROWER, and their FO versions BRAWLER and HURLER. Hopping forms of Alibuck and Impala I term BARRACK/BARRICADE on a similar basis. Here are the images for the symmetric pieces:

Specifically early and late hoppers include the CONTRAGRASSHOPPER and GRASSHOPPER, early-Hop and late-Hop Queens (or indeed Fagins) respectively. EQUIHOPPERS require a piece halfway along the move, which must therefore be an even number of steps and affects their binding accordingly.

For pieces riding one type of radial but hopping another, Rook+Arrow=SPARROW and Rook+Sling=STARLING are appropriately-ending birds, Bishop+Cannon=SAINT extends the Canonised pun, Bishop+Sling=BLESSING combines a religious theme with Sling's ending, Unicorn+Cannon=UNITARIAN and Unicorn+Arrow=UNIDIRECTIONAL use Unicorn's first syllable. FO forms are SPARROWHEAD/STARLINGSTONE/BIRETTA/BLESSINGSTONE/UNIBALL/UNIHEAD. Biretta is a priestly hat but also a make of gun. For pieces using all three types of radial I name Queen+Sling after archetypal WW2 traitor QUISLING, Duchess+Arrow and Governor+Cannon after the ships DHOW and GALLEON, Rook+Arbalest SWIFT, Bishop+Cannonade SAVIOR, and Unicorn+Tank UNIFIER. FO forms are QUISLINGSTONE/DHOWHEAD/GALLEONBALL/SWALLOW/HALO/UNITURRET. Short-range counterparts are Dabbaba+Spear=DESPERADO (you may think many of the paragraph's FO names fairly desperate), Dabbaba+Mill=MILLIBAR, Elephant+Musket=MUSIMON (a heraldic monster), Elephant+Mill=MILFOIL, Eunuch+Musket=JUNKER (a German word, with the J pronounced as Y), and Eunuch+Spear=SPURNER. FO forms are DEATHSHEAD/DABSTONE/TUSKETBALL/TOUCHSTONE/KEYBALL/KEYHEAD. For pieces using all three types of radial Alibaba+Mill=MARBLER, Dabbaba+Spearthrower=DETONATOR, Elephant+Musketeer=MUSTERER, Dybbuk+Spear=DISCARDER, Elk+Musket=MOSAIC, and Eunuch+Gunboat=TUGBOAT (as a boat that serves larger craft). FO forms are THRONE/DEFILER/TUSSLER/IMPEDER/HANDBALL/KEYDECK. For the Sparrow and Saint I use these images featuring the Rook and Bishop within them:

Hopping pieces augmented by one-step ones are simply non-Hopping ones suffixed -HOPPER such as Cannon+Ferz=CHATEHOPPER, Arrow+Viceroy=MODERHOPPER, Wazir+Spear=WAFFLHOPPER, Cannonball+Saltire=VIRAGHOPPER, and Arrowhead+Point=ABBOTHOPPER. Compounds of different-range Hopping pieces are similarly suffixed: Cannon+Spear=INFANHOPPER, Cannon+Mill=CONCUHOPPER, Arrow+Musket=INQUIHOPPER, and so on. Mixed-range pieces mixing types of moves require separate names. Rook+Spear=DISTAFF refers to a convention from when the theatre employed only male actors. An extra would hold a spear to show that he was playing a man, or a distaff to show that he was playing a woman.Rook+Mill=FAMILY is a word resembling female about as much as Mill resembles male, as well as the idea of a Voctoian mill owner leaving the management of his family to his wife. Bishop+Musket=VIGILANTE refers to a man in the age of firearms taking community spirit too far. Unicorn+Musket=MANGONEL is a weapon starting with M. Bishop+Mill=MILITIAMAN and Unicorn+Spear=SPACEMAN are feminisable masculine rôles starting with their Hopping components. FO versions are STAFF/VIGIL/FAMILIAR/MORTAR/MINUTEMAN/SPORTSMAN. For pieces using all three types of radial Queen+Mill=MILITIAWOMAN and Duchess+Spear=SPACEWOMAN are feminisations, Rook+Spearthrower=DISPERSER starts like Disraff, Governor+Musket=TERMINATOR is an armed film character played by a then future governor, Bishop+Musketeer=VOLUNTEER uses the -eer ending, and Unicorn+Gunboat=SUBMARINE is the English translation of u-boat. FO versions are MINUTEWOMAN/SPORTSWOMAN/STREWER/TERMSERVER/VOLLEY/SUBMERSIBLE. The plurals of the eight names ending in -man all substitute -MEN. Cannon+Elephant=MINETHROWER is a machine for firing devices that are themselves explosive. Cannon+Eunuch=ENDYMION is a mythical character. Arrow+Dabbaba=DARTGUN means a gun firing arrowhead-like projectiles. Arrow+Eunuch=ESCROW is a kind of bank account. Sling+Dabbaba=DARLING is a term of affection. Sling+Elephant=EORLING is a tribe in Lord of the Rings. FO versions are MINE/ENDYMIONBALL/DART/ESCROWHEAD/DARLINGSTONE/EORLINGSTONE. For pieces using all three types of radial Tank+Eunuch=EMBANK is a verb of defence while Cannonade+Elephant=MINEFIELD, Cannon+Elk=MINESWEEPER, Arbalest+Dabbaba=DARTSMATCH, Arrow+Dybbuk=DISTRIBUTOR, and Sling+Alibaba=EBBING are based on the component names. FO versions are EMBANKTURRET/MINELAYER/MINEDETECTOR/DARTBOARD/IMPOUNDER/EBBINGSTONE. Here are the piece images for the Chatehopper, Primahopper, and Concuhopper:

On Pentagonal-prism boards the Dabbarider, Pocket, and Korean Cannon are bound to a single column and again compounds with one-step pieces move no more than one column per move. The Chinese Cannon cannot capture on the level, nor its converse move on the level without capturing.

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Matching even-only -rider/-bante pieces are odd-only ones. From the orthogonal PANDA, so named for its switching (on rectilinear boards) from pale cell to dark or vice versa, I extrapolate BEAR on the SD and RACCOON on the ND. As their moves are always odd numbers of Wazir/Ferz/Viceroy steps respective they inherit these pieces' bound and switching properties. These pieces default to even-leap (odd intermediate cells must be empty) but can also be odd-leap (even intermediate cells must be empty), stepping (all intermediate cells must be empty), alternate-leap (odd or even intermediate cells from starting cell must all be empty), flexi-leap (can change from odd-leap to even-leap mid-move but not vice versa and not through two successive occupied cells). For compounds with one-step pieces, mixing the latter's first part with the long-range one's second gives Panda+Ferz/Viceroy=FENDER/VINTNER, Bear+Wazir/Viceroy=WOBBLER/VIBBER, Raccoon+Wazir/Ferz=WALLOON/FELON. For compounds with each other and with coprime linepieces, Commedia dell'Arte names (marked * and inspired by the attentiveness of my friend Isis Maitreya) extrapolate to others ending -N or -NE. Panda+Bear=HARLEQUIN* (an ever-changing Dabbaba binding suggests 4 colours, and the end suggests Queen), Panda+Raccoon=PANTALOON*, Bear+Raccoon=BALLOON (echoing Rudyard Kipling's fictional bear Baloo). None are colourbound but cubic-board Vintners, Walloons, and Pantaloons are colourswitching. Rook+Bear/Raccoon=COLUMBINE*/CRINOLINE (Panda compounds feminised), Bishop+Panda/Raccoon=CLOWN*/BUFFOON (from Bishop as Fool), Unicorn+Panda/Bear=PANGOLIN/BOFFIN (a strange animal and an caricature of a scientist). Here are movement diagrams for the Panda, Bear, Harlequin, Columbine, and Clown:

FO forms of simple pieces and of compounds with one-step pieces add the suffix - CUB. Those of compounds with each other and with linepieces substitute a final T to give HARLOT, PANDIT (Indian political expert), BANDIT, COLETTE/CRINET (latter from armour), CLOUT/BUFFET (latter as in hit rather than catering), PADGET/BONNET.

Prefixing an odd-only piece with ARCH- adds remaining (or remaining forward if FO) Emperor moves e.g. Panda+Baron=ARCHPANDA, Harlequin+Viceroy=ARCHHARLEQUIN, Bearcub+Count=ARCHBEARCUB. Prefixing a coprime linepiece with HAR- adds remaining (or remaining forward if FO) odd-only moves e.g. Rook+Balloon=HARROOK, Queen+Raccoon=HARQUEEN, Mitre+Pandit=HARMITRE. The on-screen antics of Adolph "Harpo" Marx inspire Panda+Bear+Raccoon=HARPOON and its FO version HARPIST.

Compounds of long-range pieces and 2-step leapers are unbound, or where marked # retain the Dabbaba binding. Orthogonal pieces combine with Elephant/Eunuch/Elk: Rook to INFANTA/CONCUBINE/VALKYRIE (more ladies), Pocket to MANSION/OUTPOST/ESTATE (not quite castle), Dabbarider # to SABOTEUR/CHAUFFEUR/SNOWMOBILE (generalised characters "riding" each other), Panda to PANFUL/PANNOCK/PADLOCK. FO versions are FACULTY/APARTMENT/REINDEER, GORER/LOCKSMITH/CLASHER, EGGTOOTH/MAGPIE/MUTATION, PURSE/PADDY/PANTER. Paddy is a type of rice field. SD pieces combine with Dabbaba/Eunuch/Dybbuk: Bishop to INQUISITOR/MUTILATOR/PARDONER (agents of persecution), Picket to DEAN/EVANGELIST/MONSIGNOR (not quite bishop), Elephrider # to HOWDAH/MAHOUT/GHOUL (as Dabbarider), Bear to BEDDER/BROCK/BEDBUCK. FO versions are BEAK/DOOR/GARGOYLE, PECKER/FREEMAN/PITCHFORK, TOOTHPICK/GEARWHEEL/TOOTHACHE, BATCH/BECKY/BELTER. ND pieces combine with Dabbaba/Elephant/Alibaba: Unicorn to CYCLOPS/BEHEMOTH/HOUYHNHNM (imaginary creatures), Packet to GIFTHORSE/SHIREHORSE/RACEHORSE, EUNUCRIDER # to SEDAN/PUNISHER/LAZYBONES, Raccoon to RAMBLER/RAFFLE/RALLIER. FO versions are HORNBILL/BABIRUSA/ALARM, PEAKER/TASKMASTER/MUGGER, TURKEY/LOCKPICK/BURGLAR, RATCHET/RAUCOUS/RUFFIAN. Odd-only pieces can also be combined with two-step pieces in the same direction: Panda+Dabbaba=PADDER, Bear+Elephant=BEARFUL, Harlequin+Alibaba=HALBERD, Raccoon+Eunuch=RACK, Pantaloon+Dybbuk=PANTECHNICON, Balloon+Elk=BALCONY, Harpoon+Alibuck=HALBERDIER. FO versions are PANIC/BUS/HAFT/RACKY/PALIMPSEST/BANDOLIER/HAMPERER. A halberd is a kind of pike (the weapon, not the fish), a haft part of such a weapon, and a halberdier the man who wields it. A pantechnicon is a removals lorry, a palimsest a reused document, and a bandolier something akin to the holster and quiver. Here are the movement diagrams for the Indanta and Inquisitor:

Where the long-range component is itself compound, Queen/Fagin/ALIBARIDER/Harlequin+Eunuch=TRIARCH/RETINUE/LIBERATOR/HARLECH, Duchess/Scrooge/DYBBURIDER/Pantaloon+Elephant=CELESTE/PAYROLL/CIRCUSACT/PATTLE, Governor/Malcontent/ELKRIDER/Balloon+Dabbaba=MECHANISER/CHAPTER/SLEIGH/BALBOA. FO versions are BRIDE/CUTPURSE/TOOLKIT/HARKEY, MATRON/DENTURE/JEER/PARLOUS, FRANCISCAN/TWITCHER/FREELOADER/BALLCOCK. When extending the leaper yields a piece not previously named, the -BANTE and -ON endings can be used. Thus Rook+Elephrider is already Wafflrider but Rook+Picket=INFANON, Panda+Elephrider=PANFUBANTE, Panda+Picket=PANFUON.

On Pentagonal-prism boards the Panda, and its compounds with single-step pieces, can move any odd distance up or down but still only one step on the level.

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Even weaker than 2-step leapers are those leaping 3, 4, or 5 steps: TREBUCHET/COBBLER/QUIBBLER and FO versions TRECHICK/COBCHICK/QUICHICK on the orthogonal, TRIPPER/COMMUTER/QUITTER and FO versions TRISK/COMSK/QUISK on the SD, TRILBY/COLBY/QUILBY and FO versions TRIFFID/COFFIN/QUIFF on both together, and ZOMBIE/CORPSE/SKELETON and FO versions LURCH/SHROUD/SKULL on the ND, all mainly to use in compounds. These too have riders such as TREBURIDER, TRIPPRIDER moving any multiple of the relevant number of cells, as well as Picket-style pieces that can move that or any larger number but none smaller. For the latter the -ON suffix gives the likes of TREBUON and TRIPPON. The 3-step pieces are notable as being one of two hypotenuse pieces of pairs of semi-dual pieces, that is, their leaps are equal to leaps of coordinates m:m:n and 2m:n:n at right angles. The other hypotenuse piece is always a coprime oblique piece from MAB 05: Punning by Numbers. The Trebuchet is a Viceroy-Sexton hypotenuse along with MAB 05's Ninja, the Tripper a Sexton-Eunuch one along with MAB 05's Nimel, and the Zombie a Ninja-Nimel one along with MAB 05's Exorcist. ND leapers are also the sole hypotenuse pieces for orthogonal-SD pairs: the Eunuch the Dabbaba-Elephant, the Zombie the Trebuchet-Tripper, the Corpse the Cobbler-Commuter, and the Skeleton the Quibbler-Quitter ones. The Trebuchet as a [1:1:1]+[2:-1:-1] leaper is another "Viceroy squared" alongside the Ninja. The Trebuchet and Cobbler have images specifically designed fr them, but the Tripper does not. Therefore I use the same images for it and its compounds as I do for the Viceroy and its, as theTripper is not avsilable on hex boards and too weak to be used much use on the cubic one - three steps replacing three dimensions, if you like. I found a suitable image for the Commuter too, wit four sides to it. Here are movement diagrams for the Trebuchet, Cobbler, Tripper, and Commuter:

These pieces allow a diagram extending to the fourth perimeter in which the Black King really is in Check to all the White pieces, save for the 4:2 leaper:

These too have compounds. Problematists coined the term "amphibian" for an unbound compound of two differently-bound symmetric leapers. The three shortest-range square-cell examples they accordingly named after specific kinds of amphibian: Ferz+Trebuchet=FROG, Dabbaba+Trebuchet=TOAD, and Elephant+Trebuchet=NEWT. Lewis Carroll has a frog in each Alice book and another in his Pig-Tale. These pieces remain amphibian on cubic boards, which add extra pieces that I name after synonyms or specific types of these createures. Thus Viceroy+Trebuchet=BULLFROG, Eunuch+Trebuchet=EFT, Viceroy+Tripper=NATTERJACK, Ferz+Zombie=PADDICK. I use the final K of Trechick/Trisk, and the final CH of Lurch, to term their FO versions FROCK/TOKE/NUKE/BULK/EFFECT/NARK/PATCH. On 2d hex boards the Toad remains amphibious but the Bullfrog does not, and the Frog and Newt are not even avaliable, so I do not extend amphibious naming to hex geometries. The Bullfrog is, unusually for amphibians, colourswitching on cubic boards. Wazir+Trebuchet and Ferz+Tripper have the Panda and Bear moves of the two shortest lengths and so their switchings. I allude to -switcher with WATCHER and FETCHER, and their FO versions POACHER and COACHER. Wazir+Tripper=WARPER, Wazir+Cobbler=CORDWAINER (a kind of leather worker), Wazir+Commuter=COWCATCHER (a feature of trains outside Europe) Ferz+Cobbler=CONFECTION by analogy to Waffle, Ferz+Commuter=COMFORTER as commuters crave home comforts, Dabbaba+Tripper=TRIBUNE, and Elephant+Tripper=TRIFLE. All amphibians and Wazir compounds are unbound, and the rest have the Bishop's binding. FO compounds are WHISK/COUPON/COWPOKE/CONCOCTION/CONCRETION/TRICKSTER/TIRELESS. Quibbler/Quitter/Quichick/Quisk compounds can substitute QUI- for the first three letters of the Cobbler/Commuter/Cobchick/Comsk one to give QUIDWAINER/QUICATCHER/QUIFECTION/QUIFORTER/QUIPOKE/QUIPON/QUICOCTION/QUICRETION. PITCHER=Prince+Trilby=Watcher+Fetcher and PINCHER (from Princeling's double dose of -in-) its FO version. Venturing beyond the square board I term the compounds of Wazir, Viceroy, Dabbaba, Elephant, Eunuch, Trebuchet, Tripper, and Trilby with the Zombie WARMER, VICTOR, DAZZLER, LAZARUS (a character who rises from the dead), ZOOKEEPER, TREBIZOND, TRAPEZIUM (an Anatolian town's modern and ancient names), and TROLL. To complete the set of two-piece compounds Eunuch+Tripper=JUNIPER, influenced by the Junker earlier in this article, while four-piece ones include Duke+Trebizond=Watcher+Victor=DITCHER, and Baron+Trapezium=Fetcher+Victor=BITCHER. FO versions are WRETCH/SALUTER/DACHA/LATCH/LUCKY/TRAMP/TRAILER/TRAPPER/KIOSK/COUCHER/HITCHER. The Frog has only a name-based image whreeas the Newt has a component-based one - which does not look much like a newt but perhaps looks like what youmight see if yuou are "as drunk as a newt". Here are the movement diagrams for the Frog, Newt, Fetcher, Warper, Tribune, and Trifle:

Mainly of interest for potential compounds are pieces moving 6-12 steps for which the names BITREBUCHET/SETTLER/BICOBBLER/TRITREBUCHET/BIQUIBBLER/ENABLER/TRICOBBLER on the orthogonal - with the usual -chick endings for FO pieces including SETCHICK and ENACHICK - and BITRIPPER/SETTER/BICOMMUTER/TRITRIPPER/BIQUITTER/EMITTER/TRICOMMUTER on the SD - with the usual -sk endings for FO pieces including SETSK and EMISK - will do for reference. As well as a "Trebuchet squared" the Tritrebuchet is another "Ninja squared" alongside MAB 05's Opossum and Ultimatum, as 2[2:2:-1]+2[2:-1:2]+[1:-2:-2]. The Tritripper move can be formed of Ninja moves at right angles in the form of 4[2:2:-1]+[2:-1:2]+[-1:2:2] as well as 3[2:1:2]+3[1:2:-2]. The Biquibbler leap is, as well as two Quitter ones at right angles, two Epoletna leaps at right angles, with the 5 coordinates adding together and the 4 and 3 ones cancelling out. The Enabler as a 3[3:1:1]+[2:-3:-3] is another "Elf squared" alongside MAB 05's Eloper, while the Bitrebuchet as a 2[2:1:1]+[2:-2:-2] leaper is a "Sexton squared". As the multiplier prefixes also give the symmetric BITRILBY/BICOLBY/TRITRILBY/BIQUILBY and FO BITRIFFID/BICOFFIN/TRITRIFFID/BIQUIFF I throw in SELBY for Settler+Setter and SELFIE, a word hot off the university presses, for Setchick+Setsk.

Compounds of 1-, 2-, and 3-step movers in the same direction appear in their Stepping form - perhaps as the Leaping ones would be too strong - in Shogi variants and these influence the names. They are the orthogonal GUARDIAN, SD WRESTLER, and their compound the LIONDOG. To these I can add the ND WEATHERER (one who resists attack whether or not they will - or can - fight back), Guardian+Weatherer=GUARANTOR, Wrestler+Weatherer=WRECKER, and Liondog+Weatherer=LIONTAMER. For FO versions I strip out the weakest letter to give GARDENER/RESTLESS/LINING/WETHER/GARAGE/RECKLESS/LINER. Lining was part influenced by Liondog reminding me of Liaoning, which is part of Manchuria. Adding the 3-step move on one kind of radial to 1- and 2-step on the others I mark with the suffix -ID to give Waffle+Zombie=WAFFLID, Wazzock+Tripper=WAZZOID, Fezbaba+Zombie=FEZBAID, Fezzock+Trebuchet=FEZZOID, Vicbaba+Tripper=VICBAID, and Wilful+Trebuchet=WILFUID. Here are the movement diagrams for the Guardian, Wrestler, and Liondog on a square-cell board and the Guardian, Weatherer, and Guarantor on a hex one, plus the piece images for the Wrecker and Liontamer:

Riders are as usual e.g. Bishop+Treburider=FROGRIDER. As some short-range pieces have two non-coprime components I reserve -bante for repeating twice-coprime moves with -TRANTE for repeating thrice-coprime ones and -QUADRANTE, -QUINTANTE, -SEXTANTE, et cetera longer ones. Thus Ferz+Treburider=FROGTRANTE, Dabbarider+Trebuchet=TOADBANTE, Treburider+Dabbaba=TOADTRANTE, Elephrider+Trebuchet=NEWTBANTE, et cetera. Where long- and short-range components are both thrice-coprime separate names are required. For these I suggest Trilbrider+Zombie=TRAFFICKER, Trebirider+Tripper=TRAVELLER, Treburider+Trapezium=TRAVERSER, Treburider+Tripper=TREADER, Treburider+Zombie=TREKKER, Traperider+Trebuchet=TRESPASSER, Tripprider+Trebizond=TRAIPSER, Tripprider+Trebuchet=TRUDGER, Tripprider+Zombie=TRUNDLER, Zombirider+Trilby=LUMBERER, Zombirider+Trebuchet=LOOTER, Zombirider+Tripper=LUGGER. For the FO versions I resort tremoving the agent suffix to give TRAFFIC, TRAVEL, TRAVERSE, TREAD, TREK, TRESPASS, TRAIPSE, TRUDGE, TRUNDLE, LUMBER, LOOT, LUG.

Extending only a coprime component requires new names. Rook+Tripper=FLAPPER, a woman following the fashions of the early 20th Century and sharing Tripper's ending. Rook+Zombie=TOMBOY, a girl of boyish habits similarly echoing Zombie. For Bishop+Trebuchet I coin BROGOP, extending Frog as Bishop does Ferz while punning on the deliberate fish shape of the bishop's mitre. Bishop+Zombie=BOMBER to echo Zombie. Unicorn+Trebuchet I named after the horned monster MINOTAUR. Unicorn+Tripper is TROOPER to go with Flapper. For their FO forms I settle for FLASK, TORCH, VESTMENT, BIRCH, HULK, and TORQUE. Where both components are long-range but the non-coprime one is Picket-style, these names generate in turn Rook+Trebuon=FLAPPON, Rook+Cobblon=TOMBOON, Bishop+Trippon=BROGOON, Wing+Trechon=FLASKON, et cetera. A linepiece prefixed with TROLL- has the Troll moves in the missing directions added, likewise with TRAPPER- for FO pieces - thus Rook+Trapezium=TROLLROOK, Bishop+Trebizond=TROLLBISHOP, Queen+Zombie=TROLLQUEEN, Wing+Trailer=TRAPPERWING, et cetera.

On Pentagonal-prism boards the Trebuchet, Cobbler, Quibbler, et cetera are bound to steadily less of a column, and unavailable on ones with fewer levels than their move length. The Frog, Bullfrog, Watcher, Cordwainer, Confection, and their extensions move no more than one column in a move.

Notes

Though referring to the same animal in their original languages the words Elephant and Alfil are etymologically unconnected. The former can be traced to Classical Greece and the latter is an accidental fusion of two Arabic words.

Though not a traditional spelling in British English, Savior is a logical one for an agent noun alongside the likes of author, Doctor, Governor (MAB 01) et cetera. For this reason it is my preferred spelling of that word.

It is advisable to avoid using lame as a synonym for Stepping, as its pejorative connotations can offend Stepper enthusiasts.

The piece currently termed Boffin used to be termed Bunthorne, but a word whose only other meaning is the surname of a fictional character was never very satisfactory. Boffin too is a fictional surname (in Tolkien), but it is the meaning as a common noun that inspired its use as a piece name. I do not see any need to change Bonnet. The piece currently named Hulk was originally named Hassle, derived from the lengthening of the Saltire component of a piece previously named Trestle. As the original Trestle was renamed Bulk some time ago I have updated the derived name to match.

Last revised by Ben Reiniger.

Revisions of MSman-and-beast-06-the-heavy-brigade

Man and Beast 06: The Heavy Brigade #11955 by Charles Gilman on 2023-09-24 23:04:37 as HTML
Man and Beast 06: The Heavy Brigade #11956 by Ben Reiniger on 2023-09-24 23:04:37 as HTML
Man and Beast 06: The Heavy Brigade #11957 by Ben Reiniger on 2023-09-24 23:11:24 as HTML
Man and Beast 06: The Heavy Brigade #11958 by Ben Reiniger on 2023-09-24 23:13:28 as HTML
Man and Beast 06: The Heavy Brigade #11967 by Ben Reiniger on 2023-09-25 10:05:39 as HTML