NOTE: These instructions correspond to version 1.03b.
These instructions are for BattleBoardz Legacy, which is no longer supported.
The instructions corresponding to the latest version of BattleBoardz
can be found here.
BattleBoardz is a stand-alone .exe file that does not require any installation and should work on any system capable of running VB6 windows applications. However, to play, the game requires a minimum screen resolution of 1024x768 pixels for the Standard User Interface or 1024x600 pixels for the Widescreen User Interface.
The game is played by 2 human players vs each other. Each one controls a team, which consists of characters/pieces on a board of squares. The game is turn-based. When it is your team's turn, you must first select the piece you wish to use for that turn. You can then choose the action(s) you wish to do with that piece. The turn ends when you either use your last remaining attack, defend for any number of turns, or use any magic. Pieces have HP and those who use magic also have MP.The object of the game is to eliminate all the pieces on the other team, or if playing King Mode the object is to eliminate the other team's King.
Once the game begins, the starting player must select the piece they wish to use for this turn. When the turn is over, the other player will do the same. Once these 2 turns are over, it will of course then be the starting player's turn again. At this time, the game would be in "Turn #3". The game keeps track of turns in this way, so keep this in mind when deciding for how many turns to do something (some actions can be "in effect" for, say X, turns).For any given turn, once the current player clicks on the piece they wish to use, the available Actions for the class of the piece are presented. All classes can Move, Attack or Defend, and certain classes can also use Magic. An action is selected by clicking on it or by using a hotkey as listed in brackets below.Note: It is possible to select an action to view your options in the "Info Box" without actually doing that action. If you decide you no longer wish to use the selected piece, you can cancel by clicking the CANCEL button or by pressing ESC. If an action has already been performed, however, this cancel option is no longer available and the turn must be completed with the selected piece.MOVE (F1) - Depending on the class of the piece, different rules for moving apply. These class-specific rules are presented in the "Info Box" located to the right of the Actions. The # of Moves Left below the piece's stats, however, generally work the same way: moving up, down, left or right one square requires 1 Move and moving diagonally one square requires 2 Moves. The only exceptions are the Mage and Dark Mage classes who can move anywhere with 1 Move, and the King whose diagonal moves only require 1 Move. Note that a Move is different from a Turn. Moving does not end your turn.ATTACK (F2) - Depending on the class of the piece, different rules for attacking apply. These class-specific rules are presented in the "Info Box" located to the right of the Actions. The piece's current Attack Dmg and % Hit can be found in the stats. The # of Attacks Left is shown below the piece's stats. Only the Warrior class has 2 attacks per turn; all other classes have only 1 attack per turn. Attacking with 1 Attack Left will end your turn.DEFEND (F3) - Depending on the class of the piece, a different defend bonus is offered. A piece can choose to defend for 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9 turns, except the King who can only defend for 1 turn. Pieces cannot be selected for use while they are defending. Defending will also end your turn. There are a few details about defending you may want to be aware of:- If all your pieces except the selected piece are defending for more than 1 turn then the selected piece cannot defend for more than 1 turn.- It is possible to lose a piece in such a way that all your pieces will be defending when it becomes your turn. In this case, you cannot do anything and you lose your turn.MAGIC (F4) - The Mage, Dark Mage and Archer can also use magic. Choosing a spell will display information about the spell in the "Info Box". Casting a spell will end your turn. Details about individual spells can be found in Section: III-Classes.
The following Status Effects exist which can affect pieces in a positive or negative way. Note: all status effects can be removed by the Mage spell 'Cleanse'.Positive Status Effects:
DOUBLE DMG While under this status effect, the piece's Attack Dmg is doubled.
This status effect lasts until the piece does not miss with an attack or arrow.FOCUS ENERGY While under this status effect, the piece cannot be targetted. This status effect lasts 1 turn.
Note: the spell 'Focus Energy' only enables this on the castor if their team has 3 or more pieces.PROTECT While under this status effect, the piece cannot be targetted by attacks
(they can still be targetted by spells). This status effect lasts 1 turn.Negative Status Effects:
ANTI-MAGIC A board-wide status effect. While this is in effect, no magic may be used.
This status effect lasts 3 turns.CONFUSE While under this status effect, the piece's % Hit is reduced by 1/4 and % Block by 1/2.
This status effect lasts until they successfully strike with or block an attack or arrow.POISON While under this status effect, the piece loses 1 HP per turn.
This status effect can only be removed by the Mage spell 'Cleanse'.
There are two ways for a Draw Game to occur in a game of BattleBoardz as follows:- When both teams satisfy the win condition. That is, if Team A destroy's Team B (or eliminates their King in the case of King Mode) but, before the turn is complete, Team A is also destroyed (or loses their King in the case of King Mode) then this is a Draw Game.- If both teams are reduced to one-piece-left then a countdown (of 30 turns) begins until the game will automatically end in a Draw Game should the counter reach zero before any team wins.
Quick Game Setup is the quickest way to setup a game and get it started. Once Quick Game Setup is selected, modify the default selections if desired and then simply click START GAME. Depending on the chosen selections, an appropriate template is automatically selected and then the game is loaded. The selections available to you mentioned above are as follows:- Board Size : Small(5x5), Medium(6x6) or Large(7x7) (the size of the board the game will be played on)- King Mode : Yes (win: eliminate enemy King) or No (win: there is no King; eliminate all enemy pieces)- Pieces/Team : 6, 8, 10 or 12 (the # of pieces with which each team starts)- Custom Team Names : (players can optionally name their teams before beginning a game)- Starting Player : (Random), Team 1 or Team 2.
Custom Game Setup is much more customizable than Quick Game Setup, and requires 3 steps to complete. In step 1, the selections available are much like the ones from Quick Game Setup but Pieces/Team is omitted because of the additional options in the steps that follow.Note: in Custom Game Setup, the players place their pieces on the board once the setup is complete, rather than a template being used as in Quick Game Setup.Step 1- Board Size : Small(5x5), Medium(6x6) or Large(7x7) (the size of the board the game will be played on)- King Mode : Yes (win: eliminate enemy King) or No (win: there is no King; eliminate all enemy pieces)- Custom Team Names : (players can optionally name their teams before beginning a game)- Starting Player : (Random), Team 1 or Team 2.Step 2- Same # of Total Pieces : Yes (both teams will start with the same # of pieces) or No (the two teams may start with different #'s of pieces)- # of Pieces Per Team : (if Same # of Total Pieces is set to No then this is changed to # of Pieces for TEAM 1 and # of Pieces for TEAM 2)- Same # of Each Class : Yes (can only be selected if both teams start with the same # of pieces) or No (the two teams may start with different #'s of each class)- Symmetry : (None), Top & Bottom, Left & Right or Diagonal (symmetry can only be used when Same # of Each Class is set to Yes; if symmetry is used, when a player places a piece on the board a piece of the same class is also placed (automatically) for the other player)Step 3(select how many of each class the teams will start with and click START GAME)
The following Options can be accessed during a game or from the main menu of the setup.- Window Mode : Fullscreen or Window- User Interface : Standard (min. resolution: 1024x768 px) or Widescreen (min. resolution: 1024x600 px)- Display Turn Message : (this is the "TEAM X, IT IS NOW YOUR TURN!" message box)- Blink Border of Selected Piece : (the border around a selected piece will blink if this is enabled)- Show Stats on Hover : (this option can be different for team 1 and team 2)- Auto-Choose 'Move' Action Upon Selecting Piece : (this option can be different for team 1 and team 2)
Unaltered Stats: [ HP: 90 | MP: 40 | Attack Dmg: 15-35 | Def: 1 | % Hit: 90 | % Block: 0 ]MOVE - Move Method: Foot - Archers start with 2 Moves Left. They cannot move through occupied squares. Moving up, down, left or right one square requires 1 Move and moving diagonally one square requires 2 Moves.ATTACK - Weapon: Bow - Archers start with 1 Attack Left and can attack inline-targets up to 5 squares away. However, they cannot attack adjacent squares.DEFEND - Defend bonus for Archers: HP +5/Turn, MP +5/Turn, Double Def.MAGIC - There are 2 spells available to Archers as follows:- Magic Arrow (10MP) : Shoot a magical arrow that seeks enemy target. Magic Arrow cannot miss or be blocked.- Poison Arrow (20MP) : Shoot at in-range target enemy an arrow that poisons target enemy if it strikes. Poisoned pieces lose 1 HP/Turn.
Unaltered Stats: [ HP: 80 | MP: 100 | Attack Dmg: 1-15 | Def: 0 | % Hit: 100 | % Block: 0 ]MOVE - Move Method: Teleport - Dark Mages start with 1 Move Left but can use it to teleport to any unoccupied square.ATTACK - Weapon: Staff - Dark Mages start with 1 Attack Left and can attack adjacent squares only.DEFEND - Defend bonus for Dark Mages: HP +5/Turn, MP +10/Turn.MAGIC - There are 8 spells available to Dark Mages as follows:- Focus Energy (0MP) : Regain Max MP but lose as much HP as MP gained. If this would result in less than 1 HP left, your HP is reduced to 1. Next turn, if your team has 3 or more pieces, this one cannot be targetted.- X-Fer Energy (1MP/MP) : Transfer x MP from you to target other magic-user.- Life Leech (2MP/HP) : [ Note: Life Leech cannot be used for more than target's HP ] Target other piece takes selected amount of Dmg while you are healed an equal amount of HP or to Max HP.- Black Box (5MP/Turn) : [ Note: There can only be 1 Black Box at a time on the board ] Create a 3x3 square Black Box that no one can leave or enter for x turn(s).- Anti-Magic (20MP) : For 3 turns, no magic may be used.- Confuse (30MP) : Reduce target enemy's HP by 1/10 (Min Dmg: 1), % Hit by 1/4 and % Block by 1/2 until they successfully strike with or block an attack or arrow.- Telekinesis (50MP) : Move any piece on the board, except King, to another square.- Mind Drain (All MP) : [ Minimum Cost: 1 MP ] Drain all of target enemy magic-user's remaining MP as well as your own remaining MP.
Unaltered Stats: [ HP: 120 | MP: - | Attack Dmg: 20-40 | Def: 5 | % Hit: 80 | % Block: 10 ]MOVE - Move Method: Horse - Knights start with 2 Moves Left. They can jump over occupied squares if enough Moves Left to do so. Moving up, down, left or right one square requires 1 Move and moving diagonally one square requires 2 Moves.ATTACK - Weapon: Lance - Knights start with 1 Attack Left. They can attack adjacent squares or, provided there is no piece in the way of the target, they can also attack 2 squares away but not diagonally.DEFEND - Defend bonus for Knights: HP +5/Turn, Double Def, % Block +10.
Unaltered Stats: [ HP: 80 | MP: 100 | Attack Dmg: 1-15 | Def: 0 | % Hit: 100 | % Block: 0 ]MOVE - Move Method: Teleport - Dark Mages start with 1 Move Left but can use it to teleport to any unoccupied square.ATTACK - Weapon: Staff - Mages start with 1 Attack Left and can attack adjacent squares only.DEFEND - Defend bonus for Mages: HP +5/Turn, MP +10/Turn.MAGIC - There are 8 spells available to Mages as follows:- Heal Target (1MP/HP) : Heal target to Max HP, or for as much as your mana permits.- Heal (20MP) : Heal yourself +50 HP.- Fireball (20MP) : [ Note: It is possible for FireBall to be blocked ] Create a FireBall that can harm inline-target enemy for 25-50 Dmg, provided there is no piece in the way of the target.- Cleanse (20MP) : Remove all status effects from target. For each negative status effect removed, target is healed +5 HP.- Protect (25MP) : Heal yourself and each adjacent ally +5 HP. Next turn, these pieces cannot be targetted by attacks.- Double Dmg (30MP) : Enhance target ally's Attack Dmg by x2 until their next attack or arrow does not miss.- Lightnight (40MP) : Strike target enemy with a lightning bolt that does 25-65 Dmg.- Earthquake (50MP) : Create an EarthQuake that reduces current HP by 1/4 for the entire board. For each piece, Min Dmg is 1.
Unaltered Stats: [ HP: 100 | MP: - | Attack Dmg: 10-25 | Def: 2 | % Hit: 75 | % Block: 20 ]MOVE - Move Method: Foot - Warriors start with 1 Move Left. They cannot move through occupied squares or move diagonally.ATTACK - Weapon: Sword - Warriors start with 2 Attacks Left and can attack adjacent squares only.
Note that since Warriors start with 2 Attacks Left, it is possible for them to use the first attack and then select another action, including the 'Move' action if they still have any Moves Left.DEFEND - Defend bonus for Warriors: HP +5/Turn, Double Def, % Block +10.
Unaltered Stats: [ HP: 250 | MP: - | Attack Dmg: 1-50 | Def: 10 | % Hit: 60 | % Block: 25 ]MOVE - Move Method: Foot - King starts with start with 1 Move Left. They cannot move through occupied squares but can move diagonally and moving one squares requires 1 Move regardless of direction.ATTACK - Weapon: Scepter - King starts with 1 Attack Left and can attack adjacent squares only.DEFEND - Defend bonus for King: HP +10, Double Def, % Block +25. NOTE: King cannot defend for more than 1 turn at a time
Bug Reports can be sent to info@battleboardz.com with "Bug Report:" in the title followed by a brief description of the issue. In the body of the message, please provide as much information as possible. Although the "bug" may or may not be changed, feedback is always appreciated. Questions or comments can also be sent to that address.
