LEGATUS — the Age of Adaptation: a chess boardgame with card extensions
strategy Board-game inspired by chess.
Legatus is a two-player strategy board game for chess enthusiasts. It combines familiar chess movement with strategical elements like Tactics, Espionage, Recruitment, and Command cards on a redesigned chessboard where players deploy their own armies before battle.
Interactive tutorial
Learn LEGATUS step by step
A short narrated campaign, played out on a real board: deployment, one action a turn — a move or an order — and a fresh card every turn.
The Battlefield
Classic chess, upgraded with command orders
Players still win through superior positioning and tactics — but every game begins with a custom deployment and plays with more excitement thanks to limited battlefield orders. Chess remains the foundation. Your formation is your first decision.
A GAME BY OTTO TASNADI · FIRST EDITION
DEPLOY YOUR FORMATION
Build your starting formation before the battle
Both armies start off the board. You choose which five pieces take the field and where they stand — the King leads from the home rank, and every new piece must connect to your formation. The eleven you leave behind wait in your reinforcement pool.
01King first
Place your King on any square of your home rank.
02Connected formation
Every other piece must be placed on a square adjacent to a piece you already deployed.
03Alternate
Players take turns placing one piece at a time until each commander has five pieces on the board.
04Battle begins
Once deployment ends, the game proceeds with normal chess rules and Command Orders.
The Round
Each player turn
01Move
Move one chess piece, following standard chess rules — or play an order instead.
02Order
Or play one Command Order instead of moving. One action per turn.
03Reinforce
One fresh order is dealt into your hand automatically at the end of your turn.
04End Turn
Pass the initiative to your opponent.
Important Rule
One card per turn.
No exceptions. This keeps the game feeling like chess — orders are tactical moments, not the focus.
Victory
Classic checkmate.
Nothing else. Immediately understandable to anyone who has played chess.
Command Orders
The deck — 105 cards, four categories
Every card is an order issued by the King or Commander. You aren’t playing a card game; you’re commanding an army.
Tactics
28 cardsThe core of the game. Orders that bend the geometry of the board.
Espionage Cards
17 cardsSmall mind games. Information is a weapon before the pieces move.
Logistics
46 cardsRebuild, reinforce and fortify. The war behind the front line.
Command Cards
14 cardsDecrees, pacts and bargains — the war fought off the board.
Scope
Everything else is an expansion
Make the 2-player game exceptional first. Four players with teams, diplomacy and trading come later.
- Resources
- Buildings
- Economy
- Factions
- Player Boards
- 4-Player Teams
- Diplomacy
- Trading
Boardgame launch
Be first to hold the box
The physical LEGATUS boardgame is in the works. Leave your email and we will write once — when the launch date and pre-orders open.
FAQ
Common questions from the field
Everything you need to know before your first campaign.