LEGATUS
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Rulebook

LEGATUS — how to play

LEGATUS is a two-player strategy game based on chess, enhanced with Orders that introduce battlefield tactics, deception, reinforcements, and command decisions. Pieces move according to normal chess rules unless an Order says otherwise. Your objective is simple: checkmate the enemy King.

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1. Prepare the battlefield

Each player receives

  • One chess army
  • 3 Order cards

You also need

  • Chess board
  • Order deck
  • Shield tokens
  • Trap tokens
  • Barricade tokens
  1. Shuffle the Order deck and place it face down beside the board.
  2. Deal 3 Orders to each commander.
  3. Choose who commands White.

The game now begins with Deployment.

2. Phase I — Deployment

Unlike chess, LEGATUS has no fixed starting formation. Each commander builds their own army formation before the battle begins.

  1. 01

    White places the King anywhere on the first rank; Black places the King anywhere on the eighth rank.

  2. 02

    Players alternate placing one piece at a time.

  3. 03

    Every new piece must be placed on an empty position next to one of your own pieces already on the board.

  4. 04

    Pieces may connect horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

  5. 05

    No placement may leave your King in check.

  6. 06

    Continue until every piece has been deployed — then the Battle begins.

3. Phase II — Battle

White takes the first turn. Each turn follows the same sequence.

  1. 01

    Move

    Move one piece using normal chess movement. Your move must be legal and may not leave your King in check.

  2. 02

    Play an Order — optional

    You may play one Order from your hand. Follow the instructions on the card completely before continuing. Some Orders have special timing and may be played outside this step.

  3. 03

    Reinforce

    One Order is dealt to you automatically from the top of the draw pile — there is no draw choice to make. You never hold more than 5 Orders; while your hand is full, no new Order arrives.

  4. 04

    End turn

    Ongoing effects tick down and expire at the end of the duration written on the card. Your turn then ends.

4. Order timing

Orders belong to four strategic categories — Tactics, Espionage, Logistics and Command — and the symbol on a card tells you when it may be played. If an Order contradicts a normal rule, the Order takes priority for that effect.

  • Order

    Play during the Play an Order step of your turn.

  • Reaction

    Play immediately when the condition on the card occurs, including during your opponent's turn. Resolve the Reaction, then continue the interrupted turn.

  • Free Action

    Play during your turn when its condition is met. It does not use your normal Order action.

  • Ongoing

    The effect remains active for the duration written on the card.

  • Permanent

    The effect remains active for the rest of the game unless another effect removes it.

5. Battlefield tokens

Some Orders place tokens on pieces or positions.

  • Shield

    Attach a Shield to one of your pieces; it moves with the piece and prevents the next capture of that piece. Remove it once it blocks a capture. A piece may have only one Shield, and some Orders explicitly ignore Shields.

  • Trap

    Place a Trap on an empty position. The first enemy piece entering that position is captured, then the Trap is removed. A King is not captured by a Trap — instead the King removes it. Traps may be hidden or visible depending on the game mode.

  • Barricade

    Place a Barricade on an empty position. Pieces cannot move onto it or through it, though Knights may jump over it. It remains until removed by an Order or another effect, and only one Barricade may occupy a position.

6. Important terms

Capture
Remove a piece from the board.
Position
One square on the board.
Next To
Any of the eight surrounding positions.
Base Rank
The rank where your King was deployed.
Second Rank
The rank directly in front of your base rank.
Recruit
Place a new piece onto the board.
Return
Place one of your captured pieces back onto the board.
Promote
Replace a Pawn with another piece.
Control
Treat another piece as your own for the duration of the effect.
Sacrifice
Remove one of your own Pawns to pay an Order's cost.

If you cannot pay an Order's required cost, you cannot play it.

7. Resolving Orders & the deck

  • Always follow the exact instructions written on the card.
  • If an Order contradicts the rulebook, the Order takes priority.
  • If multiple effects happen at the same time, resolve the active player's effects, then the opponent's.
  • If only part of an Order can be completed, resolve as much as legally possible unless the card says otherwise.
  • An Order may never leave a King in an illegal state unless the card explicitly resolves that situation.

The Order deck

Used Orders go into the discard pile unless stated otherwise. When the draw pile is empty, shuffle the discard pile into a new draw pile and continue playing.

Battlefield Exhaustion

In this optional mode, remove the top 5 cards from each newly shuffled deck without revealing them. They stay out of the game, gradually reducing the available Orders.

8. Winning the game

You win by putting the enemy King in checkmate. Normal chess rules for check and checkmate apply unless an Order explicitly changes the situation, and the game ends immediately when a King is checkmated.

First game tips

  • Build a formation that gives your important pieces room to move.
  • Do not copy a standard chess opening automatically — Deployment is part of your strategy.
  • Count the Orders your opponent is holding — a full hand means no reinforcement this turn.
  • Use Shields to protect important pieces, and Barricades or Traps to control key positions.
  • You do not need to play an Order every turn. Keeping the right card for later is often stronger.

Move. Issue your Order. Adapt. Checkmate.

Every Command Order explained

105 cards per commander. Cards marked with a cost sacrifice your own pawns when played.

Tactics orders

28 cards

Battlefield manoeuvres: shields, ambushes, extra moves and strikes that bend how pieces move and capture.

Espionage orders

17 cards

Information and disruption: look at the enemy hand, steal or burn their orders, and sow confusion.

Logistics orders

46 cards

Bring fallen soldiers back to the board or promote the ones still standing.

Command orders

14 cards

Army-wide decrees that change the rules of the turn itself for both commanders.

Frequently asked questions

Is LEGATUS still chess?
Yes. Pieces move according to normal chess rules unless an Order says otherwise, and you win by checkmating the enemy King.
How many cards are in the deck?
Each commander has a deck of 105 Orders split across Tactics, Espionage, Logistics and Command.
How do you win?
Checkmate wins, exactly as in chess. The game ends immediately when a King is checkmated.
How do I get new Orders?
Automatically. At the end of your turn one Order is dealt to you from the top of the draw pile — there is no draw step to manage.
How many Orders can I hold?
Five. You start with 3 and gain one per turn; while your hand is full, no new Order arrives.
Do I have to play a card every turn?
No. Moving is mandatory, playing an Order is optional. Holding a card back for the right moment is often stronger.
What does sacrificing a pawn mean?
Some Orders cost Pawns. You remove one of your own Pawns from the board to pay the cost. If you cannot pay the cost, you cannot play the Order.
What is Battlefield Exhaustion?
An optional mode: when the discard pile is reshuffled into a new draw pile, remove the top 5 cards without revealing them. They stay out of the game, gradually reducing the available Orders.
Can I play LEGATUS on a physical chess board?
Yes. Download the rulebook PDF and the print-and-play card sheet, and play with any chess set.
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