A Board Game of Strategy and Skill
8+
2-4 Players
30-60 Mins
35x35cm
A Board Game of Strategy and Skill
8+
2-4 Players
30-60 Mins
35x35cm
A comprehensive guide to the rules and mechanics of King of the Hill.
King of the Hill can be played with 2, 3, or 4 players. Each player takes one side of the board, assembling their army in any configuration across 22 tiles (see the red regions in the image below). However, the king MUST sit on the middle diamond tile (see the orange diamonds in the image below).
Players should take turns placing their remaining 15 units (5 dragons, 5 knights, and 5 wizards) as they may want to set up tactically to face an opposing army. This red-zone is a safe area, meaning no attacking can take place by any unit; however, opposing units may move into other red-zones. Once all units have been placed, play can begin.
Each player takes turns moving one of their units. If a unit can legally attack another piece, the player may choose to do so, removing the opposing unit from the board. The infographic below shows the unit movement and attack ranges, where a dragon may only attack a knight, a knight may only attack a wizard or another knight, and a wizard may only attack a dragon.
Additionally, all units may attack the king, and the king can attack all units. The dragon can move 2 tiles in any straight line (except to octagonal ones) but can only attack adjacent knights/kings; the knight may move to any adjacent tile and, only if it is currently on an octagonal tile, to any other octagonal tile along its row; the wizard may move to any adjacent tile but can attack dragons/kings that are 2 tiles away in any straight line.
The winner of the game is the player whose king reaches the hill (the middle of the board!) OR the player whose king is the last one standing. To defeat a king, it must be "checkmated," much like in a game of chess, where the king has no legal tiles to move to.
Like in chess, the king cannot move into a position that is being attacked by at least one opposing unit. If a unit reaches and moves into the red-zone opposite its home red-zone, it may be exchanged for any other unit, as long as there is a spare eliminated unit.
Detailed evolution from engineering concept to functional prototype.
The design for the game board began with the game goal of reaching 'the hill' - the 3D aspect of the board intends to evolve the flat/folding generic game board, whilst transforming it into an ornamental piece, much like the intention behind some timeless chess board designs.
The units were iteratively modelled (in Blender) to produce easily distinguishable form as well as structural integrity. They were initially 3D printed using resing via SLA printing, and then primed with layers of plastic primer and outer glossy layers.
Starting with pen, paper and discussion, the rules for King of The Hill were carefully conceptualised. Physical testing is where holes in the game logic and physics can be quickly observed. Eventually the 'triangle of attack' was cemented and the most recent rule additon was unit conversion for units which get to the opposite side of the board (to avoid a stale mate).
