How do you play 'Game of the Generals'?

Answer 1

The Quickie version:
OBJECTIVE: Capture the opponents flag, or move your flag to the other side of the board.
REQUIRED TO PLAY:
1. Three people. two to play, one to arbitrate. The arbitrator can be eliminated, but will change the dynamic of the game as each player will know the rank of pieces on the board through the capturing of pieces.

2. a 9x8 square board, one side black, one side white(or what ever colors you prefer),
This will give each side 4 rows of 9 columns.
3. 42 playing pieces, 21 white, 21 black(or what ever color you prefer if making your own)
the pieces:
Piece number effect

• Five-star General 1 Eliminates any lower ranking officer, the private, and the flag.

• Four-star General 1 Eliminates any lower ranking officer, the private, and the flag.

• Three-star General 1 Eliminates any lower ranking officer, the private, and the flag.

• Two-star General 1 Eliminates any lower ranking officer, the private, and the flag.

• One-star General 1 Eliminates any lower ranking officer, the private, and the flag.

• Colonel 1 Eliminates any lower ranking officer, the private, and the flag.

• Lt. Colonel 1 Eliminates any lower ranking officer, the private, and the flag.

• Major 1 Eliminates any lower ranking officer, the private, and the flag.

• Captain 1 Eliminates any lower ranking officer, the private, and the flag.

• 1st Lieutenant 1 Eliminates any lower ranking officer, the private, and the flag.

• 2nd Lieutenant 1 Eliminates the sergeant, the private, and the flag.

• Sergeant 1 Eliminates the private, and the flag.

• Private 6 Eliminates the spy, and the flag.

• Spy 2 Eliminates all officers from the rank of Sergeant up to 5-Star General & the flag.

• Flag 1 Eliminates the opposing flag as long as it takes the aggressive action against the enemy flag

Please note: the original game pieces will have the Philippine army ranks

THE SETUP:
1. set the board so the 9 square side is facing you.
2. set your pieces in any arrangement, within the first three rows, this will leave the fourth row on each side empty. There is no set order.
3. Determine who goes first. it is irrelevant as to which color you play. Flip a coin, roll a die, youngest first, just a few suggestions.
4. First player moves one piece, one square. All pieces can move one square only, but either forward, backward, or sideways.
5. When one piece enters an occupied square, the arbitrator removes the pieces from the board and compares them, the lowest rank is removed(see list above of ranking and effect).
If no arbitrator is used, the players show/declare their pieces ranks, and remove the lowest rank.
6. The second player moves a piece, one space either forward, backward or sideways.
7. see step 5.
8. repeat until opponents flag is captured or one flag gets to the other side of the board.
Pretty simple. a better description and history of the game can be found in the WIKIPEDIA, just type game of the generals(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_of_the_Generals)