Zeitnot

On the board

Zeitnot is a roguelike on a chessboard. Pieces have health, attack, and a slot for a hat, a gun, or a shield. Taking a piece is a fight. If it still has HP, it stays on the square.

Between trials

The shop opens. Buy pieces, gear, gambits, and scrolls. Set your formation, then walk into the next trial. Win and the run goes on. Lose your last life and it ends.

In the shop

Gear sits on one piece, not the whole army

Gambits stay on for the run: extra damage, gold, a shot off to the side

Scrolls are one use. Freeze a patch of the board, swap two pieces, or stretch the board

The shop also has packs, dice, and a coin flip

No starting army wins every run. A pawn with a hook can matter more than the queen you brought in.

Play alone, or sit down with a friend.