Nots and
North Stars

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dpGdDIIyqRm-x2SXqhY8A2M8mx9EgEfVIucbmJ1OkAs/edit?tab=t.0

Video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/KjslHN7p3RI

The Doc Above

Nots and North Stars is a board game played on a standard Checkerboard.

By: T.N.T.BOOM! (At Axolotlia Works, axolotlia.com)

Pieces

There are 5 pieces, these are their names and designs: Not ("No" symbol), North Star (4 pointed star), Ampersand (an ampersand), Daisy (a flower), Tree (a tree).

All pieces capture on the same space they move to.

• Nots (1pt) move forward by one or diagonally forward by one. 

• North Stars (2pt) move one in the 4 orthogonal directions.

• Ampersands (4pt) move one space in the four diagonal directions and two in the orthogonal, skipping over the square of the alternate color, they cannot move one orthogonally. They are not blocked if a piece is adjacent.

• Daisies (4pt) move one in the orthogonal directions, and 2 in the diagonals, skipping the diagonals adjacent to them. They cannot move one in the diagonal and are not blocked from moving two in the diagonal if a piece is adjacent.

• Trees (12pt), like real trees, are not able to move, they are very much stuck in place on their home square, blissfully unaware of the bullshit going on around them with flowers and ligatures bouncing around.

Setup
The setup is shown at the top of the page.

Rules

Two players, Blue and Yellow, player to play first is decided by the players.

To win, the players must capture both opponent trees.

Nots, when they reach the other side of the board, must upgrade to North Star.

If ever the game gets to a state where no progress can be made, instead of a tie, the player with more points wins. Such situations can be achieved if a player loses all non-tree pieces, and the opponent only has an opposite color ampersand. Ties are only a thing if the two players would logically never be able to win or lose, and have identical points, I would wager 5 bucks its not possible.