Pikemen

About this board game

Pikemen is a 15-minute board game for 2–4 players, played with Icehouse Pieces on a standard 8×8 board. Each piece represents a warrior carrying a long spear, or “pike,” and its pointing direction determines how it can move and be captured.

On a turn, a Pikeman may charge in the direction its pike is pointing, moving any number of spaces in a straight line. After charging, the piece is reoriented in a different direction. It may even point straight up, entering a defensive position rather than indicating a direction across the board.

Defense and orientation are central to Pikemen’s capture rules. A piece that is pointing can be captured by any other piece, while a piece in defense can only be captured by a larger piece. Choosing when to advance, change direction, or point upward creates the game’s key decisions.

• Uses Icehouse Pieces and a standard 8×8 board
• Move any number of spaces in a straight line along the pointing direction
• Reorient each Pikeman after charging
• Use upward-facing pieces for defense
• Earn points from captured Pikemen based on their size

Captured Pikemen are worth 1 point for a small piece, 2 points for a medium piece, or 3 points for a large piece. The first player to capture enemy Pikemen worth the required total wins, with 12 points being the usual target.

With its blend of movement, orientation, defense, and size-based scoring, Pikemen turns a small board and a set of spear-bearing pieces into a focused contest. The game was released in 1997.