Section 3: Setup
- Place the game board between the players so each player sits behind one edge containing four complete deployment rows.
- Choose colors and give each player all 40 playing pieces of that color.
- Each player secretly arranges their entire army in the four rows nearest them. Every square in those four rows must contain exactly one piece.
- Orient every piece so its identity faces its owner and its blank back faces the opponent.
- Keep the two central rows, including all lake squares, empty at the start.
- Choose the first player by mutual agreement or a random method. Turns then alternate.
Placement Restrictions
Any of a player's 40 pieces may occupy any square within that player's four deployment rows. The Flag and Bombs do not have prescribed starting squares. Players may shield the Flag with Bombs, use Bombs as decoys, place powerful pieces near the front, or adopt any other legal arrangement.
Setup is private. Players should arrange their forces at the same time or use a screen so neither gains information from the other's placement process. When both players declare themselves ready, the arrangements are fixed and the screen is removed. Pieces may not be rearranged after the first turn.
Setup Advice for New Players
A legal setup is not necessarily a safe one. Because the Flag cannot move, leave a plan for defending it. Because only Miners can remove Bombs, spreading Miners through the army helps preserve access to them. Scouts placed near open files can gather information quickly, while the Spy is usually safest when it has support and room to attack.