Corps & Columns

I. Overview

Corps & Columns is a two-player strategy card game played with a standard 54-card deck (including two Jokers). One player commands the Red suits (Hearts & Diamonds) and the other commands the Black suits (Spades & Clubs).

Players arrange their forces into Columns separated by a fortified Wall. Through careful positioning, cunning use of Generals, Spies, and Engineers, each player maneuvers to breach the enemy wall and ultimately capture the opposing King.

The game unfolds across repeating cycles of four Seasons — Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer — with combat only permitted during Summer.

II. Components

A standard 54-card deck is split by color. Each player's half contains the following key pieces:

Card Values

For all totaling purposes: Ace = 1, numbered cards = face value (2–10), Queen & King = 10. Jacks (Generals) and Jokers (Engineers) have no numerical value.

III. Setup

1. Separate by color. Split the deck into Red (Hearts + Diamonds + 1 Joker) and Black (Spades + Clubs + 1 Joker). Each player takes their color.
2. Remove Generals. Pull out both Jacks from your half and set them aside in your Fort.
3. Set aside King & Queen. Remove one King and one Queen of your color — these will anchor the bottom of Columns 1 and 2.
4. Deal the Wall. Deal 5 cards face-up in a horizontal row — these are your Bricks. One Brick per column. Set your Engineer (Joker) aside.
5. Deal Spies. Deal 3 cards face-up and set them aside as your Spies.
6. Deal the Columns. Deal the remaining cards face-up into 5 columns. The King and Queen anchor the bottom (Row 1, farthest from the Wall), and Troops fill rows toward the Wall:
   Row 1 (bottom): King in Col 1, Queen in Col 2
   Row 2: 2 Troops (Cols 1–2)
   Row 3: 3 Troops (Cols 1–3)
   Row 4: 4 Troops (Cols 1–4)
   Row 5 (closest to Wall): 5 Troops (Cols 1–5)

Board Layout

Each player's side mirrors the other across the Wall. The columns taper — Column 1 is the tallest (5 rows, anchored by the King at the bottom), and Column 5 is the shortest (1 row). Each player has their own Wall of 5 Bricks plus their Engineer. The King and Queen sit at the farthest point from the Wall (Row 1), with Troops filling rows toward the Wall.

Board layout — Red (top) vs. Black (bottom). Each player has their own Wall. King & Queen sit at Row 1 (farthest from the Wall). Generals start in the Fort (off-board).

IV. Determining Turn Order

Both players reveal their three Spies and total their values (Ace = 1, 2–10 = face value, Queen/King = 10). The player with the lower total goes first.

V. The Seasons

The game is played in repeating cycles of four seasons. Each player takes one turn per season, then the season advances. After Summer, the cycle restarts at Fall.

VI. Moves & Actions

On your turn, you perform one action. After your action, the other player takes their turn. The following actions are available:

VII. The Wall

The Wall is a row of 5 Bricks (cards) that separates your forces from the enemy's. Each Brick sits at the end of a column and serves as a defensive barrier.

Wall Movement

On your turn, you may swap cards within your own wall — rearranging which Brick defends which column. You may also play a Spy onto your wall to replace a Brick.

The Engineer

Your Engineer (Joker) starts at the end of your wall. At any point, you may place the Engineer onto one of your Bricks to permanently seal that column crossing. The enemy can never attack through that Brick.

VIII. Spies

Each player has 3 Spy cards set aside during setup. Playing a Spy is a powerful but limited action — you may play only one Spy per turn.

Spy on Your Own Board

Place the Spy onto your side of the board, replacing one of your existing cards. The replaced card is removed from the game entirely (set aside, out of play).

Spy on the Enemy Board

Place the Spy onto the opponent's side of the board, removing one of their cards from the game. However, once a Spy is placed on the opponent's board, it is locked in place permanently — neither player may move it for the rest of the game.

IX. Attacking

Attacking is the core combat mechanic and is only permitted during Summer. Attacking uses your entire turn.

Attack Requirements

To attack an opposing column, two conditions must be met:

1. You need a card in your column with a value equal to or higher than the opposing wall Brick. If the Brick guarding the column is a 10, you must have at least a 10 in your attacking column.
2. Your column total must exceed the enemy column total plus their wall Brick. Your attacking total is only the cards in your column (your own wall Brick does not count toward your attack). The defender's total includes their column cards plus the wall Brick protecting that column.

Attack Calculation

23 > 22 — Attack succeeds!

Successful Attack

When an attack succeeds, all cards in the defeated column are flipped over. That column becomes a Path — an open corridor. From a Path, the attacker may now launch attacks against the columns to the left and right of the breached column, as long as they meet the numerical requirements.

The Engineer's Block

If the defending player has placed their Engineer on the Brick guarding a column, that column cannot be attacked through, permanently. The attacker must find another route.

X. Victory

The game ends when a player successfully attacks and captures the enemy King at the bottom of Column 1. Since the King cannot be moved, the defending player must protect it by strengthening Column 1's defenses, fortifying the wall, and using Generals, Spies, and the Engineer strategically.

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