ChessTan is a hex-grid strategy game that fuses two classics: the resource-building tension of a settle-and-trade board game, and the tactical depth of chess. Every match plays out in three phases, round after round: settle your starting position, roll the dice to gather resources, then spend them building fortifications and units that move and capture like chess pieces — until only one kingdom's Nexus is left standing.

Key Features

Settle, then fight. Place your starting Watchtowers on a randomized hex map, then gather Timber, Stone, Iron, Grain, and Crystal each round based on the dice roll and the tiles you've settled — just like a classic settle-and-trade board game.

2-4 player free-for-all. Every system — elimination, trading, the Raider event, tiebreakers — is built for the full table, not just a pair: knock rivals out one by one until a single Nexus remains, and the board itself grows for 3-4 players so nobody's cramped.

Chess-style combat. Spend resources to build Militia, Riders, Leapers, Sentinels, and more — each with its own real chess-like moveset (orthogonal, diagonal, knight-jump) rather than generic RTS units.

Earn the Colossus. Land 3 kills and unlock the Colossus — a hard-hitting, capture-immune-to-Militia unit — for the rest of the match, flipping the battle's momentum.

Two map shapes, endless replays. Every game randomizes resource placement and number tokens across two distinct map layouts, so no two matches play the same.

Play your way. Local hot-seat with 2-4 players on one PC, online with friends via a room code or Steam's own invite system, or fill any empty seat with an adjustable AI opponent (Slow / Normal / Fast) — mix bots and real players however you like, solo included.

Built to be learned in minutes. An interactive first-game tutorial, hover tooltips on every building and unit, and a full in-game compendium mean you're playing your first real match within five minutes.

How a round works

1. Roll — dice determine which resource tiles produce this round.

2. Build — spend your resources on Watchtowers, Trails, Fortress upgrades, or new units.

3. Move — advance your units across the hex grid using their chess-style movement to threaten, defend, or capture.

Repeat until every rival kingdom is eliminated — by Nexus capture, checkmate, or a wiped-out army.