A few brainstorms on ways this idea could be advanced. I'm imagining some kind of fusion between chess and miniature war gaming.
These games could be purchased as stand alone game "modules" with a variety of potential aesthetics. What you get when you buy one is a gaming board (much larger than a chess board) that has been modified to more accurately resemble the terrain of the particular aesthetic - so, staggered hillsides, interfering objects (no piece may land on or move through - cept maybe the "knight" can jump certain barriers).
You get an assortment of unique pieces - I'm imagining space marines fighting some kind of insectasoid aliens. The module comes with 5 or 6 pre-designed "missions"; these missions involve unique piece setups and different win conditions.
ie. 3 lancers (bishops) and 2 templars (knights) with an overlord (queen) or whatever versus a differing assortment of enemy pieces.
Win conditions like "If you get the General to the airlock" you win the game.
By selling specific modules and keeping the rules to chess, you cut out the need of learning complex war gaming manuals but retain all the fun of the stylized aesthetic.
Pawns would have to be able to move like a king, of course.
So yeah, chess meets Warhammer.
I just had this discussion with a good friend from chess.com.
I have an idea I wish to share with you, I believe I can trust you with an idea I have. I recently saw a chess set of NFL teams and the board looked like a grass football field, well that got me to thinking. You know how some people will collect custom pieces, The American Civil War, and Revolutionary War just to name two for now. I see these pieces in the local Malls and they are always setting on the same boring black and white squares. My idea is to have them set on a custom map or better put a battle map. Like "Bunker Hill" for the Rev. War or Gettysburg for the Civil War. I think the battle maps would be a great addition to the pieces themselves.
What do you think?