This is notated quite simply with the move of the Mission followed by the follied piece in brackets. For example, as a very first move of a game, we could write, Mh3 (N).
A piece may not be follied if it has already made its first move, or if the adjacent Mission has already vacated.
To perform a Folly, first make a regular move with your Mission, and then in the same turn, place either the adjacent Knight or the adjacent Bishop onto the home square of the Mission, now vacated.
Thus it may move as many squares as there are available in an orthogonal direction, but may only land on those of the same colour it is bound to at the start.
If there are pieces in the way on either coloured square, the Mission’s path is blocked and must land to the nearest same colour square along a clear path, just as if it were a non leaping piece.
Only the nearest opposite coloured square may be jumped. The Mission may not jump diagonally.
The Mission, as I will explain in the following chapters, only leaps because it is a natural trait of it being colour bound. Since it has no natural instruction to leap diagonally, it does not.
The Mission is a colour bound Rook, with the ability to leap the nearest opposite coloured square. It may also move without leaping, two squares diagonally.
The Mission is represented by the symbol of the Egyptian Ankh ☥ and is notated with an M.
The Mission is discussed in much more depth of course, throughout the rest of this blog.
Missionary Chess features a new specialty called Follying, whereby the Mission’s adjacent Bishop or Knight may be relocated to the Mission’s home square in the same turn of the Mission first vacating.
Whilst this could cause both Bishops to be of the same colour square, Follying can be performed both King or Queen side, replenishing the balance.
Follying is explained further in other chapters and discussed practically later in more detail.
