Ludo

Ludo is a classic strategy board game adapted for Stacks Wars. Race your four pawns around the board and be the first to get all pawns home.

Objective

Move all four of your pawns from your home base, around the 52-square track, through the home stretch, and into the finish. The first player to finish all pawns wins.

Game Setup

• Players: 2–4 per game
• Pawns: 4 per player
• Board: 52 main squares + 5 home stretch squares per player
• Dice: Two 6-sided dice rolled together
• Roll Timeout: 5 seconds to roll
• Move Timeout: 15 seconds to select a pawn and move
• Player Positions: 2 players start at diagonal corners (indices 0 and 2); 3–4 players fill corners sequentially

How to Play

Turn Phases

Each turn has two phases:

1. Roll Phase (5 seconds) — Click to roll both dice. If you don't roll in time, the dice are auto-rolled.
2. Move Phase (15 seconds) — Select which dice value to use (die 1, die 2, or the sum), then select which pawn to move. If you don't move in time, an auto-move is made.

Dice Mechanics

You roll two dice every turn. You can use:

• Die 1 value alone
• Die 2 value alone
• Sum of both dice (die 1 + die 2)

After selecting a dice value, the server shows which of your pawns can legally move that many squares. Select one to move.

Entering the Board

• To bring a pawn out of your home base, you need a roll that includes a 6 (die 1, die 2, or sum)
• If all 4 pawns are still at home, one of your dice is automatically fixed to 6 so you can always enter

Bonus Turns

You get a bonus turn only when both dice show 6 (double sixes).

Moving Around the Board

• Pawns move clockwise around the 52-square outer track
• After completing a full circuit, pawns enter your home stretch (5 squares)
• You must land with an exact roll to reach the finish square

Safe Squares

Pawns on safe squares cannot be captured. Safe squares are at positions:

0, 8, 13, 21, 26, 34, 39, 47

These are the starting positions and midpoints of each player's section.

Capturing

• If your pawn lands on a square occupied by an opponent's pawn (not a safe square), the opponent's pawn is sent back to their home base
• Capturing is automatic; you get a bonus roll after capturing

Auto-Move on Timeout

If you don't move within 15 seconds, the server makes an automatic move:

1. Prefers using the sum of both dice
2. Falls back to die 1
3. Falls back to die 2
4. If no valid moves exist, the turn is skipped

Prize Distribution

Ludo uses winner-takes-all:

A 2% platform fee is deducted on-chain when claiming via the vault contract.

Wars Points

Points are awarded based on your placement:

wars_point = (total_participants - your_rank + 1) × 2

Points are capped at a maximum of 50 per game.

Strategy Tips

• Get multiple pawns on the board early — Don't rely on a single pawn
• Use the sum wisely — The combined dice value lets you move further but commits both dice to one pawn
• Safe squares are strategic — Park pawns on safe squares near opponents' paths
• Capture when possible — Sending opponents back wastes their progress and earns you a bonus turn
• Plan your home stretch entry — You need exact rolls, so position accordingly
• Watch the auto-move timer — 15 seconds goes fast, especially on complex board states

Common Questions

Q: How many dice do I roll? Two dice are rolled together every turn. You choose which value to use per move.

Q: What happens if I roll double sixes? You get a bonus turn after completing your current move.

Q: Can I move backward? No, all movement is clockwise only.

Q: What if I have no legal moves? Your turn is automatically skipped and passed to the next player.

Q: Can I land on my own pawn? No, you cannot move a pawn to a square occupied by another of your own pawns.

Q: What's the time limit? 5 seconds to roll, 15 seconds to move. Both have auto-fallbacks on timeout.

Q: How do ties work? Ludo is winner-takes-all — there are no ties. The first player to finish all 4 pawns wins.