i think this might be not too hard to code on this site :
4 players playing espionage, 2 players per team, 2 teams per game each player has 1 side of the board, teammates on opposite sides so there are 4 flags on the board
players are allowed to communicate, teammates can discuss their tactics (as in real life 'espionage')
players move (counter) clockwise, so first player 1, (team a), then player 2 (team b), then player 3 (team a), then player 4 (team b)
as soon as 1 flag is captured that team loses and the 2 players of the other team win. each player gets his bkr adjusted individually
what problems could there be ? (aside from the problem of 4 players being able to use more time before everyone has made 1 turn)
Hrqls: What would the starting layout be. It would be easy to attack/hard to defend pieces close to the corners of the board. Would you still use a square board? Or one shaped like a plus sign? Just some thoughts. ;-)
Back row, 10 pieces can be places (middle 10, leaving 2 spaces on each side.) Next to back row, 8 pieces can be places (middle 8, leaving 4 spaces on each side) next row, 6 pieces next row, 4 pieces front row - 2 pieces
So your front row, and the front row of your opponent across from you has 4 empty spaces - kind of like current.
So each of the 4 sides has the same amount of pieces, look like pyramids, and has about the same amount of space from their opponents.
I think that would take forever, but multiplayer small espionage might be good. Also, with a pyramid starting setup, almost everyone would put their castle in the middle of the bottom row. I think a setup similar to now would be better because it would bting out more creativity in starting setups. Overall, I still like the idea.
Thad: yes, maybe 10x10, corner 4 places free (or maybe not, great danger zone, but required to defend or attack setup in there :)), less pieces (like in small espionage)