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Luzhanqi
Luzhanqi
Luzhanqi
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Luzhanqi
Players2 (3 with a referee)
Setup timeUnder one minute
Playing timeInformal games: less than 30 minutes.
ChanceSome, originating to the incomplete information of the game
SkillsStrategy, tactics, memory, bluff

Chinese military chess (luzhanqi) (Chinese: 陸戰棋; pinyin: lùzhànqí) (lit. “Land Battle Chess”) is a two-player Chinese board game . There is also a version for four players. It bears many similarities to dou shou qi, Game of the Generals and the Western board game Stratego. It is a non-perfect abstract strategy game of partial information, since each player has only limited knowledge concerning the disposition of the opposing pieces. Because of the Chinese nature of the game, terms used within the game may vary in translation.

Luzhanqi is mainly played by children as a precursor to games like xiangqi and weiqi,[1][2] but people of other ages may also enjoy it as a game of leisure.

Objective

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The aim of the game is to capture the opponent's flag through penetrating their defenses, while trying to prevent the opponent from capturing the player's own flag.

Board

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Game board

The Luzhanqi board is divided into 65 spaces, which are connected by either roads or railroads to adjacent spaces.

  • Roads - usually marked as thin lines on the board. A piece can only travel one space across a road at any time.
  • Railroads – usually marked as thick lines on the board, a piece can travel any number of spaces along a railroad in a straight line, as long as its path is not obstructed by another piece.

Each player has 30 spaces in their territory (their side of the board), arranged in five columns and six rows, separated by five special spaces (a single row) from their opponent. Each space has a different shape, depending on whether it is traversable and if pieces can be captured from that space.

Luzhanqi spaces
Name Shape Illustration Quantity Notes
Post
兵站 		rectangle 23(×2) Also known as Soldier Station; this is a normal space. Pieces can move on or off these spaces at will, and can be attacked and captured on them.
Campsite
行营 		circle 5(×2) A piece on a campsite cannot be attacked.
Headquarters
大本营 		building 2(×2) There are two headquarter spaces, positioned to either side of the central axis at the sixth row of the player's territory (closest to the player). The Flag must be placed on one of these two spaces. Any piece that has been placed on or has entered a headquarters space can no longer move.
Mountains
山界 		double circle 2 Pieces cannot move over these two spaces.
Frontlines
前线 		square 3 These are the only points at which a piece can enter the opponent's territory. Pieces do not land on these spaces, they pass over them.

Pieces

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The pieces

Each player has 25 pieces, which are identical except for markings on one side. They are listed here in order of order, where any piece of a higher order may capture one of lower order (if the enemy is of the same order, both pieces will be removed from the board).

Luzhanqi pieces
Name Commander Illustration Quantity Order Notes
Field Marshal
司令 		Overall 1 9 When captured, the player must reveal their Flag.
General
军长 		Army 1 8
Major General
师长 		Division 2 7
Brigadier General
旅长 		Brigade 2 6
Colonel
团长 		Regiment 2 5
Major
营长 		Battalion 2 4
Captain
连长 		Company 3 3
Lieutenant
排长 		Platoon 3 2
Engineer (Sapper)
工兵 		3 1 The only pieces which can turn corners when travelling along the Railroad. Engineers can also capture Landmines without being removed from the board.
Bomb
炸弹 		2 — Unlike the stationary landmine, bombs may be moved. Any attack by (or on) a bomb results in destruction for both the bomb and the opponent's piece. They may capture the opponent's flag. Bombs cannot be placed on the front line (the first rank) during the initial set-up.
Landmine
地雷 		3 — Any attack results in the destruction of attacking pieces, except when attacked by an Engineer or destroyed by a bomb. Depending on the ruleset used, Landmines may or may not be removed from play following a capture. Landmines may only be placed on the fifth and sixth ranks during set-up. The Landmine cannot move from its original position.
Flag
军旗 		1 — Must be placed on one of the two Headquarters spaces on the sixth rank. It cannot move. Its capture brings the victory of the attacker and ends the game.[3]

Gameplay

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Both players begin by arranging their pieces on their half of the board, with the markings that indicate rank facing towards them (and hence invisible to the opponent). Some version allows the pieces to be placed face up, allowing both players to see them. Initially, all pieces must be placed on posts or headquarters; bombs may not be placed on the first rank, landmines must be placed on the last two ranks, and the flag must be placed in one of the headquarters spaces.

Play then proceeds by turns, with each player moving one piece per turn. On each move a piece may move to any connected adjacent space, or use the Railroad lines to travel to more distant spaces.

When a piece lands on a space occupied by an opposing piece, the respective orders of the two pieces are compared (either by the players or by an independent referee). The lower-ordered piece is removed from the board; if the two are of equal order, both are to be removed from the board. Special pieces (see above) also play their respective roles.

As soon as a player's Field Marshal (order 9) is lost (having collided with the opposing Field Marshal, or was destroyed by a bomb or landmine), he must declare so by revealing the headquarters in which his Flag is placed.

When a player attacks his opponent's headquarters, he will win the game if he enters the one with the flag; if he picked the other headquarters, then normal attacking rules apply, and if the attacking piece captures the headquarters piece, it must remain there and not move, revoking its purpose as a piece. However, with this, it becomes obvious to the attacking player that the flag must be planted in the other headquarters. (Some variants do not include this rule.)

Strategies

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It is feasible to send the Brigadier Generals or Major Generals (order 6 and 7) to attack the opponent's pieces, for these pieces are effective in getting rid of lower-ordered pieces and identifying those of higher order. Smaller-ordered pieces can be used to infiltrate the opponent's campsites, while Engineers are employed to remove landmines when the route to the opponent's fifth and sixth ranks is clear. Bombs should be sent to campsites as soon as possible to prevent accidental bombing, and should only be employed to destroy the highest-ordered pieces of order 8 and 9, to defend one's own flag from being captured, or to destroy a blocking landmine. The arrangement of landmines and nearby pieces should also be carefully thought out to secure the defense of the headquarters.

Multi-player versions

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A typical 4-player Junqi gameboard

One of the main spin-offs of Luzhanqi is Si Guo Zhan Qi [zh] (Chinese: 四国戰棋; pinyin: sìguó jūnqí; lit. 'Four Country Battle Chess') derived from arranging a board for four-players, with each taking up a territory adjacent to another at 90-degree angles. Players at opposite ends team up to defend against the other pair; the game ends when both players of a team has their flags captured, or when all sides are unable to defeat each other and thus agree to a draw.

If a player has his flag captured, he must admit defeat, thus removing all of his pieces off the board. He may also do so by resigning if his situation looks hopeless. In this case, if his ally across the board is still in the game, the game continues; otherwise, it ends with the victory of the other team. Even if a player admits defeat or resigns, his team may still win if his ally is able to defeat both opposing teams.

As shown in the diagram, there will no longer be Mountains or No-man's Lands, for the 9 shared spaces in the middle of the territories will be public territory. There are now curved railroads, where the rule for railroads still apply across the curve for all pieces: in a single turn, moving pieces can still travel along any part of the yellow line in the diagram, but not in the direction of the arrow. Engineers are still spared from this restriction and may move to any space accessible via railroads.

Board for six-player variant

A six-player variant also exists, named 六国戰棋; liùguó jūnqí; 'Six Country Battle Chess'. Similar to the four-player variant, it features three teams of two, with each player seated opposite their teammate.[4]

Other variants

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There are many variant rules of Junqi. Before a game, players usually decide which rule to use.

Common

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  • "Flying Bombs": Under this rule, Bombs move the same way Engineers do.
  • "Explosive Mines": Under this rule, An attempt by pieces (other than an Engineer) to capture a Mine kills both the moving piece and the Mine, as opposed to killing only the moving piece. An Engineer still captures a Mine. This rule is more common in 2-players game.

Two players

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  • "Flag Carrier": Under this regional variant, games are not won by merely capturing flags. In order to win, a player has to let a piece "take" the flag with it, and carries it back to his/her own flag. A piece carrying the flag moves normally, and if it is captured, the Flag returns to the original headquarters it was in. Also, under this variant, pieces do not become immobile upon entering a headquarters.

Four players

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  • "Allied Visible": Under this rule, a player has the right to know his/her ally's piece arrangement, i.e. the rank of all his/her ally's pieces. (In some online games, allied players' pieces are simply made visible to each other.)
  • "All Visible": Under this rule, all players place their pieces with their marked side up, that is, making all pieces' rank visible to all players, effectively making it an abstract strategy game of full information.

See also

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Luzhanqi

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Luzhanqi, also known as Land Battle Chess or Army Chess (陸戰棋), is a two-player of Chinese origin in which opponents command hidden armies of 25 pieces each, representing ranks from to along with special items like bombs, landmines, and a , on a rectangular board featuring paths, railroads, mountains, camps, and headquarters. The objective is to capture the opponent's through tactical movements and combats resolved by rank comparisons, with higher-ranked pieces defeating lower ones, while and special rules add layers of . The game's origins are unclear but likely date to the early 20th century, possibly the 1910s or 1920s, reflecting modern military tactics such as railroads, and it is considered a commercial invention rather than an ancient tradition. It draws influences from Chinese games like Xiangqi (Chinese chess) and Dou Shou Qi (Combat of Animals), while sharing similarities with Western strategy games such as Stratego, though regional variations exist in rules, particularly regarding piece interactions like landmine removal. Popular among children in China as an introduction to strategic thinking before games like Xiangqi or Weiqi (Go), Luzhanqi emphasizes hidden information, bluffing, and path-based movement, often played with a referee to maintain piece secrecy. In gameplay, players first arrange their pieces face-down on designated stations and on their half of the board, ensuring the is placed in one of two central and bombs are not on the front line. Turns alternate, with each player moving one piece along roads (one space) or railroads (any number of spaces in straight lines), though mountains block movement and camps serve as safe zones. occurs when a piece moves onto an opponent's, with outcomes determined by rank—equals are both removed, engineers can defuse landmines or bombs, and bombs or landmines explode to eliminate attackers (or multiple adjacent pieces if detonated). The game can also accommodate four players in teams, and modern digital versions are available online, enhancing its accessibility beyond traditional paper or wooden sets.

Overview

History

Luzhanqi, also known as Land Battle Chess, is a modern Chinese board game with unclear origins, having been documented only in recent times despite its widespread play throughout the 20th century. Scholars suggest it likely emerged in the 1910s or 1920s, inferred from the inclusion of elements like railroads, which began to play a significant role in Chinese military logistics during that period. The game draws roots from traditional Chinese abstract strategy games, adapting military simulation concepts to reflect contemporary warfare, including bombs, landmines, and ranked units, while evolving independently as a cultural pastime. By the mid-20th century, Luzhanqi had become a staple in Chinese households, particularly popular among children and families as an accessible introduction to strategic thinking before progressing to more complex games like Xiangqi (Chinese chess) or Weiqi (Go). Its simple setup and elements of hidden information made it an ideal entry point for young players, fostering skills in planning and decision-making under uncertainty, and it spread through informal play in homes, schools, and public spaces across . Electronic versions further boosted its accessibility in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, with platforms like Tencent's offering online multiplayer options that extended its reach to all ages. The game's evolution highlights its adaptation of partial information mechanics, akin to parallel developments in Western military simulation games like , but tailored to Chinese cultural contexts of tactical hierarchy and battlefield simulation. Culturally, Luzhanqi holds significance in promoting concepts of partial and , encouraging players to anticipate opponents' moves and manage resources effectively, thereby embedding lessons in and foresight within everyday .

Objective

The primary objective of Luzhanqi is to capture the opponent's while safeguarding one's own to prevent the same fate. This goal is achieved by maneuvering pieces across the board to reach and attack the stationary , typically located in the opponent's area. The itself is immobile and cannot be moved once placed at the start of the game, emphasizing the need for defensive strategies around the . Victory can also be secured through secondary conditions, such as rendering the opponent unable to make any legal moves by eliminating or immobilizing all their pieces. Additionally, if a player captures the opponent's —the highest-ranking piece—they must reveal the position of their , potentially allowing for an easier path to capture if it is unprotected. The game concludes when one player achieves any of these win conditions, with the capturing player declared the winner.

Components

Board Layout

The Luzhanqi board consists of 65 playable spaces, symmetrically divided into two opposing player territories of 30 spaces each and a central neutral zone of 5 spaces that separates the sides. This layout ensures balanced strategic depth, with the central zone acting as a contested frontline area. Various terrain types shape the board's geography and influence navigation. Roads, depicted as thin connecting lines, link adjacent spaces orthogonally. Railroads, shown as bold lines, span across territories, enabling rapid traversal in straight lines when clear. Standard post spaces, 23 per side, provide the primary zones for piece positioning and general movement. Campsites form four two-space safe areas per territory, shielding pieces from combat. Headquarters consist of two central rear spaces in each territory, serving as the possible locations for the flag where pieces cannot depart once inside. Mountains block two spaces per side, rendering them impassable and compelling detours. Three designated frontline entry points per side—typically the gaps flanking the central mountains—allow initial advances into the neutral zone. Railroads visually interconnect the territories horizontally and vertically, reinforcing the board's symmetric design that mirrors features across both halves for equitable play.

Pieces and Ranks

Each player in Luzhanqi commands a total of 25 pieces, comprising ranked military units and special items that represent an army's composition. The ranked pieces form the core forces, organized in a numerical hierarchy from 1 to 9, where higher numbers indicate superior rank and the ability to capture lower-ranked opponents in combat. These pieces are as follows:
RankPiece NameQuantity per Player
91
8General1
72
62
52
4Major2
33
23
13
The , as the lowest-ranked unit (rank 1), possesses a unique ability among the ranked pieces: it can defuse landmines without sustaining damage and is capable of turning corners on the railroad tracks. In addition to the ranked pieces, each player has three special pieces: two Bombs, three Landmines, and one . Bombs and Landmines are considered to have the lowest effective rank (equivalent to -1) and are immobile once placed. The also holds the lowest rank (-1) and is immobile; it serves as the game's victory objective but offers no combat capability.

Rules

Setup

Luzhanqi is prepared for play by two opponents who sit opposite each other across the board, with each player's territory occupying a symmetric half divided by a central and impassable borders. The board features designated soldier stations (posts) in the player's territory for piece placement, along with two spaces in the rear row and safe camp circles that remain empty at the start. Each player receives an identical set of 25 pieces representing military ranks and special items, which must be arranged secretly by placing them face down (upright with markings visible only to the owner) on the soldier stations and one . Placement follows specific restrictions to ensure strategic depth and balance: the must occupy one of the two spaces and cannot be moved thereafter; bombs cannot be placed on the front rank (the sixth row adjacent to the central line); landmines must be positioned in the rear two rows (the row or the one immediately forward). These rules prevent overly aggressive or vulnerable initial setups while adhering to the standard piece distribution of 25 pieces, including 1 , 2 bombs, 3 landmines, 3 engineers (lowest rank), 3 lieutenants, 3 captains, 2 majors, 2 colonels, 2 brigadier generals, 2 major generals, 1 general, and 1 (highest rank). No formal verification of piece counts or types is required, relying instead on players' adherence to the standard allocation. For beginners, an optional variant allows all pieces to be placed face up, making ranks visible to both players to simplify learning the combat mechanics before advancing to the standard hidden setup. The first player is determined by mutual agreement or random choice, such as a coin flip, after which players alternate turns beginning with that player's first move. Once placement is complete, the game proceeds without further adjustments to the initial arrangement.

Movement

Players alternate turns in Luzhanqi, with each player moving exactly one piece per turn. All pieces move orthogonally along the board's roads and lines, limited to one space at a time unless utilizing special terrain features; diagonal movement is not permitted. The board's terrain, including roads and posts, dictates legal paths, while mountains serve as impassable obstacles that pieces must navigate around via the front lines. Pieces cannot occupy the same space as another piece unless initiating combat, and movement into the opponent's territory is restricted to designated front line crossings. On railroads, any piece can travel an unlimited distance in a straight line along connected railroad segments, provided the path is entirely clear of other pieces—no is allowed. Engineers possess enhanced mobility on railroads, enabling them to turn corners and follow curved or linked railroad paths for any unobstructed distance. Pieces entering their own campsites become safe from attack but cannot move out of these spaces once positioned there. The areas function as one-way zones: pieces may enter but cannot exit, providing a final defensive position. The flag and landmines remain stationary throughout the game and do not participate in movement.

Combat

Combat in Luzhanqi is initiated when a player moves one of their pieces onto a square occupied by an opponent's piece, provided the move is legal under the game's movement rules. The resolution of such encounters depends on the ranks of the involved pieces, where higher-ranked pieces defeat lower-ranked ones, removing the defeated piece from the board while the victor occupies its position. If the attacking and defending pieces have equal ranks, both are removed from play. Pieces begin the game face-down to conceal their ranks, and combat typically reveals them only temporarily if no is present to adjudicate privately; once revealed, pieces remain face-up for the duration of the game. Special pieces introduce exceptions to rank-based combat. Bombs eliminate any attacking piece upon contact and are subsequently removed themselves, but an can defuse a bomb by moving onto it, removing the bomb without any loss to the Engineer. Landmines operate similarly, detonating to destroy both themselves and any non-Engineer attacker that lands on them; Engineers alone can safely remove landmines without triggering an explosion. The possesses no rank and cannot move or initiate attacks, but any piece that successfully moves onto it captures it immediately, securing for that player. Additionally, capture of the —the highest-ranked piece—forces the losing player to reveal their Flag's location to the opponent.

Strategies

Basic Tactics

In Luzhanqi, basic tactics revolve around leveraging the hidden nature of pieces to gain , secure positions, and outmaneuver the opponent while minimizing losses. Players must balance with caution, using low-value pieces to test enemy lines without risking high-rank assets like the general or . These foundational approaches emphasize and board control, drawing on the game's railroad networks and defensive terrain features. Scouting forms the cornerstone of early , where players deploy low-rank pieces such as lieutenants to probe enemy positions and reveal hidden pieces without significant cost. By advancing these expendable units along potential paths to the opponent's , players can infer the strength of defenses, such as identifying landmines or bombs through sacrificial engagements. This tactic exploits the system or temporary reveals during to build a mental of the board, allowing informed decisions on subsequent moves. Defense prioritizes fortifying the and key access points, particularly the railroads leading to it, by strategically placing landmines and bombs in the rear rows. Landmines, which are stationary and destroy any approaching piece except engineers, should encircle the to create a lethal perimeter, while bombs offer similar explosive potential but require careful positioning to avoid self-detonation. Camps on the board provide safe havens where pieces cannot be attacked, making them ideal for retreating high-value units like the during threats. Mobility tactics focus on dominating the railroads, which permit unlimited straight-line movement for rapid deployment of high-rank pieces such as the general. Controlling these central pathways enables quick reinforcement of fronts or surprise assaults on the enemy's flag, outpacing slower one-step movements on regular lines. Players should prioritize clearing railroads of obstacles early to facilitate this advantage, ensuring that pieces like majors can traverse the board efficiently. Bluffing enhances deception by mimicking high-rank pieces with low ones, such as positioning a captain aggressively to feign the presence of a stronger unit like the field marshal. This misdirection can lure opponents into unfavorable combats or divert attention from true threats, capitalizing on the fog of war inherent to hidden setups. Effective bluffing requires subtle arrangement during initial placement to suggest vulnerabilities or strengths that do not exist. Engineer deployment should be reserved for critical navigation of minefields rather than frontline , as their low rank makes them vulnerable but their unique to defuse landmines provides unparalleled . Saving engineers for late-game breaches allows safe passage to the , turning potential stalemates into victories by enabling high-rank followers to advance unimpeded.

Advanced Techniques

In advanced Luzhanqi play, effective piece involves deliberately sacrificing lower-ranked pieces, such as soldiers or lieutenants, to draw out and eliminate opponent forces while preserving units like the field for decisive assaults. This tactic minimizes losses among high-value pieces, maintaining a numerical and qualitative advantage as the game progresses. Terrain exploitation elevates by leveraging campsites as inviolable zones for staging attacks or recovering damaged formations, preventing enemy incursions and allowing repositioning without risk. Railroads enable swift flanking maneuvers, permitting pieces to traverse the board rapidly and surprise opponents by circumventing central chokepoints. plays a crucial role, where players bait opponents into premature engagements by positioning bombs in vulnerable-seeming spots, compelling the enemy to reveal hidden ranks early and disrupting their efforts. Such forces reactive play, providing insights into the opponent's overall disposition. Endgame pushes demand coordinated assaults using multiple high-ranked pieces to overwhelm defensive lines and target the flag, often after neutralizing key threats like the opponent's to expose vulnerabilities in their rear. This synchronized advance exploits thinned defenses for a breakthrough. requires evaluating the likelihood of mine encounters by tracking the enemy's movements and deployments, which inform decisions on probing suspicious areas versus safer routes to avoid catastrophic losses. Quantitative can be inferred from observed patterns, such as clustered defenses signaling mine placements.

Variants

Multi-player Versions

Multi-player versions of Luzhanqi adapt the standard two-player rules for team-based play, introducing alliances and coordinated movements to capture flags while protecting interests. The four-player variant, known as Si Guo Zhan Qi (Four Country Battle Chess), pits two of two allied players against each other, with teams positioned on opposite sides of the board arranged for four players at 90-degree angles. The board is modified by removing mountains and no-man's lands, designating nine central spaces as public territory, and including curved railroads. Each shares , which occurs when both players of an have their flags captured, though capturing one flag removes that player while the game continues if their ally remains. Allies cannot attack each other, fostering cooperation, though movement is restricted across team lines to avoid disrupting allied positions or allowing unauthorized crossings into partner territories. In team play, allies may view each other's pieces to enable strategic coordination, while turns rotate sequentially among all four players to maintain flow. A draw occurs under conditions, such as when no team can advance or capture due to locked positions or mutual defenses. The six-player variant, Liu Guo Zhan Qi (Six Country ), expands to three teams of two players, with fixed alliances, and the board expanded to define distinct territories for each team. Team rules mirror the four-player version, allowing allies to view pieces, rotating turns among all players, and achieving victory by capturing the flags of opposing teams. Stalemate draws apply similarly if no team can progress amid complex multi-front engagements.

Other Adaptations

Several adaptations of Luzhanqi introduce modifications to the standard two-player rules, enhancing or accessibility while preserving core mechanics such as piece ranks and . One common tweak allows bombs to move like engineers, enabling them to traverse any path without restriction; this "flying bombs" variant, sometimes called "炸弹满天飞," promotes more aggressive use of explosives by granting them mobility beyond stationary placement. Another popular adjustment involves "explosive mines," where mines detonate upon contact with any opposing piece except engineers, destroying both the mine and the attacking piece and adding risk to advances across minefields. The variant alters the victory condition, making the flag mobile once captured by a friendly piece, which must then transport it to the player's own camp to secure a win rather than simply eliminating it on-site. This encourages protective escort tactics and dynamic endgames, as the carrier piece becomes a vulnerable to attacks based on its rank. For training or casual sessions, the all-visible setup places all pieces face-up from the start, removing to focus on tactical movement and combat resolution without bluffing. Regional differences appear in expanded editions that incorporate sea and air units alongside land forces, such as in the "Sea, Land, and Air War Chess" variant, which adds naval pieces like and with unique movement rules over water or sky terrains. These may also adjust rank counts or introduce hybrid pieces to reflect modern themes. Digital adaptations maintain the essential rules but incorporate AI opponents for single-player practice and timed turns to accelerate online matches, as seen in mobile and PC that support adjustable difficulty and multiplayer lobbies. These implementations often include tutorials for and ensure core elements like hidden ranks remain intact for authenticity.
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