This article uses Creative Commons licensed content from revision 161243365 of Wikipedia's The War Games (MÄR) article. The list of authors can be seen in the page history there.

The War Games is the name of an event in MÄR: Marchen Awakens Romance.

History & Rules

Scheduled to succeed each massacre of the two MÄR Heaven wars is a tournament held by the Chess Pieces army known as War Game, which assembles all warriors on its adversary line into one fighting stage. There they will be pitted against the Chess Pieces members all the way from second-lowest Rooks class to the high Knights class. Its original purpose is to eliminate all malcontents spared alive from the previous gory razzmatazz^[1], but both Games in the two war ends fiascoes.

The War Games themselves are hosted in a location that the Chess Pieces have pre-arranged (in the 2nd war it's the Reginleif Castle situated in the center of MÄR Heaven), but its unofficial start announcement is prematurely given by means of lunar broadcasting, the role of deliverance falling down to Chess Pieces' chief strategist Knight, Peta.

Preliminary Test

Everyone who wishes to participate will arrive in the place at the appointed time and first go through the preliminary test; an one-on-one combat in enclosed spaces (entry available through magic stones only, chosen at random) with a Chess individual. The Chess selected are mostly Pawns, but among them there's a 'hidden piece', a Knight, a tweak of plot that ascertains one less from the enemy (in the 2nd War the case being Chimera, while on the Cross Guard, the 3rd man Gaira happens to be her prey). After the test, the surviving participants go on to participate in the actual War Game.

In each round, each party involved will choose a captain to lead the fights)^[2] and select a number of fighters on their side (decided by the Chess referee's roll of the die), and the selected will be transported to a distant battlefield (also decided by the die's number)^[3], while the remaining participants and spectators will observe the fights broadcasted back through the sun. Two important rules are applied to the fights, first is that the team with the most wins wins, and all combatants (including the lost one) will advance on to the next round; while if the team loses, only ones with victory can advance^[3]. The second rule is that the captain's fight decide the whole team's fate, if he loses his own fight, the whole party he represents will be the vanquished^[2] .

Both Chess' participations in the two War Game are carried out with its leader Knight, Phantom, as the captain^[2]. From the opposing side, Danna Toramizu, commander of Cross Guards is captain in the 1st War^[3], and Ginta Toramizu, commander of Team MÄR is captain in the 2nd War.

Battles

The following fights are those take place in the 2nd War Games.

Round 1 - Reginleif Castle Arena

The first field is just a stage in the Reginleif Castle, where the War Games are hosted. It was severely totaled after its only appearance, not counting the Final Battle.

• Alviss vs. Leno: Alviss wins when Leno is knocked out after being sent flying by Alviss' 13 Totem Poles ÄRM.
• Jack vs. Pano: Despite being snared by Jack's Earth Bean vines, Pano wins with an accidental hit to the groin, resulting in Jack being knocked out after being called a pervert. This might hint that Ärm can also be fueled by anger rather than magic energy.
• Ginta vs. Garon: Ginta wins with the destruction of Garon's ÄRM and an intervention from Pano, surrendering for her father.

Round 2 - Desert Field

• Snow vs. Fuugi: Snow wins using a snowman body slam.
• Nanashi vs. Loco: Nanashi could have won by killing Loco but instead destroyed her ÄRM. However, Nanashi faints from his injuries so the victory goes to Loco by default, in which she is unsure of.
• Dorothy vs. Maira: Dorothy wins through destruction of Maira's ÄRM, then killing Maira using Toto.

Round 3 - Volcano Field

• Alan vs. Alibaba: Alan wins with the destruction of Alibaba's ÄRM. Alibaba is thrown into a volcano, counted as dead. In the anime, he still lives afterward. He is the second death.
• Jack vs. Pano: Jack wins through exposing Pano to hallucinogenic mushrooms. Pano later falls in love with Jack.
• Snow vs. Mr. Hook: Hook's longsword eventually chips away Snow's Ice Sword. When Snow fires away Yuki-Chan, it is decapited by Weapon ÄRM Anger Anchor. Snow's magic is drastically cut due to the volcano heat.
• Ginta vs. Kannochi: Ginta uses his Holy ÄRM Alice (Babbo Version 4) to protect himself from Kannochi's Darkness ÄRM Body Candle, and Kannochi dies due to the price of using it. This is the third death of the Chess Pieces in war.
• Alviss vs. Rolan: Rolan's Stone Cube trumps Alviss' Thirteen Totem Poles. Alviss is drained of his magic energy after using his totems too many times, and resorts to a friendly surrender. The beginning of the fight is quite hilarious, as Rolan panics heavily as if he was completely helpless (ironic, being the fifth strongest Knight) as Alviss launches his totem poles at him.

Round 4 - Ice Field (Iceberg Field)

• Alviss vs. Mr. Hook: Alviss wins effortlessly with a soft punch, without even using an ÄRM. Mr. Hook dies at the hand of his Chess team captain, the Knight Rapunzel, after losing in a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors.
• Jack vs. Kollekio: Jack wins by making his Magic Beans grow in his opponent's stomach, condemning Kollekio to the same fate as Mr. Hook as he loses to Rapunzel by Rock-Paper-Scissors.
• Dorothy vs. Avrute: Dorothy wins with a slash of her Ring Dagger, before Avrute could do anything, resulting in his death at Rapunzel's hands as well. Rapunzel stated that she didn't want to waste her game on him.
• Nanashi vs. Aqua: Nanashi shocks Aqua right through her shield. Despite Nanashi was able to pull off a draw, Rapunzel still tries to pull off her death sentence, as she won't care unless Aqua pulls off a win. Aqua defeats Rapunzel at the rock-paper-scissors game, but Girom still kills her claiming that he played rock.
• Ginta vs. Girom: After Girom kills Aqua, Ginta goes into a rage and starts out losing to Girom and his new guardian ÄRM. However, Babbo refuses to fight anymore unless Ginta regains control. Ginta regains control and beats Girom, knocking the psychotic boy into the stratosphere
• Dorothy vs. Rapunzel: After driving Rapunzel senseless with her singing Guardian ÄRM Crazy Quilt, Dorothy delivers a heavy blow from her Broom.

Round 5 - Desert Field

• Snow vs. Emokis: Snow wins with the help of her new Guardian ÄRM Undine, engulfing Emokis in a water bubble and nearly drowns her to death (mainly because she was too stubborn to lose).
• Alviss vs. Hamelin: Alviss uses Sealing Skull to paralyze Hamelin's Guardian, immobilizing both Hamelin and the Guardian. Alviss finishes Hamelin with 13 Totem Pole winning the match.
• Jack vs. Candice: Candice wounds her body to accumulate enough magic power to summon her Guardian Gorgon, but is counterattacked by Jack's new Guardian ÄRM Mehitos. The match results in a tie as both Jack and Candice are knocked out.
• Ginta vs. Ash: Ginta wins, with Ash giving up the fight after his Guardian is finished.
• Nanashi vs. Galian: Nanashi wins using his new Guardian ÄRM Gymnote to overpower Galian's Guardian ÄRM Torpedine.

Round 6 - Mushrooms Field

• Alan vs. Chaton: Against the kitty girl Bishop Chaton, Alan loses due to his cat-phobia that he got from being within Edward the Dog.
• Alviss vs. Kouga: The introduction of Alviss' new Guardian ÄRM A Baoa Qu leads him to victory, nearly killing Kouga.
• Dorothy vs. Pinocchion: Dorothy wins. Pinocchion's body is ripped to pieces by her Guardian Toto.
• Snow vs. Magical Roe: After the destruction of his Guardian ÄRM Nightmare, Magical Roe places Snow in a trance. He then brings her to Lestava Castle and Snow loses.
• Ginta vs. Ian: Ginta wins by sheer determination to save Snow and Ian deserts the Chess Pieces.

Round 7 -Reginleif Castle Arena (Final Round)

• Jack vs. Vidar: Jack wins using his 2nd new Guardian ÄRM, Kikazoku Fore. Vidar's source of magic power (the tree atop his head) is destroyed.
• Alviss vs. Rolan: Rematch. Rolan's emotional instability stands no chance against Alviss. Alviss wins.
• Dorothy vs. Chimera: Chimera tears apart Dorothy's clothes in attempt to maim Dorothy with her Ghost ÄRMs. Dorothy wins, but Chimera escapes.
• Alan vs. Halloween: Alan's new Guardian ÄRM, Saint Anger, sends Halloween flying. Alan wins.
• Nanashi vs. Peta: After the destruction of Blood Body, Nanashi wins by using Gymnote to kill Peta. Nanashi wins, getting his revenge for Luberia.
• Ginta vs. Phantom: Phantom used up all of his ÄRM and magic power. Ginta crushes him by throwing Babbo at him and wins (manga)/ punches him unconscious.(anime)

Trivia

• The War Games may be based on a real life chess variant called Kriegspiel (German for "War Game). It is played by two opponents who can see only their own board, and one monitoring umpire who makes the moves of both players on a neutral board. It requires three chess sets and boards. The players make their moves based on limited information from the umpire. It was introduced in 1898. It is sometimes referred to as blind chess, not to be confused with blindfold chess.

References