Game of the Generals Strategy: Setups, Openings and Tips to Win

Game of the Generals rewards players who think one step ahead of what the board shows. These principles will help you set up smarter, attack with purpose and keep your flag alive.

Updated November 15, 2026

1. Build your setup around the flag

Your flag is the one piece you cannot lose, so decide where it goes first and build everything else around it.

• Back row, not the corner. A corner flag has only two ways in, which sounds safe, but it is the first place experienced players check. A flag one or two squares in from the edge is harder to guess.
• Surround it with strength. Put at least one strong officer next to the flag so a probing attacker gets eliminated.
• Use decoys. A Private or Sergeant sitting quietly in another back-row spot, with a couple of pieces around it, looks exactly like a guarded flag.

2. Spread your generals

Putting your 5-Star and 4-Star Generals side by side means one enemy Spy in the right place can take both. Keep your top generals apart, and think about which squares a Spy could reach.

3. Place your spies where generals will come

Spies eliminate every officer, so they are best placed where the enemy's strongest pieces are likely to attack: the centre files and just behind your front row. A Spy on the front row, by contrast, is likely to meet a Private and die cheaply.

4. Lead with Privates

You have six Privates. They are your scouts: send them forward to discover where the enemy is strong. A Private that dies still tells you something, because the attacker survived and is now a known threat. A Private is also the only piece that eliminates a Spy, so keep one or two near your generals as Spy hunters.

5. Keep a mental map of the enemy

Every challenge leaks information. If an enemy piece beats your Major, it is at least a Lieutenant Colonel, or it is a Spy. Track which enemy pieces have won, which have never moved, and which retreat when approached.

• A piece that has won several challenges is probably a high officer, or a Spy.
• A piece that never moves may be the flag, or a bluff.
• A piece that runs from your attacker may be weak, or may be protecting something.

6. Bluff with tempo

Because nobody can see ranks, how you move is information too. Charging a Private straight at the enemy like a general can make your opponent retreat. Leaving a strong piece still, like a flag, can draw attackers into a trap.

7. Know when to run your flag

Bringing your flag to the far row wins instantly if no enemy piece is beside it. When the board opens up late in the game, a flag sprint down an empty file can win a position you would otherwise lose. Watch for it from your opponent too: if an unknown enemy piece is heading for your back row, challenge it.

8. Manage your clock online

When you play Game of the Generals online with a clock, spend your thinking time in the middle game, when challenges decide everything. Use auto-place as a starting point during setup, then adjust a few key pieces rather than placing all 21 by hand.

Practice these ideas

The fastest way to improve is to try one idea per game. Practice against the computer to test a setup, then play Game of the Generals online against real opponents.