Fithcheall was an ancient Irish version of the Norse game of Hnefatafl. Some literary evidence suggests that Fithcheall was actually quite different from the tafl family of games, being played between two sides of equal strength. These sources go on to say that it is a lesser-known game, Brandubh (meaning "black raven"), which belongs in this family. Due to the nature of Irish history, which was exclusively oral in nature until the Christian monks began chronicling it faithfully in the 8th or 9th century, it is difficult to say if this supposition is correct. However, given that the game is more commonly known as Fithcheall, I chose that name to use for this write-up.
The board in Fithcheall was much smaller than that of Hnefatafl, being only 7x7. As such, it was populated by only eight attackers (represented in the diagram below by the * symbols), four defenders (shown as @ on the board), and the king (the K in the center). The starting positions of these pieces are as follows:
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| % - - * - - % |
| - - - * - - - |
| - - - @ - - - |
| * * @ K @ * * |
| - - - @ - - - |
| - - - * - - - |
| % - - * - - % |
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The rules are, as far as can be surmised, the same as Hnefatafl (please refer to that write-up for a detailed description of the rules). The challenges here are somewhat different, however, and it is felt that this game is rather imbalanced in the favor of the defender. While they are outnumbered two to one, as in all tafl games, the king is much closer to the open field than in Hnefatafl, with the ability to reach the edge of the board in as few as three moves. The problem of containing the king is a much greater challenge here as a result, especially when coupled with the fact that the attacker does not have enough warriors to properly seal the king away from the corners. This game is a scramble, and your best bet as attacker is simply to keep your pieces in an open configuration where they can respond immediately to any threat of escape by the king. Be patient and don't over-commit yourself in any one area unless you're sure you can capture the king, and you might have a chance. As defender, you have enough going for you already, you don't need any tactical tips from me. Have fun!