The game of Regency may be played by two, three or four combatants. For two the battle may be fought either with two castles or with four castles. In the four-castle game for two combatants, one combatant takes both highland clans and the other the two lowland houses, so that the allied families are always opposite each other on the board. The two families of each combatant are in alliance from start to finish. In the four-castle game for four combatants, each controls one family and usually play in alliance throughout.
Witchcraft is for desperate situations.
A Witch may be summoned to help each family only once and only when, whatever the throw of the dice, a combatant will not be able to move. If a Witch is used, the combatant takes the black die and throws it with the other two dice. The scores of the two white dice are then used from the square reached by the black die. There is, as there has always been, a penalty for witchcraft. In this case it is the end of the continuous sequence of Heirs, and a combatant knows that, if the family Witch is used, the next time an Heir or Chief is killed there will be no new Heir ready to ride out.