How to Defuse Bombs in Stratego

Attack the Bomb with a Miner (3) from an adjacent square in the same row or column. The Miner survives and takes the Bomb's square. Every other attacker, including your Marshal (10), is lost and leaves the Bomb in place. Before you move, check whether an enemy piece can take your Miner on the next turn.

Confirm the target before committing a Miner

Keep track of which hidden enemy pieces have moved. Bombs and Flags stay on their starting squares, so a piece you've seen move is safe to rule out as a Bomb. An unrevealed piece that has stayed still could be a Bomb, a Flag, or a movable rank.

Start with the information you already have. If a piece attacked that square and the board revealed a Bomb, plan around the known target. If a hidden square blocks the only useful route and you can spare a Scout (2), probing with the Scout risks less than sending your Marshal. When you have a clear route around the square, save the Scout and bypass it.

Check who can attack the landing square

Suppose there's a revealed Bomb on E8, your Miner is on E7, and an enemy Captain (6) is on F8. The Miner can clear E8, but the Captain can immediately take it from F8. If that Miner is your last one, you may clear one square and lose the ability to defuse every remaining Bomb.

Use a stronger piece to clear or drive away the Captain first. A Major (7) or higher can beat a revealed Captain in ordinary combat. Then check the other squares adjacent to E8 for enemy pieces that could beat a Miner. If all you gain is access to a dead end, keep the Miner and look for another way in.

Bring a second Miner toward the fight

Each side starts with five Miners. Keep a reserve within reach of a different approach so a single counterattack can't stop your entire search. A Bomb near the back row can be worth clearing if it opens a path to a possible Flag square. If you can reach the same area by going around a Bomb, save the Miner for a square that actually blocks your route.

You can practice this on Kryptyr's default red setup. The Miner on D4 starts with a lake directly ahead on D5. Move the Lieutenant from E4 when the position allows, then use E4 and E5 to bring that Miner through the center. Leave another Miner behind your front line until you see which side needs it. On the Casual computer setting, try revealing a Bomb, clearing it with a Miner, and keeping that Miner alive through the computer's reply.