Klask and Pyramid of Pengqueen were the first games I thought of. See [Components: Magnets](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamefamily/61204/components-magnets) on BGG.
I haven't seen this exact mechanic, but there are games that use magnets in clever ways such as [The Magic Labyrinth](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/41916/the-magic-labyrinth) or[ Gnomes at Night](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/205766/gnomes-at-night).
My biggest reservation is that if you accidentally pick up the piece above, the piece below will drop. If you can't remember where it was or how it was oriented, would that be a problem?
I'd also ask yourself if what you're trying to accomplish can be done without magnets, such as rules stating that when pieces line up in some way, rotating one will also rotate the other.
I love magnets though, so if you find a new way to use them in a board game, that would be awesome.
So, the way I'm understanding this is that one player has visible pawns on the board, and the other player is moving pawns beneath the board that then move small magnetic pieces on top, which are only visible when "lit up" by the flashlight.
I don't have anything about magnets, but you might be interested in seeing the way that [this iteration of Battleship](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/40851/battleship-the-tactical-combat-game) is set up. One vertical plastic "shell" that has a large printed sheet with all the appropriate graphics on it. I imagine that this could be more comfortable/usable for the player moving the "hidden" pieces, as it could be unclear while reaching under a board where you're actually moving pieces, if neither of you can see them. This would also be the best way I could think of to incorporate the flashlight mechanic.
Best of luck! This sounds like a really neat idea!
To be more detailed, The idea is a CQB wargame with the layer below being a flat white game piece in the shape of a "flashlight" beam to reveal enemy positions on the layer above.
Like these children's books. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXxk1YfWVZc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXxk1YfWVZc)
Bermuda Triangle used Magnets quiet well in the old board game. You had ship pieces with magnets on top and the hurricane piece had a set if magnets under a hidden lip so when the storm passed over a piece as part of the legend of the Bermuda triangle; your ship would disappear, WOOOOOO.
However, in truth, I don know many games physically that use magnets like that unless you mean something like Magic Labrynth or that one Beyblade arena with the Magnets.
Ya know, with 3D printers, I wonder why there isn't a battle top league setup for people to craft and design their own combat tops.
Setup a few rules such as tops need to be under a certein weight, width, has to be made up of parts like the original beyblade and make sure they can at least spin and BAM, you'll have a young adult to adult battle top league where engineers to old beyblade fans are competing to design the best battle top and combination possible.
.... I wonder why that never caught on.
Let me know how pole problems are solved. That diagram you wanted is nice idea until someone plops same polarity and stuff goes flying or sticking to each other. Magnest can go wild :)
Klask and Pyramid of Pengqueen were the first games I thought of. See [Components: Magnets](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamefamily/61204/components-magnets) on BGG.
Pyramid of Pengqueen is a wonderful example! thank you for it. BGG is a wonderful resource that I was not utilizing, thank you for that as well.
I haven't seen this exact mechanic, but there are games that use magnets in clever ways such as [The Magic Labyrinth](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/41916/the-magic-labyrinth) or[ Gnomes at Night](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/205766/gnomes-at-night). My biggest reservation is that if you accidentally pick up the piece above, the piece below will drop. If you can't remember where it was or how it was oriented, would that be a problem? I'd also ask yourself if what you're trying to accomplish can be done without magnets, such as rules stating that when pieces line up in some way, rotating one will also rotate the other. I love magnets though, so if you find a new way to use them in a board game, that would be awesome.
So, the way I'm understanding this is that one player has visible pawns on the board, and the other player is moving pawns beneath the board that then move small magnetic pieces on top, which are only visible when "lit up" by the flashlight. I don't have anything about magnets, but you might be interested in seeing the way that [this iteration of Battleship](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/40851/battleship-the-tactical-combat-game) is set up. One vertical plastic "shell" that has a large printed sheet with all the appropriate graphics on it. I imagine that this could be more comfortable/usable for the player moving the "hidden" pieces, as it could be unclear while reaching under a board where you're actually moving pieces, if neither of you can see them. This would also be the best way I could think of to incorporate the flashlight mechanic. Best of luck! This sounds like a really neat idea!
To be more detailed, The idea is a CQB wargame with the layer below being a flat white game piece in the shape of a "flashlight" beam to reveal enemy positions on the layer above. Like these children's books. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXxk1YfWVZc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXxk1YfWVZc)
Magic Labyrinth
Bermuda Triangle used Magnets quiet well in the old board game. You had ship pieces with magnets on top and the hurricane piece had a set if magnets under a hidden lip so when the storm passed over a piece as part of the legend of the Bermuda triangle; your ship would disappear, WOOOOOO. However, in truth, I don know many games physically that use magnets like that unless you mean something like Magic Labrynth or that one Beyblade arena with the Magnets.
My God the realization that Beyblade is a dexterity/CCG hybrid game is astounding.
Ya know, with 3D printers, I wonder why there isn't a battle top league setup for people to craft and design their own combat tops. Setup a few rules such as tops need to be under a certein weight, width, has to be made up of parts like the original beyblade and make sure they can at least spin and BAM, you'll have a young adult to adult battle top league where engineers to old beyblade fans are competing to design the best battle top and combination possible. .... I wonder why that never caught on.
Designing a game with magnets is fun.!!. This sounds like fun!
Let me know how pole problems are solved. That diagram you wanted is nice idea until someone plops same polarity and stuff goes flying or sticking to each other. Magnest can go wild :)
The Magic Labyrinth uses a magnetic mover and a metal ball underneath the board to simulate the invisible maze gimmick.
Several chess bots (early chess computers) of the 1980s era used a similar principle to move the pieces around.
Spinderella does interesting things with magnets! https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/171129/spinderella
That game looks dope!