diff --git a/combinators.nim b/combinators.nim
index 57d9233..e86fc65 100644
--- a/combinators.nim
+++ b/combinators.nim
@@ -60,8 +60,7 @@ iterator allPermutations*(x: FixedSeq): FixedSeq =
 
 iterator allDigits*(lo, hi, size: Natural): auto =
   if size > 0: # otherwise we get an infinite loop
-    var digits: FixedSeq[5, int, int8]
-    digits.initFixedSeq
+    var digits: FixedSeq[5, int]
     for i in 0 ..< size:
       digits.add(lo)
 
@@ -78,12 +77,12 @@ iterator allDigits*(lo, hi, size: Natural): auto =
           digits[i] = lo
 
 
-iterator possibleFutures*(dice: FixedSeq): auto =
+iterator possibleFutures*(dice: ColorStack): auto =
   # iterate over all possible sequences of die rolls. Each outcome
   # is returned as a 5-sequence of (color, number) tuples.
   for perm in dice.allPermutations:
     for digits in allDigits(1, 3, dice.len):
-      var f = initFixedSeq(5, Die, int8)
-      for i in 0 .. dice.high:
-        f.add((perm[i], digits[i]))
+      var f: FixedSeq[5, Die]
+      for i in 0'u8 .. dice.high:
+        f.add((color: perm[i], value: digits[i]))
       yield f
diff --git a/cup.nim b/cup.nim
index 3c9c12e..db70baf 100644
--- a/cup.nim
+++ b/cup.nim
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import game, simulation, ui
 when isMainModule:
   let config = parseArgs()
   var b: Board
-  b.init
   b.setState(config.state)
   
   let legScores = b.getLegScores
diff --git a/fixedseq.nim b/fixedseq.nim
index fa5ed1b..e994cf8 100644
--- a/fixedseq.nim
+++ b/fixedseq.nim
@@ -2,18 +2,9 @@ import random
 
 
 type
-  FixedSeq*[Idx: static int; Contents; Pointer: SomeSignedInt] = object
-    data: array[Idx, Contents]
-    last: Pointer
-
-
-proc initFixedSeq*(size: static Natural; cType: typedesc; pType: typedesc[SomeSignedInt]): auto =
-  var s: FixedSeq[size, cType, pType]
-  s.last = -1
-  result = s
-
-proc initFixedSeq*(s: var FixedSeq) =
-  s.last = -1
+  FixedSeq*[Size: static range[0..255], Content] = object
+    data: array[Size, Content]
+    len*: uint8
 
 
 proc `$`*(s: FixedSeq): string =
@@ -25,55 +16,51 @@ proc `$`*(s: FixedSeq): string =
   result.add("]")
 
 
-proc `[]`*(s: FixedSeq, i: Natural): FixedSeq.Contents =
+proc `[]`*(s: FixedSeq, idx: Natural): FixedSeq.Content =
   when not defined(danger):
-    if i > s.last:
-      raise newException(IndexDefect, "index " & $i & " is out of bounds.")
-  s.data[i]
+    if idx.uint8 >= s.len:
+      raise newException(IndexDefect, "index " & $idx & " is out of bounds.")
+  s.data[idx]
 
 
-proc `[]`*(s: var FixedSeq, i: Natural): var FixedSeq.Contents =
+proc `[]`*(s: var FixedSeq, idx: Natural): var FixedSeq.Content =
   when not defined(danger):
-    if i > s.last:
-      raise newException(IndexDefect, "index " & $i & " is out of bounds.")
-  s.data[i]
+    if idx.uint8 >= s.len:
+      raise newException(IndexDefect, "index " & $idx & " is out of bounds.")
+  s.data[idx]
 
 
-proc `[]`*(s: FixedSeq, i: BackwardsIndex): auto =
+proc `[]`*(s: FixedSeq, idx: BackwardsIndex): auto =
   when not defined(danger):
-    if s.last == -1:
+    if s.len == 0:
       raise newException(IndexDefect, "index out of bounds, the container is empty.") # matching stdlib again
-  s.data[s.last - typeof(s.last)(i) + 1]
+  s.data[s.len - idx.uint8]
 
 
-proc `[]=`*(s: var FixedSeq, i: Natural, v: FixedSeq.Contents) =
+proc `[]=`*(s: var FixedSeq, idx: Natural, v: FixedSeq.Content) =
   when not defined(danger):
-    if i > s.last:
-      raise newException(IndexDefect, "index " & $i & " is out of bounds.")
-  s.data[i] = v
+    if idx.uint8 >= s.len:
+      raise newException(IndexDefect, "index " & $idx & " is out of bounds.")
+  s.data[idx] = v
 
 
 proc high*(s: FixedSeq): auto =
-  result = s.last
+  result = s.len - 1
 
 
 proc low*(s: FixedSeq): auto =
-  result = case s.last
-  of -1: 0 # a bit weird but it's how the stdlib seq works
-  else: s.last
-
-
-proc len*(s: FixedSeq): auto =
-  result = s.last + 1
+  result = case s.len
+  of 0: 0 # a bit weird but it's how the stdlib seq works
+  else: s.len - 1
 
 
 iterator items*(s: FixedSeq): auto =
-  for i in 0 .. s.last:
+  for i in 0'u8 ..< s.len:
     yield s.data[i]
 
 
 iterator asInt*(s: FixedSeq): int8 =
-  for i in 0 .. s.last:
+  for i in 0'u8 ..< s.len:
     yield int8(s.data[i]) # now we do have to convert
 
 
@@ -84,34 +71,32 @@ iterator pairs*(s: FixedSeq): auto =
     inc count
 
 
-proc add*(s: var FixedSeq, v: FixedSeq.Contents) =
-  let i = s.last + 1
-  s.data[i] = v # will raise exception if out of bounds
-  s.last = i
+proc add*(s: var FixedSeq, v: FixedSeq.Content) =
+  s.data[s.len] = v # will raise exception if out of bounds
+  inc s.len
 
 
-proc insert*(s: var FixedSeq, v: FixedSeq.Contents, idx: Natural = 0) =
-  for i in countdown(s.last, typeof(s.last)(idx)):
+proc insert*(s: var FixedSeq, v: FixedSeq.Content, idx: Natural = 0) =
+  for i in countdown(s.len - 1, idx.uint8):
     swap(s.data[i], s.data[i + 1]) # will also raise exception if out of bounds
   s.data[idx] = v
-  inc s.last
+  inc s.len
 
 
 proc delete*(s: var FixedSeq, idx: Natural) =
   when not defined(danger):
-    if idx > s.last:
+    if idx.uint8 >= s.len:
       raise newException(IndexDefect, "index " & $idx & " is out of bounds.")
-  s.data[idx] = -1 # do we even need this?
-  dec s.last
-  for i in typeof(s.last)(idx) .. s.last:
+  dec s.len
+  for i in idx.uint8 ..< s.len:
     swap(s.data[i], s.data[i + 1])
 
 
 proc clear*(s: var FixedSeq) =
-  s.last = -1
+  s.len = 0
 
 
-proc find*(s: FixedSeq, needle: FixedSeq.Contents): FixedSeq.Pointer =
+proc find*(s: FixedSeq, needle: FixedSeq.Content): int =
   for i, v in s.data:
     if v == needle:
       return i
@@ -129,30 +114,36 @@ proc reverse*(s: var FixedSeq; first, last: Natural) =
 
 
 proc shuffle*(s: var FixedSeq, r: var Rand) =
+  when not defined(danger):
+    if s.len < s.data.len.uint8:
+      raise newException(IndexDefect, "Cannot shuffle a partially-full FixedSeq")
   r.shuffle(s.data)
 
 proc shuffle*(s: var FixedSeq) =
+  when not defined(danger):
+    if s.len < s.data.len.uint8:
+      raise newException(IndexDefect, "Cannot shuffle a partially-full FixedSeq")
   shuffle(s.data)
 
 
 proc moveSubstack*(src, dst: var FixedSeq; start: Natural) =
-  var count: typeof(src.last) = 0 # have to track this separately apparently
-  for idx in start .. src.last:
-    swap(src.data[idx], dst.data[dst.last + 1 + count])
+  var count = 0'u8 # have to track this separately apparently
+  for idx in start ..< src.len:
+    swap(src.data[idx], dst.data[dst.len + count])
     inc count
-  dst.last += count
-  src.last -= count
+  dst.len += count
+  src.len -= count
 
 
 proc moveSubstackPre*(src, dst: var FixedSeq; start: Natural) =
-  let ssLen = typeof(src.last)(src.last - start + 1) # length of substack
-  for i in countdown(dst.last, 0):
+  let ssLen = src.len - start.uint8 # length of substack
+  for i in countdown(dst.len - 1, 0):
     swap(dst.data[i], dst.data[i + ssLen])
 
   var count = 0
-  for i in start .. src.last:
+  for i in start ..< src.len:
     swap(src.data[i], dst.data[count])
     inc count
 
-  dst.last += ssLen
-  src.last -= ssLen
+  dst.len += ssLen
+  src.len -= ssLen
diff --git a/game.nim b/game.nim
index f879ce7..0ad9659 100644
--- a/game.nim
+++ b/game.nim
@@ -6,20 +6,9 @@ type
   Color* = enum
     cRed, cGreen, cBlue, cYellow, cPurple
 
-  ColorStack* = FixedSeq[5, Color, int8]
+  ColorStack* = FixedSeq[5, Color]
 
-
-proc initColorStack*: ColorStack =
-  result.initFixedSeq
-
-
-proc getAllColors: ColorStack = 
-  var i = 0
-  for c in Color.low .. Color.high:
-    result[i] = c
-
-const 
-  allColors* = getAllColors()
+const
   colorNames: array[Color, string] =
     ["Red", "Green", "Blue", "Yellow", "Purple"]
   colorAbbrevs: array[Color, char] = ['R', 'G', 'B', 'Y', 'P']
@@ -37,7 +26,7 @@ proc `$`*(s: ColorStack): string =
   result.add("St@[")
   for i, color in s:
     result.add($color)
-    if i < s.high:
+    if i.uint8 < s.high:
       result.add(", ")
   result.add("]")
 
@@ -55,8 +44,8 @@ type
 
   GameState* = object
     dice*: array[Color, bool]
-    camels*: FixedSeq[5, tuple[c: Color, p: range[1..16]], int8]
-    tiles*: FixedSeq[8, tuple[t: Tile, p: range[1..16]], int8] # max 8 players, so max 8 tiles
+    camels*: FixedSeq[5, tuple[c: Color, p: range[1..16]]]
+    tiles*: FixedSeq[8, tuple[t: Tile, p: range[1..16]]] # max 8 players, so max 8 tiles
 
   Board* = object
     squares*: array[1..16, Square]
@@ -64,15 +53,6 @@ type
     diceRolled*: array[Color, bool]
     winner*: Option[Color]
     gameOver*: bool
-    initialized: bool
-
-
-proc init*(state: var GameState) =
-  state.camels.initFixedSeq
-  state.tiles.initFixedSeq
-
-proc newGameState*(): GameState =
-  result.init
 
 
 # use a template here for better inlining
@@ -98,12 +78,6 @@ proc hash*(b: Board): Hash =
   result = !$h
 
 
-proc init*(b: var Board) =
-  for sq in b.squares.mitems:
-    sq.camels.initFixedSeq
-  b.initialized = true
-
-
 proc leader*(b: Board): Color =
   let leadSquare = max(b.camels)
   result = b[leadSquare].camels[^1]
@@ -138,7 +112,6 @@ proc setState*(b: var Board; state: GameState) =
 
 
 proc getState*(b: Board): GameState =
-  result.init
   var camelCount = 0
   let start = min(b.camels)
   for pos in start .. b.squares.high:
@@ -156,7 +129,6 @@ proc getState*(b: Board): GameState =
 
 
 proc diceRemaining*(b: Board): ColorStack =
-  result.initFixedSeq
   for color, isRolled in b.diceRolled:
     if not isRolled: result.add(color)
 
@@ -183,11 +155,11 @@ proc advance*(b: var Board, die: Die) =
     endPos += int(t)
     if t == tBackward: prepend = true
 
-  let stackStart = b[startPos].camels.find(color)
+  let stackStart = cast[uint8](b[startPos].camels.find(color)) # cast is safe here, as long as b.camels is valid
   if prepend:
     b[startPos].camels.moveSubstackPre(b[endPos].camels, stackStart)
     let stackLen = b[startPos].camels.len - stackStart
-    for i in 0 ..< stackLen:
+    for i in 0'u8 ..< stackLen:
       # we know how many camels we added to the bottom, so set the position for each of those
       b.camels[b[endPos].camels[i]] = endPos
   else:
diff --git a/simulation.nim b/simulation.nim
index 425d718..aabd709 100644
--- a/simulation.nim
+++ b/simulation.nim
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ proc percents*(scores: ScoreSet): WinPercents =
 
 iterator legEndStates(b: Board): Board =
   var diceRemaining: ColorStack
-  diceRemaining.initFixedSeq
   for i, c in b.diceRolled:
     if not c: diceRemaining.add(i)
 
diff --git a/test.nim b/test.nim
index 8b2b73f..4b442cc 100644
--- a/test.nim
+++ b/test.nim
@@ -32,16 +32,10 @@ proc summarize(tr: TestResults, opname = "operations") =
   stdout.flushFile()
 
 
-# proc getRand(): Rand =
-#   randomize()
-#   result = initRand(rand(int64))
-
-
 proc newRandomGame(): Board =
   randomize()
-  result.init
 
-  var state = newGameState()
+  var state: GameState
   for i in 0 .. 4:
     let pos = rand(1..3)
     state.camels.add((c: Color(i), p: pos))
diff --git a/test.nims b/test.nims
index ada9020..fe599ae 100644
--- a/test.nims
+++ b/test.nims
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
 --threads: on
 --d: danger
 --d: lto
---opt: speed
diff --git a/ui.nim b/ui.nim
index 81b105f..47807d0 100644
--- a/ui.nim
+++ b/ui.nim
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ proc parseColor(c: char): Color =
 
 
 proc parseArgs*(): CmdConfig =
-  result.state.init()
   for p in os.commandLineParams():
     if p == "-h":
       echo help