War Games Set in China

Military Games Set in China
31-DEC-04

Battle for China by Brian Train for the Microgame Design Group
On various wars in China that were fought from 1937 to 1949.
[Review] (Web-Grognards) B L

China by Steve Jackson Games
Supplement for the role-playing game GURPS. B L

China: The Middle Kingdom unpublished plan by Decision Games
for 4 players
Military game covering the Chinese history from the earliest Warring States to the modern cold war. Each player controls various nations from different eras, each country having its own objectives. Planned are 400 army pieces which are used in 24 game turns, each a century long, starting from 403 BC. Important aspects impinging on play are mountains, emperors, heroes, new inventions, rebellions, barbarian invasions, diplomacy and the Great Wall. Growth of each nation depends on the amount and nature of the territory it owns.

China Incident, The by 3W
Military game. B L

China-Vietnam War by Wargames Research Centre Limited, 1984
for 2 players
Military game concerning the war of 1979. There is no CRT – combat is card driven. B L

China War, The by SPI, 1979
Simulates a hypothetical Soviet invasion of the PRC in the 60s or 70s.
[Review] B L

Chinese Civil War by 3W
Simulation of the period 1946-1950. B L

Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms by Wargames Club
Published in Chinese in Hong Kong, this game comes in a box, with 520 full color counters, a paper area map of China, 13 pages of rules and 69 cards, mostly event cards, some probably province ownership cards. B L

Dragon Dynasty Collectible Card Game by Romancing Cathay, 19999
2-6 players
B L

Dynasty by Onoma Publications
Politics, diplomacy and military power. B L

East is Red, The by SPI, 1974
Simulates a hypothetical war between Soviet Russia and the People's Republic of China in the 1970's.
[Review] B L

Emperor of China by Dynamic Design, 1972
Multi-player wargame depicts the uniting of China in the ancient Warring States era prior to the Qin dynasty. Combat is achieved via simple dice rolling rules. As the game only ends when one player controls fifteen out of the twenty-one provinces of China, players will be eliminated along the way. An interesting though vague rule provides that the losers join the victor. Although there are some other vague rules as well, does provide some interest and possibilities for strategy and negotiation. Unfortunately the event cards wield an undue influence on matters, not so much the negative Yin cards, but the positive Yang cards, which are not well balanced. Would probably make for a fairer game if all of the fields, mines and cities were set up before the game starts and the crossing cards were all dealt out to the players ahead of time. Not particularly historical apart from the geography. Players should decide in advance whether there are mountains along the border between Honan and Shensi. There is some ambiguity in the rules as well.
[Summary] [Review/Disquisition] (Web-Grognard) B L

Feng Shui by Daedalus Entertainment
A collectible card game. B L

Flying Tigers by Lou Zocchi for Gamescience, 1969
World War II air combat in China vs. the Japanese air force. B L

Honour Alone: Hong Kong 1941 by Brian Knipple for Pacific Rim, 1991
Can the Hong Kong garrison delay the Japanese long enough to help efforts at Rangoon and Singapore? B L

Jade and Steel by Avalanche Press, 2001
Supplement for the d20 system covering Han China. Prestige classes include Dim Mak Practitioner, Sword Saint, Alchemist, Diviner, Geometer and Iron Hand Disciple. Nine new feats, plus many other uniquely Chinese elements are also presented, as is an adventure for heroes of level 11 to 14 involving an evil plot to kidnap the Princess Kim Nan and destroy her family. B L

Manchu designed by Richard Berg for 3W
Taiping rebellion of 1850-68 B L

More Battle for China by Brian Train, self published, 2001 Expansion kit for Battle for China covers the period from 1942 to 1945, and on into the 1945-49 Civil War period.
B L

Mukden by David C. Isby for SPI, 1975
Hypothetical Cold War conflict between Russia and China near the city of Mukden. B L

Passage to Cathay designed by David F. Nalle for Ragnarok Enterprises, 1984, 1993
Trade, piracy and warfare for up to six players on a 17x33" map. B L

Red Guard designed by Brian Train for Schutze Games
In the Cultural Revolution up to 6 players struggle to control key sites. Will your faction be ready to assume power when the great leader departs for the workers paradise? Or will you be able to exert your dominance even before the tragic event? Includes 36 tiles create the map, 216 die-cut counters, rulebook and player aid sheet. B L

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Jaehyun Cho for History & Fun, 2004
2-3 players
Players use dice and tactics cards to try to conquer one another. B L

Romance of the Three Kingdoms Card Game by Christ Woo, Solomon Au Yeung and Fritz Pang for Romancing Cathay, 19999
2-6 players
Card game in which players use cards to conduct wars against one another. B L

Shadowfist by Daedalus Entertainment, re-published by Z-man
Collectible card game of martial arts. B L

Shuó Míng Although the ostensible theme is launching and landing aircraft, this is essentially yet another version of Pachisi. A little extra strategy is added by the addition of special movement between spaces of the same color. [Rules] (this site) B L

Siege At Peking designed by Dan Campagna for 3W
Boxer rebellion.
Published in Strategy and Tactics, issue 21, Jul/Aug 1982. 5 pages of rules and a large map. B L

Siege of Hong Kong designed by Michael Gilbert for Microgame Co-op
Japanese invasion.
B L

Sun Never Sets, The by Decision Games
The "March to Peking" module simulates the 1860 Anglo-French force dispatched to force the Manchu emperor to open up trade. B L

Warlords - China in Disarray, 1927-1945 by Panther
Diplomatic wargame for up to seven. The influence of Diplomacy and its area movement and combat is plain. This basic system is supplemented by events (including non-player revolts), initiative and supply systems. Each faction has some special ability as well and combat includes dice. Players keep track of their statuses in secret on paper and the game depends on no errors being made, whether intentional or unintentional. Four different historical scenarios are included, some of which seem unbalanced as well as limited in strategy, but in any case, negotiation rules. B L

War of Resistance designed Mark Royer & John Astell for Games Research/Design (GR/D), 1998
Operational game simulating battles between Japanese and Chinese forces in China 1937-1941. There are two campaign and four smaller scenarios. B L

Warring States: the Unification of China 231-221 B.C. designed by Stephen Newberg for Simulations Canada, 1979
Played on a hex map portraying the kingdoms of the Chin, Chu, Yen, Chi, Chao, Wei, and Han. It incorporates productivity based on agriculture, assassination of leaders, and the political differences between core and frontier kingdoms. The two player version is the Chin versus the other 6 kingdoms. There are also multiplayer rules. This was a period of semi-legendary wandering advisors, who sold their services to local princes. The advisors are present on the map as counters, move in diagonal lines and ricochet off province boundaries. The counters are rather hard to distinguish. The printer's palate consisted of gray, yellow-gray, yellow and white. Includes map, 12-page rules booklet and 200 counters. (Thanks to Larry Marak for the description.)
[Map excerpt] [Map excerpt] [Counters excerpt] [Counters excerpt] (all at Web-Grognards) B L

Weisse Lotus, Der by Martin Wallace for TM Spiele, 2000
[The White Lotus] refers to a notorious medieval secret organization feared by Chinese rulers throughout the centuries. Players build alliances and break them at the right moment in order to build new alliances with someone else, moving in the "mine field" between Emperor and Rebel leader. Tiles represent Rice Paddies, Villages, Temples, Forts and a Palace. Possession of the most Palaces determines the Emperor.
[Picture] (Spielbar) B L

When Tigers Fight by Dean Webb for XTR Corp, 1994
Strategic level game of battles fought on the Chinese front during the latter stages of World War 2. Map covers most of mainland China and some of Burma. Included in issue 26 of Command magazine. B L

Campaigns of the Mongolians	by Simulations Canada Military game. B L
Colonial Diplomacy	by Avalon Hill Military game. B L
Columbus	designed by Mark D. McLaughlin for Task Force Games Wargame about the European exploration and colonization of the world in the 15th and 16th centuries. This game is more drenched in flavor than just about any one can mention including a map based on a "wrong" historical map and a wonderful set of event cards that seem to cover just about every dimension of the period. Happily, the underlying game system is also quite impressive with plenty of opportunity for strategy and negotiation as well as an appropriate level of chaos. Even unexpected areas of the world are included such as Asia and the Antipodes. Players may even take on the roles of Russia and Turkey and colonize overland. The very successful Viceroys Expansion: Columbus, published in 1992 (naturally) even adds China as a power. In this game points are given not just for ending colonies, but also for discoveries made. B L
Days of Decision	by Harry Rowlands for Australian Design Group Pre-World War II Multi-player wargame on the era prior to World War II, beginning at the German re-occupation of the Rheinland and continuing to the outbreak of war. Playable as a setup system for the complementary World in Flames or standalone. Players each hold a number of cards which represent historical or might-have-been-taken actions. These actions affect industrial production; ability to play future action; and minors, whose current attitude toward the major powers is reflected by their position on a track. Players use production to build up military forces. Smaller wars including a possible Spanish Civil War are resolvable via an abstract combat system. A fascinating idea, especially because many interested in re-fighting World War II often fault Germany for starting the war when it did, preferring for example a greater prior naval or air build-up. The game mechanics are very well-conceived as well and even show influence of the elegance of the German-style games. Unfortunately the ideas did not go far enough to achieve good realism. There should be more options available. Minors should not shift between just Axis and Allies in a binary way, but in fact between all major powers, especially since the Soviet Union was not close at all with the Western Allies in this period. And the abstract combat system needed much more development. This was particularly evident in Japan-China conflicts where, because all of a nation's military got lumped together, Japan could in effect use its large navy to win a major land war in China. Some skimping was done on physical components as well as cards were printed on large sheets using both sides. The game would have worked much better if each card had been printed separately. This would permit players to immediately see which was available for current play, which already played and which not yet available. (It's worth it to make your own photocopies to achieve this yourself.) Rules have a fair amount of errata/need quite a bit of clarification. B L
Days of Decision II	by Harry Rowlands for Australian Design Group Pre-World War II A major remake addressing many problems. Instead of a track the minor powers are on a large hex grid, as are the major powers which may also decide to move between the regions of capitalism, marxism, dictatorship or neutrality (the last of which seems a rather dubious possibility). There are now an almost amazing number of actions to consider and the previous three-hour game has become much longer, leading some to name it "Months of Decisions". Abstract combat has been improved. The issue of the card production is completely changed now that many options are made generic and thus re-usable. Now also designed to be continuously playable even after the war breaks out. Unfortunately, no longer has any victory conditions as now it is required to resolve the game using World in Flames. Must be considered an improvement to the first edition, but now the very much wider set of options almost makes it better as a play-by-email game so that there is more time to consider what one wants to do. Also more difficult to reconstruct as history since many of the activities are of the more minor sort (trade agreements, etc.) that do not really register in the major writing about the period. Amidst all this complication and genericization, some of the sense of fun may be ineffably lost. It is more difficult with this edition to tell a story afterward in real life terms of what happened. Also, rules are problematic in many ways and endlessly revised by errata. Box is identical to the first edition, so let buyer be sure what they are buying. B L
Days of Decision III	by Harry Rowlands for Australian Design Group Pre-World War II B L
Golden Horde	by Excalibre Two-player wargame about the Mongol expansion of the thirteenth century. Very simplistic and drab presentation. Units are labeled only for speed and combat effectiveness. Mongol forces wander the map destroying enemy nations, who cannot leave their home countries. Unusual topic is the only thing recommending this one, but even then anyone who has read a good book on the topic can probably invent something more interesting. B L
History of the World	by Avalon Hill Most of the largest empires in the Seven Ages of Man sweep across the earth to score points. Although it has its unrealities and omissions, who can ignore such a grand sweep of all our yesterdays? Later Hasbro edition adds plastic pieces to the excitement of many which is fine, but if one has a good imagination and understanding of history, do they really do anything but detract? Rules modifications in that edition include awarding new empires in strict reverse VP order, probably having the overall effect of leveling playing skill differences and lessening long-term strategy. A time-saving rule making both sides lose in case of ties gives an advantage to the active player. Introduced to counter this are other new rules such as increased dice for the defender when using forts and over seas and straits. Curiously forests and mountains are not correspondingly strengthened � players of the original game should adjust accordingly. The attempt to balance the event cards by classifying them as greater or lesser fails miserably as it has not been correctly realized that no card works in isolation, but always change in value depending on the context of the major empires and board situation with which they are used. [Ragnar Brothers] Another website has created an interesting-looking variant which includes more nations. [Millennial scenario] [background] [playback] A B L
Jungle	A traditional Chinese board game which is probably the precursor to Stratego. Also known as Animal Chess. [Rules] (Game Cabinet) B L
Pax Britannica	by Greg Costikyan for Victory Games Wargame about late nineteenth century imperialism for up to eight players. Players expand into the less-industrialized areas of the world seeking to enhance their status and profitability, meanwhile attempting to avoid starting World War I. A very different and interesting game including hefty samplings of diplomacy and negotiation. It is difficult to get this many players together for such a long period, but if it is managed, the experience is quite satisfying. Despite this, there are a few quibbles. The original rules need a lot of help and the rewritten rules that are out on the web are indispensable. Also, the simultaneous placement phase with players racing in real time to accomplish things is really a bad idea in retrospect. It would be much better to have players go around the table placing markers one a time with each player able to see what the others have done. In a website, the author admits that he got the plural of the Latin term casus belli wrong; he apparently has not yet noticed that he also got the word "codominion" wrong – it should be "condominium". On the other hand, not many rule sets try to do anything interesting with language in the first place. B L
World in Flames	by Australian Design Group World War II Probably the best and most comprehensive wargame treatment of World War II. Borrowing directly the production system of Global War, it does a very good job of incorporating all the interesting history of the war on a worldwide map with, in general, a rather elegant system for doing so. The game is especially to be congratulated in being willing to consider unorthodox strategies not pursued in the historical conflict. Optional rules which permit more chrome are fun, but also problematic in that all combinations are practically impossible to playtest and because players must discuss extensively which to include. The myriad expansion kits feature the same unfortunate difficulty. The result is a rules set that is never stabilized and sometimes players feel that they have earned a degree in "World in Flames 101". The only semi-serious complaint about the system is that it is a better simulator of land and air conflict than of naval which often features unrealistic oddities, from the ways that oceans have been partitioned to the behavior of naval aircraft. B L

Do you know of any more that I should add?

Battle for China	by Brian Train for the Microgame Design Group On various wars in China that were fought from 1937 to 1949. [Review] (Web-Grognards) B L
China	by Steve Jackson Games Supplement for the role-playing game GURPS. B L
China: The Middle Kingdom	unpublished plan by Decision Games for 4 players Military game covering the Chinese history from the earliest Warring States to the modern cold war. Each player controls various nations from different eras, each country having its own objectives. Planned are 400 army pieces which are used in 24 game turns, each a century long, starting from 403 BC. Important aspects impinging on play are mountains, emperors, heroes, new inventions, rebellions, barbarian invasions, diplomacy and the Great Wall. Growth of each nation depends on the amount and nature of the territory it owns.
China Incident, The	by 3W Military game. B L
China-Vietnam War	by Wargames Research Centre Limited, 1984 for 2 players Military game concerning the war of 1979. There is no CRT – combat is card driven. B L
China War, The	by SPI, 1979 Simulates a hypothetical Soviet invasion of the PRC in the 60s or 70s. [Review] B L
Chinese Civil War	by 3W Simulation of the period 1946-1950. B L
Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms	by Wargames Club Published in Chinese in Hong Kong, this game comes in a box, with 520 full color counters, a paper area map of China, 13 pages of rules and 69 cards, mostly event cards, some probably province ownership cards. B L
Dragon Dynasty Collectible Card Game	by Romancing Cathay, 19999 2-6 players B L
Dynasty	by Onoma Publications Politics, diplomacy and military power. B L
East is Red, The	by SPI, 1974 Simulates a hypothetical war between Soviet Russia and the People's Republic of China in the 1970's. [Review] B L
Emperor of China	by Dynamic Design, 1972 Multi-player wargame depicts the uniting of China in the ancient Warring States era prior to the Qin dynasty. Combat is achieved via simple dice rolling rules. As the game only ends when one player controls fifteen out of the twenty-one provinces of China, players will be eliminated along the way. An interesting though vague rule provides that the losers join the victor. Although there are some other vague rules as well, does provide some interest and possibilities for strategy and negotiation. Unfortunately the event cards wield an undue influence on matters, not so much the negative Yin cards, but the positive Yang cards, which are not well balanced. Would probably make for a fairer game if all of the fields, mines and cities were set up before the game starts and the crossing cards were all dealt out to the players ahead of time. Not particularly historical apart from the geography. Players should decide in advance whether there are mountains along the border between Honan and Shensi. There is some ambiguity in the rules as well. [Summary] [Review/Disquisition] (Web-Grognard) B L
Feng Shui	by Daedalus Entertainment A collectible card game. B L
Flying Tigers	by Lou Zocchi for Gamescience, 1969 World War II air combat in China vs. the Japanese air force. B L
Honour Alone: Hong Kong 1941	by Brian Knipple for Pacific Rim, 1991 Can the Hong Kong garrison delay the Japanese long enough to help efforts at Rangoon and Singapore? B L
Jade and Steel	by Avalanche Press, 2001 Supplement for the d20 system covering Han China. Prestige classes include Dim Mak Practitioner, Sword Saint, Alchemist, Diviner, Geometer and Iron Hand Disciple. Nine new feats, plus many other uniquely Chinese elements are also presented, as is an adventure for heroes of level 11 to 14 involving an evil plot to kidnap the Princess Kim Nan and destroy her family. B L
Manchu	designed by Richard Berg for 3W Taiping rebellion of 1850-68 B L
More Battle for China	by Brian Train, self published, 2001 Expansion kit for Battle for China covers the period from 1942 to 1945, and on into the 1945-49 Civil War period. B L
Mukden	by David C. Isby for SPI, 1975 Hypothetical Cold War conflict between Russia and China near the city of Mukden. B L
Passage to Cathay	designed by David F. Nalle for Ragnarok Enterprises, 1984, 1993 Trade, piracy and warfare for up to six players on a 17x33" map. B L
Red Guard	designed by Brian Train for Schutze Games In the Cultural Revolution up to 6 players struggle to control key sites. Will your faction be ready to assume power when the great leader departs for the workers paradise? Or will you be able to exert your dominance even before the tragic event? Includes 36 tiles create the map, 216 die-cut counters, rulebook and player aid sheet. B L
The Romance of the Three Kingdoms	by Jaehyun Cho for History & Fun, 2004 2-3 players Players use dice and tactics cards to try to conquer one another. B L
Romance of the Three Kingdoms Card Game	by Christ Woo, Solomon Au Yeung and Fritz Pang for Romancing Cathay, 19999 2-6 players Card game in which players use cards to conduct wars against one another. B L
Shadowfist	by Daedalus Entertainment, re-published by Z-man Collectible card game of martial arts. B L
Shuó Míng	Although the ostensible theme is launching and landing aircraft, this is essentially yet another version of Pachisi. A little extra strategy is added by the addition of special movement between spaces of the same color. [Rules] (this site) B L
Siege At Peking	designed by Dan Campagna for 3W Boxer rebellion. Published in Strategy and Tactics, issue 21, Jul/Aug 1982. 5 pages of rules and a large map. B L
Siege of Hong Kong	designed by Michael Gilbert for Microgame Co-op Japanese invasion. B L
Sun Never Sets, The	by Decision Games The "March to Peking" module simulates the 1860 Anglo-French force dispatched to force the Manchu emperor to open up trade. B L
Warlords - China in Disarray, 1927-1945	by Panther Diplomatic wargame for up to seven. The influence of Diplomacy and its area movement and combat is plain. This basic system is supplemented by events (including non-player revolts), initiative and supply systems. Each faction has some special ability as well and combat includes dice. Players keep track of their statuses in secret on paper and the game depends on no errors being made, whether intentional or unintentional. Four different historical scenarios are included, some of which seem unbalanced as well as limited in strategy, but in any case, negotiation rules. B L
War of Resistance	designed Mark Royer & John Astell for Games Research/Design (GR/D), 1998 Operational game simulating battles between Japanese and Chinese forces in China 1937-1941. There are two campaign and four smaller scenarios. B L
Warring States: the Unification of China 231-221 B.C.	designed by Stephen Newberg for Simulations Canada, 1979 Played on a hex map portraying the kingdoms of the Chin, Chu, Yen, Chi, Chao, Wei, and Han. It incorporates productivity based on agriculture, assassination of leaders, and the political differences between core and frontier kingdoms. The two player version is the Chin versus the other 6 kingdoms. There are also multiplayer rules. This was a period of semi-legendary wandering advisors, who sold their services to local princes. The advisors are present on the map as counters, move in diagonal lines and ricochet off province boundaries. The counters are rather hard to distinguish. The printer's palate consisted of gray, yellow-gray, yellow and white. Includes map, 12-page rules booklet and 200 counters. (Thanks to Larry Marak for the description.) [Map excerpt] [Map excerpt] [Counters excerpt] [Counters excerpt] (all at Web-Grognards) B L
Weisse Lotus, Der	by Martin Wallace for TM Spiele, 2000 [The White Lotus] refers to a notorious medieval secret organization feared by Chinese rulers throughout the centuries. Players build alliances and break them at the right moment in order to build new alliances with someone else, moving in the "mine field" between Emperor and Rebel leader. Tiles represent Rice Paddies, Villages, Temples, Forts and a Palace. Possession of the most Palaces determines the Emperor. [Picture] (Spielbar) B L
When Tigers Fight	by Dean Webb for XTR Corp, 1994 Strategic level game of battles fought on the Chinese front during the latter stages of World War 2. Map covers most of mainland China and some of Burma. Included in issue 26 of Command magazine. B L

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