Battle for China Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1.0 Introduction
• 2.0 Components, Concepts, Definitions, and Abbreviations
  • 2.1 Map
  • 2.2 Counters
    • 2.2.1 Chinese Player Forces
    • 2.2.2 Japanese Player Forces
  • 2.3 Definitions
  • 2.4 Abbreviations
• 3.0 Sequence of Play
• 4.0 Random Events Phase
  • 4.1 Historical Events
  • 4.2 War Progress (extension games)
• 5.0 Political Rules
  • 5.1 Political Support (PS) Levels
  • 5.2 High and Low PS Levels
  • 5.3 Foreign Support
• 6.0 Strategic Phase Rules
  • 6.1 Replacement EP
  • 6.2 China: KMT
  • 6.3 China: CCP
  • 6.4 China: Western Allies
  • 6.5 China: Soviet Units
  • 6.6 Japan
  • 6.7 Rebuilding and Replenishing Units
  • 6.8 Improving Military Units
  • 6.9 Converting Military Units
  • 6.10 Asset Points (AP)
  • 6.11 Naval Transport
    • 6.12 Air Transport
• 7.0 Organization Phase
  • 7.1 Battlegroups
  • 7.2 Guerrilla Units
• 8.0 Movement Phase
  • 8.1 Ground Movement Procedure
  • 8.2 Movement Restrictions
  • 8.3 Guerrilla Movement
  • 8.4 Amphibious Assaults (AA)
  • 8.5 Naval Reaction Movement
  • 8.6 Airborne Assault (Pacific War game/phase only)
• 9.0 Combat
  • 9.1 Regular Combat Procedure
  • 9.2 Regular Combat Results
  • 9.3 Regular Combat: Breakthrough Attacks
  • Example — Regular Combat
  • 9.4 Guerrilla and Anti-Guerrilla Combat
  • Example — Guerrilla Combat
• 10.0 Counterattack Phase
• 11.0 Recovery Phase
• 12.0 Supply
  • 12.1 KMT/CCP Regular Supply
  • 12.2 Japanese Supply
  • 12.3 Guerrilla Supply
  • 12.4 Out of Supply
  • 12.5 Extending Supply
• 13.0 Turn Interphase
  • 13.1 Control Determination
  • 13.2 Final Political Support Adjustment
  • 13.3 KMT Corruption Check
• 14.0 How to Win
  • 14.1 Winning the Basic Game
  • 14.2 Winning the Pacific War Game
  • 14.3 Winning the Civil War Game
• 15.0 Preparing for Play
  • 15.1 Setting Up the Basic Game
  • 15.2 Setting Up and Playing the Civil War Game
• 16.0 Special Rules
  • 16.1 KMT Faction Headquarters Units
  • 16.2 Fortifications
  • 16.3 Chinese Industry Markers
  • 16.4 United Front
  • 16.5 Multi-Player Version
  • 16.6 Western Allied/Soviet Special Units (Pacific War game/phase only)
• 17.0 Optional Rules
  • 17.1 Variable CCP Control
  • 17.2 Basic Game Alternate Victory Conditions
  • 17.3 Junglewise Surprise (Pacific War game/phase only)
  • 17.4 Strategic Bombing (Pacific War game/phase only)
• 18.0 The Campaign Game
  • 18.1 Playing the Campaign Game
  • 18.2 Winning the Campaign Game
  • 18.3 Varying the Campaign Game
• Designer's Notes

1.0 Introduction

BATTLE FOR CHINA DELUXE is a board-game simulation of the wars taking place in China from 1937 to 1949. There are four games playable using the components supplied:

• The Basic game covers the first phase of the "War of Resistance against Japan," from the initial Japanese invasion in July 1937 to the end of 1941. It uses only the large central map.
• The Pacific War game (1942-45) uses all three maps and can be played on its own or as an extension of the Basic game.
• The Civil War game (1946-49) uses only the main and north extension half-map.
• The Campaign Game (1937-49) uses all three maps. Play begins in mid-1937 with the Basic Game opening situation, continues to the Japanese surrender in China, and from thence to the end of the resumed civil war between the Nationalists and Communists. Historically this took over 12 years (49 Game turns); see if you can bring peace to China in less time.

The Basic, Pacific War, and Campaign games can be played by two or three players, one (the Chinese Player) directing the military forces acting to defend China against the Japanese invader, and the other the forces of Imperial Japan (the Japanese Player); an optional third player takes the Communist Chinese forces. The Civil War game is for two players only (Nationalist Chinese and Communist Chinese).

Most of the rules in this book pertain regardless of which game is being played. However, there are certain additions or amendments, or even new rules in effect if the "extension" (Pacific War, Civil War, or Campaign) games are being played, to reflect changed political and military circumstances. Where they appear, new rules are set off in italics.

2.0 Components, Concepts, Definitions, and Abbreviations

2.1 Map

The map scale is approximately 150 miles to the inch and is divided into named Areas. The counters representing a player's military forces move from Area to Area on the map (see 8.0). An Area is either Controlled by one of the forces in the game (and has a marker signifying this) or Contested (meaning no one controls it, hence no marker). Getting and maintaining Control of Areas (see 13.0) is important to keeping your units Supplied (12.0) and gaining a high Political Support Level. Within China, the Area borders are generally congruent with the 1937 historical division into provinces. Outside China, other countries have been divided into more or less arbitrary zones.

Extension Games Note: There are two extension half-maps included with the game. The south extension map portrays the area from Siam (Thailand) to northeast India. The north extension map portrays the puppet state of Manzhouguo (comprised of the provinces of Jehol, Lianoning, Heilongiang, and Jilin) and the part of Siberia that borders on Manchuria. Both extension maps are used in the Pacific War and Campaign games; only the north extension map is used in the Civil War game. (Assume that Mongolia-2 is adjacent to Siberia-2.)

2.1.1 Terrain Features. Within most Areas is a city, marked by a box with a name (some Areas have no cities, some have two). The position of a player's units within an Area is important. If they are placed in a city box, they are considered to be occupying that city; otherwise they are "at large" within the Area.

Some cities are also ports, signified by an anchor icon next to the box. Ports are important for Naval Transport (see 6.8) and Supply (12.0). Some cities are connected by black centipede-like symbols, representing railroads, which are important to the Japanese player (and the Nationalist player in the Civil War Game) for judging when those players' units are in supply (see 12.0).

Some Areas contain one or more kinds of difficult terrain (wavy lines represent hills, a palm tree icon represents jungle, and a small mountain symbol represents mountainous terrain). Terrain helps the defense of "at large" units in the Area in Combat (see 9.0).

2.1.2 Geographical Areas 'Out of Play.' In the Basic game, no units may move into or through Mongolia (which was garrisoned by the Soviet Army), Burma, India, or Tibet. Chinese units may not enter Jehol or Liaoning (which are part of Manzhouguo, a puppet state under the control of the Guandong Army, another substantial Japanese force). No units may enter Indochina until the Fall 1940 turn.

Extension Games Note: Bhutan, Nepal, Sikkim, and Tibet are all impassable. In the Pacific War and Campaign games, Mongolia and Siberia may come into play, depending on the course of events or options taken. In the Civil War Game, only areas in China and Manzhouguo (which is at that point part of China again) are in play.

2.1.3 Japan and India. Japan exists as a holding box, as marked on the map. Newly created Imperial Japanese Army units and AP (see 2.4) appear "in Japan" and must then be transported to the playable area of the map by Naval Transport (6.7).

Pacific War and Campaign games: There is a box labeled "India" on the south extension map that acts as a general holding area for Western Allied units, AP, and EP in the same way that the Japan holding box works for the Japanese player.

2.2 Counters

There are 420 counters in the game; most of them represent military units. However, the troop scale is somewhat abstract (generally groupings of two or more historical brigades, divisions, or corps). Generic markers used by both players or for game functions are colored white. Military units are marked with a number, their Combat Factor (CF); they are also colored by faction or nationality:

2.2.1 Chinese Player Forces

• Communist: red
• KMT Central Army: light blue
• KMT Faction: light blue, with factions distinguished by a colored symbol box:
  • Fang = red
  • Feng = yellow
  • Fong = green
  • Fung = orange
• Soviet: pink
• Western Allies: green

2.2.2 Japanese Player Forces

• Imperial Japanese Army: yellow
• Puppet troops: orange

Players will also find it useful to color the backs of counters appropriately after they assemble them, to make it easier to sort them out for storage or when they are rolling to recover from Disruption (9.22).

2.3 Definitions

Chinese: All units under the control of the Chinese player, who controls two individual forces: the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the KMT (which is further divided into the KMT Central Army and four separate KMT factions). The CCP and KMT are on the same side in the sense that both oppose the Japanese invasion, but they are antagonistic to one other within that alliance, having been engaged in a civil war before the invasion.

Japanese: All units controlled by the Japanese Player, including the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) and puppet troop units.

KMT (KMT Factions): The various semi-autonomous Chinese armies nominally under the control of Jiang Jieshi (a.k.a. Chiang Kai-shek). The Central Army is the nearest thing to a true national army for the Republic of China, although it was mostly staffed with men personally loyal to Jiang. There were actually many factions, but for game purposes they have been abstracted into four regional groups: Fang (northern), Feng (eastern), Fong (western), and Fung (southern). These are obviously made-up names and bear no relation to any actual historical personages.

Puppet troops: During the war, at least one million Chinese troops defected or were drafted into the service of one or another of the puppet regimes the Japanese set up as supposed autonomous governments in occupied China. For the most part, the Japanese used these troops as auxiliaries or rear-area security troops.

Soviet: The armed forces of the USSR in Siberia and Mongolia. In Pacific War and Campaign extension games, these armies are controlled by the Chinese player but constitute a separate force. Their actions can never gain PSP for the Chinese player, but they can make the Japanese player lose PSP; these units are set up as directed in the scenario instructions, but cannot move or fight until Japan invades Mongolia or the USSR, or else until the progress of the war in Europe releases them. A Soviet 11-CF mechanized army reduces to a 7-CF corps, and then to a 4 CF one; a 9-CF infantry army reduces to a 6-CF corps, and then to a 4-CF one.

Unit: One of the counters representing military forces in the game. There are three classes of unit: regular, guerrilla, and headquarters. (See the "Unit Identification Chart" in Charts and Tables to understand the various units and formation sizes.)

Western Allies: British, British Commonwealth, and American units that fought or could have fought in the China-Burma-India (CBI) theater. These units are controlled by the Chinese player in the Pacific War and Campaign games. Their actions, gains, and losses apply to the KMT player. At the start of Pacific War and Campaign games, Western Allied infantry divisions have a Cadre Level of 1 and a maximum CF of 3. They reduce to 2- or 1-CF brigades. Once the war has progressed sufficiently in the European Theater, they attain a Cadre Level of 2 and the Chinese player may build them up to 5-CF strength (and will reduce to 4-, 3-, 2- or 1-CF unit divisions or brigades as demanded by combat results). He may also, in time, convert them into specially trained marine or airborne units.

2.4 Abbreviations

• "xd6": The sum of the roll of one or more six-sided dice, where x is the number of dice to roll.
• "1d6+/-x": Roll 1d6 and add or subtract the indicated number.
• "+1" markers: When one of these generic markers is placed under a unit, that unit has an improved Cadre Level (see 6.5 and 9.12); when it is placed under an AP marker, the marker represents 2 AP, not 1 AP.
• AP: Asset Points. These come in three types, Air, Armor, and Artillery, and are represented by iconic markers of an airplane, a tank, and a howitzer, respectively. Asset Points represent concentrations of these weapons. Air AP are held off the map in an Air Holding Box until they are committed to combat, while Armor and Artillery AP move about on the map like other military units. See 6.5.
• CCP: Chinese Communist Party, led by Mao Zedong. The CCP had its own party militia, the Chinese Red Army.
• CF: Combat Factor—a quantification of a unit's fighting power, printed on each regular unit counter. All guerrilla units have a CF of (2), this number is used only in resolving Anti-Guerrilla Operations (9.4) and effective control of an Area (13.1).
• DRM: Die Roll Modifier: add or subtract this number when rolling the die or dice.
• EP: Equipment Points, a quantification of providing arms, ammunition, or extra supplies to your military units, time spent training them, or supplies for a major offensive, as dictated by the circumstances.
• IJA: Imperial Japanese Army.
• KMT: Kuomintang, the main Chinese political party under the leadership of Jiang Jieshi.

3.0 Sequence of Play

The time scale is 3 months per turn. Each turn, the players perform the following sequence of steps, in order. Each phase is described below in detail.

A. Random Events Phase. One player determines what Random Event, if any, occurs during this turn (see 4.0). Players also check the Turn Record Track to see whether there is inclement weather, and also for any Historical Events (4.1).

Extension Games Note: Use the specified Random Events Table in the Pacific War game, or when entering that time period in a Campaign game. Do not check for Random Events in the Civil War game.

B. Foreign Support Phase. The Chinese player determines whether more or less military aid is forthcoming from foreign countries. See 5.3.

Extension Games Note: Skip this phase in Pacific War and Civil War games. Support from other nations is pre-determined and unchanging. See 5.3.1.

C. Strategic Phase. Both players collect EP from various sources and place any new or rebuilt units on the map within the restrictions of the rules (see 6.0), as well as any Armor or Artillery AP just obtained. The Japanese player performs Naval Transport movement (see 6.11).

Extension Games Note: In Pacific War (or the Pacific War phase of a Campaign game) and Civil War games, the Chinese player may also perform Air and Naval Transport movement (6.11, 6.12).

D. Organization Phase. Both players organize their military units into stacks (called Battlegroups, or BG) of one or more units. These stacks move and fight as one entity during the Movement and Combat phases that follow. See 7.0.

Player Turns. IMPORTANT: The player with the highest PS level at the end of the Strategic Phase (use the KMT PS level in two-player games) conducts his turn first. Resolve ties with a die roll.

First Player Turn

E. Movement Phase. The player's BG move from Area to Area on the map under the rules governing Movement. See 8.0.

F. Combat Phase. The player's BG engage enemy BG in the same Area under the rules governing Combat (and may, if permitted, conduct Anti-Guerrilla Operations). See 9.0.

G. Counterattack Phase. Within limits, enemy BG in a given Area that were not attacked in the Combat phase may now attack the player's BG in that Area. See 10.0.

H. Recovery Phase. Friendly units that were Disrupted may now attempt to recover. See 11.0.

Second Player Turn

The second player repeats phases E, F, and H using his units. The second player's enemy has a chance to counterattack in phase G.

I. Turn Interphase. Players determine Control of all the Areas on the map and make any final adjustments to their PS levels (see 13.0). The KMT player makes a Corruption Check (see 13.3).

This concludes one Game-turn. This cycle repeats until one player resigns, until his or her Political Support level falls to 0, or until the end of the final Game turn (Fall 1941) is reached. See 14.0.

4.0 Random Events Phase

Any one player rolls 1d6 twice in succession. Use the first number rolled as the "tens" and the second as "ones": hence, a roll of 4 followed by 6 would indicate Random Event 46. Check the number rolled against the Random Events Table and follow the instructions.

4.1 Historical Events

In addition to Random Events, some scheduled Historical Events occur as well (since World War II is assumed to unfold in Europe as it did historically). Follow the instructions on the Turn Record Track as each event occurs. When foreign support is noted as going up or down one level (from neutral to weak to strong and back down), move that country's marker to the leftmost box that reflects that level of support on the Foreign Power Track.

4.2 War Progress (extension games)

From the point of view of the major war leaders in World War II (excepting, of course, Jiang Jieshi), the CBI (China-Burma-India) theater was of secondary importance. Therefore, the course of events in the wars in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) and in the rest of the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO), measured by the War Progress Index, will have a bearing on events in the Pacific War game, rather than the other way around.

At the start of a Pacific War game (and the Pacific War phase of the Campaign game), place the ETO and PTO War Progress markers in the "0" box of the War Progress track. Each turn, during the Random Events phase, the Chinese player rolls 1d6 for the ETO and another for the PTO. The War Progress marker for that theater does not move on a 1 or 2, moves to the next higher numbered space on a 3, 4, or 5, and moves up two spaces on a 6. The numbers on the track run up to 15: once the marker reaches that point, it stays there.

4.2.1 European Theater War Progress. The boxes of the ETO War Progress track note (i) the maximum number of CF that Western Allied units may have on the map at any given time, (ii) when Western Allied infantry divisions may be built up to 5 CF, (iii) when the KMT player may start converting Western Allied divisions to special units, (iv) when Cadre Levels of Western Allied and Soviet troops change, and (v) when Soviet Buildup occurs. (This represents bringing Nazi Germany close enough to defeat that Allied leaders can think about diverting significant resources to the Pacific Theater.)

4.2.2 Pacific Theater War Progress. The boxes of the PTO War Progress track note the Japanese Sea State, when Western Allied units may begin making Amphibious Assaults (see 8.4) and, optionally, Strategic Bombing (17.4) when the Cadre Level of IJA units is lowered. (This rule signifies increasing American naval power and its proximity to the Japanese Home Islands, thus diverting Japanese resources away from the war in China).

4.2.3 Japanese PSP Variation. In the Strategic phase of each turn of a Pacific War game (and the Pacific War phase of a Campaign game), the Japanese player rolls 1d6 and subtracts the current Sea State. He deducts any positive result from his PS level and adds any negative result.

5.0 Political Rules

5.1 Political Support (PS) Levels

The Chinese player has two separate PS levels to keep track of for his forces (the KMT and CCP), while the Japanese player has just one. PS levels are tracked independently of each other at all times during the game. Each force's PS level is measured in PSP on the PS Level Track (see Charts and Tables) and is expressed as a number from 0 to 99.

5.1.1 Gains and Losses in PSP. The PS Level Adjustments Summary in the Charts and Tables stipulates when and by how much to change a force's PS level.

5.2 High and Low PS Levels

If a player's PS level is 80 or more, then all of her attacks on the CRT gain a 1-column rightward shift; her units have an increased chance of recovering from Disruption, and she is able to recover more EP from eliminated units. If a player's PS level is 20 or less, all of that player's attacks on the Combat Results Table (CRT) have a 1-column leftward shift, his units are less likely to recover from Disruption, and he can recover fewer EP from his eliminated units. A player's PS level cannot go above 99 or below 0.

5.2.1 Japan at 0 PS. If the Japanese player's PS level ever reaches 0, the game ends at once - he has lost the war there. See 14.0.

5.2.2 KMT at 0 PS. If the KMT PS level is reduced to 0, the government has collapsed and the Republic of China ceases to function. The Chinese player may resign at this point, or she may elect to continue fighting. If she does not resign, roll 1d6 for each KMT faction, including the Central Army.

Rolling a 1 means that all units of that faction are treated as Japanese puppet troops for the rest of the game. On a 2, 3, or 4, remove all units of the faction. A roll of 5 or 6 means the faction has rallied to the Communists: Replace each army-size unit with a CCP regular corps, and each corps-size unit with a CCP guerrilla unit (limited by what CCP units are left in the counter mix).

Finally, remove all KMT Control markers (so that all previously KMT-controlled areas become Contested) and the KMT PS level marker, and skip the Foreign Support phase for the rest of the game.

5.2.3 CCP at 0 PS. If the CCP PS level reaches 0, the Chinese Communist Party collapses as a political and military authority. Roll 1d6 for what CCP guerrilla units remain, and another 1d6 for CCP regular units. Replace CCP guerrilla and regular units with KMT guerrilla units and KMT Central Army corps respectively, up to the number rolled for each unit class and limited by the number of CCP units that were present before the collapse, and what KMT units are available in the counter mix). Remove all other CCP units, all CCP Control markers (so that all previously CCP-controlled Areas become Contested), and the CCP PS level marker.

Extension Games Note: In Pacific War (or the Pacific War phase of a Campaign game), if the Japanese player's PS level ever reaches 0, the game ends immediately—his forces surrender and he has lost the war. If the KMT or CCP PS level reaches 0, then Collapse has occurred. Follow 5.2.2 or 5.2.3, as appropriate, and keep playing with whatever CCP or KMT forces remain. Western Allied and Soviet units are unaffected by KMT or CCP collapse.

In a Civil War game, the game stops when one side Collapses.

5.3 Foreign Support

Getting and keeping material support from foreign powers is crucial to China's surviving the struggle. There are three foreign countries that may provide foreign aid to the Chinese: Britain, the USA, and the USSR.

5.3.1 Affecting Foreign Attitudes. The position of each country's marker on the Foreign Power Track defines the level of support it is willing to give China. In the Foreign Support phase, the Chinese player may try to affect the attitude of one or more foreign countries. She may try this only once per country per turn, and must complete all influence attempts before receiving any PSP or EP (as detailed in 5.4 below).

Procedure: The Chinese player selects a target country, pays 2 PSP plus xd6 extra PSP (where x equals the DRM for the roll, up to a maximum of 3) rolls 1d6, and adds any DRM that he paid. She then moves the country's marker one box to the left on a result of 1 or less, one box to the right on a result of 6 or more, and two boxes rightward on a final score of 8 or more.

Extension Games Note: In a Pacific War game (or the Pacific War phase of a Campaign), the Chinese player does not have to expend PSP to get or keep material support from Britain and the USA (as she does in the Basic game). These two countries automatically provide Weak and Strong Support, respectively, until the Japanese collapse. The EP the Chinese player derives from this may be spent on either KMT or Western Allied units. Although these countries do give support, the KMT player no longer gets PSP for this reason (since they are all now co-belligerents against Japan). The actions of Western Allied units do gain and lose PSP for the KMT player: for example, if the Japanese gain control of an area in Burma or India, the KMT player would lose PSP.

In the Civil War game, Britain provides no support at all, and the USA provides Strong support to the KMT player. Western Allied units do not appear in the Civil War game.

The USSR does not provide foreign aid to the Chinese player as of the Spring 1941 turn. (USSR was busy defending itself against Nazi Germany at this time and had signed a neutrality pact with Japan to "keep the back door shut.")

The actions of Soviet units can never gain or lose PSP for the Chinese player, but they can make the Japanese player lose PSP. For example, if Japanese forces took control of an Area in Mongolia or the USSR, they would gain PSP for doing so but the KMT player would lose nothing; similarly, IJA troops eliminated by Soviet units would make the Japanese player lose PSP, but the KMT player gains nothing.

Soviet units may not move unless the Japanese player invades Mongolia or the USSR itself, or until the turn in which the ETO War Progress Index indicates "Soviet Buildup." In the latter case, he may move his units freely within Mongolia and the Soviet Union during the Movement Phase of the Soviet Buildup turn.

In the Random Events phase of the following turn, the USSR is considered to have declared war on Japan, and Soviet units may move into China or Manzhouguo to attack Japanese units. The "Nomonhan Battles" and "Another Border Clash in Manchuria" Random Events are not considered Japanese invasions, but if for some reason the Japanese player invades Mongolia or the USSR before these events occur or are rolled, they are treated as "No Event."

Soviet units do not appear in the Civil War game.

5.3.2 Effects of Foreign Aid. A given country is neutral when its marker is in an unmarked box on the Foreign Power Track; it gives Weak Support when its marker is in a box marked "W" and Strong Support when its marker is in a box marked "S."

5.3.2.1 Weak Support. The Chinese player adds 1d6 PSP to the KMT PS level if any country is giving her Weak Support (no additional effect if more than one country is doing so). She receives 1 EP from each country doing so as long as there is an appropriate port or land supply route open, and she may buy AP at a variable price in EP.

5.3.2.2 Strong Support. The Chinese player adds 1d6 PSP to the KMT PS level if any country is giving her Strong Support (no additional effect if more than one country is doing so). She receives 1d6 EP from each country doing so as long as there is an appropriate port or land route open, and may buy AP at a variable price in EP. Finally, she may create KMT armies or convert them from KMT corps.

5.3.2.3 Land Routes. Foreign aid must make its way into China through either its port cities or one of three land routes. If all of China's port cities have been captured by the Japanese, aid from the USA or Britain comes via the Burma Road or the Indochina Railway (either route is subject to closure during the game due to events in Europe), and USSR aid arrives via the Silk Road. The Chinese player may not receive aid through these routes if that route has been closed or if the Japanese player occupies the terminal city of the route (Kunming for the Burma Road, Nanning for the Indochina Railway, and Lanzhou for the Silk Road).

5.3.3 No Support. If no country is currently giving any support, the Chinese player subtracts 1d6 PSP from the KMT PS level each turn.

6.0 Strategic Phase Rules

In the Strategic phase, players first determine how many EP they have received from various sources. Each player keeps track of his or her total EP on a scrap of paper: These points may be saved from turn to turn (except replacement EP — see 6.1). The KMT player may have some waste of his conserved EP due to inertia and corruption (see rule 13.3, KMT Corruption Check). She may use her EP to create, convert, or improve military units or to acquire AP; the procedures each player may use depend on the force involved. Finally, she places the new units and AP on the map.

6.1 Replacement EP

Each force in the game is able to recover some EP from its eliminated units. The player controlling a force totals the CF of units that force lost during the previous turn and multiplies this number by the replacement EP rate for that force, dropping any fractions. The resulting number of EP must be spent in that Strategic phase or they are lost.

6.1.1 Replacement EP Rates. Each force has the following replacement EP rate under normal circumstances:

• KMT = 10%
• CCP = 15%
• IJA = 20%
• Western Allies / Soviet: 30%

However, if a force has a PS level of 80 or more, it adds 5% to this figure; if it has a PS level of 20 or less, it subtracts 5%. The Western Allies rate is reduced to 10% in any Strategic phase where IJA units occupy Calcutta; the Soviet rate is reduced to 10% in any Strategic phase where IJA units occupy Chita.

6.2 China: KMT

There are three sources for KMT EP: foreign aid, the "domestic" economy, and replacement EP. The amount of foreign aid EP changes each turn according to political circumstances and the roll of the dice; under certain circumstances, foreign EP may not arrive (see 5.3). The amount of domestic EP received depends on KMT control of Industry Markers (see 16.3).

The KMT cannot build guerrilla units until the Spring 1938 turn (and may not build guerrilla units at all in the Civil War game). KMT guerrilla units may be placed in any Area that already has KMT regular or guerrilla units in it. The KMT may not create armies unless at least one foreign country is giving China Strong Support. Newly created KMT Central Army units may be placed in any city occupied by other Central Army units. KMT faction units are placed in the Area where their HQ unit is located.

6.2.1 KMT Factions and Required Support. The Chinese player, in the Strategic phase, must spend at least 1 EP on each KMT faction to build or rebuild at least one corps of that faction, if such a unit is available. If she does not or cannot, she loses 1 PSP for each faction not so served. Eliminated KMT Faction Headquarters units are automatically replaced for free, and placed in any Area with units of that faction. If there are no units of that faction remaining, the Headquarters unit will be placed in any area containing at least one KMT regular unit.

6.2.2 The KMT and CCP may not spend EP on, or lend EP to, each other.

6.3 China: CCP

As well as replacement EP, the CCP get EP each turn equal to 10% of their current PS level (dropping all fractions). The CCP may not create regular units from scratch: The CCP player must convert regular corps from guerrilla units. New CCP units may be placed in any Area that already has CCP regular or guerrilla units in it, up to the number of units that were there at the beginning of the Strategic phase.

6.4 China: Western Allies

Newly created Western Allies units and Allied AP start in the India Holding Box.

6.4.1 Defence of the Realm. In the Strategic phase of the turn following that in which Japanese units have entered one or more areas of India, and for as long as Japanese units continue to occupy Areas in India, British support is raised to 1d6 EP per turn. However, British EP may be spent only to benefit Western Allied units in India (e.g., creating or building up units, building Fortifications, etc.).

6.5 China: Soviet Units

Unless the Japanese player invades Mongolia or the Soviet Union itself, Soviet units may not move. They receive 1 EP per turn, to spend or save as the Chinese player wishes (but only to benefit Soviet units — for example, creating new units or AP, placing BG in supply, building Fortifications, etc.).

If the Japanese player invades Mongolia or the Soviet Union, or in any case on or after the turn in which the ETO War Progress Index indicates "Soviet Buildup," this allowance is immediately raised to a number of EP equal to 1d6 + the final digit of the current year; the KMT player may henceforth create or convert Soviet armies. (The "Nomonhan battles" Historical Event and "Another Border Clash in Manchuria" Random Event are not considered Japanese invasions.)

Newly created Soviet units may appear in any Area having Soviet units in supply, or else in Siberia-4.

6.6 Japan

There are four (4) potential sources of EP for the Japanese player: Manzhouguo; captured Industry Markers; replacement EP; and Japan. Within each Strategic phase, the Japanese player gets 2 EP automatically from the off-map industrial areas in Manzhouguo and 1 EP from each Industry Marker he may have captured in cities that are in supply (see 12.0). The Japanese player may also "pay" for extra EP and AP with PSP taken from his PS level, at the rate of 2 PSP for each EP and 1d6 PSP for each AP.

Newly created and rebuilt IJA units and Japanese AP appear in the Japan Box; they must be transferred to China by Naval Transport. (Exception: one Japanese AP of any type may appear in Manzhouguo per turn.)

Extension Games Note: The 2 EP automatically gained from Manzhouguo may be used to benefit units in Manzhouguo or the Japanese forces in the CBI theater proper. Further, the Japanese player will generally lose PSP (but may sometimes gain them) due to the PTO War Progress (see 4.2.2).

6.6.1 Lesser-Quality Divisions (Japan) Beginning in the Strategic phase during the turn in which PTO War Progress is equal to or greater than 5, the Japanese player may no longer create or rebuild 4-CF divisions (after this point in time, the better troops were almost always diverted to the South Pacific).

6.6.2 Japanese Puppet Troops. The Japanese player's ability to create puppet troops is inversely related to the KMT PS level. In each Strategic phase, he rolls 1d6 and subtracts a number equal to 10% of the current KMT PS level (round fractions up). If the result is greater than zero, he takes it as a number of EP to be spent on puppet troops. These may be spent only on building puppet troops (if the player really wants to, he can spend Japanese EP to build them as well). The units appear in any Area that already has IJA or puppet troop units in it.

Puppet troops may sometimes arrive as a Random Event, as well, due to random defections from dissatisfied KMT generals. Eliminated puppet troops do not generate replacement EP.

6.7 Rebuilding and Replenishing Units

Units previously eliminated in combat or removed from the game due to Random Events are normally available to be rebuilt and placed on the map as new units.

Extension Games Note: Western Allied and Soviet units may be built up to higher-than-usual CF, with three major exceptions:

• Western Allied units may not be built up above 3 CF until the turn in which ETO War Progress is equal to or greater than 8, whereupon they may be built up to 4 or 5 CF;
• a Western Allied special unit that has taken losses loses its abilities — it must be built up to a 5-CF infantry division and then re-converted in order to regain them;
• no Soviet army-size units may enter play until the Japanese player invades Mongolia or the USSR, or until the "Soviet Buildup" turn takes place (6.62).

6.8 Improving Military Units

The Cadre Level of any regular unit may be improved by one level (and no more) by paying the indicated EP cost. Place a "+1" generic marker underneath the unit. If the unit is later eliminated or converted, or takes losses, the Cadre Level improvement is lost.

6.9 Converting Military Units

CCP guerrilla units may be converted into regular corps and KMT regular corps may be converted to armies, in each case by spending the indicated EP per unit so converted; the paying player simply substitutes one counter for the other on the map. This conversion may occur only if (i) an appropriate counter of the same force is available to be built, (ii) the converting unit is in supply (see 12.0), and (iii) the player is allowed to create armies (i.e., to make KMT armies, a foreign country must be giving Strong Support to China).

6.9.1 Western Allied Conversions. On and after the turn in which ETO War Progress is equal to or greater than 11, Western Allied 5-CF infantry divisions may be converted to 5-CF special units (marine or airborne) by paying the indicated cost in EP.

6.9.2 Soviet Buildup Conversions. In the Strategic phase of the turn during which the ETO War Progress Index indicates "Soviet Buildup," the Chinese player rolls 2d6 and may immediately perform, for free, the indicated number of "buildup conversions" upon any Soviet units on the map. In this instance only, a conversion is either changing a unit's type from infantry to mechanized or converting it to its next higher strength level (i.e., converting a 4-CF infantry corps to a 7-CF mechanized counts as two conversions). This is the only time that infantry units may change their type to mechanized.

If the Japanese player invades Mongolia or the USSR before Soviet Buildup takes place, then Soviet army-size units may be created or converted from corps at the indicated cost in EP.

6.9.3 The Civil War Game. In a Civil War game (or the Civil War phase of a Campaign game), the KMT and CCP player(s) may create or convert regular corps into armies at the EP rates indicated.

6.10 Asset Points (AP)

The KMT must "buy" Air, Armor, and Artillery AP from abroad with a varying number of EP. The Japanese player follows the same procedure, except that he is "buying" from Japan and is paying in PSP.

6.10.1 The CCP may not buy or use AP in the Basic game. It may buy and use AP in a Civil War game (or the Civil War phase of a Campaign). To maintain a degree of historical realism, however, the CCP should be allowed only Artillery AP — there were very few pilots or drivers in their ranks.

6.10.2 Buying AP. When a player declares her intention to buy an AP, she rolls 1d6: the number rolled is the "price" of that particular AP. The player rolls the die to determine the price each time she buys an AP. Rolling the die also commits that player to buying that AP: a player may continue to buy until she rolls a price that she cannot afford (or refuses to buy at that price).

Air AP are simply added to the player's Air Holding Box. Chinese Armor and Artillery AP arrive only if there is an open port city or a functioning overland route (see 5.3).

A maximum of one Japanese Armor/Artillery AP may appear in Manzhouguo per turn; any others appear in Japan and must be transported to China.

6.11 Naval Transport

During the Strategic phase, a limited number of units may be transported by sea-lift (in a "pre-movement movement," as explained below).

6.11.1 Japan. The Japanese player's ability to transport troops depends on the Sea State (a combined measure of Japanese command of the sea and availability of transport ships). He may transport a number of units equal to the Sea State number between any two Japanese-controlled ports. Any number of Armor and Artillery AP may be transported in a turn, for free. The Japan Box is always considered a Japanese-controlled port.

In the Basic game, the Japanese Sea State is always 4, except in the final turn (when shipping and naval units were historically being withdrawn to prepare for strikes on the Philippines, Singapore, and Pearl Harbor).

In the Pacific War game (or the Pacific War phase of a Campaign game), the Japanese Sea State number is dependent upon the PTO War Progress Index. All Japanese units are judged to be out of supply when the Sea State is 0, but Japanese BG may still be placed in supply by expending EP.

6.11.2 China. In a Pacific War game (and in the Pacific War phase of Campaign play), sufficient naval/overland transport is assumed to exist to move any newly created Western Allied units or AP from the India Holding Box to any area in India or, if the Sea State is 0, to any Chinese-controlled port.

In the Civil War game, the KMT player may move her units by Naval Transport in the same fashion as the Japanese player did, as if the Sea State number were 2 (i.e., 2 units).

6.12 Air Transport

In Pacific and Civil War games (or the corresponding phases of a Campaign game), the Chinese player may spend Air AP to carry Western Allied/KMT military units or EP between any two friendly-controlled cities, including the India Holding Box, at the rate of one unit or EP per AP. (This is one way to continue to bring EP into China if all overland routes are closed.) Armor and Artillery AP may not be transported in this way. The Air AP so used are placed in the "Used" box after the Strategic phase.

Strategic Phase Example — China

The Chinese Player receives 2 EP from domestic sources (because she has 2 Industry Markers on the map) and rolls 1d6 to determine how many EP she gets from the USSR (which happens to be giving Strong support at the moment). She rolls a 3, so she has a total of 5 EP to use so far. She then examines her notes and finds that she lost a total of 18 CF in the previous turn. Multiplying 18 by her replacement EP rate of 10%, she gets a value of 1.8; rounding down, she gets only 1 more EP, for a total of 6.

She now declares her intention to buy 1 Air AP and rolls 1d6 for the price: she rolls a 3, so she pays 3 EP and places the AP marker in the "Ready" section of her Air Holding Box (see 6.7). She then converts a Central Army corps into an army at the price of 2 EP (6.6) and builds a corps from the Fung faction for 1 EP. She still loses 2 PSP because she did not spend any EP on any other KMT factions (one faction had all its corps on the map, though, so she does not lose all 3 PSP).

7.0 Organization Phase

7.1 Battlegroups

In this phase, all of a player's regular units in a given Area may be formed into stacks of one or more units called Battlegroups (BG). These BG move and fight as single entities during the following Movement and Combat phases. A player may not examine the contents of another player's BG except in the moment of deriving an odds column for a declared attack (see 9.1).

7.1.1 Force Restrictions. Players may form BG within the following limits:

• KMT: Up to 2 units (i.e., 2 corps, or 1 corps and 1 army). KMT faction HQ units do not count. KMT faction units may not form BG with units of other factions or Central Army units.
• CCP: Up to 2 units, as above. CCP units may not form BG with KMT units or AP.
• Japanese: Up to 5 units of any size.
• Western Allied: Up to 6 units of any size. These units may not form BG with units from any other force.
• Soviet: Up to 3 units of any size. These units may not form BG with units from any other force.

7.1.2 AP. Any number of Armor or Artillery AP may be in a BG, but only a limited number of them are usable (see 9.1.7). A BG composed entirely of AP may not attack, and it is automatically eliminated if attacked.

7.2 Guerrilla Units

Guerrilla units never form part of BG and are not allowed to occupy city boxes. They are always "at large" in an Area.

8.0 Movement Phase

8.1 Ground Movement Procedure

In this phase, a player may move BG from one Area to an adjacent Area. BG move one by one, as far as allowed by rule 8.2. Any BG on the move may "drop off" units with each step to make new, smaller BG, but may not "pick up" additional units. A BG in an Area is either occupying a city (located inside the box symbol marking the city on the map) or at large in the Area (placed anywhere in the Area).

8.1.1 Stacking Limits. Any number of friendly and enemy BG may be at large in an Area, but only one BG at a time may occupy a city box.

8.2 Movement Restrictions

A BG must stop moving when it enters an Area containing enemy regular units. It may leave the Area only if it began the Movement phase there, after which time it must act as follows:

• it may enter any adjacent Area that is free of enemy regular units; or
• it may enter an adjacent Area that contains enemy regular units, but only if other friendly regular units remain behind in the Area it left and if the friendly regular units remaining behind have a printed CF that equals or exceeds the enemy regular units' printed CF.

Other than in the second case above, movement from one enemy-occupied area directly to another is always prohibited.

Example: In Jiangxi, there are Japanese units totaling 8 CF and KMT regular units totaling 4 CF. The Japanese player wants to move into Hunan, which is also occupied by KMT regular units. He may do this, but he must leave units with a total of at least 4 CF behind in Jiangxi.

8.2.1 Movement Limits. KMT, CCP, and Puppet troop units have no motor transport. Regular units of these forces may move a maximum of 3 Areas per turn.

8.2.2 Floods. Every summer, China's main rivers flood, making certain regions impassable. During turns when "floods" are indicated on the Turn Record Track, BG may cross only the "flooded" Area borders (marked on the map with heavy black double lines) and only if their player rolls a 1-3 on 1d6.

8.3 Guerrilla Movement

Guerrilla units move a maximum of 1 Area per turn, but ignore the presence of enemy units. Guerrilla units may not occupy city boxes.

8.4 Amphibious Assaults (AA)

Strike from the sea!

8.4.1 Japan. Imperial Japanese Army units (only) may carry out AA if the Sea State is 2 or higher. Such an assault costs 1 EP for each BG to be involved. The BG must also have started the Movement phase in a port city or in Japan. The BG may occupy any vacant Chinese port city, or it may "land" on the coastline of an Area and attack any enemy BG in that Area during the Combat phase. It may not move any further that turn, but it is automatically in supply during that turn. The BG may also assault an occupied port city directly, but if any Chinese units remain in the defending BG after combat, the assaulting BG must return to its point of origin after taking any losses.

Due to hostile naval forces not represented in the game, the Japanese player may not conduct AA on the south extension map.

8.4.2 Western Allies. Western Allied units may carry out AA under similar conditions and costs as can IJA units (above) when permitted by PTO War Progress. However, due to a shortage of Allied landing craft, only one AA per turn may be conducted, and the BG conducting it must contain 10 or fewer CF. The BG must have started the Movement phase in a Chinese-controlled port city or in the India Holding Box.

Western Allied marine divisions (marked with the wavy line in their symbol box) are specially trained for AA and thus get a +1 DRM when attacking an occupied port city via an AA.

8.5 Naval Reaction Movement

The Japanese player has a limited ability to reinforce his garrisons and to counterattack by sea. In the Counterattack phase, a Japanese BG composed only of IJA units that are eligible both to conduct a Counterattack and an AA (see 8.4 and 10.0) may undertake a naval reaction move. The Japanese player spends 1 EP and the BG may move from Japan to an Area with a Japanese-occupied port city. The transported units, on landing, are placed "at large" in the Area and may conduct a normal counterattack on any eligible enemy BG in the Area.

Extension Games Note:

• The Japanese player may not carry out Naval Reaction Movement if the Sea State is 1 or 0.
• In a Civil War game (or the Civil War phase of a Campaign game), the KMT player may also carry out Naval Reaction Movement, paying 1 EP per BG.

8.6 Airborne Assault (Pacific War game/phase only)

In the Movement or Counterattack phase, Western Allied airborne divisions may "jump" into any Area that contains or that is adjacent to an Area containing other Western Allied units. Simply place the airborne unit(s) in the Area: They may attack enemy BG in that area during that Combat phase, either alone or in concert with another BG (if desired, the airborne divisions are considered to join the BG at the instant of combat).

Airborne divisions are considered to be in supply on the turn in which they jump. An airborne division gets a +1 DRM during an Airborne Assault (but not in ordinary attacks or defenses).

9.0 Combat

9.1 Regular Combat Procedure

In any Combat phase, a player's BG may attack enemy BG in the same Area. Each BG may attack one and only one opposing BG. It can attack only once in a given Combat phase, but a BG may be attacked any number of times (i.e., by multiple enemy BG). Combat is voluntary between BG, but all units in a given BG must attack and defend as one whole.

Procedure: The attacking player declares an attack, expends an EP if he wishes to conduct a Major Offensive at full CF (9.11), compares the total CF in his BG to the defender's total, and derives an odds ratio from the Combat Results Table or CRT (see Charts and Tables). He adjusts the final odds ratio for Cadre Levels (see 9.1.2), a high or low PS level (5.1.1, 9.1.3), the defender's terrain (9.1.4), or weather (9.1.5). Attacks with final odds of less than 1:3 or greater than 6:1 are resolved on those columns.

The player then rolls 1d6, adjusts the die roll for any AP or other DRM involved (8.4.2, 8.6, 9.1.6, 9.1.7), and applies the result (which may be further adjusted if the combat took place at very low or high odds — see 9.2.5).

9.1.1 Major Offensives. A player must expend 1 EP to conduct an attack with a BG containing 6 or more CF for that BG to attack at full power. If she does not, that BG attacks at half CF (round fractions up). A player cannot attack with only part of the BG in order to avoid this requirement. (You should have made a smaller BG to start with!)

9.1.2 Cadre Level (CL) This is a quantification of the military professionalism and cohesion of the troops involved. Use the highest Cadre Level found on each side, subtract the attacker's CL from the defender's, and shift the final odds ratio that many columns to the left (for a negative number) or right (for a positive number). Cadre Levels are as follows:

Chinese Units

• KMT (Faction or Central Army): 0
• CCP: 1
• Western Allies: 1 until ETO War Progress is equal to or greater than 8, and 2 thereafter
• Soviet: 1 until ETO War Progress indicates "Soviet Buildup," and 2 thereafter

Japanese Units

• Puppet troops: 0
• Imperial Japanese Army: 2 (but reduced to 1 when PTO War Progress is equal to or greater than 12)

9.1.3 High or Low PS Levels. The attacking player shifts the final odds ratio one column rightward if her PS level is currently 80 or more, or one column leftward if it is 20 or less.

9.1.4 Defender's Terrain. If the defending player's BG is occupying a city box or is "at large" in an Area with rough, jungle, or mountain terrain, shift the final odds ratio one column to the left for each such circumstance (and one additional column if the BG is stacked with a Fortification counter).

9.1.5 Snow/Monsoon. On turns indicated "snow" or "monsoon" on the Turn Record Track, shift the odds ratio column one to the left for combats in Areas that are affected by that type of weather. Snow falls in any Area north of the snowflake-pattern "snow line" marked on the map, and the monsoon affects all Areas in Indochina, Burma, Siam, and India.

9.1.6 Air AP. These AP are kept in the Air Holding Box until used. They can be used to support any attack or defense on the map, but can be used only once in a Game-turn. The maximum number of Air AP that can be used in any combat is equal to the number of units in the friendly BG they support. Each Air AP gives a +1 DRM on attack and a -1 on defense. If a "6" is rolled on the die before applying DRM, each side using Air AP in that combat must eliminate 1 Air AP.

Extension Games Note: Soviet Air AP may not be used to assist non-Soviet units in any way; always keep them separate.

9.1.7 Armor and Artillery AP. These AP form part of a BG. A BG that is composed entirely of AP may not attack and is automatically eliminated if attacked. The maximum number of Armor and/or Artillery AP that may be used in a BG, in attack or defense, is equal to the number of units in that BG.

Each usable Artillery AP gives a +1 DRM on attack and a -1 on defense. Each usable Armor AP gives a +1 DRM on attack and can also be used in Breakthrough Attacks (see 9.3). However, Armor AP have no effect when attacking BG that is "at large" in an Area with rough, jungle, or mountain terrain.

Extension Games Note: Soviet mechanized units and infantry armies have a "1" or "2" in superscript next to their CF: This value indicates the DRM they may automatically apply in attack or defense. (Think of it as having one or two "built in" Artillery AP.) These AP may not be removed or lost separately from the unit.

9.2 Regular Combat Results

Each result on the CRT consists of two letters or numbers separated by a slash. Results to the left of the slash apply to the attacker; results to the right apply to the defender. Use the key below to interpret the results, and apply it only to the units in the affected BG. Keep a running total of eliminated CF on each side for determining (i) how many PSP each force will gain or lose and (ii) how many replacement EP each force will get in the next Strategic phase.

Number: A numeric result on the CRT indicates the number of CF that the indicated player must remove from the affected BG (see exceptions 9.2.1 to 9.2.5). Players replace units taking losses with units of lower CF or, if that is not possible, remove them entirely.

For example, a Japanese 3-CF division required to lose 1 CF would replace the division with a 2-CF brigade. A Chinese 2- or 3-CF corps, or a Japanese Puppet Troops corps, would be removed if it had to lose any CF. A KMT Central Army 8-CF army would be replaced with a 3-CF corps. Eliminating an Armor or Artillery AP or a Fortification counter also counts as a 1-CF loss.

Finally, either or both of the BG involved may be Disrupted (see 9.2.2).

Extension Games Note: A CCP army that is required to lose 1 CF is replaced with two CCP regular corps, or by one corps if it must lose 2 or 3 CF.

X (Escalating Exchange): An "X" result on the CRT means that the attacker takes 1 or more CF losses (removing 1 Armor or Artillery AP counts as one loss). The defender must then remove at least as many CF as the attacker removed. The attacker may then repeat the process, the defender matching or exceeding him each time, until the attacker stops or one side completely runs out of units. The side that lost more actual CF is Disrupted (9.2.2).

E (Elimination): An "E" result on the CRT means that both players must remove all units involved.

9.2.1 Required Losses. If the attacker claimed an odds ratio shift for Cadre Levels, then at least 1 CF of any losses he incurs must come from the troops used to claim that shift.

Any time a "6" is rolled on the die in a combat involving Air AP, each player who used any in that battle loses 1 Air AP.

9.2.2 Disruption. After taking all CF losses, the BG that lost the most CF is Disrupted: Flip all remaining units in the BG over. (Disrupt both BG if they lost equal numbers of CF.) Asset Points are never Disrupted.

Disrupted units can move, and defend normally, but cannot attack until they Recover (see 10.0). They are not affected by further Disrupted results. A BG that attacks another BG made up entirely of Disrupted units may reduce its own losses by 1 CF.

9.2.3 "Going Guerrilla." In any combat where a BG of CCP regular units is defending, the Chinese player can satisfy any or all of her indicated losses by replacing each involved regular unit with a guerrilla unit. If she does this, however, the attacking player may reduce his total losses by 1 CF.

Extension Games Note: A CCP army that goes guerrilla is replaced by two CCP guerrilla units.

9.2.4 Advance after Combat. If a BG attacks another BG that is in a city, and if all units in the defending BG are removed, then the attacking BG may move without cost into the now-vacant city after taking any losses.

9.2.5 Adjusting Combat Losses. The defender's result is decreased by 1 for each notional column to the left of the 1-3 odds column (so an attack at 1-4 odds or less would generally result in no losses to the defender). The defender's result is increased by 1 or the attacker's result reduced by 1 (attacker's choice) for each notional column to the right of the 5-1 odds column (so an attack at 9-1 odds would see the defender's result increased by 3, or the attacker's reduced by 3, or 2 on one side and 1 on the other, etc.).

The attacker's result is reduced by 1 if it attacked a BG made up entirely of Disrupted units, or if the defender "went guerrilla" (9.2.2, 9.2.3).

9.3 Regular Combat: Breakthrough Attacks

In the Basic game, only IJA units may make Breakthrough Attacks. If all units in the defending BG have been removed and the attacking BG includes Armor AP, the Japanese player may decide immediately if he wants to follow with a Breakthrough Attack. If so, all Armor AP in the attacking BG plus one brigade or division for each AP may immediately form a new BG and carry out a second attack on another enemy BG in the same Area. A maximum of 1 Air AP may be added to support the attacking BG, if available. Breakthrough Attacks do not require any EP to be spent on them.

Extension Games Note: Soviet mechanized and all Western Allied units may make Breakthrough Attacks.

Example — Regular Combat

A Japanese BG composed of two IJA 4-CF divisions, one 2-CF Puppet Troops corps, and 1 Artillery AP attacks a KMT BG composed of two 2-CF corps located in a city. All units are in supply (12.0) but the Japanese player would have to expend an EP to conduct the attack at full CF, since the BG has more than 6 CF (9.1.1). He decides not to, however.

The attacker has a total CF of 5 (4+4+2, halved) attacking against the defender's 2+2 = 4 CF, producing an odds ratio of 1-1. The odds ratio is raised by two columns for the IJA units' Cadre Level (see 9.1.2), but reduced by one for the defender's being in a city (9.1.4), for a final ratio of 3-2.

The Japanese player rolls 1d6 and adds 1 (for his Artillery AP). His result is a 5, which on the 3-2 column of the CRT gives a result of "2/3." As stated under Required Losses (9.2.1), the Japanese player must lose at least 1 CF from his IJA units, so he reduces one of the divisions to a 2-CF brigade. (He also could have reduced one IJA division to a 3-CF division and removed the Puppet Troops corps altogether.) The Chinese player must lose 3 CF, so she removes both corps. The Japanese player may advance his remaining units into the city.

9.4 Guerrilla and Anti-Guerrilla Combat

Guerrilla units may not attack enemy units in regular combat, but they do dispute control of Areas. To clear them out, the Japanese (and occasionally the KMT) player may use one or more of his BG that are "at large" in an Area to conduct Anti-Guerrilla Operations (AGO) instead of regular combat.

AGO are not Major Offensives and so do not require EP to be spent on them. In the Combat phase (not the Counterattack phase), the player has one or more of his BG roll on the AGO Table to attack any Chinese guerrilla units in the same Area. All BG involved roll separately on the table. The number of guerrilla units removed varies with the total CF in the BG and other modifiers, as listed in the Charts and Tables. The number of CF eliminated varies with the number of guerrilla CF present in the Area at the time he rolled the die, and other modifiers (again, as listed in Charts and Tables).

The Required Losses rule (9.2.1) does not apply to AGO, nor are units Disrupted as a result of AGO.

9.41. "Three All" Operations. The Japanese player may also declare any of his AGO to be "Three All" operations ("kill all, burn all, destroy all"). Doing so doubles the BG's effective CF, but also adds 1d6 to the CCP or KMT PS levels (whichever force had the greater number of guerrilla unit losses in that AGO).

Extension Games Note: In Civil War (or the Civil War phase of the Campaign game), the KMT player may also conduct AGO at normal CF. However, she may not conduct "Three All" operations.

Example — Guerrilla Combat

The Japanese player has two BG at large in an Area that he wants to use against the five CCP guerrilla units present there. One BG is composed of one 4-CF IJA division, another of two 4-CF IJA divisions and one 2-CF Puppet Troops corps, for a total CF of 10. The BG attack separately.

The Japanese player attacks first with the mixed stack: according to the AGO Table, 10 CF means that the guerrillas will lose 1d6-1 units. The Japanese player rolls a 3, for 2 units eliminated, but this number is reduced to 1 because Puppet Troops were involved in the operation. The Chinese player removes one guerrilla unit. Now, there were 10 guerrilla CF (5 units of 2 guerrilla CF each) present at the start of the AGO, so the Japanese player must lose (1d6-3) CF. He rolls a 5, minus 3 is 2, minus 1 for equal CF and thus he loses 1 CF. He removes the Puppet Troops corps.

Next, the Japanese player attacks with the single-unit BG, declaring this to be a "Three All" AGO: His 4 CF, doubled to 8, means 1d6-1 guerrilla units will be lost. He rolls a 4, minus 1 is 3. The Chinese player removes 3 guerrilla units and adds 1d6 PSP to the CCP PS level. The Japanese player now rolls to determine his losses: 8 Chinese guerrilla CF means he will again lose 1d6-3 CF. He rolls another 4, minus 3 is 1. However, he does not lose any CF because the Chinese player had equal or fewer Guerrilla CF (8) than the Japanese had effective CF (8).

10.0 Counterattack Phase

In the Counterattack phase, any enemy BG in an Area that were not attacked in the Combat phase may attack friendly BG in the same Area. They may only attack those BG that themselves conducted attacks during the Combat phase.

Initiating a counterattack at full CF requires an expenditure of 1 EP from the attacking player if the BG is of sufficient size (see 9.1.1); otherwise, the BG attacks at half CF.

The Japanese player may not conduct Anti-Guerrilla Operations in the Counterattack phase.

11.0 Recovery Phase

In the Recovery phase, each player rolls 1d6 for each of his or her units that are currently Disrupted. A unit recovers on an adjusted roll of "5" or more. (See the Recovery Table in Charts and Tables.)

12.0 Supply

Units need to be "in supply" to function at their full capacity. The definition of this state depends on the force to which the unit(s) belong.

12.1 KMT/CCP Regular Supply

To be in supply, a KMT Central Army, KMT faction HQ, or CCP regular unit must be in an Area:

• that is Controlled by the same force, or adjacent to an Area that is Controlled by the same force; or
• that is Contested or Controlled by an enemy force, but all cities in the unit's Area are occupied by units of the same force.

For a KMT faction corps to be in supply, it must be in an Area that contains or is adjacent to an Area containing its faction HQ, but only if the faction HQ is itself in supply.

Extension Games Note: Western Allied units draw supply in the same way as described for KMT units above. However, there must be an uninterrupted "chain" of KMT-controlled Areas stretching back to Calcutta, to an Area in India on the western edge of the south extension map, or to a port city occupied by friendly units.

Soviet units draw supply in the same way as Japanese units (see 12.2), except that the railroad must lead off the western edge of the north extension map (through Chita) or to Vladivostok.

In the Civil War game, the KMT player may draw supply as in this rule section, or else along railway lines in the same way as Japanese units if she wishes; the railway line must lead to a KMT-controlled port city.

12.2 Japanese Supply

To be in supply, Japanese units must be in an Area with a railroad. The railroad must lead to a Japanese-controlled port city or to Jehol or Liaoning, and Japanese units must be present in each city box the railroad line passes through on the way there (it is not necessary for the Japanese player to control the Area the city box is in, though). Additionally, Japanese units occupying port cities are in supply as long as the Sea State is at least 1.

Extension Games Note: All Japanese units are out of supply when the Sea State reaches 0. EP may still be spent to put selected BG in supply.

12.2.1 Weather and Supply. In turns when floods are in effect, the Japanese player may trace supply only from railway lines that cross rivers, and only if he rolls 1-3 on a 1d6 for that turn.

All units in Areas affected by monsoons are automatically out of supply when this weather is indicated.

12.3 Guerrilla Supply

Guerrilla units are always in supply.

12.4 Out of Supply

Supply status is judged for units at any time when it matters: in the Strategic phase, for both involved BG in the Combat phase at the moment of combat between them, and in the Recovery phase. A BG that is not in supply at any given moment attacks at half its total CF (round up). A BG that is both out of supply and of sufficient size to conduct a Major Offensive would attack at one quarter of its total CF: the owning player would need to expend 1 EP to get it to half CF, and another for it to attack at full CF.

Being out of supply also adversely affects a unit's chance to recover from Disruption.

12.5 Extending Supply

The Areas in the game are sufficiently large, and the lines tenuous enough, that units could always be supplied by a special effort. Therefore, a player may always place a BG in supply when he needs to by expending 1 EP on it at the moment required.

13.0 Turn Interphase

During the Turn Interphase, the following events occur in sequence.

13.1 Control Determination

Both players examine each Area on the map and determine which are Controlled by one player or another and which are Contested. Control of an area is judged anew each turn, as follows:

• If there are no units at all in a given Area, then it is Contested. No one Controls it.
• If only one force has units in a given Area, then it has Control, and a marker in the color indicating this is placed anywhere in the Area.
• If units from more than one force are in an Area, then the Area is Contested, but one force may still have effective Control. Each player counts how many CF of each force are present in that Area. If the Japanese player has at least twice as many CF in the Area than the total of KMT and CCP CF (remember to count both regular and guerrilla unit CF), then he has Control. If he does not, then compare the KMT and CCP CF in the Area to see who has effective Control: If one force has twice as many or more CF, then it gets Control; if not, the Area remains Contested and no marker is placed.

Extension Games Note: All vacant Areas in India, Burma, and the USSR (but not in Mongolia) are automatically considered to be under the Chinese player's control rather than Contested. (Consider the merits of a well-functioning totalitarian government or Imperial administration.)

13.2 Final Political Support Adjustment

Both sides now adjust their PS levels as directed in the Adjustments Summary (see Charts and Tables). An Area is considered to have left friendly Control if its status changes from friendly Control to Contested or to enemy Control in the Control Determination process.

Extension Games Note: In a Pacific War or a Campaign game, the Japanese player may count all cities he occupies on all three maps except for those in Manzhouguo. The KMT/CCP may count only Areas controlled in China itself.

13.3 KMT Corruption Check

The fractured and very political nature of Chinese military administration assured there would be considerable waste and "misdirection" of hoarded supplies and material. At the end of the Turn Interphase, the Chinese player rolls on the KMT Corruption Table (see Charts and Tables) to see if she loses any unused KMT EP.

14.0 How to Win

14.1 Winning the Basic Game

If the Japanese player's PS level ever falls to 0 during the Basic game, then he has lost the war in China and the game immediately ends in a Chinese Total Victory.

If the KMT or CCP PS level falls to 0 at any point, then that force has collapsed. The Chinese player may either resign the game at that point, in which case the Japanese player wins a Partial Victory, or fight on with whatever force remains (see 5.2.2 and 5.2.3). If the Japanese player later forces the remaining force's PS level to 0, then the game immediately ends in a Japanese Total Victory.

If the KMT has not collapsed by the end of the game (i.e., the Fall 1941 turn), the Chinese player wins a Partial Victory. If only the CCP has collapsed, then both sides can claim a Partial Victory, with bragging rights going to the player having Control of more Areas. (In this situation, Jiang Jieshi will rule over a reduced but compliant "Free China," while Japan will incorporate what it has seized into its network of puppet regimes in the "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.")

14.2 Winning the Pacific War Game

If the Japanese player's PS level falls to 0, he loses the war and the game ends immediately. Bragging rights go to the Chinese force with the higher PS level at this time, if you had separate KMT and CCP players (although whichever side wins the ensuing civil war will write all the history books).

If the KMT or CCP PS level ever falls to 0, then that force has collapsed. The Chinese player may either resign the game at that point, in which case the Japanese player wins a Partial Victory, or fight on with whatever force remains (see 5.2.2 and 5.2.3). If the Japanese player later brings the remaining force's PS level to 0, then the game immediately ends in a Japanese Total Victory. (Granted, the Japanese player will lose the war elsewhere in the Pacific theater, but he will have carried the day in China.)

14.3 Winning the Civil War Game

The game continues until one side's PS level falls to 0. It may also end if, at the end of any turn, one player has no units on the map, no Areas in Control, and both players agree to end the game.

15.0 Preparing for Play

To set up, both players choose a game to play and place the specified units indicated in the Areas listed on the Setup Chart for that game. They place Control markers as appropriate in Areas where they have troops (it should be obvious who controls what at the start).

15.1 Setting Up the Basic Game

Both players place the specified units indicated in the Areas listed on the Setup Chart and note the amount of EP they have at the start (1d6 KMT; 2 CCP; 2d6 Japanese). Units may set up in Fortifications if the player spends EP to place them there. Place the markers for the three foreign countries on the corresponding Foreign Power Track, in the "At Start" boxes indicated. The Japanese, KMT, and CCP start with initial PS levels of 60, 40, and 25 respectively.

15.1.1 Hebei Province. In the period before 1937, Japan exerted considerable political pressure on China to reduce its garrisons along the border with Jehol. Therefore, no more than a total of five KMT corps may set up in Hebei, and Fortification counters may not be placed there.

15.1.2 The First Turn. Play begins with the Random Events phase. Skip the Foreign Support and Strategic phases in the first turn.

15.2 Setting Up and Playing the Civil War Game

In the Civil War game (or the Civil War phase of a Campaign game), the KMT player replaces the Japanese in the structure of the game, while the CCP player becomes the "Chinese" player. For example, the KMT player will score PSP for eliminating CCP units as the CCP player gains PSP for establishing control of Areas or eliminating KMT units. See the PS Level Adjustment Table indicated for use in the Civil War game.

In a Civil War game, the first player in each turn is not fixed. The player with the higher PS at the end of the Strategic phase goes first in that Game-turn. If the two players have equal PS, flip a coin.

16.0 Special Rules

16.1 KMT Faction Headquarters Units

Each KMT faction has a headquarters (HQ) unit, representing its political-military centre of gravity. This unit has no size and does not cost anything to build, maintain, or replace if eliminated. It must always be stacked with other units of the same faction and is automatically eliminated if all units in its BG are removed. Replacing an eliminated HQ is automatic and free.

The KMT Central Army does not have a HQ unit and is exempt from this rule.

16.2 Fortifications

Fortifications are a sort of static Asset Point whose effect is to shift the odds ratio one additional column to the left on defense. They do not count for stacking, yet they "fortify" the BG stacked with them, and are exempt from the Required Losses rule (although they may be removed to satisfy step losses — see 9.2). They are automatically removed if ever left without any units stacked with them at the end of any phase.

In the Strategic phase, a player may pay 1 EP and place a Fortification counter in any city or Area where he has regular units that are in supply (see 12.0). Any number of Fortifications may be built in an Area, but only one may be placed in a city box.

16.3 Chinese Industry Markers

China did not have any heavy industry at this time, but could produce limited amounts of arms and ammunition. The Chinese player starts the game with one Industry Marker in each of the following cities: Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou.

Each Industry Marker on the map generates 1 EP for whichever force has units stacked with it in each Strategic phase. The player controlling an Industry Marker may, during any Strategic phase, declare that she is moving it to safety. She removes the Marker and re-enters it on the map 2 turns later, in any city box of any friendly-controlled Area she wishes. Industry Markers can be moved any number of times, but must be in supply to move and must re-appear in a city box that is also in supply.

The Japanese player captures an Industry Marker if he eliminates all units in the city box in which the Marker is located and then advances into the box. However, he will have to wait 2 turns before moving the Marker or getting EP from it. The Japanese player may move captured Industry Markers off-map to Manzhouguo.

Any player whose units are stacked with an Industry Marker may, at any time, indicate that the marker is being demolished. The marker is removed from the game immediately.

In the Civil War game, Industry Markers may not be moved or demolished.

16.4 United Front

The CCP and KMT had been fighting a civil war for almost ten years when the Japanese invaded in 1937. The two Chinese factions agreed to suspend hostilities between them while fighting Japan. However, during the war, Jiang Jieshi kept up to 400,000 troops in a blockade of the Communist-controlled areas, and numerous skirmishes and battles took place between the two forces.

The Basic game begins with the United Front in effect. While this situation lasts, the two forces may not attack each other. CCP regular units may enter an Area with KMT units in it only if they finish their movement in an Area that also contains Japanese units, and vice versa.

This rule will occasionally be suspended by a Random Event that allows the KMT player to attack CCP regular units or to conduct anti-CCP AGO, for that turn only (although KMT AGO are at half CF during that attack). In each turn during which the KMT attacks CCP regular units or conduct AGO, the KMT player raises her PS level by 1d6 and the CCP PS level by 2d6. The CCP may not attack or counterattack the KMT, but they do get the noted increase in PS in compensation. (They'll settle the score in 1946.)

Extension Games Note: This rule is not used in the Civil War game. If it is used in a Pacific War game and/or the Basic and Pacific War phases of a Campaign game, it may be suspended temporarily by Random Events or permanently by mutual agreement of both the KMT and CCP players (in games where there are two separate players).

16.5 Multi-Player Version

As you may have figured out by now, this game is fine with three players. A three-player game has a Japanese player (who controls all IJA and puppet troop units), a KMT player (who controls all Central Army and KMT Faction units), and a Communist player (who controls all CCP units). The two Chinese players can either perform all their movement and combat sequentially in the appropriate Phases (let the player with the higher PS level of the two go first), or they can do everything simultaneously in order to drive the Japanese player crazy.

The KMT player and the Communist player or players are in a competitive alliance. If the KMT or CCP PS level ever falls to 0, then that player is out of the game and the other player may fight on. If the Chinese side wins by forcing the Japanese PS to 0 or by lasting to the end of the game without having either force collapse, then the Chinese player with the higher PS level of the two wins.

16.6 Western Allied/Soviet Special Units (Pacific War game/phase only)

The Western Allied and Soviet units include some units with different equipment and training. These are marine, airborne, and mechanized units (represented by a wavy line, a cross-with-parachute, and an oblong-with-cross design, respectively, in their symbol boxes). Special units are exempt from the Required Losses rule.

Marine divisions may carry out amphibious assaults and airborne divisions can conduct airborne assaults (see 8.4 and 8.7 respectively).

Soviet mechanized units and infantry armies have a "1" or "2" in superscript next to their CF: This is the DRM they may automatically apply in attack or defense — think of it as having one or two "built-in" Artillery AP. These may not be lost separately or removed from the unit in any way.

Western Allied special units lose their special capabilities when they take any CF loss. To regain them, they must be built back up 5-CF strength and then re-converted.

17.0 Optional Rules

Players may use any of the following rules to vary play, at their discretion.

17.1 Variable CCP Control

In a two-player game, the player with the lowest PS level at the beginning of the Strategic phase controls the CCP (resolve ties with a die roll). In cases where the Japanese player is the controller, this does not mean the CCP becomes his ally; instead, he would move the CCP forces in such a way as to put the KMT at a disadvantage.

17.2 Basic Game Alternate Victory Conditions

Use the following alternate victory conditions:

• If the Japanese player's PS level ever falls to 0 during the game, then he has lost the war in China and the game immediately ends in a Chinese Total Victory (the KMT player claims the victory in a three-player game).
• If the KMT or CCP PS level falls to 0 during the game, then that force has collapsed. The Chinese player may either resign the game at that point, in which case the Japanese player wins a Partial Victory, or fight on with whatever force remains (see rules 5.2.2 and 5.2.3). If the Japanese player later forces the remaining force's PS level to 0, then the game immediately ends in a Japanese Total Victory.

If no force's PS level falls to 0 during the game, use the following method at the end of the last turn to judge victory:

• The Japanese player has the highest PS level: Japanese Partial Victory
• The KMT PS level is greater than the Japanese, but equal to or lower than CCP PS level: tie (This result most closely resembles the real historical result – China will fight on, Japan will be defeated by the Western Allies, and the CCP has garnered enough political strength that it will probably win the civil war when it resumes.)
• The KMT PS level is greater than both the Japanese and the CCP PS levels: Chinese Partial Victory (The KMT player claims the victory in a three-player game.)

17.3 Junglewise Surprise (Pacific War game/phase only)

As an optional rule, IJA units may ignore the adverse effects of jungle terrain when they are attacking Chinese or Western Allied units in 1942. They still get the defensive benefit of jungle terrain, though.

17.4 Strategic Bombing (Pacific War game/phase only)

During the Strategic phase starting in the turn when PTO War Progress is equal to or greater than 8, the Chinese player may declare that she is using one (and only one) of her Air AP to conduct strategic bombing against Japanese cities and industry. She places the Air AP marker in any KMT-controlled Area east of the Gansu—Sichuan-1—Hunan—Guangdong line (not including these Areas); it may not be used in any other way during the turn. The marker is automatically removed at the end of any phase in which there are no KMT units in its Area. If it is still there in the Turn Interphase, then the Japanese player loses 2 PSP. (The USAAF got much better results flying from Saipan and Tinian.)

18.0 The Campaign Game

The really hard-core players among you can play out the entire history of the conflict in China as one long game made up of the shorter games. Set up the Chinese and Japanese forces as for the Basic game (Summer 1937), and add the Western Allied, Soviet, and Japanese units as detailed in the Campaign game setup chart.

18.1 Playing the Campaign Game

The Campaign game is played out in three phases: the Basic phase (Summer 1937–Fall 1941), the Pacific War phase (Winter 1942 until the Japanese collapse), and the Civil War phase (after the Japanese collapse, and lasting until the KMT or CCP collapses).

18.1.1 Basic Phase. In the Basic phase of the game, Western Allied units may not move or conduct combat either until Japanese units invade Burma or until the Winter 1942 turn is reached. The Allies may not have any EP spent on them until the Japanese player enters Indochina (Fall 1940); from then until the Japanese invade Burma or Siam (which they can do any time that suits them after they enter Indochina), Allied forces are limited to a maximum of 1 EP per turn to create new units, build Fortifications, etc.

Soviet units may not move or conduct combat, and the Chinese Player receives 1 EP per turn to spend or save, but only for the benefit of Soviet units. This continues into the Pacific War phase unless and until Japanese units invade Mongolia or the USSR, or else until "Soviet Buildup" is indicated. The "Nomonhan battles" Historical Event and "Another Border Clash in Manchuria" Random Event are not considered Japanese invasions. If for some reason the Japanese player invades Mongolia or the USSR before these events occur or are rolled, they are treated as "No Event."

18.1.2 Pacific War Phase. Beginning in the Winter 1942 turn, start using the ETO/PTO War Progress Track, the new Random Events Table, and the Pacific War PS Level Adjustments Table. Skip the Foreign Support phase from then on (as Britain and the U.S. automatically provide Weak and Strong support respectively — but they stop giving the KMT player PSP).

18.1.3 Civil War Phase. When Japan collapses, the game halts temporarily. All Japanese, Western Allied, and Soviet units are withdrawn from the game, and players proceed straight to the Turn Interphase. The Campaign game is now in the Civil War phase, and the following conditions apply in all succeeding turns:

• the Random Events Phase is skipped. Begin using the Civil War PS Level Adjustments Table;
• as before, skip the Foreign Support phase. Britain no longer provides any support to the KMT, and the US provides Strong support automatically;
• in the Strategic phase of the first turn after the Japanese collapse (only), the CCP and KMT player(s) gain 3d6 and 1d6 EP respectively from looting abandoned Japanese arsenals. The CCP player may also buy and use AP and create or convert armies from this point onward;
• the United Front rule is permanently suspended. CCP and KMT units treat each other as enemies from now on; however, they may not attack each other until 1–3 (1d6 divided by 2, rounded down) turns have passed. (There was a certain amount of political negotiating and maneuvering before full-scale war broke out.) During this watchful interlude, both Chinese players play normal turns, skipping only the Combat and Counterattack phases of each player-turn.

18.2 Winning the Campaign Game

The game can stop by mutual agreement when any one force collapses and all players agree to the correctness, generosity, and humanity of the force that was responsible for crushing the life out of its enemies.

18.3 Varying the Campaign Game

Before the game starts, both (or all) players may suggest certain "global variables" to modify gameplay. These are limited only by their collective imagination, ignorance, or obstinacy, but here are some (untested) suggestions:

• The Emperor decides for the "strike north" faction in the military. (This could conceivably have happened.) Japanese PS level starts at 85; do not use the south extension map; Japan must invade the USSR at some point in the game or forfeit, and gets 2 PSP each turn for each Area in Mongolia or the USSR controlled by the Japanese; Germany invades Russia on schedule in Summer 1941 — start rolling for ETO/PTO War Progress at that point, but with a permanent -1 DRM for ETO War Progress and a +1 DRM for PTO War Progress (to account for the greater strain on the Soviet Union's and Japan's diversion of resources away from naval construction — and the fact that the United States would have declared war on Japan eventually); certain Historical and Random Events will no longer make sense with this variant, so cancel them as they occur or make up new ones.

• Jiang Jieshi builds an effective military and a workable government. (This one is an out-and-out fantasy.) The KMT Central Army sets up with 12 corps anywhere and has a Cadre Level of 1 throughout the game; KMT Factions set up as before and have a Cadre Level of 0 throughout the game; rule 6.2.1 (required support for KMT factions) is suspended, but the "Faction Friction" Random Event still holds (or vice versa, or both, or neither); the KMT Corruption Check rule is suspended; KMT PSP starts at 70 and CCP PSP starts at only 20.

• All hail the Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere! (Historically, the Japanese tried to exploit anti-colonial feelings, but anything on this scale was unlikely.) The Chinese player must keep all on-map areas of India and Burma garrisoned with Western Allied units to retain Control of them (i.e., suspend that special provision of rule 13.1); change rule 6.6.1 so that the Japanese player subtracts only 5% of the current KMT PS level (round down) when rolling for Puppet Troops EP; change the "Defection" Random Event so that an entire KMT faction (choose randomly, but not from the Central Army) goes over to the Japanese and is treated as Puppet Troops.

• Stalin decides to regain what the Czarists lost in 1905. (Who knows what was in his head at any given time?) Soviet units may move freely in Mongolia and the USSR, receive 1d6 EP per turn, and have no limits on creating or converting units; Soviet units must invade Manzhouguo before the Winter 1940 turn or the Chinese player must forfeit the game; give Soviet mechanized units a Cadre Level of 2 (since Zhukov is in charge out there); Soviet units will not move beyond Manzhouguo into China itself, but may occupy Korea (Chosen-1 and Chosen-2); the 2 EP produced each turn in Manzhouguo come from two immovable Industry Markers in Harbin and Changchun; award the Japanese player 2d6 EP each turn in which Soviet units occupy Manzhouguo.

Designer's Notes

I designed Battle for China to profile a largely unknown (at least to Americans) war of the 1930s: the Chinese "War of Resistance" against Japan from 1937 to 1941. I decided to create a game of this phase in the fighting that gave due attention to the political aspects of the conflict, while remaining a military contest that could be played in an evening.

The system used in the game is largely much the same as in another game I had done on the Spanish Civil War, Arriba Espana (AE). I had to work in a few changes to the system I had used in AE to match the altered time, map, and troop scale. Each Game-turn represents three months: during that time a unit could march from one end of Spain to the other in AE, but China is much bigger and has very few roads and railroads.

The unit counters do not have any historical identification. They represent groupings of historical brigades and divisions whose strength and effectiveness varied wildly through four years of war.

However, the counter mix and rules show some of the differences between the three main armies involved in the fighting. The Japanese units are generally at division scale, with a higher CF and BG stacking limit to represent their better "C3" (command, control, communications). The CCP's strength is in its guerrilla forces, and the KMT has a massive collection of slow-moving, poorly equipped losers. Players will also notice that in general there are few EP available, so long periods of inactivity may result while they save up the wherewithal to conduct a sustained offensive. This is pretty much historically accurate.

Players should take note of the asymmetries of the three forces in the way they raise their troops and fight the war. In broad terms, everyone wants to drive his or her opponents' PS down to 0, but this can be done in different ways.

Notes on the Deluxe Edition: Almost simultaneously with the original design, I worked on an expansion set to cover the later phases of the conflict (and tie them together into a 12-year campaign). To create the expansion kit, I had to nail on a few more bits of chrome to account for the changing political and military conditions.

The Japanese start with a good army, but as the war goes on the limitations of the Japanese war industry and the demands of other theaters result in their having to field lower-quality (i.e., 3-CF) divisions that are still adequate to fight against the Chinese, but were quite outmatched when they ran into fresh, well-supplied, and lavishly equipped Western Allied and Soviet units (which only appeared in the Far East once victory in Europe was pretty much assured).

Also, by 1945 the IJA was collapsing as a viable military force through accumulated losses, withdrawals of men and equipment to the Home Islands, and general demoralization — hence the Cadre Level of 1. The CCP's strength is in its guerrilla forces, and during the Civil War game the CCP must transfer itself into a regular army to take on the KMT, which does not substantially vary from a collection of warlords' private armies.

I hope you enjoy this game in all its forms.