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the more I read about Imphal-Kohima the more I realise that I really need to wargame it to properly understand it!
Find it very strange that noone has produced a commercial wargame on this (unless I am mistaken).... would seem an obvious one to have covered
Some good suggestions on some systems - thanks all. I’ll just summarise the commercial options here.
1) Nemesis: Burma 1944
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/197076/nemesis-burma-1944
This game covers the full period of Imphal-Kohima across all of northern Burma with the Chinese and Chindits included
1) Nemesis: Burma 1944
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/197076/nemesis-burma-1944
This game covers the full period of Imphal-Kohima across all of northern Burma with the Chinese and Chindits included
Looks like an interesting simulation - interesting ideas on mechanics.
Playtime? Game designer seems to estimate 6-10 hours. I tend to revise these estimates upwards a fair amount and some of the comments online estimate 20 hours
One advantage is that it is still possible to buy
Playtime? Game designer seems to estimate 6-10 hours. I tend to revise these estimates upwards a fair amount and some of the comments online estimate 20 hours
One advantage is that it is still possible to buy
Second of the two main suggestions: OCS Burma. OCS for those who’ve no experience with it is an abbreviation of ‘Operational Combat System’ - its very heavy on logistics and lots of very granular details. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1585/burma-campaign-northern-burma
I’ve not played it at all but gather its a complex system to pick up. Some interesting debate online, too, about its historical verisimilitude ( https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2253649/ocs-burma-vs-nemesis-burma-1944/page/1)
Another consideration is the sheer size of the game space (although as @Adam_Lunney points out VASSAL exists)
Another consideration is the sheer size of the game space (although as @Adam_Lunney points out VASSAL exists)
OCS Burma is also quite high complexity and a couple of estimates put it at around 30-60 hours for a full campaign game. Quite a time investment, then, much like Nemesis.
The other disadvantage is that OCS Burma is out of print so may be quite difficult to get ahold of
The other disadvantage is that OCS Burma is out of print so may be quite difficult to get ahold of
The last option is GDW’s Burma - a game produced in the 1970s that covers the full war in Burma from 1942-1944. This seems to. be quite rare and perhaps unsuited to understanding Imphal-Kohima given its much broader focus
So to summarize - there’s two games produced on the campaign. One is out of print, one is possible to obtain. Both games are quite a hefty time investment of 15 hours plus (I would estimate) Both also have a high volume of counters (300ish)
Both obviously designed for (and sold to!) the hobby market.
What I suspect will help me the most is a simpler game with more judicious abstractions and, as was perhaps predictable, there’s nothing that fits my (albeit precise) desires for something that models the battle.
What I suspect will help me the most is a simpler game with more judicious abstractions and, as was perhaps predictable, there’s nothing that fits my (albeit precise) desires for something that models the battle.
So had a think and I think what I need is a wargame that more succinctly expresses the operational level at Imphal-Kohima.
My original tweet was partially about not understanding how time and space interact in the battle - and wargames are a great way of exploring how various
My original tweet was partially about not understanding how time and space interact in the battle - and wargames are a great way of exploring how various
parts of a broader model can interact and alter one another.
There’s nothing sufficiently simplistic on the market that demonstrates this and they’re all a lot more in-depth.
There’s nothing sufficiently simplistic on the market that demonstrates this and they’re all a lot more in-depth.
As @Mountain_Navy points out it looks like I’m starting a design process so lets entertain that for a minute with a few questions
First: What am I aiming to model?
I’m aiming to model the basic operational level of Imphal-Kohima
I’m also aiming to model the impact of other factors like logistics, air supply and air support upon the operational level
I’m aiming to express this in a simple educational game
I’m aiming to model the basic operational level of Imphal-Kohima
I’m also aiming to model the impact of other factors like logistics, air supply and air support upon the operational level
I’m aiming to express this in a simple educational game
This really gives me elements of the simulation to focus in on then. Given the desire for simplicity its really necessary to focus in on a few basic aspects that are ESSENTIAL to producing an expression of the battle at the operational level
There are the usual things: impact of terrain, force concentration, time and space considerations but there’s several key aspects I think are especially necessary to focus in on.
Air Supply: The campaign in Burma is famous for British and Indian troops cut off in boxes being sustained by airpower. This is a key part of Imphal-Kohima with IV Corps especially on the Imphal plain being completely sustained by air transport during the battle. Similarly the
Japanese crucially run out of supply when they aren’t able to capture British supplies quickly.
Air Support: I’ve not explored this in a huge amount of depth - but British air support often adds significant combat support at crucial points
Air Support: I’ve not explored this in a huge amount of depth - but British air support often adds significant combat support at crucial points
Logistics: Closely linked to Air Supply - but its a crucial part of the battle and one of the really key factors around which much of the fighting revolves. Kohima, for example, is driven by a Japanese attempt to cut off British supplies to the Imphal plain
Tempo and operational momentum. Given the regularity with which British commanders are surprised at Japanese mobility and the movement of their troops there needs to be an element of uncertainty around the ability of either side to react to the activities of the other
Similarly once the initial Japanese rush falters they’re stuck - and 14th Army takes the initiative.
So to express all of this there are a number of different sub-systems we need to include. Similar games systems can often provide a good starting point and I’ve got one in mind already so I’ll just run through them here
First up we’ve got OCS Burma and Nemesis. I’m just going to deal with them together here. Both games cover the same theatre and battle so are a pretty obvious choice. They both have the impact of terrain and of logistics as pretty key central considerations. This is hardbaked
into the OCS game system. They’re also both quite high complexity with a large amount of components. Nemesis also has quite a neat system to simulate tempo and the vagaries of this in the jungle. Each time isn’t in a set sequence - but instead you draw 4 chits to determine
the order of phases in your turn. That adds a considerable amount of uncertainty and is a good way of expressing uncertainty.
This is just what I’ve been picking up from some initial read-throughs of the rules and the concepts they seem to be pushing the most but they’re certainly interesting ideas. However both games also have the weaknesses I’ve elaborated on above and
it is perhaps impracticable to just create a vastly simplified version of these games. Looking at some systems used for different battles is therefore necessary
Now bear with me here - but the main game that is springing to mind at the moment as a good basis is... not quite a straightforward choice but I think it still expresses some similar aspects albeit in a different context.
That game is Red Horde 1920 - a game that simulates the 1920 Soviet-Polish war. I’m going to outline my reasoning briefly here and I even reviewed this game a couple of years ago here: https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2278123/red-horde-1920-review
firstly - Red Horde is the simplest of the three games listed.
It also simulates small formations operating over a comparatively massive geographical area (much like in the Burma theatre)
The combat model, additionally, emphasises small packets of supporting assets attached to
It also simulates small formations operating over a comparatively massive geographical area (much like in the Burma theatre)
The combat model, additionally, emphasises small packets of supporting assets attached to
brigade or battalion formations (much like tanks tend to be used in Burma for example)
The main thing I’ll be taking, however, is the way the game represents uncertainty at the operational level. Basically players each have chits for their side. These are then placed in a mug
The main thing I’ll be taking, however, is the way the game represents uncertainty at the operational level. Basically players each have chits for their side. These are then placed in a mug
and at the beginning of each operations phase a chit is drawn. The player who’s chit is drawn may then carry out operations with their troops. Its a very simple mechanic but it adds considerable uncertainty - do you hold and fight on a certain line with the knowledge
that your opponent might then draw two chits in a row and outmanoeuvre you? Or are you later in the turn and you know you’ve got three chits left and your opponent only one left - so there’s a pretty good chance you can pull off a powerful sequence of movement and combat
When we’re considering Imphal and Kohima, for example, early in the battle Cowan’s 17th Division gets surprised by the speed with which the Japanese 33rd Division. Similarly Kohima gets surprised by the arrival of an entire division to besiege it.
Red Horde doesn’t hold up so well, though, in a couple of other areas... The logistics especially are a little basic and don’t really reflect the ability of troops to live off the land. Its a little bit rigid and the Red Cavalry struggles to pull off their famed outflanking
moves living off requisitioned supplies. So there’s a couple of key aspects I’ll have to scratch some other game systems together for. But overall I think some of the basic ideas in Red Horde will make a good basis for an Imphal-Kohima simulation.
some good ideas from @SashoTodorov1 here! Although also highlights one of the problems any wargame on this is bound to have - Kohima https://twitter.com/sashotodorov1/status/1332689132422885377
