Game Title : Flying Tigers
Publisher : Command Magazine Japan
Game Designer : Yasushi Nakaguro
Game Thema : Air Campaign on Burma during WW2
Game Scale
Period : 1turn is 1 month
Map : covering CBI ( China, Burma, India )
Units : only Air force, 1 unit is 10 to 20 airplains
Game Components
1 game map
1 counter sheet 80 units
Background of History
Pacific War began in December 1941. Immediately, Japan decided to invade Buma hoping to cut down the Buma supply route for China. In this theater, Air Forces had very important role for the campaign. A very popular “ Flying Tigers ” were actually American Volunteer Group working for China. They had very important role in this early air war on Burma area.
Characteristic game mechanics
The map is divided into large areas such as Kunming ( China ), Thailand ( Japanese controlled ), Ayeyarwady ( RAF base ).
Briefly speaking, this game is a kind of area controlling game like “ War at sea ”.
During each game turn, Japanese force moves first then Allied air force. After both movement, combat are resolved in each area where both A.F. have units.
Though the Japanese A.F. is larger and stronger, they must move first. For controlling an area, the player must have at least one his fighter after the combat and he must silence enemy bases in that area ( if there are ) by bombing.
In other words, if there are some enemy bases, you must advance enough number of bombers and also at least one fighter.
Since Allied A.F. can move second, he can select some area where he can get control without combat or with easy combat. It is almost impossible for Japanese player to keep enough A.F. in all of important areas with this difficult sequence.
But, this advantage could not last forever for Allied force. Once Rangoon base is conquered by Japan, the sequence become more favored to Japanese A.F. Japanese bombers move first, then Allied A.F. move, and finally Japanese fighters move. Though Japanese player must show his intention to bomb by his bombers movement, Allied player now must be more careful to move his entire A.F..
Victory point is awarded to areas controlled each turn. Kunming is the most valued area. But, Rangoon is also very important due to its special ability above. So, Japanese player must consider his strategy between these important areas.
In this game, there is one important property that the unit must stop when entering enemy controlled area. On the other hand, the unit itself cannot stop enemy’s movement like other land-based wargames. As a result, if you’d like to stop enemy’s movement between 2 areas this turn, you must have control of in-between area one turn before. For example, Kunming and Rangoon are 2 areas apart and each can be reinforced with another’s airplanes. This is a difficult situation for Japanese player. But, if Japanese player can get control of Bago area, during next turn Allied air force cannot reinforce another base and must fight separated. Bago itself is not an important area, but due to its position, it is really important for Japanese step-by-step attacking plan.
Due to the change of area control, these importance varies each turn. Both, player must consider their strategy very deeply.
