Game Title : Bloody Kuningtou : Battle of Kinmen 1949
Publisher : Formosa Force Games
Game Designer : Wei-Cheng Cheng
Game Thema : Battle over Kinmen island in 1949
Game Scale
Period : from October 25 to 27 in 1949
Map : west half of Kinmen island
Units : mainly battalion level
Game Components
one map ( A2 size)
1 countersheet ( 72 counters )
6 sided die
Characteristic game mechanics
The game uses typical chit-pull-activation.
Activation chits of both sides are put in one cup together. Then, each player alternatively pull one chit from the cup. The formation of the chit can be activated by controlling player. The formation can move, then combat and if possible pursuit.
The last part, pursuit is one of the innovation of this game.
Supposing you can force your enemy to withdraw from their position, then if you have not yet activated units adjacent to the withdrawn enemy, you can attack that enemy by those not yet activated units unilaterally.
I believe that there is a game system in which units can withdraw into enemy units’ ZOC but be attacked by them unilaterally. This system is smilar to that system.
But, it is difficult to utilize this new mechanics. Because, the order of activation is determined by random chit drawing.
Another innovation of this game is tactical chit. There are several tactical chits prepared for both sides. In your turn, instead of drawing activation chit from the cup, you can use one of your tactical chit.
In tactical chits, for example there are supporting chits such as air support or artillery, and additional activation chits such as leader, or special type chit which describe the character of each army.
Since these chits can be used by players option, players can have a plan and decision for their play. By using these chits, you can get pursuit by your design.
I feel this game system is really exciting and interesting.
Usually chit-pull-activation become very wild and controlled by randomness.
But, this tactical chits subsystem improves the situation and make the game controlled by players’ skill.
And the fact that these chits can describe the difference of two armies is really nice.
Challenge for players
Honestly speaking, this game has a little bit complicated.
Communist army must land from the north of island. They must get Hokusan by the end of turn 2 and must keep it until the end of the game.
If they can satisfy the above condition, then they must get either of Sekinyu-mountain or Kinmen-castle to win the game. The game ends at the end of 5th turn.
Though 5 turns looks short, chit-pull-activation games are usually take much longer than the regular move and combat sequence games. So that, this falls just a good size magazine game. This game might be played in 2 hours.
The frontline usually extends from west to east on the game map. Since Hokusan locates west and Sekinyu-mountain locates east on this line, communist army tends to focus west and national army tends to focus east. It is also important if communist can breach this line to advance to Kinmon-castle.
Due to nature of chit-pull-activation, players lean to focus the smaller part of combat. But, it is important to design the grand strategy. It is really important that communist army have 2 options for winning, Sekinyuu-mountain and Kinmon-castle.
On the other hand, players cannot ignore the possibility of national army’s counterattack since they have very strong tank companies.
Though this is a small map magazine game, it is filled with problem of grand strategy.
