From: Doug Murphy Subject: Review: Derrota en Birmania, Campanas 1942 y 1945 Defeat in Burma is the game from the Spanish wargaming magazine, Alea #20 and contains scenarios covering both WW2 campaigns in that land, the Japanese invasion in 1942 and British riposte in 1945. Units are mostly battalions and regt. in '42 and brigade and div. in '45 but this difference has little game effect. This is a nice little simple game, with components about the 80% of an S&T or Command. The 100 counters are used for both scenarios, unlike what the rules say, the "front" sides are for the '42 scenario and "back" sides for '45. The glossy 11x17 game map covers Burma from the Thai border to India and China and is done in an abstract style with different color hexes for different terrain types. Each hex is about 25 km. Interestingly, terrain doesn't play such a key role in the game. Attackers are halved across rivers, and as the map is cut near in half with rivers -- this is where forces make their stands. However, there is enough clear terrain in Central Burma for the Japanese to move into Rangoon and up the Rio Chindwin to Mandalay and points north. A bit more difficult for the Allies to push the Japanese back in the mountains near India, but jungle and the other terrain types have no effect. Sequence of play is traditional for each side: take reinforcements, check supply, move, fight air units, other combat. Units have generic movement allowance by type. The CRT is fairly bloodless with only 24 results, with only 9 resulting in a unit loss, although a player can choose to elim. a unit rather than retreat. Air units are generic points but with 1 point units with little a/c silhouettes. One rolls a die twice per committed air point to see if units are retired or eliminated w/ surviving points added to the total combat factor. There is strategic movement (MA doubled if not in enemy ZOC) and unlimited (though for only 1 bde-equivalent) rail movement. 3 inf./ armor plus 1 arty can stack. Combat between opposing units is mandatory. Eliminated units are pooled and 1 in 3 of the same type return to play. Supply is traced any length of hexes to friendly cities. The most interesting concept is the use of "leader" or HQ units. Units must trace an LOC a certain number of hexes back to their div. HQ which must trace back another certain number of hexes to their army leader. OOC units cannot enter enemy ZOC and must retreat automatically. There is some nice chrome -- Chinese units (and a Stilwell HQ counter) in '42 which can stage around in the north. The Burmese army in '42 can desert. Burmese cities can revolt. (There is a record sheet for both air point allocation and cities in revolt but I've never seen it used as counters are provided for both air units and cities in revolt.) In '45, the Allies get an OSS and commando units (Chindits) and paratroops. There are also 2 flavors of arty units (heavy and field) which are useless by themselves and must be stacked w/ friendly units (hence slowing down your column) You win by capturing cities and certain rail lines. Altogether, the hallmark of this game is simplicity. It does allow you to ponder different strategies and with two scenarios, both sides get to attack and defend. Should the Jap. in '42 go straight for Rangoon and then up the rail lines to Mandalay (crossing 2 sure-to-be-heavily defended river lines) or go for the Indian troops around Mandalay and then either south to the capital or north to India? The Allies get to have fun w/ their commando and paratroops and even get an amphib. invasion in late game during the '45 scenario. A fun little game with hardly any rules (I think 4 page total and then scenario instructions) on an infrequently-gamed theater of operations that is playable in an evening. The other Burma games at the operational level I've played mostly bog down in supply rules (albeit historically). Doug Murphy