This review first appeared in IPW, the newsletter for all discount games club members. Contact colin@allusedgames.demon.co.uk for details. Manchu Strategy & Tactics 116 The most costly war in lerms of human lives, was undoubtedly the Second World War. Readers may be surprised that the Taiping rebellion of 1850-68 was the second most costly. 30 million chinese lost their lives when the Taiping movement tried to convert all China to their unusual brand of Christianity. Despite being set in the 1800's most units were still armed with swords and pikes, a few having muskets of 18th Century vintage. This fascinating chapter of history is the subject of this excellent game. A game turn commences with the Manchu involvement phase. Historically the Emperor, Manchu government and Mandarin bureaucracy did not consider the Taiping a threat. There were always disturbances within the Empire and this was looked upon as just another one. In this phase the Manchu player rolls on a table with die modifiers for the number of cities and victory points the Taiping player has. Manchu involvement rises from curious and worried to committed. The Manchus are limited in the units they can raise until fully committed, after which time the involvement phase is dispensed with. Next, players roll a die on another table to determine which player has the initiative in the operations phase. I should point out that there are lots of charts and tables in this game, the use of which is kept fairly simple. The next phase sees a roll made on the interesting times table. This is full of colourful random events such as plagues, droughts, leader assassinations, even the river changing course. This actually happened in 1855, and as rivers are the quickest way to travel in this game, it is quite important. Equally important is the fact that your Junks (naval units) transporting troops may now find themselves stranded on dry land. Plagues are fatal (plagues usually are!) to players recruiting in affected provinces. All of the preceding phases lead to the heart of the game, the operations phase. During this phase, each player, in order of initiative, chooses various actions he wishes to take and between each one rolls on another table (the turn continuation table) to see if he gets to make them. These actions range from movement or combat, with or without leaders, raising new troops or leaders, Junk construction, or the Manchu player may try to raise the ever victorious army, long-haired white devils led by General Gordon (of Khartum fame). All of these actions use various tables. If a player fails to roll a result within the range on the table for the particular action they wish to make, the initiative passes to the opposing player. This continues till both players pass consecutively or an individual turn ends if he rolls snake eyes. Die rolls get favourable modifiers for leaders being present. Combat is based on odds and terrain with a total of three charts being employed. Other rules in the game cover such aspects as bandits, like the triads and the establishment of a Taiping capital. The Taipings established a capital to aid financial control and the governing of conquered territory. Prior to this they were a large army on the march, but having a capital led to the loss of power of its concentrated force as military force fragmented. I doubt that anyone who does not already own this game knows much about this particular period. Frankly, it's not exactly a hot topic. Richard Berg, the designer, has created an enjoyable and accurate simulation of a complex situation. Ideal for solo play and with high replay value thanks to the fluid form of the operations phase, this game deserves to be better known. Experienced players will have no difficulty learning this system, and might even learn something about this engrossing campaign. Overall, highly recommended. Alan Sharif