July 7, 1937: a nighttime skirmish at the Marco Polo Bridge near Beijing erupts into an invasion and occupation of China by the Imperial Japanese Army that would not end until 1945. Western sources call it the “Second Sino-Japanese War”; in China, it is the “War of Resistance”; and in Japan, it is blandly referred to as “the China Incident.”

China’s War: 1937-1941 examines the first five years of the conflict, when China stood alone against the Japanese Empire. Each player takes the role of a Faction seeking to attack or defend the Republic of China: the aggressive Japanese, the harried Government (represented by the Guomindang party), the rebellious Chinese Communist Party, or the unruly, fractious Warlords who are obedient when convenient but have their eye on gaining state power. Using military, political, and economic actions and exploiting various events, players build and maneuver forces to influence or control the population, extract resources, or otherwise achieve their Faction’s aims. A deck of cards regulates turn order, events, victory checks, and other processes. The rules can run non-player Factions, enabling solitaire, 2-player, or multi-player games.

China's War: 1937-1941 is Volume XIII in the COIN series of games that use similar rules to cover modern and historical insurgencies. Included are rules for a standard four-player game, as well as rules to handle non-player Factions, enabling solitaire, two-player, or three-player games.

Players: 1-4 (full solitaire system)
Map: Area movement
Time scale: about 1 year per 12-card campaign

Components:

One 22” x 34” Mounted Game Board
52 Event Cards
24 Non-Player Cards
164 Wooden Pieces
One Full-colour Countersheet
Four Fold-out Player Aid Pamphlets
Two Propaganda/Assault Aid Sheets
One Non-Player Aid Sheet
Two Non-Player Aid Foldouts
Four 6-sided Dice
One Rules of Play Booklet
One Playbook
One Non-Player Rulebook

Published: 2025
Designer: Brian Train
Graphic Design: Matthew Wallhead

It may not be possible to ship very heavy items outside of the Mainland UK.
Released: 03 March 2026