Paper Wars 105 - Ebb & Flow

This issue features the complete game Ebb & Flow: The Chinese Fifth Phase Offensive in Korea, 22 April – 10 June 1951. At eight kilometers (five miles) per hex, 16 four-day turns (six of which will be operatively skipped during the build-up between Phases I and II of the overall Chicom offensive), and with divisions and brigades as units of maneuver, this game covers the culminating Chinese strategic offensive of the Korean War and the UN riposte to it.

Simple mechanics emphasize the importance of Communist artillery, infiltration, and, on the other side, US air power and exploitation. The Chinese goal is to break into Seoul or achieve a breakout to the deep south by moving one or more units off that map edge. The US player must hold and then counterattack to ensure the final front line at least approximates the historic result north of the old 38th parallel border.

Each large hex on the 34×22” map equals five miles (8 km) from side to opposite side. Each of the ten game turns represents 3.5 days. Individual playing pieces represent corps, divisions, brigades, regiments, and battalions, for a total of 176 large-size 5/8” NATO-style counters. The map covers all of central Korea across which the original campaign was fought. Both players are called on to attack and defend over the course of the game, and the winner is the one who best outperforms his historic counterpart. Designed for two players by Ty Bomba, with low-medium complexity, playable in 2-4 hours and easily adapted for solo-play.