1989: Worsening tension in East Asia brings old adversaries closer to war. Europe stands on the brink of Armageddon. Destabilization in the Persian Gulf causes regimes to teeter on the brink of collapse.
Besides the tension between the alliances of NATO and the Warsaw Pact in Europe and the destabilization in the Persian Gulf, a third superpower-the People's Republic of China-begins saber-rattling in East Asia. Although East Asia has remained relatively conflict-free since the end of the Korean War, tensions in the region have tended toward becoming a veritable powder keg. A series of incidents along the Chinese/Soviet border, along with continued hostilities along the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, has the world on edge.
Will East Asia be the spark to start the firestorm that is World War 3?
In the mid-1980s, Game Designers' Workshop (GDW) published the original Third World War Series by Frank Chadwick as four separate games - The Third World War (subtitled Battle for Germany), Southern Front, Arctic Front, and the Persian Gulf.
In 2022, the series was reborn by Compass Games as The Third World War, Designer Signature Edition, which combined the four original games into one box with enhancements to improve the gaming experience.
World War 3: 1989, East Asia Front expands the theaters involved in the battles of the Third World War. This two-to-four-player game covers a potential land war in the Far East at the end of the 1980s. Two players can play the four smaller scenarios, which use fewer game maps and cover East Asia's sub-theaters - Korea, Hokkaido, Manchuria, and Taiwan.
Players can play the East Asia Front scenario, which combines all the sub-theaters into one theater-wide battle with up to four players.
Several additions to the series have been made in World War 3: 1989, East Asia Front, to capture some nuances of war in this region. Some of those additions include:
- Tension Game - the Battle for East Asia full campaign calls for the play of tension cards, which cover the events leading up to the outbreak of World War 3. These events occur through the play of cards and operations on the map due to the tension.
- Industrial Areas - this new terrain type represents a conglomeration of smaller municipalities combined with manufacturing industries. These areas can influence hostile military movements as a conglomeration, along with defensive troops.
- Mega Cities - these cities are so massive and dense that they essentially fill an entire hex. They have a hugely complex web of highways, streets, and alleys intertwined with various building types and sizes. While these cities won't affect combat any more than a major city, because of their sheer size, they affect movement. (Mega Cities have a population of over 5 million in the metropolitan area.)
- Railroads and rail transport - given the vast distances covered and the lack of an extensive road network in the theater, railroads are a key component of providing supply and facilitating the movement of troops.
- Fortifications - the Soviets have Fortified Zone units throughout East Asia located at potential conflict with their adversaries, often consisting of outdated equipment. In contrast, the Chinese have built-in defensive positions along the Soviet border.
- Front Supply Heads - were used by the Soviets to extend their supply lines via railroads.
Since the game has minimal hidden information, a player can play East Asia Front well solitaire, playing on all sides.
Product Information:
- Complexity: 6 out of 10
- Solitaire Suitability: 8 out of 10 (no hidden units)
- Time Scale: 1 week per turn
- Map Scale: 45 km per hex
- Unit Scale: divisions, with some brigades and regiments, 100 aircraft per air unit
- Players: one to two per individual game, one to four for full campaign
- Playing Time: 6-10 hours per individual game, 36+ hours for full campaign
Components:
- Four map sheets (two measuring 22"x34?and two smaller maps)
- Six full-color counter sheets (9/16? size) totaling 1,404 pieces
- Rulebook
- Playbook - containing scenarios and designer notes
- Numerous Player Aid Cards
- 12 Setup and Reinforcement Displays
- 84 Tension Cards
- Four 6-sided dice
- Box and Lid
Game Credits:
Designers: Eric Farago, Ian Raine, Greg Warren
Artist: Bruce Yearian
Project Director: John Kranz
Hersteller und/oder Verantwortliche Person innerhalb der EU:
Hersteller:
Compass Games, LLC.
PO Box 271
06416 Cromwell
Vereinigte Staaten
eMail: sales@compassgames.com
Web: https://www.compassgames.com
Verantwortliche Person für die EU:BNW Distribution GmbH
Winkelsweg 169
40764 Langenfeld
Deutschland
eMail: sales@bnw-distribution.com
