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Great War At Sea: 1904-1905
The Russo-Japanese War
[The Naval War for the Far East]
Japan entered the modern age in 1868, with a new young
emperor determined to make his island nation a world power.
After decades of steady progress, Japan began its own
practice of colonialism, defeating China in 1894. As the
Japanese began to infiltrate the semi-independent Kingdom
of Korea, they ran into Russian agents doing the same.
Despite Japanese offers to negotiate, the Russian Tsar
Nicholas II was set on war.
Admiral Togo’s flagship Mikasa
Nicholas hated the Japanese; as a young man, he had visited
Japan. Drunk one night, he urinated in a Shinto temple.
The Japanese policeman who found him watering the ancestors
beat the prince savagely. Nicholas escaped with his life,
but with his dignity sorely affronted. Now was his chance
for vengeance. It would be, his Finance Minister Sergei
Witte assured him, “a short, victorious war.”
1904-1905 covers the naval side of the Russo-Japanese
War, which opened with a Japanese surprise attack on the
Russian Pacific Fleet’s base at Port Arthur in northern
China. There are 19 scenarios, or game situations, provided,
including the climactic Battle of Tsushima. There’s
also a campaign game, in which players can “game”
the entire naval war.
The
Russian battleship Kniaz Suvorov,
flagship at Tsushima
The Russian fleet is a mixed bag of modern battleships
and ancient ironclads better suited for a museum. The
Pacific Fleet that begins the game in the Far East has
modern ships stationed at Port Arthur and a cruiser squadron
in Vladivostok. Between them lies Korea, occupied by Japan.
The Russian strategic situation is difficult.
The Japanese have a better fleet; though not as large,
their armored cruisers outclass their Russian counterparts
and their torpedo boats are more numerous and more effective.
They are also better-led after the death of the Russian
Admiral Makarov.
The map covers the Japanese home islands and the seas
around them. As with other games in the series, it’s
divided into zones 32 miles across. Fleets attempt to
locate one another on this map. When contact is made,
play moves to a tactical map where ships manuever and
fight. There are special overlays for Port Arthur and
Chemulpo, so players can use the actual terrain of these
key coastal zones.
1904 won its Origins Award due to play balance
and simplicity. Without aircraft, play is even faster
than in other games in the series. The strategic situation
is challenging to both players, and competitive balance
is keen without sacrificing the historical accuracy of
the game as a simulation. Unlike most wars, the Russo-Japanese
naval war took place between evenly matched opponents,
and that makes for a tense and exciting game.
The book supplement Great
White Fleet includes advanced tactical rules
for the pre-dreadnought era, well-suited to players of
1904 who’re looking for more detailed action.
There are also more scenarios, and background on the Japanese
fleet of the era.
Links:
1904-1905 includes:
- 210 counters
- One 25"x30" strategic map
- One 25"x25" tactical map
- 16-page rulebook
- 12-page scenario book
Stock #0010
Price: $44.99
Status: Small Number Available!
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