Chinese Farm
Encyclopedia
Chinese Farm is a board game
simulating operational level ground combat between Egypt
and Israel
at the Battle of The Chinese Farm
during the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. The game is an introductory level product with an emphasis on playability over simulation
value.
Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975
issued Chinese Farm as one of four games included in the Modern Battles Quad and individually in a folio format as part of its Modern Battles Series.
across the Suez Canal
while the Egyptian player attempts to block this. Israeli units are generally quicker, stronger, better supported, and able to push Egyptian forces back, but the greater number of Egyptian units and stringent victory conditions maintain game balance. Games are usually concluded in 1-2 hours.
Chinese Farm contains three scenarios. Scenario one focuses on the Israeli approach to and initial crossing of the Suez Canal. Scenario two broadens the first scenario to include Israeli efforts to secure the west bank of the Suez Canal, and adds IAF air strikes and Egyptian SAM defences. Scenario three reorients the Egyptian positions to allow a better defense, and is ahistoric in this regard. Each scenario is subject to the standard rules developed for Modern Battle Folio Series games but also contains scenario-specific rules and victory conditions.
Play is divided into eight 12-hour turns (scenarios two and three both have 12 turns) governed by the standard move-shoot sequence, zones of control
, a terrain effects chart, and two differential combat results table
s (CRT). Each player at the start of a new combat phase opts for either the Active or the Mobile CRT, reflecting differing levels of aggressiveness and risk of unit elimination. Air power is abstract and naval power is not simulated. The Egyptian player fields foot and mechanized infantry battalions, armored brigades, artillery, and mobile and static surface-to-air units and the Israeli player is provided armored and mechanized infantry battalions, limited artillery, and an engineer unit to bridge the Suez Canal. Units begin the game at set locations and both sides later receive reinforcements.
Victory is achieved by receiving the most points based on a combination of territorial objectives, enemy units destroyed, and unit ending locations.
The game rules for the canal crossing are unrealistic in that some Israeli units are permitted to cross the Suez Canal absent engineer support. It is unclear how this would be occur as the canal was too deep to ford and had steep sidewalls, and the Israeli Army did not have amphibious vehicles (other than some M113 armoured personnel carriers), but relied entirely on engineer units to build temporary bridges. In contrast, Egyptian units may only cross the canal at the Ismailia Bridge
, although historically the Egyptians had established a number of temporary crossings and retained a robust engineering capability. Moreover, the Ismailia Bridge was destroyed during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and had not been rebuilt, although the simulation appears to treat the bridge as intact and functioning.
representing Egyptian and Israeli units; a 17" by 22" hexagon-patterned paper map, two sets of random number chits
, one standard rulebook for Modern Battle Folio Series games, and one exclusive rulebook for Chinese Farm.
Physical Systems Design and Graphics: Redmond A. Simonsen
Systems Design and Game Development: Howard Barasch, Edward Curran, Jay Nelson, I. B. Hardy
Research: Col. T. N. Dupuy
, B. Garon
Production: Manfred F. Milkuhn, Larry Catalano, Linda Mosca, Kevin Zucker
in 1979 released a Japanese-language edition of Chinese Farm.
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
simulating operational level ground combat between Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
at the Battle of The Chinese Farm
Battle of The Chinese Farm
The Battle of the Chinese Farm took place during October 15 to October 17, 1973 between the Egyptian Army and the Israel Defense Forces , as part of the Yom Kippur War. It was fought in the Sinai Peninsula, north of the Great Bitter Lake and just east of the Suez Canal...
during the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. The game is an introductory level product with an emphasis on playability over simulation
Simulation
Simulation is the imitation of some real thing available, state of affairs, or process. The act of simulating something generally entails representing certain key characteristics or behaviours of a selected physical or abstract system....
value.
Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975
1975 in games
This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1975. For video and console games, see 1975 in video gaming.-Significant games-related events of 1975:*Chaosium Inc...
issued Chinese Farm as one of four games included in the Modern Battles Quad and individually in a folio format as part of its Modern Battles Series.
Game Play
The Israeli player seeks to establish a bridgeheadBridgehead
A bridgehead is a High Middle Ages military term, which antedating the invention of cannons was in the original meaning expressly a referent term to the military fortification that protects the end of a bridge...
across the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
while the Egyptian player attempts to block this. Israeli units are generally quicker, stronger, better supported, and able to push Egyptian forces back, but the greater number of Egyptian units and stringent victory conditions maintain game balance. Games are usually concluded in 1-2 hours.
Chinese Farm contains three scenarios. Scenario one focuses on the Israeli approach to and initial crossing of the Suez Canal. Scenario two broadens the first scenario to include Israeli efforts to secure the west bank of the Suez Canal, and adds IAF air strikes and Egyptian SAM defences. Scenario three reorients the Egyptian positions to allow a better defense, and is ahistoric in this regard. Each scenario is subject to the standard rules developed for Modern Battle Folio Series games but also contains scenario-specific rules and victory conditions.
Play is divided into eight 12-hour turns (scenarios two and three both have 12 turns) governed by the standard move-shoot sequence, zones of control
Zone of control
In board wargames, zones of control represent the tiles adjacent to tiles occupied by objects. For example, in hexagonal tiled maps, the six hexagons adjacent to the hexagon occupied by a unit would be considered to be in its "zone of control."...
, a terrain effects chart, and two differential combat results table
Combat results table
A Combat results table or a CRT is used in wargaming to determine the outcome of a clash between individual units within a larger battle....
s (CRT). Each player at the start of a new combat phase opts for either the Active or the Mobile CRT, reflecting differing levels of aggressiveness and risk of unit elimination. Air power is abstract and naval power is not simulated. The Egyptian player fields foot and mechanized infantry battalions, armored brigades, artillery, and mobile and static surface-to-air units and the Israeli player is provided armored and mechanized infantry battalions, limited artillery, and an engineer unit to bridge the Suez Canal. Units begin the game at set locations and both sides later receive reinforcements.
Victory is achieved by receiving the most points based on a combination of territorial objectives, enemy units destroyed, and unit ending locations.
Simulation Value
Chinese Farm offers rather limited value in simulating Israeli efforts to cross the Suez Canal and Egypt's counter efforts. The map and scenarios are sufficient to develop a general operational understanding of the simulated events. Order of battle data is problematic, however, and most brigade and lower units have generic unit designations and some counters include unexplained letter designators. Those letter designators are abbreviations of the names of the IDF brigade commanders, and the full names can be ascertained from any detailed history of the conflict; the numerical designators are either IDF brigade numbers or Egyptian division, or independent regiment, numbers. Unit designators are irrelevant to unit positioning, and the accompanying materials do not describe how the opposing forces were arrayed historically. Information on Egyptian and Israeli doctrine, tactic, and equipment also is largely absent. The Designer's Notes and Player's Notes are sparse in adding context and do not include references or recommended further reading. The game was published in 1975 when there was little detailed information openly available. Unsurprisingly, SPI made some order of battle errors.The game rules for the canal crossing are unrealistic in that some Israeli units are permitted to cross the Suez Canal absent engineer support. It is unclear how this would be occur as the canal was too deep to ford and had steep sidewalls, and the Israeli Army did not have amphibious vehicles (other than some M113 armoured personnel carriers), but relied entirely on engineer units to build temporary bridges. In contrast, Egyptian units may only cross the canal at the Ismailia Bridge
El Ferdan Railway Bridge
The El Ferdan Railway Bridge is a swing bridge that spans the Suez Canal near Ismailia, Egypt. It is the longest swing bridge in the world, with a span of 1100 ft...
, although historically the Egyptians had established a number of temporary crossings and retained a robust engineering capability. Moreover, the Ismailia Bridge was destroyed during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and had not been rebuilt, although the simulation appears to treat the bridge as intact and functioning.
Components
100 die-cut countersCounter (board wargames)
Boardgame counters are usually small cardboard squares moved around on the map of a wargame to represent armies, military units or individual military personnel. The first modern mass-market wargame, based on cardboard counters and hex-board maps, was Tactics, invented by Charles S. Roberts in 1952...
representing Egyptian and Israeli units; a 17" by 22" hexagon-patterned paper map, two sets of random number chits
Chit (board wargames)
Chits are a type of wargame counter that are generally not directly representational but used for the following purposes:* Tracking, being placed on a numeric runner to indicate turn status, as in some rule variants for Squad Leader...
, one standard rulebook for Modern Battle Folio Series games, and one exclusive rulebook for Chinese Farm.
Credits
Game Design: Howard BaraschPhysical Systems Design and Graphics: Redmond A. Simonsen
Redmond A. Simonsen
Redmond Askel Simonsen was an American graphic artist and game designer best known for his work at the board wargame company Simulations Publications, Inc. in the 1970s and early 1980s...
Systems Design and Game Development: Howard Barasch, Edward Curran, Jay Nelson, I. B. Hardy
Research: Col. T. N. Dupuy
Trevor N. Dupuy
Trevor Nevitt Dupuy was a Colonel, United States Army, retired, soldier and noted military historian.-Biography:Born in New York, the son of noted military historian, R. Ernest Dupuy, Trevor followed in his father's footsteps. Trevor Dupuy attended West Point, graduating in the class of 1938....
, B. Garon
Production: Manfred F. Milkuhn, Larry Catalano, Linda Mosca, Kevin Zucker
Second Edition
Hobby JapanHobby Japan
HobbyJAPAN CO. is a Japanese hobby magazine and publishing company, specializing in roleplaying, war, and tabletop games, as well as action figures, toys, and artbooks for successful anime, manga and light novel franchises.- Role-playing games :...
in 1979 released a Japanese-language edition of Chinese Farm.
Sources
- Profile: Modern Battles: Chinese Farm, by Ed Carran, in MovesMoves (magazine)Moves was a wargaming magazine originally published by SPI , who also published manual wargames. Their flagship magazine Strategy & Tactics , was a military history magazine featuring a new wargame in each issue. While S&T was devoted to historical articles, Moves focused on the play of the games...
#24, December 1975 - Close Up: SPI's Chinese Farm and Golan, by Warren G. Williams, in Fire & MovementFire & MovementFire & Movement: The Forum of Conflict Simulation was founded by Rodger MacGowan in 1975, and began publication the following year. The magazine is devoted to covering games from a variety of manufacturers, specializing in wargames, both traditional board wargames and also computer wargames Fire &...
#2, 1976 - Spotlight: Games of the Arab Israeli Wars, by Keith Poulter, in Wargamer Vol.1 #2, 1977
- Elusive Victory: The Arab-Israeli Wars, 1947-1974, by Trevor N. Dupuy, Harper and Row, New York, 1978
- SPI's Modern Battles, by Donald Mack, in Wargamer Vol.1 #13, date needed
- A Survey of Arab-Israeli War Games, by Ian Chadwick, in Moves #55, February-March 1981
- On the Banks of the Suez, by Avraham Adan, Presido Press, 1991
- Arabs at War: Military Effectiveness 1948-1991, by Kenneth M. Pollack, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, Nebraska, 2002
- Crossing of the Suez, The, by Lt. General Saad El ShazlySaad El ShazlySaad Mohamed el-Husseiny el-Shazly was an Egyptian military personality. He was Egypt's chief of staff during the October War...
, American Mideast Research, revised English edition, 2003