Red Sun Black Cross (1983)

SGB-11 Red Sun/Black Cross (1985) (6800)

RS/BC has two mapsheets, 1008 counters, six PACs, one 30-pg history booklet, a 32-pg scenarios booklet and a 48-pg rulebook. Also included in many copies of RSBC are 49-pg copies of English rules, including all PACs, plus charts and tables (the rules themselves are only 23 pages long).

The setting for the game is that Germany won WW2 (conquered Europe) due to Japan not attacking the USA and we both stayed neutral while Japan picked up territorial concessions. Now it is 1948 and Germany and Japan are about to fight it out for control of the Indian subcontinent. The USA is on Japan’s side in the conflict.

The maps go from Turkey and Egypt to Burma. Ground units are divisions, capital ships are shown individually, and air units are about 30 planes each. The rules state that all three types of combat (air, land, naval) are represented equally and there is a form of programmed instruction here in that there is a separate naval and ground game, with the relevant air rules being included in each.

One of the more innovative rules that I remember reading was that combat was preformed in-hex. Supply points play a key role in the game, as they determine who is allowed to do what on any given turn.

Game designer: Shunichi Takanashi
System designer: Daisuke Satou & Makoto Fukuda

Components
1 Game Rule book
1 Scenario book
1 Historical note book
2 Maps (A & B)
2 Players sheets (German and Japanese)
2 Fleet display sheets (German and Japanese)
1 Reference card (Double sided)
1008 Counters
2 Six side dice

Scenarios
1. Raise the curtain - March 1945 (length: 6 turns, Land game)
2. Arabian Cerberus　- April 1948 (2 turns, Naval game)
3. Chandragupta II - September 1948 (7 turns, Land game)
4. Straits of Fire - February 1950 (10 turns, Fictional situation, Combined game)
5. Alien Holy land - May 1950 (9 turns, Land game)
6. Call of Karma - April 1948 (9 turns, Land game)
7. Last Chance - September 1948 (18 turns, Combined game)
8. Dirge of Iron Dream - October 1949 (15 turns, Combined game)
9. Grand Campaign - 1948-1950 (86 turns, Combined game)

Red Sun Black Cross universe' games
SGB-11 Red Sun Black Cross (this one)
SGB-19 Return to Europe
SGB-21 Escort Fleet

Magazine References
Japanese TACTICS Magazine Index Article List:

• TACTICS No.29
  • Red Sun Black Cross – “Why don't you do your best?”　(Replay) by Daisuke Sato
  • Red Sun Black Cross – “The Campaign of Middle East ”　(Scenario) by Daisuke Sato