As some aficionadoes already know, Conquest and Consequence (CnC), the Asia/Pacific follow-up game to Triumph and Tragedy, preserves the 3-sided nature of the system by adding the Soviet Faction to the more typical US/Japan confrontation.

The Soviet Faction comprises both Siberian Russia (which Japan had aggressive designs upon) and the Red Chinese revolutionaries, who in 1936 were an inconsequential military cipher.

Siberian Russia, filled with Resources but thinly populated and dependent upon a single Trans-Siberian railway, was industrializing rapidly and nominally defended but hardly a competitive Great Power militarily or economically.

Red China begins the game as a small but determined force just settled into its new base in an unpromising backwater of China after a punishing yearlong retreat from Chiang Kai Shek’s dogged pursuit (the fabled Long March).

However by 1945, Red China, with Russian help, had become ascendant in China and well on its way to the eventual domination it achieved in 1949. How did this occur? Not by economic output, certainly. The Reds gained adherents and eventual military dominance mainly by political means, convincing downtrodden peasants (and a sizeable percentage of captured enemy soldiers) of the possibility of a better future under their leadership.

In CnC, Siberia is a weak Major Power with defensible terrain that can become formidable over time. Red China is a different animal entirely, read on. The Soviet player decides the relative emphasis between the two.

Red China has a secret weapon: Partisans. Partisans are cardboard markers representing Communist revolutionary groups in a map area. In their Partisan guise they have no military value but are hard to eradicate and multiply. Moreover, they can be converted into military blocks when desired (though this is ill-advised until a certain threshold is reached). So: as historically, patience and long-term thinking are the name of the game for the Reds.

Red China has a pseudo-economy independent of Soviet Russia. It is based on its “Support”, which equals the lesser of Loyalty (bought with “Factories” as for Industry) and controlled Chinese territory (much like Production is the lesser of POP, RES, and IND). Markers register Red Loyalty and territory controlled on the Soviet Production track (along with POP/ RES/ IND).

Each Production the Soviets get Action cards equal to current Red Support in addition to normal Russian POP/RES/IND Production. These cards can be expended normally for Diplomacy (Influence) or Command (movement) purposes, OR to create a Partisan in the named Province.

During Seasonal Turns, aside from expending Commands to move units, the Soviets can expend some or all Commands to Recruit new Partisans, rolling a D6 for each Command so spent: for each “6” rolled a new Partisan can be placed in any area already containing Partisans. Large Command cards will thus generally generate more than 1 new Partisan, insuring worthwhile usage of the steady flow of “free” Red Action cards, regardless of Diplomatic or Movement needs.

In this way concentrations and distributions of Partisans can be accumulated. With correct timing these Partisans can be converted into effective military forces. Also during Seasonal Turns, Partisans can be converted to 1CV of Militia for 1 Command expended per such conversion. Militia is a weaker form of Infantry (lower Firepower, max 2CV): in Combat, numbers will be required for Militia to be effective offensively (which is where the “correct timing” comes in).

The Nationalists also have pseudo-production but theirs produces Militia steps. As rivals for control of China (with its significant Victory impact), they may use their Militia to attack Partisans, but this can backfire: units firing at Partisans generate new Partisans with dierolls of “6” (and this applies to Japan also).

There are a few more twists and turns to Partisans, including a way to completely hide 2CV Partisan armies in your Secret Vault for surprise appearance when desired, and RedTechs that allow Partisans to Ambush opposing units or Recruit more quickly.

Partisans are pesky: threatening in the long run, quick to multiply and frustrating to reduce. They can be a lot of fun to play, bringing a whole new “irregular” warfare mentality to the T&T system.

Partisan Power: Patience is a virtue; Perseverance furthers!

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