2009 · Pike and Shot

A Most Dangerous Time: Japan in Chaos, 1570-1584

A detailed wargame set in Japan during the violent years 1570–1584, focusing on Oda Nobunaga’s struggle against rival daimyō and shifting alliances. Players command individual leaders and armies on a point-to-point map, with strength tracked in 1,000-man counters and bi-annual turns that model campaign seasons. Gameplay emphasizes maneuver, coalition politics, and attritional battles as players seek to control key provinces and sway neutral forces. Designed for two players with a 3–4 player variant, the game runs from medium to long playtimes and uses leader-driven tactics and logistics to recreate the operational challenges of late Sengoku warfare.

groupPlayers

2–4 best 2

schedulePlaying time

240 min

cakeAge

12+

psychologyComplexity

3.1 / 5