Warring States (wargame)

Game designer Stephen Newberg became interested in the life of the first Chinese emperor, Qin Shi Huang, when he read about the terra cotta army that had been created for the emperor's tomb. Newberg subsequently created the game Warring States, which was then published by Simulations Canada in 1979 with cover art by Rodger B. MacGowan and a print run of 1000 copies.^[1]

In Issue 49 of the British wargaming magazine Perfidious Albion, Charles Vasey did not like the physical components, writing, "If you can stand the boring map and remember if you are Wing or Wong then the game has impressive ideas."^[2]

In Issue 78 of Strategy & Tactics, game designer Richard Berg commented, "At last! A game on pre-Mao China! The game is actually quite simple, and can be either two player or multi-player. It borrows much from old diplomacy-style games (production, assassination) and as a result there is little flavour of ancient China. At least it's a step in the right direction."^[3]

In Issue 21 of Fire & Movement, Ed Coe called this game, "a clever blend of old and new ideas in a game that requires no gymnasium or decade to play. What problems exist are very minor and do not hinder one’s enjoyment of the simulation." Coe concluded, "As relations between The United States and Communist China continue to warm, Warring States increases in interest because of the light it helps to shed on the military background of the world's most populous nation. I believe Warring States to be one of the better games of 1979."^[4]