The board game world is set to welcome a new addition as Port Arthur, developed by Nuts Publishing and designed by Yasushi Nakaguro — known for 300: Earth & Water — begins shipping to stores. The game is scheduled to be available in US stores starting March 28th. Port Arthur is a strategy game that allows players to experience the Russo-Japanese War, offering a fast-paced gaming session that lasts between 40 to 60 minutes.
In Port Arthur, two players are transported to the early 20th century, engaging in the land and naval conflicts between Japan and Russia. The game challenges participants to either take on the role of the Japanese forces, leveraging their strategic positioning and naval capabilities, or command the Russian forces, tasked with defending against landings and awaiting reinforcements.
The objective of Port Arthur is straightforward yet challenging: players must gain control over more zones than their opponent within six turns to win. The game emphasizes the importance of naval supremacy, with each ship in the game having three important attributes. Players manage fleets within Sea Areas, making strategic decisions to outmaneuver their opponent.
The gameplay is structured around a sequence of turns, each comprising several phases including Fleet sortie, Operational Phase, Scoring Phase, and Return to Port Phase, followed by the advancement of the turn marker. Victory can be achieved through different conditions. For instance, a major victory occurs if the Japanese forces do not establish an army in Mukden by the end of the sixth turn. Alternatively, victory is determined by which side’s Points of Control (POC) track the marker is on, with POCs reflecting the dynamic shift of control over sea zones and victory points throughout the game.
