The Tide at Sunrise: The Russo-Japanese War, 1904–1905

Note: This product is out of print, so copies are limited to stock on hand.

The Tide at Sunrise: The Russo-Japanese War, 1904–1905 is a strategic wargame covering the Russo-Japanese War, with a focus on the difficult balance between land operations, naval action, and logistics.

The system is deliberately simple at its core, drawing inspiration from classic low-complexity wargame design, but the strategic decisions are far from easy. Both players must use Transport Points to bring in reinforcements and replace battlefield losses. For Japan, this reflects the merchant marine capacity needed to sustain operations overseas. For Russia, it represents the limits of the Trans-Siberian Railroad, which can be affected by weather and internal unrest.

The Japanese player must decide how much effort to commit toward Port Arthur, how much to apply in Manchuria, and how to use naval activity to disrupt Russian logistics. The Russian player must defend across multiple fronts, manage limited transport capacity, and decide when to stand, withdraw, or counterattack.

Victory depends on naval success, control of key objectives, and enemy losses. With simple rules, a 3–5 hour playing time, and excellent solitaire suitability, The Tide at Sunrise is a good choice for players interested in the Russo-Japanese War and compact strategic conflict games with meaningful logistical pressure.

Contents include: one 22" x 39" full-colour map, 140 1/2" land formation counters, 44 1 1/4" x 5/8" ship counters, and one 16-page full-colour rulebook.