The British Way: Counterinsurgency at the End of Empire is the first of several COIN multipacks. What does that mean? Simply, it contains four separate wargames, exploring a series of thematically related insurgencies. In this case, it tells the story happening between 1945 and 1960, when the British fought four major “emergencies”, as they referred to their counterinsurgency campaigns, each trying to manage their retreat from empire.

I had a lot of fun playing this title and created series of materials, which on one hand explain rules & mechanics and on the other – shows how they can be used for solo play. As there are four games, there will be four materials, showing also differences between the various insurgencies.

Palestine

The British Way: Palestine game focuses on the British counterinsurgency effort against the Jewish insurgency from the end of WWII in August 1945 to the British decision to leave Palestine in September 1947. The game focuses on the counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism aspects of the conflict, particularly against the Irgun and Lehi organizations, and does not directly model the wider political struggles between the British, Jewish Agency, and Arab political groups, or the civil war that began in November 1947.

This is definitely by far one of the less complex, accessible and entry-type COIN games I played and can be used to large extent as a trainings material.

Malaya

The British Way: Malaya focuses on the British counterinsurgency effort against the Malayan Communist Party (MCP) from June 1948 through to the official end of the Malayan Emergency in July 1960. The game details the counterinsurgency aspects of the conflict in rural areas of the Malayan Peninsula, and does not directly model the suppression and struggle of militant trade union movements that took place at the same time in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

This is definitely by far one of the most typical COIN games in this multipack – you have control of areas, support and opposition, troop, police, insurgents, etc. Could be a good and logical continuation for the new players to COIN after Palestine.

Cyprus

Now we shall focus on The British Way: Cyprus. It describes the British counterinsurgency effort against the Greek Cypriot EOKA insurgency from November 1955 to the signing of the London-Zürich Agreements in 1959 that established the Republic of Cyprus as an independent state. EOKA (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston, or the National Organization of Cypriot Fighters) sought to force Britain into granting enosis, or union with Greece, and was not satisfied by the offer of an independent Cyprus. The game focuses on the counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism aspects of British operations against EOKA in Cyprus.

We will have here a lot of similarities to Palestine part of The British Way. There are no resources, Political Will is key metric of success, rather than Guerillas and Bases we have smaller in scale Cells and Arms Caches. A unique World Opinion track will add a new dimension to this struggle.

Kenya

The British Way: Kenya focuses on the British counterinsurgency effort against the Mau Mau in the Central Province of Kenya from October 1952 through to their effective defeat in 1956. The game focuses on the counterinsurgency aspects of the conflict in rural areas and the mass population resettlement and detention conducted by the British during the Emergency, known colloquially as the ‘Pipeline’.

This is definitely on of the titles from this multipack which is closest – in rules and scale – to the regular COINs. We have control, support, regular fights and battles, bases, etc. The unique mechanisms of Resettlement and Reprisal (to large extent connected with Pipeline track) gave this titles its uniqueness.

Enjoy all of the materials!