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Bin'fa: The Tao Of War box art
2015 Ranked #20,821

Bin'fa: The Tao Of War

This modular battlefield strategy game has commanders move armies, gather supplies, surround enemy units, and leave only their army standing. Vortexes, terrain, and shifting alliances make control of the landscape as important as direct attacks.

Abstract Strategy Wargame Grid Movement Dice Rolling

Players

2-6

Play time

Not listed

Age

12+

Complexity

1.5/5

Rating

5.78

Harder to teach Highly interactive Deep strategy

Overview

At a glance

Is this game right for my group?

ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.

Teachability 2.7/5

Harder to teach

Replay value 4.0/5

High replayability

Interaction 3.7/5

Highly interactive

Player scaling 4.0/5

Scales well

Strategic depth 4.5/5

Deep strategy

See all 5 specifications

How it plays

How does it play?

This latest version of Bin'Fa: The Tao of War has many changes from those familiar with its previous incarnations (Hexagony, Bin'Fa), such as the addition of the General; Vortexes that allow you to traverse the board in one move, appearing where least expected; rule changes governing the gathering of supplies, and the separation of the original hexagon shaped game board into six separate game board sections which offer almost limitless possibilities for new terrain each game. In Bin-Fa, armies move over a landscape that is different each game.

Core mechanisms

Key systems that shape the decisions players make.

Read the full game description

This latest version of Bin'Fa: The Tao of War has many changes from those familiar with its previous incarnations (Hexagony, Bin'Fa), such as the addition of the General; Vortexes that allow you to traverse the board in one move, appearing where least expected; rule changes governing the gathering of supplies, and the separation of the original hexagon shaped game board into six separate game board sections which offer almost limitless possibilities for new terrain each game. In Bin-Fa, armies move over a landscape that is different each game. A player controls at least one but can control up to three armies per game. You can use the board sections to create inlets, peninsulas, isthmuses, lakes, and more. Adding vortex and terrain markers allows you even more control over the layout of the game board and how it will be traversed. Your ability to take advantage of the layout of the battlefield is crucial to victory and defeat. Each army is made up of 12 Army Units, one General, and one Supply Pawn. At the start of your turn, you must decide if you are going for supplies or moving your army. On taking possession of the dice: first see if any of your Army Units are in danger and if so, respond defensively; second, see if any of your opponent's Army Units are vulnerable and, if possible, attack; third, if neither of these choices applies, go for supplies. Sun Tzu says: "Do not move without considering all the possibilities. Move always with a clear purpose." The rules for movement of your army allow you to simulate many strategies from the ancient battlefield. Even “cavalry charges” are possible—where a unit dashes across the board to attack an enemy position. Your mission is to surround and eliminate enemy Army Units until only your Army is left, leaving you the victor. Deals and alliances can be made in the open or in secret. But only one commander can emerge victorious: knowing when and with whom to form alliances and when to break them can sometimes determine who wins and who loses.

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Editions

Language and publisher variants currently recorded in the catalog.

Edition Year Language Publisher / Region
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Player resources

Rulebooks, player aids, FAQs, and solo resources.

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Game and edition data

All specifications (5)

Play and group

Players
2–6
Best with
2
Play time
20 min
Age
12+
Complexity
1.5/5
Credits and catalog connections

Credits

Designers

1
Ken Hodkinson

Publishers

1
Bin'Fa

Linked items

No published linked games yet.