Heiji No Ran

Heiji no Ran is a doujinshi (self-published) simulation of the conflict in Heiankyo, Japan between factions of the Minamoto and Taira warrior houses during the twelfth month of the first year of Heiji (January-February of 1160 by the Western calendar). The game's full name is "Heiji No Ran: Heiji Gannen (1160) (平治の乱：平治元年 (1160), Heiji Disturbance: First Year Of Heiji 1160)". Stemming from resentments brought on by the results of the earlier Hogen no Ran in 1156, the Minamoto along with their Fujiwara allies attacked the Taira and attempted to seize control of the government.

When Taira no Kiyomori left the capital on a pilgrimage, Minamoto no Yoshitomo (Kiyomori's ally in the 1156 conflict) and Fujiwara no Nobuyori took advantage of his absence to kidnap both the Tenno (Emperor) Nijo and the retired Tenno (or Ho, retired Emperor) Go-Shirakawa. They imprisoned the two, burned their palaces, forced them to appoint Nobuyori as Chancellor, and executed Taira ally and Go-Shirakawa confidant Fujiwara no Michinori. However, Kiyomori was informed of their treachery and quickly returned to Heiankyo. His rapid return surprised the Minamoto and left them unsure as to how to proceed. The Minamoto were further confused when Kiyomori made a false offer of surrender to Nobuyori. The Minamoto ended up taking no action against a still gathering and vulnerable Taira force, and Kiyomori also managed to engineer a rescue of both Go-Shirakawa and Nijo.

A strengthened Taira force made the first move, attacking the Minamoto in the Imperial Palace. Fujiwara no Nobuyori ran off but the Minamoto gave battle. Luring the Minamoto out with a feigned retreat, the Taira then occupied the palace, leaving the Minamoto with no avenue of retreat. Instead of trying to reclaim the palace, the Minamoto attacked the Taira's stronghold of Rokuhara in southeast Heiankyo. While Rokuhara would have been an easy target earlier, it had now been reinforced and proved too much for the Minamoto. Their forces eventually broke and scattered. Their leader Yoshitomo was later betrayed by a vassal and killed. While the fighting was of a relatively small scale, it had far reaching effects. With all opposition effectively eliminated, the Taira became the most powerful family in Japan and the first warrior house to exert a large measure of influence and control on the Imperial Court. However, they failed to kill off all the Minamoto heirs, something that was to come back to haunt them in 1180 when Kiyomori managed to have his grandson installed as Tenno...a move that provoked a chain of events that led to the Genpei War.

The game shares its rules system with its predecessor, "Hogen no Ran". Both games put an emphasis on the favored samurai tactics of the time-night attacks, torching the strongholds of your opponents, and misdirection. The map for Heiji no Ran expands upon the one for Hogen no Ran, including the southern portion of Heiankyo as well as the northern. This allows the fighting to take place all over the city as it did historically, particularly near the Taira's headquarters in Rokuhara. The game runs for 11 turns, taking the action from the 26th day of the 12th month (the day the actual fighting began) in the first year of Heiji to the 29th day (February 5-8, 1160, two turns per day with a night turn). Forces of the various factions are individual leaders with associated clansmen, rated for both troop strength and leader ability. Victory is determined by unit losses, possession of the Tenno/Ho, and occupation of certain locations. As with its sister game it does an excellent job of simulating the battle (in this case as recorded in the Heiji Monogatari (a gunkimono-'war tale'-written around the year 1200). Heiji no Ran plays well with a low number of counters, short completion time, and a well thought out game system with sufficient chrome. It's nicely balanced and an early, well thought out Minamoto strike will often bring victory.