Experience yourself the struggle for freedom
Battle for Burma
A board game of strategy, civil war & state building
Immerse yourself in the nuanced dynamics of Burma’s civil war. Engage with state building, history, strategy & the fight for self-determination.
Strategic Gameplay
Navigate intricate scenarios that mirror real-world conflicts.
Historical Accuracy
Explore true events and understand the ongoing struggle in Burma.
Educational Insight
Gain a deeper understanding of ethnic tensions and political challenges.
Concept
A ground-level journey through the current conflict in Burma
Battle for Burma is a unique board game that combines strategic gameplay with a ground-level journey through the current conflict in Burma. Players assume the roles of various ethnic armies, striving for full control or independence. This game not only challenges your strategic thinking but also provides an in-depth look at the historical and ongoing struggles within Burma.
Designed for both personal play and educational settings, it offers a profound experience that raises awareness about the complexities of Burma’s civil war — with Armies, Missions, Ending Scenarios, and Unpredictable Future cards that make every replay a fresh, engaging experience.
Game mechanics
Explore the game’s unique concepts & features
Ethnic Armed Organizations & the Junta
13 ethnic armed groups plus the Junta can all be played, with more armies in development.
Internally Displaced People & Inter-Regional Missions
Each clash makes civilian displacement near-certain. Taking care of these new IDPs & POWs generates statehood points.
Alliances & State Building
Negotiate alliances with the Junta or an Ethnic Armed Organization. Balance resources between public services, the cost of war, and IDPs cut off from most international aid.
Raw Resources & Black Market Weapon Deals
Gold, jade, rubies, rare earth minerals, teak wood, and oil are extracted to fund conflict — and the challenging task of statebuilding during active war.
Airstrike Mode & Drone Attacks
Train your pilots, stockpile drones, and roll the specialty Drone Die to see the outcome.
Build Hospitals & Universities
Hospitals and universities support your path to statehood, and give unique benefits to your army as well.
Statehood points
Conflict alone can conquer the map
But without enough statehood points, your army will end the game as a Pillager or a Tyrant. Earn statehood points by supporting IDPs & POWs, and by building hospitals & universities — there is no simple victory in Battle for Burma, only the ending your choices earned.
Liberator
High statehood points, supported IDPs and POWs, hospitals and universities built. The game's model of a good ending.
Occupier
Territory held, legitimacy withheld.
Tyrant
Conquest without enough statehood points ends here — not as a win.
Four ways to play
From a Creative Commons print-and-play to a jade-and-wood deluxe edition
Deluxe
Est. 500 EUR
Total weight: 10.2 kg
A fully immersive, tactile experience: pieces crafted from real jade, wood, and other premium materials, with magnetic playing pieces in a sturdy case styled after a weapon's crate.
Field-Ready
Est. 30 EUR
Total weight: 2.3 kg
Built for refugee camps, frontline areas, and anywhere else durability matters — waterproof materials, streamlined for storage and transport.
DIY
Free
All files released under Creative Commons for print-and-play. A limited number of grants will support DIY use, especially inside Burma.
Digital
Est. 5 EUR
Speeds up game mechanics and lets players resume at their convenience. Built for solo and group play.
Showcase
Public test play — Zinme Wat Umong
The full value of this game is best accessed when played with someone from Burma, or at least someone knowledgeable about Burma — delivering a level of context intimately grounded in stories the designers have gathered directly from those affected by the conflict.
Join the Battle for Burma
Stay informed about the launch of Battle for Burma, an immersive board game that brings the current conflict in Burma home in nuanced & engaging gameplay.