Sun Tzu

About this board game

Sun Tzu is a two-player strategy game with an approximately 30-minute playing time, in which Sun Tzu and King Shao lead opposing armies in an attempt to unify China.

Set against the conflict of 506 BC, the game recalls Sun Tzu’s campaign against the Ch’u armies under King Shao. Outnumbered and facing an enemy holding the high ground, Sun Tzu used a feigned retreat to scatter his opponent’s forces before defeating them piecemeal at Bai Ju.

Each turn, players play cards to specific provinces. The cards are then revealed individually by province, and armies are added or removed depending on who played the higher-valued card or whether a special card was used.

• Two opposing armies: Play as Sun Tzu or King Shao.
• Province-by-province play: Commit cards across the map, then resolve each province individually.
• Critical timing: Some cards can only be used once, making the right moment to play them an important part of your strategy.
• Tug-of-war scoring: Move the scoring marker from the center toward your side of the track.

Sun Tzu rewards careful deployment rather than brute force. Players must judge where to commit strength, when to use special cards, and how to shift the contest across the provinces.

The game ends after nine rounds, or earlier if either player moves the scoring marker to the last space on their side of the scoring track. With its focused two-player format, Sun Tzu presents a compact contest of strategy and tactics inspired by a legendary military campaign.