
- BGG rank
- BGG #589
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Undaunted: North Africa
- 2 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 2020

2024
Rules assistance for Luzon: Race for Bataan
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

For 2 players
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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Luzon: Race for Bataan is a board game released in 2024 for 2 players and 120–240 minutes per game. It was designed by Matsuura Yutaka and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Hexagon Grid.
2024 Charles Roberts Award Nominee for Best Operational Game. Luzon: Race for Bataan covers the mobile campaign during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, from December 22, 1941, when the main Japanese forces landed in Lingayen Gulf, to January 7, 1942, when the U.S.-Philippine Army completed its retreat to the Bataan Peninsula. New designer Matsuura Yutaka has created a five-turn OCS mini-game that recreates this period of intense maneuvering. General Wainwright, commander of the North Luzon Force, conducted a brilliant retreat against the advancing Japanese blitzkrieg, and succeeded in getting a large number of troops to Bataan. In Luzon: Race for Bataan, the U.S.-Philippine Army must delay the Japanese advance and gather forces in the Bataan peninsula. As directed by Imperial General Headquarters, the Japanese priority is to capture Manila. However, if the U.S.-Philippine Army can be outmaneuvered, the Japanese could both occupy Manila and deal a devastating blow to the U.S.-Philippine Army. The game pits a small-but-elite Japanese force which must make fast progress against a larger, less-effective opponent. Luzon: Race for Bataan has a single 22" x 34" map, fewer than 50 combat units, and is played at a scale of 5-miles per hex and 3.5 days per turn. There is only one scenario, with an option for random changes which alter play each time. This is a magazine game included with Operational Matters #2 —description from the publisher Game Scale: Game Turn: 1/2 week Hex: 5 miles / 8 kilometers Units: Battalion to Regiment Game Inventory: One 22 x 34" full color map One dual-side printed countersheet (140 1/2" counters) One 16-page rulebook Six dual-side printed player aid cards Solitaire Playability: Medium Complexity Level: Medium Players: 2 or more Playing Time: 1-2 hours Note: Players will need to provide the following to play; Latest OCS rules and charts Two (or three) different color 6-sided die for game play.
Luzon: Race for Bataan supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Luzon: Race for Bataan is 120–240 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
Luzon: Race for Bataan has a complexity rating of 3.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Luzon: Race for Bataan belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Hexagon Grid. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Luzon: Race for Bataan are: Matsuura Yutaka. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Luzon: Race for Bataan as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.