
- BGG rating
- 8.3
WWIII
- 3 players
- 540 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 1974

1974
Rules assistance for The East is Red: The Sino Soviet War
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The East is Red: The Sino Soviet War is a board game released in 1974 for 2 players, 360 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Jim Dunnigan and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Hexagon Grid.
Strategy & Tactics magazine #42. The East is Red is a simulation on a strategic/operational level of a possible attempt by Soviet forces to invade and occupy Manchuria and North China sometime in the 1970s. Within the theatre of operations it is assumed that tactical nuclear weapons and atomic demolitions will be used. The game is played with variants of two basic scenarios. The M-1 scenario variants postulate a hasty Soviet attack into China and the M-30 variants describe a later stronger attack. Variant counters, rules and scenarios were published in Strategy & Tactics magazine #226 - Jan/Feb 2005.
The East is Red: The Sino Soviet War 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 The East is Red: The Sino Soviet War is 360 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.
The catalogue lists The East is Red: The Sino Soviet War for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
The East is Red: The Sino Soviet War has a complexity rating of 2.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light 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.
The East is Red: The Sino Soviet War belongs to these categories: Wargame and Modern Warfare. 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 The East is Red: The Sino Soviet War are: Jim Dunnigan. 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 The East is Red: The Sino Soviet War 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.