Port Arthur

Port Arthur (2020) Combat Rations Series – Nuts! Publishing

Port Arthur is a fast-paced and tense naval strategy game set during the Russo-Japanese War. Designed by Yasushi Nakaguro and published by Nuts! Publishing, it’s the second game in the Combat Rations series, following 300: Earth & Fire. Like the first title, Port Arthur offers quick gameplay, streamlined rules, and a compact format — ideal for players who want a strategic experience without a complex rulebook.

The game comes in a small box with a magnetic clasp, which feels well-made and satisfying to open. The components are impressive: the striking box art, the map is stylish and atmospheric, and the overall production quality is solid. The rulebook is clearly organized, with a clean layout and helpful illustrated examples. Some game mechanics, especially those involving combat and initiative, are clever and unusual. They might take a few turns and some rereading to understand fully, but once you do, they’re not hard to grasp. The initiative system, in particular, adds an interesting layer of strategy — choosing when to push and when to hold back becomes an important decision in the game.

The game map is divided into six sea zones where players move their naval forces and engage in battles. Controlling these zones earns Command Points (CP), and you can also earn extra CP by intercepting troop transports and interfering with your opponent’s land operations. At the end of each round, the side with the most CP gains the difference in score. After six rounds, the player with the most CP wins the game.

That said, the overall strategy can feel unclear at first. It’s not always obvious what the best approach is. Should you group your fleet and aim for decisive battles or spread out to control more sea zones, even if that risks losing ships to a stronger enemy force? For Japan, landing troops is essential to winning—but should Russia allow this or focus on blocking the landings at all costs?

There’s a strong sense of asymmetry between the two sides. Japan starts with its entire fleet, giving it an early advantage. In contrast, Russia must wait for reinforcements to arrive in the mid-game. This means the Japanese player must make the most of their early strength or risk being overwhelmed later. Combat favours larger fleets, so smaller groups of ships often struggle. Ship speed also plays a key role — faster ships fire first, and that can decide the outcome of a battle.

The Command Point system can be quite punishing. If you fall behind early, especially as Japan, it can be very hard to catch up — especially once Russia’s reinforcements arrive. You have to think ahead and plan your moves carefully.

From what I’ve read, the game has a loyal group of fans. Some say Japan has the upper hand, but in our experience, Russia has won decisively every time. Some critics say the game relies too much on dice, and while luck is definitely a factor, battles are short and quick enough that it doesn’t become frustrating. Still, if you’re too aggressive and lose ships early, it can snowball quickly and leave you with too few options in later turns.

Overall, Port Arthur is a great-looking game in a small package. It plays in about one to two hours, which makes it a good choice for an evening game session. There’s more depth and nuance than it first appears, but it takes a few plays to appreciate fully. It may not be a game I return time and time again, but I’m willing to give it a few more tries.

War on the Seas

Setup Port Arthur

When setting up the game, the difference in strength between the Japanese and Russian fleets is immediately noticeable. The Russian Baltic Fleet starts off-map and will arrive later in the game, showing up on the fourth and fifth spaces of the turn track. Each turn begins with the Japanese fleet sailing out from their single home port. Russia, on the other hand, begins with access to three ports — though they risk losing Port Arthur depending on the outcome of the Japanese land war.

Turns 1–3

In the early turns, the Japanese player places two meeples for troop landings, one for each target zone. The fleet is split into three squadrons — two protect the landings, and one patrols further north. Russia sends out two squadrons, one from Vladivostok and one from Port Arthur, trying to stop the landings. This basic pattern repeats over the first few turns. Russia can’t manage to fully control the landing zones, so Japanese troops make it ashore. But these early attacks cost Japan dearly. The constant battles wear down the Japanese fleet, and meanwhile, the Russians slowly start gaining CP by controlling one or two sea zones. This steady gain lets Russia build an early lead.

Turn 3, the japanese army meeples has reached Port Arthur

Turns 4–5

Russia receives a wave of reinforcements and starts going on the offensive. With smart use of the initiative system, the Russian player can end two turns early, locking in control of multiple sea zones. This pushes them to the top of the Command Point scale, putting Japan in a very difficult position.

Turn 6

By the final turn, the Japanese fleet is down to just a few ships. Russia can now spread its fleet efficiently, blocking Japan from gaining any CP at all and sealing the win.

Turn 5, huge fleets are set to engage in the Sea of Japan

Conclusion

There must be a way for both sides to feel like they can take control and win through smart decisions. But that balance or what needs to be done isn’t at all apparent. When combat starts, there’s a strong sense that your fleet could vanish much faster than expected, especially if you’re too aggressive too early.