People Power: Insurgency in the Philippines, 1981-1986

People Power: Insurgency in the Philippines, 1981-1986 struck me as the freshest COIN in the series, and also the most approachable in rules terms—yes, even compared with CL. It is also, as far as I remember, the first one without a green faction. Its treatment of the Philippines is honest and careful, albeit inevitably viewed through Western blinkers, while its running time remains pleasantly short by the series’ standards.

At its core, it is a three-sided design, and the relationship between the factions follows a fairly clear rock-paper-scissors logic. That makes it easier to digest than All Bridges Burning, the first three-player COIN, whose approach to its subject made it harder to read at the table. Here, the pressure begins with the very first card, and all three sides have to keep a constant eye on one another’s moves.

I especially liked that the game avoids minor rules of limited importance, such as railway lines or economic zones, without sacrificing depth. The Acts of Desperation and the Leaders/Personalities system add precisely that extra layer: they are not merely decorative, but give more weight to decisions and to the way the game develops.

In our only play, a few rather brutal events came up and nearly locked the game in the government’s favour. I would not call them game-breaking, though. Overall, this is a very entertaining and carefully designed COIN, tense from the outset without making you sweat over details that barely affect the substance of the game. As an introduction to the system, it is an excellent choice.