Aaron Stafford ah! It’s a very unique series of games about counterinsurgencies throughout history. They all feature four sides each with asymmetrical but related goals. An event deck drives play. Usually two of the factions are insurgent/rebels and two are the counterinsurgents/status quo. And rather than old style hex and chit type play, you choose larger, more abstracted commands.

The whole effect comes together in a very narrative way, with lots of temporary alliances, frenemy relationships, and a strong sense of what actually motivated these people historically.

The first ones were designed by a CIA counterinsurgency expert and it shows. The later ones are by other people, and I feel like they’re not as tightly in tune with the underlying themes as they are masters of the mechanisms. Although the American Revolution one, Liberty or Death, is really strong that way.

The COIN model is getting used in all kinds of ways now.