CHAOSLAVIA
A Matrix Game by Thomas Atkins

Introduction.

This is a many-sided Matrix Game set in Bosnia pre-Dayton, while the war is still raging. The players represent the various factions involved in the disputes over control of this unhappy region, the UN Peace-Keeping Forces, and the Members of the International community. If you need any further background, read the BBC Publication "The Death of Yugoslavia". 

This game is a very much revised version of the original Chaoslavia Matrix game, with large numbers of changes brought about after spending a year in Sarajevo. It is a lovely country and the whole situation is completely crazy - people need to know more about what was going on if it isn't to be repeated somewhere else...

Throughout this game the term "Serb" is taken to mean the ethnic Serb population in Bosnia and "Serbia" is taken to mean those areas under ethnic Serb control within Bosnia (that went on to become Republika Srpska); and not the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia).

Game Turn and Duration.

The game is played over 8 moves of approximately one month each. The order of play is:
*   Radovan Karadic
*   Alija Izetbegovic
*   Mate Boban
*   Sir David Owen
*   General Phillipe Morillon
*   The Press

Forces.

Within the game there are quite large numbers of forces scattered over the map assigned to the players and belonging to the particular ethnic groups. In addition these are large numbers of Refugees (also belonging to particular ethnic groups) and International Aid Organisations, not assigned to anyone, 

The principal players are:
*   The Serbs.
*   The Muslims.
*   The Croats.
*   The International Political Community.
*   United Nations Peacekeeping Forces.
*   The International Press.

To represent the forces, I used the little wooden men from the HALMA game. Red for the Serbs, Green for the Muslims and Blue for the Croats. The UN had white counters, International Aid Organisations has yellow counters, and refugees were Tiddlywinks in the appropriate ethnic colours. The Unit names were completely irrelevant, but sometimes used by the players to add a little "colour" to their arguments.

The pieces in play at the start of the game are purely representative. Players can create additional events, persons, places and things by successful arguments. The Umpire will add these by sketching on the map, or by producing additional counters.

There are quite a lot of pieces covering the map in this game, and it can be a little intimidating for some inexperienced players. In my experience this soon vanishes after a few rounds of successful arguments, so tell them not to worry. It is important, however, that you make the city of Sarajevo on the map sufficently large to accommodate all the forces there.

Map description.

A Map of Bosnia, consisting of:
-------------------------------------------------------------
 \   BIHAC     |                          |  ORASJE  /       |
  \            |  Prijedor                |----------  Brcko |
   \  Bihac    |        W SERBIA          |                  |
    \         /                        ---------   POSAVINA  |
     \       /          Banja Luka    /         \           /
      \     / -----                  /           -----------|
       \---         \               /         Tuzla  \      |
        \            \             /                  \     |
         \            \           /     N BOSNIA      |      \
          \            ---       /                   /        \
           \               \    /--------           /          \
            \  TITO DRVAR   \  /          \        /  E SERBIA  |
             \               \/            ------ /             |
              \              /              Sarajevo  Pale      |
               \            /        Kiseljac  Lukavica        /
                \          /                    /             /
KEY:             \ Glamoc /      S BOSNIA      /    Gorazde  /
                  \      /                    /------------ /
Major Towns.       \    /                    /             /
REGIONS.            \----------------       /       Foca  /
                     \                \    /             /
                      \   Tomislavgrad \  /             /
                       \                \/             /
Sarajevo is mostly in   \  HERCEGOVINA   \ SE SERBIA  /
S BOSNIA.                \                \          /
Lukavica is mostly in     \        Mostar  |        /
E SERBIA.                  \               |       /
                            \              |      /
                             \             |     /
                              -------------------
   

FORCES TAKING PART
-----------------------------------------
SERBS
Force Dispositions:
12 Motor Rifle Regiment     In Lukavica.
37 Guards Tank Regiment     In Pale.
24 Motor Rifle Regiment     In E SERBIA.
97 Rifel Bde                In E SERBIA.
4 Partisan Bde              In SE SERBIA.
19 Partisan Bde             In Brcko.
43 Motor Bde                In Banja Luka.
2 Motor Rifle Regiment      In Prijedor.
Arkan's Tigers              In TITO DRVAR.
White Eagles                In W SERBIA.
23 Infantry Bde             In POSAVINA.
Grey Wolves                 In POSAVINA.
-----------------------------------------
Radovan Karadzic            In Pale.
Personal Objectives:
1.  Be President of Republika Srpska at the end of the game.
2.  Try to capture Sarajevo City.
3.  Let everyone know about the unending persecution of the Serb peoples.
4.  Try not to loose regions under Serb control.
Additional suggested piece(requiring a successful argument to play): EVENT: Russian Political Support.
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
BOSNIAN MUSLIMS
Force Dispositions:
1 Commando Bde              Bihac.
Green Flag Bde              BIHAC
14 Mountain Bde             N BOSNIA.
6 Motor Bde                 S BOSNIA.
Black Swans                 Sarajevo.
Mujhadeen                   Tuzla.
44 Partisan Bde             Gorazde.
-----------------------------------------
Alija Izetbegovic           In Sarajevo.
Personal Objectives:
1.  Be President of Bosnia at the end of the game.
2.  Get International sympathy for oppressed Bosnians.
3.  Do not let Sarajevo City be captured.
4.  Remove all non-muslims from Bosnia.
Additional suggested piece(requiring a successful argument to play): THING: American supplied weapons.
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
CROATS
Force Dispositions:
3 Tiger Bde             In Mostar. 
5 Wolf Bde              In Tomislavgrad.
15 Partisan Bde         In HERCEGOVINA.
34 Partisan Bde         In ORASJE.
16 Ustase Bde           In Kiseljak
-----------------------------------------
Mate Boban              In Mostar.
Personal Objectives:
1.  Be President of Hercegovina at the end of the game.
2.  Increase the number of regions under Croat control at the end of the game.
3.  Make life difficult for the Bosnians.
4.  Remove all non-Croats from Hercegovina.
Additional suggested piece(requiring a successful argument to play): THING: German Military Advisors.
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
UNITED NATIONS  
Force Dispositions:
The Cheshire Regt       In Kiseljak.
22 Canadian Regt        In Banja Luka.
6 French Infantry Bn    In Sarajevo.
226 Hungarian MR Bn     In POSAVINA.
1 Danish Regt           In BIHAC.
-----------------------------------------
Sir David Owen          In Sarajevo.
Personal Objectives:
1.  Get all sides to attend negotiations at least once.
2.  Avoid getting NATO ground forces committed.
3.  Set up an International War Crimes Commission and indite at least one player.
4.  Demonstrate impartiality.
Additional suggested piece(requiring a successful argument to play): THING: NATO Air Strikes.
-----------------------------------------
General Phillipe Morillon    In Sarajevo.
Personal Objectives:
1.  Personally stop at least one attack.
2.  Negotiate a cease fire and rescue a refugee at least once.
3.  Send supplies to Sarajevo at least once.
4.  Never initiate an attack with ground forces.
Additional suggested piece(requiring a successful argument to play): THING: Scientific Evidence.
-----------------------------------------
The Press Corps
Press Objectives:
1.  Make the Serbs look bad.
2.  Make the Muslims look good.
3.  Make life difficult for all players at least once in the game.
4.  Finish each Argument with the quote "This is (your name), for CNN News (or News at Ten, etc), in (the region the event is taking place)".
Additional suggested piece(requiring a successful argument to play): THING: Mass Grave.
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
REFUGEES AND AID ORGANISATIONS 
Dispositions:
Aid Organisations:  N BOSNIA, S BOSNIA, Tuzla, BIHAC, HERCEGOVINA, Sarajevo.
Serb Refugees:      BIHAC, S BOSNIA, N BOSNIA, HERCEGOVINA, Sarajevo. 
Muslim Refugees:    Foca, Gorazde, SE SERBIA, W SERBIA, TITO DRVAR, HERCEGOVINA, Sarajevo.
Croat Refugees:     W SERBIA, TITO DRVAR, SE SERBIA, Sarajevo.
-----------------------------------------