
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,843
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Advanced Squad Leader: Starter Kit #2
- 2 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 3.8/5
- 2005

2019
Rules assistance for Advanced Squad Leader: Starter Kit #4 – Pacific Theater of Operations
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.
Advanced Squad Leader: Starter Kit #4 – Pacific Theater of Operations is a board game released in 2019 for 2 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Ken Dunn and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation.
ASL Starter Kit Module #4 PTO brings ASLSK to the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO), and adds the Japanese and the United States Marine Corps to the ASLSK lineup. ASLSK#4 is a self-contained ASL module that gives players the opportunity to start playing Advanced Squad Leader almost immediately. ASLSK#4 expands on the themes of previous Starter Kits by providing new counters and updated rules featuring a new concept to Starter Kit – PTO. At the heart of this module are the rules for using the Japanese Imperial forces who fought amongst the jungle and island atolls of the Pacific in terrain completely different from the European Theater of Operations and with tactics different than their European counterparts. In addition to the step-reducing Japanese infantry and new rules for familiar looking terrain, simplified rules for Banzai, concealment, and hand-to-hand close combat are introduced. Neither components nor experience with earlier Starter Kits is necessary to play. The eight scenarios and three mapboards cover actions between the U.S. forces (Marines and Army) that opposed the Imperial Japanese Army on the islands of the Pacific and in the exotic China-Burma-India theater. From Guadalcanal to Myitkiyina to the big island of Luzon in the Philippines, these forces fought to the death from 1942 to 1945.
Advanced Squad Leader: Starter Kit #4 – Pacific Theater of Operations 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 Advanced Squad Leader: Starter Kit #4 – Pacific Theater of Operations is 180 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 Advanced Squad Leader: Starter Kit #4 – Pacific Theater of Operations 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.
Advanced Squad Leader: Starter Kit #4 – Pacific Theater of Operations has a complexity rating of 4.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy 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.
Advanced Squad Leader: Starter Kit #4 – Pacific Theater of Operations belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation. 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 Advanced Squad Leader: Starter Kit #4 – Pacific Theater of Operations are: Ken Dunn. 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 Advanced Squad Leader: Starter Kit #4 – Pacific Theater of Operations 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.