
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,012
- BGG rating
- 8.3
Axis Empires: Totaler Krieg!
- 1–3 players
- 60–3600 min
- Complexity 4.3/5
- 2011

2011
Rules assistance for Axis Empires: Dai Senso! – World War II in Asia & the Pacific, 1937-45
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.
Axis Empires: Dai Senso! – World War II in Asia & the Pacific, 1937-45 is a board game released in 2011 for 2–3 players, 900 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Alan Emrich, Salvatore Vasta, and Thomas Prowell and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Campaign / Battle Card Driven.
From the back of the box: Dai Senso! This game stretches from the border clashes at Marco Polo Bridge and Nomonhan to the titanic clashes at Midway, Guadalcanal and Leyte, to the firestorms of Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki and everything in between. No game tells the story of World War II in Asia and the Pacific like Dai Senso! Dai Senso! takes the playable, unpredictable and enjoyable Krieg! system used for World War II in Europe and adapts it to tell the story of Japan’s struggle from a unique perspective. Most other Pacific wargames focus on the operational aspects of the 1941-45 war. DS starts in 1937 for a true strategic experience from the beginning of World War II in Asia. As the leader of Imperial Japan seeking complete domination ("hakko ichiu"), will you strike at China, Russia, the British Empire or the United States? Whichever way you choose, you must eventually face the grim struggle of total war. All of these options are literally in the cards that form the strategies of the three factions -- Axis, Soviet Allies and Western Allies. Best of all, Dai Senso! can be linked with its new European companion game, Axis Empires: Totaler Krieg!, to play the joint Axis Empires scenario, an eye-opening global look at all of World War II. The fate of the world is in your hands! Dai Senso! means Total War in Japanese. In the game, play moves from Pre-War (where players mobilize their forces and engage in diplomacy) to Limited War (when open conflict begins) to Total War -- at that point, it’s all-out warfare to achieve victory!
Axis Empires: Dai Senso! – World War II in Asia & the Pacific, 1937-45 supports 2–3 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Axis Empires: Dai Senso! – World War II in Asia & the Pacific, 1937-45 is 900 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 Axis Empires: Dai Senso! – World War II in Asia & the Pacific, 1937-45 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.
Axis Empires: Dai Senso! – World War II in Asia & the Pacific, 1937-45 has a complexity rating of 4.1 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.
Axis Empires: Dai Senso! – World War II in Asia & the Pacific, 1937-45 belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Campaign / Battle Card Driven. 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 Axis Empires: Dai Senso! – World War II in Asia & the Pacific, 1937-45 are: Alan Emrich, Salvatore Vasta, and Thomas Prowell. 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 Axis Empires: Dai Senso! – World War II in Asia & the Pacific, 1937-45 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.