
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,645
- BGG rating
- 6.1
History of War: Pacific Edition
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2004

Rules assistance for History of War: Italian Expansion Set
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
History of War: Italian Expansion Set is an expansion for History of War released in 2003 for 2–6 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Martin Redlin and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Open Drafting, and Campaign / Battle Card Driven.
The Italian Set is an expansion for the base-game History of War. It uses the same game mechanics but introduces the Italian forces into HoW. As always there is a solid mixture of base improvements, territory improvements, units and action cards. The Italian expansion also introduces a new card type: the upgrade. These cards can be played on units and give them some unique abilities. The Italian Set may not be played stand-alone although it has starter-size too! Expands History of War
History of War: Italian Expansion Set supports 2–6 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 History of War: Italian Expansion Set is 45 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 History of War: Italian Expansion Set for ages 10 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.
History of War: Italian Expansion Set has a complexity rating of 3.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
History of War: Italian Expansion Set belongs to these categories: Card Game, Wargame, and World War II. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Open Drafting, 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 History of War: Italian Expansion Set are: Martin Redlin. 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 History of War: Italian Expansion Set as an expansion for History of War. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need History of War to use it. Check that your edition of History of War is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.