
- BGG rank
- BGG #892
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Diplomacy
- 2–7 players
- 360 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 1959

Rules assistance for Pacific Origins
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.
Pacific Origins is an expansion for Origins of World War II released in 1977 for 5–7 players and 120 minutes per game. It was designed by Dan Zedek and its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence and Simulation.
Pacfic Origins is a variant/expansion for The Origins of World War II. The game is set in Asia and can be played independently or at the same time as Origins of World War II. The game was published in The General Vol.13,No.5 magazine (Jan-Feb 1977). The magazine included a map and counters for the Japanese and Chinese players. You would still need a copy of Origins of World War II so as to be able to use their counters for the US, British, French and Soviet players. Expands: Origins of World War II
Pacific Origins supports 5–7 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 Pacific Origins is 120 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.
Pacific Origins has a complexity rating of 3.5 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.
Pacific Origins belongs to these categories: Wargame, Political, and Negotiation. Its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence 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 Pacific Origins are: Dan Zedek. 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 Pacific Origins as an expansion for Origins of World War II. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Origins of World War II to use it. Check that your edition of Origins of World War II is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.