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- BGG #919
- BGG rating
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Empire of the Sun: The Pacific War 1941-1945
- 1–2 players
- 360 min
- Complexity 4.4/5
- 2005
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,715
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Pacific War: The Struggle Against Japan 1941-1945
1985
Rules assistance for Pacific War: The Struggle Against Japan 1941-1945
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–2 players
- 60–6000 min
- 16+
- Complexity 4.5/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Pacific War: The Struggle Against Japan 1941-1945
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Pacific War: The Struggle Against Japan 1941-1945 is a board game released in 1985 for 1–2 players, 60–6000 minutes per game, and ages 16 and up. It was designed by Mark Herman and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation.
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About the game
Pacific War is a strategic wargame that takes players from the attack on Pearl Harbor through the climactic summer of 1945... from Australia to China, from Burma to Hawaii... from the defense of Wake Island to the Guadalcanal campaign to the massive actions fought in desperate defense of the Japanese homeland. For the first time in a Pacific Theater game, size, subtlety, and ease of play have come together in a game of sharp action and historical accuracy. Players can become familiar with the layered Pacific War systems in the solitaire Engagement Scenarios, fighting their way through increasinly panoramic Battle, Campaign, and Strategic two-player and multi-player Scenarios. Building on the game's basic maneuver and combat systems, players learn to conduct strategic bombing, merchant shipping attition, search and detection, amphibious assaults, and extensive Operations whose duration and cost they determine themselves. Pacific War is a source of limitless challenge and excitement for every gamer ever fascinated with the vastness and fury of the Pacific Campaigns. The entry for the reprint by GMT Games can be found here: Pacific War: The Struggle Against Japan, 1941-1945 (Second Edition)
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Hobby Japan
- Victory Games (I)
Questions and answers
Pacific War: The Struggle Against Japan 1941-1945 supports 1–2 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 War: The Struggle Against Japan 1941-1945 is 60–6000 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 Pacific War: The Struggle Against Japan 1941-1945 for ages 16 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.
Pacific War: The Struggle Against Japan 1941-1945 has a complexity rating of 4.5 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.
Pacific War: The Struggle Against Japan 1941-1945 belongs to these categories: Wargame, Nautical, 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 Pacific War: The Struggle Against Japan 1941-1945 are: Mark Herman. 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 War: The Struggle Against Japan 1941-1945 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.