Orange Swan Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1.0 Introduction
• Game Components Manifest
• 2.0 Basic Concepts
• 3.0 Sequence of Play
  • Turn Phases and Sub-Phases
• 4.0 Production Phase
  • 4.1 Supply Check
  • 4.2 Collect Production Points
  • 4.3 Strategic Air Warfare
  • 4.4 Strategic Naval Warfare
  • 4.5 Spend Production Points
  • 4.6 Update Sea Control
• 5.0 Naval Phase
  • 5.0.3 Opposition Discs (Ops Discs)
  • 5.1 Naval Movement
  • 5.2 Naval Engagement Die Roll
  • 5.3 Naval Combat
  • 5.4 Update Sea Zone Control
• 6.0 Land Phase
  • 6.1 Seaborne Operations
  • 6.2 Land Movement
  • 6.3 Strategic Movement (SM)
  • 6.4 Land Combat
  • 6.5 Retreat after Combat
  • 6.6 Update Sea Control
• 7.0 Blitz Phase
  • 7.1 Double Blitz
  • 7.2 Oceanic Blitz
  • 7.3 Continental Asia Blitz
  • 7.4 Update Sea Control
• 8.0 Final Phase
  • 8.1 Nations Surrender Check
  • 8.2 Units Surrender Check
  • 8.3 Update Sea Control
  • 8.4 Victory Check
• 9.0 Special Rules
  • 9.1 Monsoon
  • 9.2 Japanese Extended Air Range
  • 9.3 US and CW Improving Air Range
  • 9.4 US B-29 Super Fortresses
  • 9.5 US Marines
  • 9.6 Atomic Bomb Event
  • 9.7 Japan’s “China Expeditionary Army”
  • 9.8 Chinese Communist Insurgency
  • 9.9 Rough Terrain
  • 9.10 Straits and Narrow Straits
  • 9.11 Inland Sea, US Waters, Indian Ocean
• 10.0 Optional Rules
  • 10.1 Kido Butai
  • 10.2 US Pre-War Carriers
  • 10.3 Allied Rivalry
  • 10.4 Fanaticism
  • 10.5 Manhattan Project
  • 10.6 War Plan Orange
  • 10.7 China Rebellion
  • 10.8 Allied Code Breaking
  • 10.9 Guerrillas
  • 10.10 Oilfield Sabotage
  • 10.11 Distant Targets
  • 10.12 Kamikaze Attacks
• 11.0 Scenarios
  • 1941: Pearl Harbor
    • United States (US)
    • Commonwealth (CW)
    • China
    • Japan
  • 1942: Midway to Guadalcanal
    • United States (US)
    • Commonwealth (CW)
    • China
    • Japan
• 12.0 Campaigns
  • 1941: The Rising Swan
  • 1941: The Orange Swan
  • 1942: Turning the Tide
• 13.0 Global Campaigns
  • 13.1 The Golden Rule
  • 13.2 Inter-Theater Transfer of Forces
  • 13.3 US Entry into the War
  • 13.4 Global Campaign Victory Check
  • 13.5 Global Campaign Optional Rules
  • 1939: Danzig to Hiroshima
  • 1941: Waking the Giants
• 14.0 Swans of a Different Feather
  • 14.1 Declaration of War and Surprise
  • 14.2 Supply Lines and Reinforcement
  • 14.3 Garrisons
  • 14.4 Strategic Warfare
  • 14.5 Opposition Discs
  • 14.6 Naval (and Land) Combat Phases
  • 14.7 Naval Support Fire for Assaults
  • 14.8 Combined Ops
  • 14.9 Air Unit Range
  • 14.10 Strategic Movement
  • 14.11 Retreat After Combat

1.0 Introduction

Orange Swan is a historical game that covers WWII in the Pacific from 1941 to 1945. Its name reflects that of its predecessor Black Swan, a game that covers WWII in Europe, but also that of the United States’ plan for defeating Japan, developed long before Pearl Harbor, called War Plan Orange. Orange Swan uses many of the same game mechanics as Black Swan but with greater focus on the innovative, and mechanically simple, naval system that was universally praised. One revision that entirely changes the feel of the game is the new Oceanic Blitz phase. Like Black Swan’s land-based Blitz double turns that made the Eastern Front so dynamic, Orange Swan’s Oceanic Blitz translates that idea to a double naval turn. The result is highly satisfying from both a gameplay and historical perspective. Similar to other block games, the “fog of war” is a core element in Orange Swan, as a player cannot know the identity or the strength of an enemy unit until it is revealed in combat.

Play Note: To assist players in navigating the rules, frequently used game terms are bolded when first defined and Capitalized thereafter. Key points are underlined for emphasis and frequent numeric cross references link relevant rules. Play and Designer Notes in blue boxes provide hints and context for design decisions. Finally, for Black Swan veterans, rule section 14.0 highlights the main rules changes in Orange Swan.

1.1 Sides: While Orange Swan’s campaigns and scenarios feature historical starting points, the outcome is completely unpredictable and, despite the historical result, the Axis Side (Japan) can defeat the Allied Side (the United States, the Commonwealth, and China).

1.2 Nations: Japan, the United States (US), the Commonwealth (CW), and China are Major Nations. The Philippines and Dutch East Indies (DEI) are Minor Nations controlled by the US and CW respectively. Each Nation has its own units in a specific color, and each Major Nation has its own Force Pool, Economic and Strategic Power.

1.3 Allied Cooperation: While the Allies are friendly to each other and enemy of the Axis Side, they maintain their own Supply Sources and National Capitals. The Allies can trace Supply using any of their Side’s Controlled Land Areas or Controlled Sea Zones.

They can freely enter any Land Area of, and be transported by the Naval Units of, their Side. They can stack, move, and attack together, but each Major Nation keeps its own Force Pool, Economic and Strategic Power.

1.4 National Capitals and Colors: Nations have the following Capitals (which also act as Supply Sources) and colors for their unit blocks and Land Areas:

• Japan: Tokyo (Orange)
• US: San Diego (Green)
• CW: Delhi and Sydney (Blue)
• China: Chungking (Purple)
• Philippines: Manila (Light Green)
• Dutch East Indies (DEI): Batavia (Light Blue)

1.5 Force Pools: The Force Pools of a Nation are made up of all unit blocks of that Nation that are not deployed on the map but are available to be built (i.e. purchased during the Production Phase). Large and small blocks are kept in separate Force Pools, which can be freely examined by the owing player but are secret from other players. Units with a circled number “3” or “4” in the bottom right corner are added to their Force Pool at the start of the corresponding year. Thus, in 1943 it is not possible to build a Unit marked with a circled “4", as it will be added to its Force Pool at the start of 1944.

1.6 China: China has two kinds of forces: Nationalists (with purple stickers) and Communists (with red stickers). Both Nationalists and Communists are always Supplied and therefore do not need to trace Supply. Chinese Communist units can only stack and attack with other Chinese Communists and can only attack Axis Side units. Chinese Nationalists can stack (and move/attack) freely with units of the Allied Side. Chinese Nationalists and Communists maintain separate Force Pools. Chinese units are restricted to Continental Asia and can not be Sea Transported (6.1.3; 6.3.1) or enter Hainan.

1.7 Minor Nations: Minor Nations do not have their own Economic or Strategic Power, or Force Pool. They are controlled by the Major Power they are allied to, which treats them as if they were CW (for the DEI) or US (for the Philippines) units for all game effects. When destroyed, Minor Nations units are eliminated from the game, so do not go into any Force Pool.

1.8 Absolute Neutrals: No Side can enter Land Areas of the Soviet Union or the Absolute Neutrals identified with a white border: Tibet, Kashmir, Nepal and Bhutan.

Game Components Manifest

Component counts as shown in the printed Game Components Manifest graphic:

• Air & Ground Units (small blocks): Japanese 36, US 18, Philippines 2, Commonwealth 12, Dutch 1, Chinese 15
• Naval Units (large blocks): Japanese 25, US 30, Commonwealth 11
• Control Cubes: Japanese 5, US 5, CW 5, Chinese 5
• Opposition Discs: Japanese 40, Allied 40
• Sea Control Markers: Japanese 25, Allied 25
• Blitz Discs: Continental 1, Oceanic 1
• Others: River/Amphibious Attack Markers 5, Out Of Supply Markers 5, Year Tracker 1, Season Tracker 1, Dice 4

2.0 Basic Concepts

2.1 Unit Types and Classes: There are two types of unit blocks: large blocks for Naval Units and small blocks for Air and Ground Units. Within each type there are several Unit Classes, organized in a hierarchy which is indicated by the color of the dots along the edge of their sticker. Units higher in the hierarchy fire first in combat (5.3 and 6.4), cost more to reinforce (4.5.6), and break ties on retreat priority (6.5.1).

• Naval Unit Class Hierarchy:
  1. CV Class (Aircraft Carriers) – Blue
  2. HS Class (Heavy Surface Ships) – Red
  3. LS Class (Light Surface Ships) – White
  4. Sub Class (Submarines) – Black
• Air/Ground Unit Class Hierarchy:
  1. Air Class – Blue
  2. Artillery Class – Red
  3. Tank Class – White
  4. Infantry Class – Black

Capital Ships include CV and HS Class Naval Units. They can be identified by their angled ship silhouette.

Elite Units are designated by a darker background.

Play Note: National roundels on the bottom right corner of the units differentiate them from those found in Black Swan, in case they get mixed up.

2.2 Unit Strength: All Units have a variable number of Strength points (Steps) indicated by colored dots along the outer edge of their sticker. During play they stand upright and the number of Steps at the top represent the unit’s current Strength. As a unit gains or loses Steps (by Combat losses, Reinforcement, etc.) rotate the block so its new Strength is at the top.

Designer Note: Naval Units represent a mixed task force with the most important or numerous ship type defining its Class. For example, CV units represent two carriers, their air wings, and support ships such as destroyers, oilers, and transports. HS units represent one battleship or heavy cruiser per Step and their support ships. LS and Sub units represent flotillas, and both can include support ships and transports. Land Units are Army level formations whose organization varied by Nation. Artillery units include more heavy artillery, combat engineers, etc. than typical infantry units, to make them more potent in combat (but slower than tank formations). Air units represent Air Fleets of fighters, bombers, and support aircraft.

2.3 Fog of War: Players should sit on opposite sides of the board – the designer recommends the Japanese player sit on the northern edge. Unit blocks generally stand upright on edge, facing the owning player so their opponent cannot see the unit Class or Strength. Once combat begins, units are tipped forward face up so both players can see them, with their current stength at the top relative to their owner. After combat they are again placed on their edge and hidden.

2.4 Strongest Unit: Combat and Strategic Warfare often cause Hits to the “Strongest Unit.” In all cases, the Strongest Unit is the unit that has the most Steps remaining, and in case of ties, the owner of the unit chooses. The Strongest Unit is reassessed after each Hit is applied.

2.5 Rounding: Whenever a unit’s Strength is halved or quartered for any reason, round down, to a minimum of one. When halving a total number of units, for example during Strategic Warfare (4.3), sum the number of impacted units then halve, rounding down, to a minimum of one.

2.6 Terrain: The map is made up of Land Areas and Sea Zones (or just “Space” if referring to both). Spaces that connect only at a corner are not considered adjacent. Land Areas are either Clear or Rough. Most Land Areas on the map are Rough, and are designated by an irregular brown texture (for example, Beijing is Rough while Nanking is Clear). Islands are either large or small, with small islands designated by a regular diamond shape if Rough, or a rounded diamond if Clear. Some large islands are actually groups of islands, but a single Land Area in game terms - these share a common light blue outline (for example, Lesser Sunda is treated as one island). Game impacts of these and other terrain features are described in the relevant rules sections, and terrain features with numerous effects are summarized in the Special Rules section (9.0).

2.7 Stacking: Stacking limits are enforced at the end of every Sub-Phase (see 4.0). If over stacked at Sub-Phase end, excess units are eliminated (owner’s choice).

2.7.1 Naval Unit Stacking: The Naval stacking limit is four Naval Units per Sea Zone per Side (thus, a maximum of eight total units).

Exception: Japan is exempt from Naval Stacking limits in the Inland Sea. The Allies are exempt in both the US Coastal Waters and Indian Ocean (9.11).

2.7.2 Land Unit Stacking:

• Maximum 2 Units per Side (so a total of four) may stack in the two small Land Areas indicated by a square (Hong Kong and Gili Gili) and in the Fortress of Singapore (indicated by a star).
• Max 2 Units per Side may stack on small islands (designated by regular diamond if Rough terrain and rounded diamond if Clear, rule 2.6).
• Max 4 Units per Side may stack in other Land Areas.

Exception: Unlimited stacking for US in mainland USA.

Play Note: A Sea Zone may remain occupied by both Sides for multiple turns, as there is no retreat after Naval Combat (5.3.7), but on land one Side will always retreat after Land Combat (6.5).

2.8 Ports: A Port (anchor symbol) is round if it borders a single Sea Zone, and square or diamond if it borders more than one. In addition, the anchor is color coded:

• Blue when it is the only port in that Land Area.
• Red when there are two Ports in a Land Area each accessing different Sea Zones (for example Celebes) -or- if a single Port with access to two Sea Zones (where it is both red and square or diamond, for example Gili Gili or Andaman).
• Orange or Green when restricted to Axis or Allies respectively.

3.0 Sequence of Play

Each Scenario or Campaign is played over a variable number of years or seasons, as described in their Setup Instructions (rules sections 11.0 and 12.0).

3.1 Seasons: Each year is divided into four seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. During the Summer, Spaces marked with a Monsoon (rain cloud) symbol experience Active Monsoon weather, which has several game effects (see rule 9.1 for details).

3.2 Force Pool Additions: At the beginning of 1943 and 1944, units with a circled number on their bottom right corner are added to their Nation’s Force Pool (1.5).

3.3 Turn Sequence: Each Season is made up of two Turns: first the Axis Turn, then the Allied Turn. The Side playing its Turn is the Phasing Side, while the other side is the Non-Phasing Side. The Phasing Side plays through the entire sequence of play, with all of that Side’s Nations completing a Phase before moving to the next. Each Phase is further divided into Sub-Phases.

Turn Phases and Sub-Phases

4.0 Production Phase

• 4.1 Supply Check
• 4.2 Collect PPs
• 4.3 Strategic Air Warfare
• 4.4 Strategic Naval Warfare (only during Axis Turn)
• 4.5 Spend PPs
• 4.6 Update Sea Control, Economic/Strategic Power

5.0 Naval Phase

• 5.1 Naval Movement
• 5.2 Naval Engagement
• 5.3 Naval Combat
• 5.4 Update Sea Control, Economic/Strategic Power

6.0 Land Phase

• 6.1 Seaborne Operations
• 6.2 Land Movement
• 6.3 Strategic Movement
• 6.4 Land Combat
• 6.5 Retreat after Combat
• 6.6 Update Sea Control, Economic/Strategic Power

7.0 Blitz Phase

• 7.1 Double Blitz
• 7.2 Oceanic Blitz
• 7.3 Continental Asia Blitz
• 7.4 Update Sea Control, Economic/Strategic Power

8.0 Final Phase

• 8.1 Nations Surrender Check
• 8.2 Units Surrender Check
• 8.3 Update Sea Control, Economic/Strategic Power
• 8.4 Victory Check

Play Note: Blitz Sub-Phases vary by Blitz type (7.0).

4.0 Production Phase

4.1 Supply Check

4.1.1 Supply Sources: Each National Capital (see 1.4) is a Supply Source for that Nation’s Units. The CW has two Capitals (Sydney and Dehli) and the CW and US may trace Supply to each other’s Capitals, and to the Indian Ocean, for all game effects, including unit supply, Economic Power (4.2.1), Strategic Power (4.2.5) and Reinforcements (4.5.6).

4.1.2 Supply Lines: A valid Supply Line exists if, starting from an adjacent Space, a line of friendly Controlled Land Areas (4.2.3) and/or friendly Controlled (not Contested) Sea Zones (5.4.1) of any length can be traced to your National Capital(s) or Supply Source(s). If a valid Supply Line can be traced from a unit or Space, it is deemed In Supply, otherwise it is Out of Supply.

Example: The US LS in the Solomon Sea is In Supply, as it can trace to the adjacent friendly Controlled New Hebrides Sea Zone, and then to San Diego. (Note, the larger green disc indicates US Control of New Hebrides). The US Marine on Guadalcanal, though, will be marked OOS since the adjacent Space (the Solomon Sea) is Contested by the two Japanese Naval Units (rule 5.4).

Play Note: In all example pictures, imagine the Japanese player sitting “above” the picture, and the Allied player “below.” Unit Strengths are shown relative to the owning player, so Japanese units are “up-side-down” with their current Strength at the bottom relative to you, the reader. Allied units show their current strength on top. For example, above, both the Japanese and the US Sub have 1-Step.

4.1.3 Out of Supply (OOS): Supplied units act normally during the remainder of the Turn, while OOS units are marked with a white cube and for the rest of the Turn they cannot be Reinforced, perform any action, and have their Strength halved in Combat. If still unsupplied during the Final Phase, OOS Units are eliminated (but see Code of Bushido, Fortress Supply, and China Supply below).

Exception: OOS units must still participate in Strategic Warfare (4.3), contribute to Naval Engagement Rolls (5.2), and participate in Combat resulting from a successful Naval Engagement Roll (at half Strength).

4.1.4 Code of Bushido: OOS Japanese Infantry Units that remain OOS in the Final Phase are reduced one Step, unless they are already at one Step (thus, they will not be eliminated for OOS). While still OOS, they retain their white cube and all other OOS impacts (can’t move, halved Strength in combat etc.). Additionally, any non-Infantry Japanese unit that is eliminated for OOS does not grant bonus Production Points for the Allies (8.2.1).

4.1.5 Fortress Supply: Any Unit Class from any Nation located in the Singapore Fortress Land Area suffers the same limited impact from OOS status as Japanese Infantry Units (see Code of Bushido rule above).

4.1.6 China Supply: Both Nationalist and Communist Chinese units are always in supply, and never surrender.

Example: During the Supply Check of the Allied turn, the US Sub in the Arafura Sea and the Infantry on Ambon are unable to trace supply to San Diego, as the Coral Sea (to the east) is Contested (5.4) and the Java Sea (to the west) and the Celebes Sea (to the North) are Axis Controlled. The US units, though, can trace through the adjacent Port of Darwin, then overland to Sydney. Additionally, if Sydney fell, they could trace to the southwest, starting in the Timor Sea and then through Eastern and Northern Indian Ocean, Ceylon, and Bay of Bengal, (assuming all Controlled) then into the Port of Calcutta, and overland to Delhi.

4.2 Collect Production Points

Only Japan, US, CW, and China collect PPs.

4.2.1 Economic Power: A Nation’s Economic Power equals the sum of the Production Points (PP) generated by Land Areas it Controls. Five PP are earned for each Controlled and In Supply Production Area (indicated by a black triangle icon) and Strategic Area (4.2.4 below). Japan may also earn PP from surrendered Allied units (8.2.1). Players should use the Economic Power Tracker printed on the map (where starting 1941 values are shown) to keep track of each Nation's Economic Power. To collect PP’s from a Production Area or Strategic Area, the Area must have a valid Supply Line (4.1.2) to its own National Capital(s), and the Area must be within the Nation’s Sphere of Influence (see below).

Exception: The US and CW may trace to each other’s Capitals for collection of PP and Strategic Power (4.1.1).

4.2.2 US Domestic Production is 10 PP in 1941 and increases by 10 at the start of each Winter, ending at 50 PP in 1945 (for example, it is 20 PP in 1942, 30 PP in 1943, and so on). For scenarios starting after 1941, US Domestic Production starts at the PP level appropriate for the year, as indicated in the Setup. A reminder is printed on the map in mainland USA.

4.2.3 Land Area Control: A Controlled Land Area is an Area which is either occupied by a friendly unit or a Land Area where the last occupant was a friendly unit. A Contested Land Area contains units of both Sides. Land Areas can only be Contested until the end of the Combat phase, as one Side will have to retreat.

Exception: Purple Land Areas in China revert to Chinese Control if not occupied by a Japanese unit at the end of the Axis turn even if China has no Strategic Power, Production, or units left, as China never surrenders (see 8.1 and 9.7).

4.2.4 Strategic Areas: There are 11 Strategic Areas on the map, marked with a gold star icon:

1. Tokyo (Japanese Capital)
2. Delhi (CW Capital)
3. Sydney (CW Capital)
4. Nanking
5. Chungking
6. Manila (Philippines Capital)
7. Singapore
8. Truk
9. Hawaii 10. Samoa 11. Burma Road (all four Areas, see 4.2.7)

4.2.5 Strategic Power: A Nation’s Strategic Power is defined by the number of In Supply Strategic Areas it Controls within its own Sphere of Influence.

4.2.6 Sphere of Influence (SOI): Major Nations have a SOI that limits Land Areas from which it can collect PP and Strategic Power:

• Japan: All Lands Areas are within Japan’s SOI.
• China: All purple and orange Land Areas, plus all four Burma Road Areas, are in China’s SOI.
• CW: Dark and light blue (original CW and DEI) Areas except the Burma Road, are in CW’s SOI.
• US: Green (original US and Philippines) Areas and Truk are in the US SOI. If a Nation gains Control of a Strategic or Production Area in the SOI of an ally, the ally with the applicable SOI gains the benefits of the Area (both Strategic Power and Production) as long as Supply can be traced from the Strategic or Production Area to the capital(s) of the Nation whose SOI applies. If unable to trace Supply, the benefits of the Area are lost until a valid Supply line is established. Note, for PP and Strategic Power, the US and CW can trace to each other’s Capital, regardless of SOI, per the exception in 4.2.1.

Example: The CW Controls Manila. If a Supply Line can be traced to Delhi, Sydney, Indian Ocean, or San Diego, the US gains 5 PP and 1 Strategic Power (see 4.2.5). If Supply cannot be traced, no one gains the PP and Strategic Power. Each time a Production or Strategic Area switches Control or Supply status, update the impacted Nations’ Economic and Strategic Power during the following Update Sea Control Sub-Phase (see 5.4).

4.2.7 Burma Road: All four Land Areas labeled with “Burma Road” inside a cloud icon must be Controlled by one Side to claim the Burma Road’s single Strategic Power and five PP. Note the road graphic continues into Chungking for historical flavor only.

Play Note: To track PP as they are collected and spent, players may wish to use cubes to count as 1 PP each, and Ops Discs as 10 PP each. Make change as needed, but unspent PP’s are lost.

4.3 Strategic Air Warfare

4.3.1 Strategic Air Warfare against Japan: During the Axis Production Phase, both Sides count, without revealing, their Air Units (not Steps) located in the large Umbrella (the green dashed line circle on the map). Full Strength or Elite Units count as two (full Strength Elite counts as four) toward the Modified Sum of Units. If the Allied Modified Sum is at least 8, then index this number (Raiders) and the Modified Sum of Japanese Air Units (Interceptors) on the Strategic Warfare Combat Results Table printed on the map (see 4.3.3). Any OOS Air Units count as half for the Modified Sum.

Assess the 8 Raiders minimum before halving for OOS.

4.3.2 Strategic Air Warfare against China is resolved similarly but played during the Allied Production Phase if the Axis player has a Modified Sum of at least 8 Units acting as Raiders inside the small orange Umbrella. Index the Axis and Allied Modified Sums on the CRT, and apply the results (4.3.3 below). Note that a Land Area belongs to either of the two Umbrellas if its city name is inside the Umbrella. For clarity, all Air Units must participate in both Side’s Strategic Warfare Phases if they are inside the appropriate (small or large) Umbrella.

Example: Guam falls inside the Large Umbrella, so Air Units on Guam must participate in Strategic Air Warfare against Japan during the Japanese Production Phase, either as Raiders (if Allied) or Interceptors (if Japanese). Guam, though, falls outside the Small Umbrella, so Air Units there cannot participate in the Strategic Air Warfare against China.

4.3.3 Strategic Warfare CRT (CRT): Strategic Warfare is mandatory for both Sides. For all types of Strategic Warfare, cross reference the Modified Sum of Raiders and Escorts/Interceptors on the CRT. Results are indicated by a triplet: the first number indicates Raider Step losses, the second number indicates PP losses, the third number indicates Escorts/Interceptors Step losses. If the Modified Sum of Raiders or Escorts/Interceptors is greater than 16, both numbers are halved (round down) and the result is applied twice. If either is greater than 32, then each is quartered (round down) and the results applied four times. Losses for Strategic Warfare (Air and Naval) are applied to the Strongest participating units of any Class using standard rules (that is, reevaluate Strongest after each Hit is applied, owner choose on ties).

Example: During Axis Production, the Allies conduct Strategic Air Warfare against Japan. Located inside the Large Umbrella are a Modified Sum of 9 Allied Air Units (the full Strength Elite Air counts as four, the regular full Strength Air as two, plus the three Air units below full Strength). Japan’s Interceptors Modified Sum is 5 (the reduced Elite counts as two, as does the full-Strength regular Air). Cross referencing 9 Raiders to 5 Interceptors results in 1-3-1, so the Allied Raiders must lose a step, Japan loses three production, and Japan’s Interceptors lose a step (Raider and Interceptor losses apply to the Strongest unit, see 2.4).

4.4 Strategic Naval Warfare

To resolve Strategic Naval Warfare against Japan, during the Axis Production Phase both Sides sum (without revealing) all Naval Units (not Steps) in Sea Zones marked with a black submarine icon or an orange ship silhouette (Japanese deployment Zones). Full Strength or Elite Units count as two, so a full Strength Elite Unit counts as four. The Modified Sum of Allied Units (Raiders) and the Modified Sum of Japanese Units (Escorts) are indexed on the Strategic Warfare CRT and losses are applied as described in 4.3.3.

Designer Note: While US submarines took a lead role in choking Japanese sea supply lines, CVs and other surface ships also seriously disrupted Japan’s logistical operations.

Example: The Marianas Sea Zone is marked with a submarine icon, so Naval Units there must participate in Strategic Naval Warfare against Japan, either as Raiders or Interceptors, but the Western Pacific is not marked with a sub icon, so units there are not included.

Example: During the Axis Production Phase, immediately after Strategic Air Warfare is completed, Strategic Naval Warfare against Japan is conducted. Both players sum all their Naval Units located in any Sea Zone with a black submarine or orange ship icon. Counting full Strength and Elite’s as two, but OOS as half, the Allies calculate a Modified Sum of 27 Naval Units acting as Raiders, while Japan has a Modified Sum of 14 Naval Units as Escorts. As the Allies total exceeds 16, each Side’s total is halved, rounding down, to 13 and 7 respectively. The CRT is consulted, and the result (2-5-1) is multiplied by two, resulting in 4 Naval Unit Step losses for the Allies, and 2 losses for Japan, all applied to Strongest units, and Japan loses 10 PP.

4.5 Spend Production Points

PP remaining after Strategic Warfare are available to purchase Blitz Discs, new units, and reinforcements.

4.5.1 Purchase Blitz Discs: There are two available Blitz Discs in the game, a Continental Asia disc (purple) and an Oceanic disc (blue). The cost is 20 PP per Disc. The following restrictions apply:

• Only Japan and China can purchase the Continental Asia disc, but it cannot be purchased in Summer (Monsoon Season, 9.1).
• Only Japan and US can purchase an Oceanic Disc.
• The CW may contribute to the US purchase of an Oceanic Blitz Disc. In no other case may a Nation contribute to another Nation’s Blitz purchase.
• If the US purchases the Oceanic disc, US and CW units (only) benefit, and their units may be activated and move and attack in the appropriate phase (see 7.2).
• If China purchases the Continental Asia disc, US and CW units may also benefit (see 7.3).
• The US cannot purchase the Oceanic Blitz in Fall 1941 (due to Surprise, rule 11.1).

4.5.2 Purchase New Units: The maximum number of new units that can be purchased is equal to a Nation's Strategic Power (4.2.5). Nations cannot share PP for production. Regardless of Class or type, new units cost 2 PP to purchase and deploy. Units are chosen randomly from the two Force Pools (1.5) of the Nation: small blocks (Ground and Air Units) or large blocks (Naval Units) and deployed at minimum strength. Chinese Communists are kept in their own Force Pool (1.6) and cannot be purchased. They enter play only via Chinese Communist Insurgency (rule 9.8).

Play Note: Keep separate piles of small and large blocks, face down or put them in a cup or bowl.

Exception: Elite Japanese units, and DEI and Philippines units, cannot be rebuilt once eliminated, and are removed from the game.

Designer Note: Japan struggled to maintain replacements for its well trained and equipped starting forces, thus, while it can reinforce, it cannot rebuild destroyed Elite units.

Example: At the start of the 1941 campaign, Japan has a Strategic Power of 3 (for Tokyo, Nanking, and Truk) and so can purchase up to 3 Naval Units, or 3 Ground Units, or a combination of them that sums to 3. Japan pays 6 PP for three new units regardless of type.

4.5.3 Deployment: Ground and Air units are deployed in a friendly Controlled and In Supply Land Area that has their national roundel printed on it (except that Chinese Units can be placed in any friendly Controlled purple Land Area). There is a deployment limit of one unit per Land Area without over stacking. Naval units are deployed in Controlled or Contested Sea Zones that have the friendly colored ship silhouette, with a maximum of one unit per Sea Zone and without over-stacking.

4.5.4 Allied Industry: Due to superior industrial capacity and manpower, the Allies enjoy several Deployment advantages:

• US can deploy Naval Units (only) into US Coastal Waters with no Deployment or Stacking limit.
• CW can deploy Naval Units (only) into the Indian Ocean with no Deployment or Stacking limit.
• The US is exempt from Deployment and Stacking limits for Ground and Air Units in Mainland USA.

4.5.5 Production Ramp Up: The player must commit to, and pay for, a number of new builds before drawing any. The player may choose the Space where they are deployed after seeing what was drawn (within the deployment restrictions above).

Example: Japan can deploy into the three Sea Zones marked with an orange ship silhouette, with a maximum of 1 new Naval Unit per zone, and only if there are not 4 naval units already in that Sea Zone (except for the Inland Sea with its unlimited stacking, rule 2.7.1). Before any purchase, the Yellow Sea has 2 Naval Units, the Japan Sea has 4, and the Inland Sea has 5. Japan is therefore limited to two Naval Unit purchases: one can Deploy into the Yellow Sea and one into the Inland Sea. Both are placed at 1-Step, and neither can be reinforced past 1-Step the Turn they are built (see 4.5.7 below).

4.5.6 Reinforce Units: OOS units cannot be reinforced. Nations cannot share PP for reinforcement, except that the CW can reinforce DEI units and the US can reinforce Philippine units. The following costs per step added to an on-map, in supply unit, apply:

• Infantry and Subs → 1 PP
• Tanks and Light Surface → 2 PPs
• Artillery and Heavy Surface → 3 PPs
• Air Units and Aircraft Carriers → 4 PPs
• US Marines → 5 PPs

4.5.7 Production & Reinforcement Limits:

• Naval Units and Minor Nation Ground Units can be reinforced a maximum of 1-Step per season.
• The total number of Elite Steps that can be reinforced during the Production Phase cannot exceed its Nation’s Strategic Power.
• Deploying a new unit counts as one Step.

Example: Japan starts with 25 PP (Tokyo, Chagchun, Nanking, Saigon, and Truk) and has conquered Singapore (+5), Manila (+5) both of Borneo’s Production Areas (+10) as well as Java and Sumatra’s Production Areas (+10), but Java and Sumatra are unable to trace a Supply Line to Tokyo (-10). Japan has a total of 45 PP to spend, and the Allies are not in position yet to reduce this total via Strategic Warfare. Japan plans a major attack on China, so purchases the Continental Asia Blitz disc, but declines to purchase the Oceanic Blitz, leaving 25 PP to spend on units. Their Strategic Power is 5 (starting 3 plus Singapore and Manila) so they purchase 5 units, randomly drawing one larger Naval block and four small Ground/Air blocks, spending 10 PP total, leaving 15 PP. The drawn Naval unit cannot be reinforced further this turn as the deployment Step counts against the one Step per Naval Unit, per turn, reinforcement limit. The four drawn small blocks units include two Air Units, a Tank and an Infantry. Japan spends 8 PP reinforcing one of the Air Units 2-Steps, leaving 7 PP. This is spent on reinforcing an already on map CV 1-Step (-4), and the newly drawn Infantry unit from 1 to 4-Steps (-3), leaving zero PP. The two Air and one Infantry Units are placed one each in three Land Areas in Japan, and the Tank is place in Chagchun. Note the Ground and Air units can only be placed, one per space and within stacking limits, into Areas with Japanese roundel printed on the map. The Naval unit can be placed in any of the three Sea Zones surrounding Japan with a ship silhouette, max one per space and within Stacking Limits (though stacking limits are waived in the Inland Sea, rule 2.7.1).

4.6 Update Sea Control

See rule 5.4 for details.

5.0 Naval Phase

5.0.1 Sea Zone Restrictions: Naval Units are allowed to enter any Sea Zone except the following:

• The Inland Sea can only be entered by Japan.
• The US Coastal Waters and Indian Ocean can only be entered by US and CW units.

5.0.2 Garrisoned Ports: Each Port that contains at least one Ground or Air Unit is considered Garrisoned even if Out of Supply.

5.0.3 Opposition Discs (Ops Discs)

Each Garrisoned Port grants an Ops Disc (small disc, green for Allies, orange for Japan) which is placed in each adjacent Sea Zone (it is helpful to place it near the Port granting the Disc as a reminder). A Garrisoned Port that is also a Strategic Area (for example, Manila) grants two Ops Discs. Each Ops Disc will contribute to Naval Engagement Die Rolls (5.2) and grants Opposition Fire (or “Ops Fire”) in Naval Battles, Sea Transport and Amphibious Invasions as described in the Naval Combat, Seaborne Operation, and Strategic Movement rules sections below.

Exception: Ports Garrisoned solely by Chinese units do not grant Allied Ops Discs.

Designer Note: Opposition Discs represent land-based aircraft, coastal boats, midget submarines, patrol ships, minelayers, and other small units that attempt to interdict enemy movement, transport, amphibious landings, and supply chains.

5.1 Naval Movement

Naval Units move one at a time and have unlimited movement points but must stop as soon as they enter a Sea Zone containing an enemy Naval Unit. OOS Naval Units cannot move at all. See 2.7 for Stacking Limits.

5.1.1 Straits separate two Sea Zones and represent a constricted body of water between two Land Areas. They are marked by a black line separating two Sea Zones, for example between Lesser Sunda and Celebes.

5.1.2 Narrow Straits (hereafter referred to as double-black-arrows) mark even more constricted bodies of water, for example between Lesser Sunda and Java.

5.1.3 Straits Restrictions: Both Land Areas connected by a Strait or double-black-arrow must be friendly Controlled for a Naval Unit or Supply to pass through.

Exception: Due to the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact of 1941, Japan can cross (with Naval Units, Supply, and Sea Transport) the Kamchakta Strait even if it Controls only the Kurile Islands.

Play Note: The Sea of Okhotsk (not named on map, but between the Kurile Islands and the Soviet Union) is considered part of the Inland Sea for all purposes.

5.2 Naval Engagement Die Roll

For each Sea Zone that contains Naval Units of both Sides, the Phasing Side rolls a die and adds the total number of Naval Units plus Ops Discs in the Sea Zone (the sum of both Sides) to the die roll. Also add applicable modifiers below. If the final result is 11 or more, Naval Combat occurs, and all Naval Units in the Zone are revealed.

5.2.1 Naval Search Modifiers:

• Japanese Float Planes: On the Axis turn, each full-strength Japanese HS Unit provides a +1 modifier (Elite Japanese HS gain +2).
• US and CW Carrier Aviation: On the Allied turn, each full-strength Allied CV Unit provides a +1 modifier (Elite US CV gain +2).
• Surprise: Japan gains a +1 modifier in Fall 1941 (11.1).
• Active Monsoon: The Naval Engagement die roll is halved (round down, minimum one). Additionally, none of the Search Modifiers above apply (9.1).

Example: At the start of the 1941 campaign, there are four Sea Zones containing Naval Units from opposing Sides to evaluate for possible Naval Combat.

Combat in the South China Sea is automatic, as there are 5 Naval Units (3 Japanese and 2 US), plus 6 total Ops Discs, plus +1 for Surprise and +1 for Japanese Float Planes (the full-strength HS Unit during the Axis turn). The total is 13, so any die roll will result in a Naval Engagement sum of 11 of more.

In the Gulf of Thailand, there are 4 Naval Units, plus 3 Ops Discs, plus an Elite Japanese HS (+2, for the full-strength Elite HS on the Axis turn) and Surprise (+1) for a total of 10 before the roll. Again, on any roll Naval Combat will ensue. In the Hawaiian Islands (not pictured) combat is automatic, as there are a total of 8 Naval Units (4 Japanese and 4 US), plus 3 Ops Discs, and a +1 for Surprise, for a total of 12 before the roll. Finally, in the Gilbert Islands (also not pictured) there is one Japanese and one US Sub, with no Ops discs, so even with a die roll of 6, the total Engagement sum will be only 8, thus there is no combat.

5.3 Naval Combat

After all the Naval Engagement die rolls are complete the Phasing Side resolves resulting Naval Combats in each Sea Zone, in the order he chooses. Naval Combat is fought in, at most, five Sub-Phases in order of Unit Class with each unit Firing once:

1. Opposition Fire (from Ops Discs)
2. CV Class (Aircraft Carriers)
3. HS Class (Heavy Surface Ships)
4. LS Class (Light Surface Ships)
5. Sub Class (Submarines)

5.3.1 Naval Combat Sub-Phases: Each unit in a Sub-Phase Fires individually (that is, roll a number of dice equal to its current Strength in Steps).

• If both Sides have a single unit in the current Sub-Phase, then each unit Fires and applies Hits simultaneously (see 5.3.4 to apply Hits).
• If both Sides have more than one, but an equal number of units in the current Sub-Phase, then each player (Phasing player first) selects a single unit to Fire and they apply Hits simultaneously (but not necessarily to each other, see 5.3.4). Then each player chooses another unit that has yet to Fire in the current Sub-Phase, and Fires, with their Hits applied simultaneously, continuing until all units in the Sub-Phase have Fired.
• If one Side outnumbers the other in a Sub-Phase, then after the initial round(s) where each Side selected opposing units to Fire simultaneously (if any) excess units Fire one at a time.

Play Note: As units Fire one at a time, subsequent units in a Sub-Phase might earn an Unopposed bonus if all opposing same-class units are destroyed by a previous unit’s Fire. Use this to your advantage!

5.3.2 Opposition Fire: both Sides simultaneously roll a die for each Ops Disc they have in the Sea Zone. Ops Discs Hit on 5+ (4+ on Japanese Surprise turn, 11.1) and apply to Strongest Unit of any Naval Class.

5.3.3 Naval Class Fire: each unit, by Naval Class, Fires at the enemy, rolling one die per Step. The following modifiers apply and are cumulative:

• OOS Naval Units have their Strength halved.
• Elite Naval Units gain +1 Hit Bonus to the roll.
• Unopposed Bonus: Capital Ships (CV and HS) that are unopposed by the same Naval Class at the instant of their roll earn a Hit Bonus of +1.

5.3.4 Naval Combat Hits: A Hit is scored for each die roll result of 5 or more (after die roll modifiers). Hits are applied to enemy units of the current Sub-Phase Naval Class, starting from the Strongest (but see Targeting Exceptions below). Once all units of the current Sub-Phase are eliminated, any remaining Hits are applied to the Strongest Unit of any Naval Class.

5.3.5 Naval Targeting Exceptions:

• Unopposed CVs choose their target(s), with the owner of firing CV choosing after the roll, distributing Hits across several units if desired.
• To Hit enemy Subs, a Side must have CV or LS Units present, thus a HS can Hit a Sub only if a friendly CV or LS is present at the instant it rolls.
• Subs always choose their target (even if opposed by an enemy Sub) distributing Hits as desired after their roll, except Subs cannot Hit enemy Subs (under any circumstance, even if friendly CV or LS is present or last enemy unit is a Sub).

5.3.6 Heavily Armored Ships: Naval Units with a shield icon behind their ship image are better defended than typical for their Class and ignore the first Hit assigned to them in Combat and Strategic Warfare (4.4).

Designer Note: While ships like Japan’s Taiho and Shinano CVs and the US Essex class CVs were not as heavily armored as HS units, their design incorporated advanced armor, anti-air, or damage control elements, increasing their survivability relative to other ships of their class. Hence their “Heavily Armored” designation.

5.3.7 No Naval Retreat: Naval Combat ends after a single round (each unit firing once) and there is no retreat, so enemy Naval Units may remain in the same Sea Zone. Sea Control is updated accordingly (in phase 5.4 below). After a Naval Battle is resolved, surviving units are concealed.

Example: The US moves a fleet (2 CVs, HS, LS) into the Marshall Islands to contend with the Japanese fleet (CV, HS, LS, Sub). Combat is automatic as there are 2 Ops Discs (two islands are vacant, or it would be 4) plus 8 naval units, so even a roll of 1 will trigger combat.

The Japanese Ops discs Fire first, hitting on 5+, and roll 5 and 2, getting 1 Hit which must be applied to one of the Strongest US units of any class, since Fire is coming from an Ops disc. The US player chooses the non-Elite CV to take the Hit, and it is absorbed by Heavy Armor. Next the CVs Fire. The US can choose either CV to Fire first, and takes a risk by choosing the non-Elite, in hopes of killing the Japanese CV in the first round and earning an Unopposed Bonus and Targeting for its Elite CV later. The Japanese must select their only CV to Fire. The first US CV is opposed by the Japanese CV, so Hits on 5+. Luckily it rolls 6, 5, 5, 2, inflicting 3 Hits, sinking the Japanese CV. Since the round is simultaneous, the Japanese CV still rolls and gets 6, 4, 1, and earns 1 Hit on the strongest US CV. The US player can choose between the two strongest CV class units and selects the Elite as it still has its Heavy Armor, and it is absorbed. Now the US Elite CV Fires Unopposed and Hits on 3+ (bonus for Elite and Unopposed). Since it is Unopposed it can also choose its target (and can spread any Hits around as it sees fit). It rolls 4, 3, 1, 1, getting two Hits. It chooses to target the Japanese HS with both. The Heavily Armored ship ignores the first Hit, but takes the second, and is reduced to 1-Step. The two HS’s face off in the next Sub-Phase. The US HS rolls 5, 5, 3, 2, inflicting two Hits. The first sinks the Japanese HS, and the Japanese player can choose to take the remaining Hit on either of his 3 Strength units, choosing to take it on the LS, in hopes the Sub will survive to target and sink a US CV. The Japanese HS still gets its roll and earns 1 Hit with a roll of 4 (it has Elite bonus) which must be taken on the same-class US HS, reducing it to 3-Steps. Next the two opposing LS Fire, hitting on 5+, and the Japanese roll 6 and 5, and gets 2 Hits, and the US rolls 4 and misses. The US must take the first Hit on their LS, sinking it, and the second Hit must go to their strongest remaining unit. Both 4-Step CVs have used their Heavy Armor ability, so the US choose the non-Elite to take the Hit, reducing it to 3. Finally, the Japanese sub gets its chance and rolls three dice. It rolls 6, 5, 4, resulting in 2 Hits (while the Sub is Unopposed, only CV and HS capital ships get the Hit bonus, so the 4 is a miss). It chooses to target the Elite US CV with both Hits, reducing it from 4 to 2. The battle ends with the 2-Step Japanese LS and a 3-Step Sub facing a 2-Step Elite CV, 3-Step CV, and a 3-Step HS. After battle, the units are concealed. The zone is now Contested with 2 Ops plus 2 ships for Japan, versus 3 ships for the Allied player.

5.4 Update Sea Zone Control

5.4.1 Sea Zone Control: To determine Sea Zone control, sum (separately for each Side) the total number of Naval Units plus Ops Discs (5.0.3). A Sea Zone is Controlled by the Side which has at least double the sum of the other Side, otherwise, if no Side has double the number, then the Sea Zone is Contested. Note, this means an empty Sea Zone is Contested.

If a Sea Zone is Controlled by one side, deploy the large Sea Zone Control Disc of the appropriate color (green for Allied, orange for Japan) on the white circle printed on the Sea Zone. If Contested, leave the white circle without a Control Disc (but applicable Ops Discs remain).

Example: The Coral Sea is Contested since the Japanese have two naval units there (HS, LS) plus 1 Ops disc for the Garrison at Gili Gili (for a total of 3) versus 1 CW HS plus 3 Allied Ops discs for the Garrisons at Sydney (which grants 2) and Port Moresby (for a total 4 - note Brisbane is vacant and therefore grants no Ops Disc). Thus, the total in the Coral Sea is 3 for Japan vs 4 for the Allies. Since neither side is double the other, the Sea Zone is Contested, and neither Side can trace Supply through it. If the Allied player were to Garrison Brisbane with the Air unit in Darwin and move an additional Naval Unit into Coral Sea, then assuming all units survived any ensuing naval combat (which would occur on a roll of 2+) the Allies would Control the Coral Sea zone 6 to 3.

Play Note: IMPORTANT! Per the Sequence of Play Sea Control is updated at the end of every Phase (not Sub-Phase). Remember to update Economic (4.2.1) and Strategic (4.2.5) Power too.

5.4.2 Benefits of Friendly Sea Zone Control:

• Trace Supply through the Sea Zone (Supply is also required to Reinforce Units and collect benefits from Resource and Strategic Areas).
• Conduct Seaborne Operations (6.1) and Strategically Move (6.3) at a lower risk of being Hit by enemy Naval Units and Opposition Fire (on a roll of 6+ instead of 5+).
• Allows Retreat by Sea (6.5.3).

Designer Note: Controlling Sea Zones is critical to keep your own forces In Supply – and cutting the enemy’s Supply Line can cripple their forces.

6.0 Land Phase

6.1 Seaborne Operations

6.1.1 Blitz Requirement: The Seaborne Operations Phase may only be performed if a Side has purchased the Oceanic Blitz Disc (7.2). In other words, if you did not buy an Oceanic Blitz, skip the Seaborne Operations Phase (thus you cannot conduct any Amphibious Assaults this turn) and go straight to Land Movement. If you did buy the Oceanic Blitz Disc, you’ll get two Seaborne Operations Phases, one during the Land Phase and another during the Blitz Phase.

6.1.2 Amphibious Assaults (“Assaults”) can only occur during the Seaborne Operations Phase. Assaults must be conducted against Land Areas with a Port, in good weather (not into or through an Active Monsoon zone, rule 9.1) by full-Strength Ground Units. A maximum of two units per Class may Assault, starting from a Land Area containing a Port and moving over one or more Sea Zones and Assaulting an enemy Controlled Land Area with a Port. It is possible to Assault a vacant enemy Controlled Land Area (with a Port) but if the Assaulted Area is occupied by enemy units, then at least two different Classes of Assaulting units are needed (Air Units can count as one of the two required Classes, see 6.1.6). It is not possible to launch an Assault against an Area that does not have a Port, or that does not have a Port adjacent to the last Sea Zone crossed.

Example: A Seaborne Operation/Assault is not allowed against Pujin (in coastal China) as there is no Port in the Land Area. Also, while an Assault is allowed into Batavia from the Java Sea Zone, it is not allowed from the East Indian Ocean Sea Zone, as there is no Port on the southern side of the island.

6.1.3 Assault Transport: The Assaulted Area may be at any Sea Zone distance provided there is a friendly Naval Unit for each Assaulting Ground Unit − acting as Assault Transport − in each Sea Zone entered and each Sea Zone entered is either friendly Controlled or Contested.

Play Note: Naval Units providing Assault Transport should be placed face up. Leave them this way until the end of the Land Phase as a reminder they are available to support Retreat by Sea (6.5.3) but cannot be used for Sea Transport (6.3.1).

6.1.4 Multiple Assaults: It is possible to Assault multiple Ports in a single Phase. It is also possible to conduct simultaneous Assaults (and Support Fire, rule 6.1.7 below) from two different Sea Zones against a single Port. For example, Celebes can be Assaulted from both the Arafura Sea and Celebes Sea at the same time but Stacking limits (2.7) must still be honored, so there is a maximum of 4 Assaulting Units (including Air) into a Large Area and 2 Assaulting Units into a Small Area (for example, Singapore).

6.1.5 Ops Fire Against Assaults: Each Ground Unit moving through Sea Zones as part of an Assault will be Fired at by each enemy Naval Unit (1 die per unit) and Ops Disc (1 die per Disc) in each Sea Zone entered. Hits are applied at 5+ if the Sea Zone is Contested, 6+ if the Sea Zone is friendly Controlled (a unit cannot Assault across an enemy Controlled Sea Zone.) Surviving Ground Units can continue the Assault after taking Hits during transport. If all Assaulting units are destroyed by Ops Fire, the Assault is cancelled and no Air Support (6.1.6) or Support Fire (6.1.7) is allowed.

Play Note: Ops Fire is resolved immediately, but Support Fire (6.1.7) and Land Combat (6.4) resulting from Amphibious Assaults will be resolved later, in the Land Combat Phase, so other Units might move in by Land (or Air) Movement to support the Assault.

6.1.6 Air Support: Full Strength Air Units may support (that is, participate in combat, within Stacking limits) the Assault of Ground Units within their movement range without the need of a Naval Unit. Each Sea Zone and Land Area entered uses one movement point (6.2).

Play Note: If any Land Units are supporting the Amphibious Assault by attacking overland from an adjacent Land Area, then the requirement for Air Units to be Full Strength is waived (they can be considered part of the land-based attack).

6.1.7 Support Fire: Full Strength HS or CV Naval Units in Sea Zones from which Assaulting Ground Units came ashore may provide Support Fire. Naval Units can provide Support Fire even if they also provided transport for Assaulting units. Support Fire is limited to a maximum of 4 Naval Units per Assault and is applied before any other units Fire in combat (before Air units, see 6.4) with each HS rolling one die and each CV rolling two dice. They Hit on a 5 or higher applied to the Strongest Unit of any Class. Elite units gain a hit bonus (hit on 4+) and Japan’s Surprise hit bonus may also apply, see 11.1 (cumulative with any Elite bonus).

Play Note: Show the Naval Units providing Support Fire to your opponent, then return them to their previous condition (hidden, face down, or face up).

6.2 Land Movement

Units that have not performed a Seaborne Operation this Land Phase can now be moved (see 2.7 for Stacking Limits). Each unit moves one at a time and has the following Movement Points (MP):

• Infantry, Artillery and US Marines have 1 MP.
• Tanks, and Allied Air units have 2 MP (though see Special Rules 9.3 and 9.4 for increased US and CW air range starting in 1943).
• Japanese Air Units have 3 MP. Ground or Air Units spend 1 MP to enter any Land Area. Air Units can fly over Sea Zones for 1 MP but must end their turn in a Land Area.

6.2.1 Terrain Restrictions:

• Impassable Terrain (example: Australian Outback) and Absolute Neutrals (example: Nepal) cannot be entered by any unit.
• To enter Rough Terrain, or to move across double-black-arrows, a Tank Unit spends 2 MP (other units spend 1 MP to move into Rough Terrain or over a double-black-arrow).
• Straits cannot be crossed by any Ground Unit, while Air Units can fly over them (spending 1 MP for the Sea Zone between).
• The Papuasian Rift (red dotted line in New Guinea) cannot be crossed by Ground Units, but Air Units can fly over.
• Mekong Jungle: Ground units crossing the Mekong Jungle for any reason (Movement, SM, Retreat) immediately take 1-Step loss, unless they are already at 1-Step, in which case they cannot cross.
• No unit (Ground or Air) can cross the Mekong Jungle during a Blitz Phase or a Summer Monsoon (9.1).

6.2.2 Vacant Enemy Controlled Areas: A Ground Unit may freely move into enemy Controlled Land Areas unoccupied by enemy units, immediately switching Control of the entered Land Area from enemy to friendly Control. Use Control cubes to mark the Control of empty Areas.

Air Units cannot move alone into an enemy Controlled Land Area even if unoccupied by enemy units unless a friendly Ground Unit has just moved into it. Air Units can fly over an enemy Controlled Land Area, occupied by enemy units or not, at the cost of 1 MP.

6.2.3 Engaging: Moving into a Land Area occupied by enemy units is called Engaging. At least two different Classes of units are needed to Engage, but it is not possible to Engage with more than two units per Class. It is therefore not possible to Engage into a Land Area with three or four units of the same Class, but it is possible to stack any number of units of the same Class up to the Land Area's stacking limit. Additional restrictions related to Engaging:

• Tanks cannot Engage across double-black-arrows.
• Ground Units in the following situations are marked with a light blue cube and their Strength will be reduced in combat:
  • Engaging across a double-black-arrows.
  • Engaging across a River.
  • Conducting an Amphibious Assault.
  • Engaging into an Active Monsoon Area (this reduction impacts Air Units as well, rule 9.1).

Play Note: The light blue cube serves as a reminder to halve or quarter the Attack’s strength in combat, as described in rule 6.4 (Land Combat).

Example: Japan could move into a vacant Chinese Land Area with four Infantry, but they could not use the same force to Engage into an enemy occupied Area, as the four Infantry both exceed the limit of two units per Class, and don’t meet the minimum requirement for at least two different unit Classes.

6.3 Strategic Movement (SM)

Each Major Nation has a number of available Strategic Movement Points (SMP) equal to its Strategic Power (4.2.5). A Ground or Air Unit may SM along an unlimited path of friendly Controlled and Supplied Land Areas and/or Controlled or Contested Sea Zones at the cost of one SMP per each Unit moved. The unit may have moved previously in the current Land Phase but may not have Engaged (since Combat has yet to resolve, it would start this Phase in a Contested Land Area). A Land Area must be able to trace supply at the instant of SM to allow movement into it. No Engaging into Combat is allowed during a SM.

Exception: Chinese Units cannot Move outside Continental Asia.

6.3.1 Sea Transport: For each unit that uses SM over a Sea Zone, there must be one friendly Naval Unit in each Sea Zone crossed to provide Sea Transport. The Naval Unit cannot have previously provided Assault Transport (6.1.3) or Sea Transport earlier in this Land Phase. Each Sea Zone crossed must be either friendly Controlled or Contested, so enemy Controlled Sea Zones cannot be crossed.

Exception: The Inland Sea, US Coastal Waters, and Indian Ocean provide unlimited capacity for Sea Transport, Amphibious Assault, and Retreat by Sea, without the need of Naval Units (9.11).

Example: Japan uses 1 SMP to Strategically Move a Tank from Tokyo to previously conquered Miri on Borneo. Wishing to minimize the use of Sea Transport, the Tank first moves by land to Sapporo, then across the Inland Sea (requiring no Naval Units) to Fu-San, then south by land to Saigon (through conquered and friendly Pujin and Nanning) then back out to sea through the Gulf of Thailand, using a single Naval Unit, to land at Miri.

Play Note: Turn Naval Units providing Sea Transport face down to show their transport capacity is “used” for this Land Phase. If reactivated in the Blitz Phase (7.0) they can provide transport again.

6.3.2 Ops Fire Against Sea Transport: Just as in Seaborne Operations, each Ground Unit moving through Sea Zones by Sea Transport will be Fired at by each enemy Naval Unit (1 die per unit) and each Ops Disc (1 die per Disc) in every Sea Zone entered. Hits are applied at 5+ if the Sea Zone is Contested, 6+ if the Sea Zone is friendly Controlled.

6.4 Land Combat

Land Combat occurs after Land Movement has been completed, in each Land Area containing units of both Sides. If there are engagements in multiple Land Areas, the Phasing Player (the Attacker) chooses the order to fight them. Each land combat must be fully resolved before another one can start. Land Combat is fought in, at most, five Sub-Phases in order of Unit Class with each unit Firing once:

1. Support Fire (6.1.7)
2. Air Class
3. Artillery Class
4. Tank Class
5. Infantry Class

6.4.1 Land Combat Sub-Phases: Each unit in a Sub-Phase Fires individually (that is, rolls a number of dice equal to its current Strength in Steps).

• If both Sides have a single unit in the current Sub-Phase, then each unit Fires and applies Hits simultaneously (see 6.4.2 to apply Hits).
• If both Sides have more than one, but an equal number of units in the current Sub-Phase, then each player (Phasing player first) selects a single unit to Fire and they apply Hits simultaneously (but not necessarily to each other, see 6.4.2). Then each player chooses another unit that has yet to Fire in the current Sub-Phase, and Fires, with their Hits applied simultaneously, continuing until all units in the Sub-Phase have Fired.
• If one Side outnumbers the other in a Sub-Phase, then after the initial round(s) where each Side selected opposing units to Fire simultaneously (if any) excess units Fire one at a time.

Play Note: In Land Combat, like Naval Combat, units Fire one at a time, so units firing later in a Sub-Phase might earn an Unopposed bonus if all opposing same-Class units are destroyed when they Fire.

6.4.2 Land Combat Hits: Hits are scored on a die roll result of 5 or more (after die roll modifiers). Hits are applied to enemy units of the current Sub-Phase Unit Class, starting from the Strongest. Once all units of the current Sub-Phase are eliminated, any remaining Hits are applied to the Strongest unit of any Unit Class (owner choice on ties).

6.4.3 Land Combat Modifiers: The following modifiers apply to combat. Die roll modifiers are cumulative.

• Ground units attacking across a River or double-black-arrow and Ground and Air units attacking into an Active Monsoon Land Area (9.1) have their Strength halved.
• Amphibiously Assaulting Ground Units (except US Marines, rule 9.5), and Ground Units attacking across a river into an Active Monsoon zone have their Strength quartered.

Play Note: As a reminder, they should have been marked with a blue cube when they Engaged (6.2.3).

• OOS units are halved.
• Elite Units gain a Hit Bonus of +1 to their die roll.
• Unopposed Bonus: Ground and Air Units that are Unopposed by a same Class enemy unit at the instant of their roll earn a Hit Bonus of +1, except there is no Unopposed Bonus for the Attacker for:
  • Ground Units Engaging across a double-black-arrow.
  • Ground Units Engaging across a River.
  • Ground Units Amphibiously Assaulting.
  • Ground and Air Units Engaging into Rough Terrain or Active Monsoon.

6.4.4 Absorb Bonus: The defender ignores the first Hit(s) per combat (not per unit) for each Absorb condition that applies:

• Defending in Rough Terrain.
• Defending in Active Monsoon zone.
• Defending in the Fortress of Singapore (which is also Rough, so it gets two Absorb bonuses).

Play Note: Due to their multiple rule impacts, summaries for Rough terrain, Straits, and double-black-arrows appear in the Special Rules (9.9, 9.10).

6.5 Retreat after Combat

Retreat after Combat occurs immediately at the end of each Combat before resolving Combat in any other Contested Land Areas.

Designer Note: This makes the order of Land Combat resolution, which is chosen by the Phasing Player, an important consideration!

If one Side has been eliminated after Combat, the other Side now controls the Land Area. If both Sides are eliminated, Control of the Land Area is retained by the defender. If neither Side is eliminated, one of the two Sides must retreat, leaving the Land Area to the other Side, using the Priorities in 6.5.1 below. Units may only retreat into an adjacent friendly Controlled and Uncontested Land Area (4.2.3). If this is not possible, the unit is eliminated unless either 6.5.2 or 6.5.3 below apply.

6.5.1 Retreat Priorities: Follow the priorities in order:

1. The defender may elect to retreat.
2. If the defender does not retreat, the attacker has the option to do so.
3. If neither chooses to voluntary retreat, the attacker must retreat if the Area is either:
   • Rough Terrain/Singapore Fortress
   • In an Active Monsoon (9.1)
4. In any other case, the player with the fewest number of unique Unit Classes must retreat. In case of a tie, the following priorities determine the side that remains in the Land Area:
   • The side that has the highest Unit Class remains in the area: Air > Artillery > Tanks > Infantry.
   • If tied for highest Unit Class, the Side with the highest number of Steps of the tied Class remains (sum the Steps of the tied Class).
   • If still tied the Attacker must retreat. This means only check for a single highest Unit Class. If the Steps are tied, do not then check for the next highest Unit Class, instead the Attacker retreats.

Example: After Combat has been resolved, China’s force attacking Nanking includes a 3-Step Artillery and Infantry at 4-Steps and 3-Steps. Japan has Artillery Units at 2-Steps and 1-Step, and 2-Step Infantry. Neither Side elects to retreat, and the terrain is Clear so there is no automatic Attacker Retreat, thus we check Retreat Priorities. The two Sides tie on unique unit Classes (2 each) so next we check for highest Class. They tie on highest Class as neither has an Air Unit but they both have Artillery. For the final tie-breaker we check for highest number of Steps of the tied highest class. Both Sides each have three Steps of Artillery, so China, as the Attacker, must retreat.

6.5.2 Temporarily Retreat: A unit may retreat into a fully stacked adjacent friendly Controlled and Uncontested Land Area and then continue to retreat, receiving 1 automatic Hit for each additional adjacent friendly Controlled and fully stacked Land Area entered while retreating, until it enters an adjacent friendly Controlled Land Area where it does not over-stack.

6.5.3 Retreat by Sea: Amphibiously Assaulting Ground Units (only) and Air Support (see 6.1.6) may retreat across adjacent friendly Controlled (not Contested) Sea Zones which contain at least one friendly Naval Unit for each retreating Ground Unit. The Naval Unit may (but is not required to) have provided Assault Transport (6.1.3) but cannot have provided Sea Transport during Strategic Movement (6.3.1). Air Units Retreating by Sea do not require a Naval Unit as long a valid Land Area is in their movement range. Each unit Retreating by Sea (including Air) suffers one automatic Hit per Sea Zone entered in the retreat, and Ground Units (not Air) additionally receive enemy Naval Unit and Ops Disc Fire in each zone (that Hits at 6, as a retreat through a Contested Sea Zone is not possible). Units retreat until they reach a friendly Controlled Land Area, or are eliminated by Hits. If the Land Area entered after Retreat by Sea is fully Stacked, then the Unit must continue to retreat as specified in 6.5.2 above.

6.5.4 Assaulters Retreat by Land: A unit that Amphibiously Assaulted may retreat by land normally (rather than by sea) if an adjacent friendly Controlled and Uncontested Land Area is available.

Designer Note: While you can Amphibiously Assault across a Contested Sea Zone, it better be successful since you cannot retreat across one.

Example: On the opening turn of the 1941 Campaign Japan (which starts with an Oceanic Blitz Disc) attacks Manila in a Seaborne Operation with an Elite 4-Step Air, a regular 4-Step Air, an Elite Infantry at 4-Steps and a regular Infantry at 3-Steps. Note that both Infantry were (and must be) at full Strength at the start of the operation, but they each received Fire from three Allied Ops Discs (Hong Kong’s Ops Disc not shown in the picture) while crossing the South China Sea. The three Ops Discs each rolled one die against each Japanese Infantry (hitting on 6) and got a hit on the regular Infantry. Note that the two US Naval Units that started the Campaign in the South China Sea were destroyed in the preceding Naval Combat Phase and the Sea Zone became Japanese Controlled, so Allied Ops Fire hit only on 6 rather than 5+.

Before the landing, the adjacent full Strength Japanese HS provides Support Fire. (Note, the CV is not full strength so cannot provide Support Fire.) The HS rolls one die, hitting on 4+ (due to the +1 Surprise bonus in Fall 1941, see 11.1). The HS rolls a 4, inflicting one Hit. The first Hit of the Combat is absorbed by the defender’s Rough terrain.

Next the Air Sub-Phase is resolved, and Japan chooses its Elite Air to Fire first, and the Allies must choose their only Air for the first round. The Japanese Air, with Elite and Surprise bonuses, Hits on 3+ and rolls 6, 5, 2, 2, inflicting two Hits, while the US Air rolls 5, 1 and gets one Hit. The US Air is eliminated, and the Japanese choose to take the 1 Hit on their Elite Air (though this is a tough choice) since the regular Air has yet to Fire. Next Japan’s regular Air Fires, with no Unopposed Bonus due to Rough terrain, but with Surprise, hitting on 4+, rolling 4, 3, 2, 1, and gets a Hit. The US must take the Hit on their Strongest (and last) unit, the 2-Step Artillery, reducing it to 1. The US Artillery Fires next, rolling one die and hitting on 4+ (Unopposed, as Rough terrain only negates the bonus for the Attacker) and gets a 6. Japan must take the Hit on their Strongest unit and chooses the 4-Step Elite Infantry (they could have chosen their 4-Step regular Air, but it costs more to replace). Now it’s crunch time. The two Japanese Infantry are quartered, to a minimum of 1-Step, due to the Amphibious Assault. They each roll 1 die, with the Elite hitting on 3+ and the regular at 4+ (+1 due to Surprise). If they get the Hit needed to eliminate the last US Artillery step, the invasion succeeds, Manilla falls, and the Air Units land in Manila with the Assaulting Infantry. If instead, neither Infantry gets a Hit, the invasion fails and Japan would retreat, since in Rough Terrain their 2-to-1 Unit Class Advantage (Japanese Air plus Infantry vs. US Artillery) is negated. As Japan Controls the South China Sea they could Retreat by Sea, using the ships that originally carried the Infantry, back to friendly Controlled Land Areas (the Air can fly home). Both the Air and Infantry would take an automatic Hit for each Sea Zone entered, and the Infantry, in addition, would suffer enemy Ops and Naval Fire in every Sea Zone entered. You can decide how it turns out…

6.6 Update Sea Control

See rule 5.4 for details.

7.0 Blitz Phase

7.0.1 Blitz Types: There are two kinds of Blitz Discs:

• Continental Asia Blitz (purple disc)
• Oceanic Blitz (blue disc) If either or both discs were purchased during the Production Phase (4.5.1), the Phasing Player will play the Blitz Phase. Blitz Discs must be used the turn they are purchased and cannot be saved. Unit activations (movement, combat etc.) in prior Naval and Land Phases are ignored, so units are free to activate again, under conditions described in the following rules.

7.0.2 Blitz Naval Supply: Naval Units (only) are reassessed for Supply at the start of the Blitz Phase.

Naval Units now deemed OOS are unable to activate in the Blitz Phase, though they are not marked with a OOS cube, nor do they suffer any other OOS effects.

7.0.3 Active Monsoon Impacts: The Continental Blitz cannot be played in Summer. During an Oceanic Blitz, units in Active Monsoon Zones cannot be activated, nor can any unit enter an Active Monsoon Zone (9.1).

7.0.4 Mekong Jungle: No unit (Ground or Air) may cross the Mekong Jungle (between Hanoi and Rangoon) during any Blitz Phase. It is marked on map as reminder.

7.1 Double Blitz

If a Side purchases both Blitz discs, then in the Blitz Phase that Side simply replays a second full Naval Phase and second full Land Phase. All units can be activated and used as normal except for the restrictions of 7.0.2, 7.0.3, and 7.0.4 above. If instead a Side purchased only one of the two Blitz Discs, additional restrictions apply during the Blitz Phase, see 7.2 and 7.3 below for details.

Designer Note: The Allies can earn a Double Blitz only if China buys the Continental Blitz, and the US buys the Oceanic Blitz (though the CW can contribute PP to the US for this purpose, see rule 4.5.1). This provides strong incentive for Japan to cut the Burma Road or otherwise reduce China’s Production below 20.

7.2 Oceanic Blitz

The Oceanic Disc, when played alone, activates all currently In Supply (7.0.2) friendly Naval Units (anywhere) and all Ground and Air Units in Ports.

Play Note: It can be helpful to flip units unable to activate face down to avoid mistakenly using them.

First, the Phasing player performs a second full Naval Phase with activated units, followed by a limited second Land Phase. During the second limited Land Phase, activated Ground and Air Units may only:

• Amphibiously Assault (they get a second Seaborne Operations Phase).
• Move on land into friendly, or vacant enemy Controlled Land Areas.
• Engage (6.2.3) into enemy controlled Ports.
• Strategically Move (including by Sea Transport) but not if Amphibiously Assaulted in the Seaborne Operations of this Blitz Phase. In other words, in the Oceanic Blitz phase, Ground and Air Units may move into a friendly Controlled Land Area with or without a Port, or into a vacant enemy Controlled Land Area with or without a Port but may only Engage into an enemy Controlled Port (by land or Amphibious Assault).

Example: In the Axis Production Phase, Japan purchases the Oceanic Blitz disc. Japan then plays the following Naval and Land Phases normally, and since the Oceanic Blitz was purchased, the Land Phase includes the Seaborne Operations Phase, when Japan can conduct Amphibious Assaults. Once the Blitz Phase begins, Japan first identifies available units (all their Air and Ground units in Port, and In Supply Naval Units) and flips non-active units face down (this is not required, though can be helpful to assess available resources and develop strategy). Japan then conducts a second full Naval Phase including Naval Movement, Engagement Rolls, Naval Combat, and Sea Control Update as normal. Next Japan begins the limited second Land Phase, with another Seaborne Operations Phase, and conducts several more Amphibious Assaults (keep in mind the requirement that only full-strength units can participate). At the conclusion of Seaborne Operations, limited Land Movement is allowed, but no Engaging into enemy occupied Land Areas unless they include a Port (and no crossing the Mekong Jungle).

7.3 Continental Asia Blitz

The Continental Disc played alone activates only those friendly Air and Ground Units in Continental Asia. The player performs a second Land Phase with activated units. These units may freely move and Engage but cannot cross the Mekong Jungle, make Amphibious Assaults, or Strategically Move by Sea Transport (SM across only Land Areas is allowed within standard rules).

Play Note: Continental Asia is any Land Area that a hypothetical Ground Unit, moving across an empty map with unlimited movement, could reach from Delhi without entering prohibited Areas, or crossing any double-black-arrows or Sea Zones. So, Hainan is out, but Singapore is okay.

Example: During the Allied Production Phase, after Strategic Warfare, China has just enough PP to purchase the Continental Asia Blitz disc, foregoing any reinforcements for the turn. The Allied player conducts the following Naval and Land Phases as normal but is unable to conduct Seaborne Operations as they did not purchase the Oceanic Blitz Disc this turn. After the Land Phase concludes, the Blitz Phase begins, and any Allied Ground and Air Units in Continental Asia can activate again. They conduct a second normal Land Phase, again skipping the Seaborne Operations Phase, and with the additional restriction of no Strategic Movement that includes Sea Transport.

7.4 Update Sea Control

See rule 5.4 for details.

8.0 Final Phase

8.1 Nations Surrender Check

During any Surrender Check, check for the following conditions:

• The US surrenders if no US Naval Units are left on the map.
• Japan surrenders if they have no Naval Units left on the map, or Tokyo is enemy Controlled, or the Atomic Bomb Event occurs (Special Rule 9.6).
• CW surrenders if they have no Naval Units left or if both Sydney and Delhi are enemy Controlled.
• Philippines and DEI surrender if their Capital is enemy Controlled.
• China never Surrenders. When a Nation Surrenders, all Land Areas it Controls become Controlled by the enemy Side, unless occupied by units of a friendly Nation, in which case the friendly Nation takes Control of that Area. All units of the Surrendering Nation are removed from the game after the Unit Surrender Check (rule 8.2 below).

8.2 Units Surrender Check

If a unit with a white OOS cube can now trace supply (4.1) remove the cube, the unit is In Supply. Next, each unit still marked with an OOS cube, and all units of a Surrendering Nation, surrender to the enemy and are returned to their own Force Pool (unless the Nation Surrendered in which case they are removed from the game). Note that Land Area control does not change due to Unit Surrender, only for Nations Surrender (8.1).

Exceptions: Code of Bushido, Fortress Supply, and China Supply (rules 4.1.4, 4.1.5, 4.1.6).

8.2.1 Captured Equipment: Allied Surrendered units grant PP to the Japanese. These PPs can be spent in the next Production Phase. The awarded PP depends on Unit Class:

• 1 PP for each Infantry and Submarine unit
• 2 PPs for each Tank and LS unit
• 3 PPs for each Artillery and HS unit
• 4 PPs for each Air and CV unit
• 5 PPs for each US Marine unit Note, PP are awarded per unit, not per Step.

Example: Two Out of Supply US Units in Wake surrender, one Air Unit and one Marine. They are removed from play and returned to the US Force Pool and can be rebuilt later. This grants Japan 9 extra one-time PPs to be spent in the next Axis Production Phase.

8.3 Update Sea Control

See rule 5.4 for details.

8.4 Victory Check

8.4.1 Seasonal Victory Check: During any Victory Check (two per each Season, one at the end of the Axis Turn and one at the end of the Allied Turn), the game immediately ends with a Total Victory if any of the following conditions are met:

• Tokyo is enemy Controlled: Allied Victory.
• Atomic Bomb Event (see 9.6): Allied Victory.
• Japan controls 7 Strategic Areas or Japan has a Production of 75: Axis Victory.

Important: For all Victory conditions, Strategic or Production Areas only count when In Supply.

8.4.2 Year End Victory Check: Additionally, a special Victory Check is made at the end of each year of the Campaign game, or at the end of a Scenario. Players calculate the Strategic Power of each Side. If Japan has a Strategic Power of 6, then Japan has won a Strategic Victory. If this is not the case, players calculate the Economic Power of each Side. If Japan has an Economic Power equal or greater than 65, then Japan has won an Economic Victory. If Japan meets both the Strategic and Economic Victory conditions, Japan has won a Decisive Victory.

8.4.3 Tie Breaker: While playing a Scenario, if no Side has won by the end, the Side with the highest Strategic Power is the winner (sum the Allies). If tied, then the Side with the highest Economic Power is the winner. If still tied, then it is a draw.

8.4.4 Campaign Victory Checks: While playing a Campaign, if no Side wins during a Seasonal or Year End Victory Check, another year of war begins. If the Allies fail to secure victory by the end of Fall 1945, Japan wins a Samurai Victory!

Play Note: Some Scenarios will have specific victory conditions that supersede the standard conditions.

9.0 Special Rules

9.1 Monsoon

Each Summer season (only) Active Monsoons impact the Land and Sea Zones marked with the Monsoon icon. The Continental Blitz Disc cannot be purchased in Summer. In addition, in Active Monsoon Spaces:

• The Naval engagement die roll is halved (round down, minimum of one).
• Naval Engagement Search modifiers do not apply (5.2.1).
• Units in an Active Monsoon Space cannot activate for movement or combat during a Blitz Phase.
• Units cannot enter or pass through a Monsoon impacted Land or Sea Zone during a Blitz Phase, or during an Amphibious Assault.
• All Land Areas turns into Rough Terrain.
• Units attacking into an Active Monsoon area are halved (including Naval, Ground, and Air).
• Ground units are quartered attacking across a river into an Active Monsoon area.
• Defenders ignore the first Hit (ignore one Hit per battle, not one Hit per unit) and this is cumulative with the Rough Terrain Absorb Bonus.
• No unit can cross the Mekong Jungle.

9.2 Japanese Extended Air Range

Japanese Air Units have a range of three MP throughout the game.

9.3 US and CW Improving Air Range

US and CW Air Unit range increases over time:

• In 1941 and 1942, they have a range of two.
• In 1943, their range increases to three.
• In 1944, their range increases to four.

9.4 US B-29 Super Fortresses

Elite US Air Units range increases to five in 1945.

9.5 US Marines

US Marines are Elite Infantry. When conducting an Amphibious Assault or Engaging across a River or double-black-arrow US Marines Fire first (before Air Units, but after Support Fire), are not quartered nor halved and can earn Unopposed Bonus (unless attacking into an Active Monsoon area).

9.6 Atomic Bomb Event

The Atomic Bomb event occurs if during the Axis Production Phase, Japanese production is reduced to zero after Strategic Warfare, and there is at least one full Strength Elite US Air Unit (B-29) in range of Japan.

Designer Note: The Atomic Bomb event may occur before 1945. If it does, assume Japan succumbs to a devastating conventional bombing campaign, or the Manhattan Project scored early success. If this bothers you, see optional rule 10.5.

9.7 Japan’s “China Expeditionary Army”

Purple Land Areas revert to Chinese Control if not occupied by a Japanese unit at the end of Japan’s turn.

9.8 Chinese Communist Insurgency

Each Allied turn after Strategic Air Warfare, China receives one free reinforcement Step for any Chinese Communist unit. The free Step may be given to a Communist unit of any Class anywhere in Continental Asia, as Chinese units are always in supply. Alternatively, the free Step may be used to draw a new unit (randomly, assuming any are available) from the Communist Force Pool. The newly drawn unit may be placed in any friendly Controlled purple Land Area, provided the Land Area is either vacant or solely occupied by Communist units. As noted in the Production Rules (4.5.2) only Nationalist Chinese units can be purchased from the Force Pool with PP, thus new Communist units can only enter play via these free Steps. Once in play on the map, though, both Nationalist and Communist units can be reinforced with Chinese PP as normal.

9.9 Rough Terrain

Summary of Rough Terrain rules:

• Tanks must pay 2 MP to enter.
• There is no Unopposed Bonus for Attacker.
• The defender is never forced to retreat.
• Defender ignores the first Hit (Absorb bonus).
• Active Monsoon Land Areas treated as Rough.

9.10 Straits and Narrow Straits

Summary of Straits and Narrow Straits rules:

• A Strait is marked by black line separating Sea Zones, a Narrow Strait by a double-black-arrow.
• Both connected Land Areas must be friendly Controlled for Naval Units and Supply to pass.
  • Exception for Kamchatka Strait
• Ground units cannot cross Straits, Air can fly over, paying 1 MP for the Sea Zone.
• Tanks spend 2 MP to cross double-black-arrow and cannot Engage across.
• Ground Units Engaging across double-black-arrow are marked with light blue cube to denote they are halved in Combat. They also forfeit Unopposed Hit Bonus.

9.11 Inland Sea, US Waters, Indian Ocean

Summary of special rules for these Sea Zones:

• The Inland Sea can only be entered by Japan.
• US Waters and Indian Ocean can be entered by Allied units only.
• All three Zones have unlimited Naval Stacking.
• US Waters and Indian Ocean have unlimited Deployment (though US cannot deploy in Indian Ocean and CW can’t deploy in Coastal Waters).
• Only Naval Units can be Deployed into these Zones (not Air/Ground).
• All three Sea Zones have unlimited (and free, that is, requiring no Naval Units) capacity for Assault Transport (6.1.3), Sea Transport (6.3.1), and Retreat by Sea (6.5.3).
• The Indian Ocean is a Supply Source for CW, US.

9.12 Mekong Jungle

Summary of special rules for Mekong Jungle:

• No units can cross in Monsoon (Summer) Turn or Blitz Phase.
• Ground Units immediately lose a step when crossing for any reason, including SM (6.3) and retreat (6.5) but cannot cross at all if on their last step.

9.13 Singapore Fortress

Summary of special rules for Singapore Fortress:

• Limited Stacking two units per Side (2.7.2).
• All Units suffer limited OOS impact (4.1.5).
• Defending units gain two Absorb Bonuses (6.4.4).
• Defending units Fire first in each Combat Sub-Phase (defending Air Units Fire and apply hits before attacking Air, defending Artillery Units Fire and apply hits before attacking Artillery, etc) and ignore mandatory retreat.

Designer Note on the Map: The place names on the Orange Swan map are taken from the 1939 edition of the New International Atlas of the World (except for “Dutch East Indies” which at the time was named in this source “Netherlands East Indies”). Note also, the line of maximum Japanese expansion is approximated for graphical purposes.

10.0 Optional Rules

The following Optional Rules can be used to add historical flavor to the game, or to fine tune play balance to your liking. The options are weighted for their impact on game balance from low to high, indicated by one to three flags, with both Pro-Japanese and Pro-Allied options (and one “wild card” Kamikaze rule). These options can be mixed and matched as desired and used to handicap more experienced players against novices. Players should agree on which options to employ before the game starts and (unless handicapping) preferably before sides have been chosen.

10.1 Kido Butai

The Japanese concept of Kido Butai (“Strike Force”) allows Japan to mass their CV forces from the start of the war. Japan can commit (stack) up to 4 CVs in a single Sea Zone from 1941. The Allies, though, are limited in the number of CV that can stack (2.7) in a Sea Zone: one in 1941, two in 1942, three in 1943, and four in 1944+. This option favors Japan.

10.2 US Pre-War Carriers

Pre-War US CV (those without a shield icon) can be reinforced (4.5.6), but once destroyed, they cannot be rebuilt (4.5.2), as they have been replaced by the newer Essex Class carriers. This option favors Japan.

10.3 Allied Rivalry

US and CW Units can continue to trace unit supply to each other’s Capitals, but they can no longer reinforce (4.5.6) units that cannot trace supply to their own Capital. Additionally, they cannot earn PP or Strategic Power traced to each other’s Capital (thus the exception granted them in rule 4.2.1 is cancelled.) This option favors Japan.

10.4 Fanaticism

Japanese Infantry defending (that is, during the Allied turn) small islands (diamond shaped, see 2.6) inside the large Strategic Warfare Umbrella gain a +1 Hit bonus (cumulative with Elite bonus) and are not halved when OOS. This option favors Japan.

10.5 Manhattan Project

Before the Atomic Bomb Event (9.6) can occur, the US must complete the Manhattan Project. Starting in their Winter 1945 Production Phase, the US must spend at least 10 PP, in increments of 10, to fund research for the Atomic Bomb. Each 10 PP spent on research grants the US a single die roll to determine if the Manhattan Project is successfully completed, allowing the Atomic Bomb Event to occur. The total PP committed to research must be announced before rolling any dice.

Once completed, the Atomic Bomb Event is available for the rest of the game (its other conditions must still be met) and no further research expenditures are required. To successfully complete the Manhattan Project, the US must roll a 6 on at least one research die in Winter 1945. The target number is reduced to 5+ in Spring, 4+ in Summer, and 3+ in Fall. This Option favors Japan.

Example: In Winter 1945, the US commits 20 PP to research in the Production Phase. The US rolls 2 dice, getting 5 and 4 and fails to complete the project. In Spring, the US spends 30 PP on research to roll three dice and rolls 5, 4 and 2. The Atomic Bomb research is successfully completed, so if in a later phase or turn all other requirements of the Atomic Bomb Event are met, the Allies win the game.

10.6 War Plan Orange

Extensive pre-war planning to prosecute the war against Japan (known as “War Plan Orange”) allows the US to gain a free Oceanic Blitz disc, once per Campaign, on a turn they did not purchase it (but not in Fall 1941). This option favors the Allies.

10.7 China Rebellion

Japan must occupy not only purple Land Areas in China to prevent them from reverting to Chinese Control (9.7), but also the following five additional areas marked with a Communist roundel: Jinzhou, Peking, Nanking, Shanghai, Canton. Additionally, Chinese Communist units can enter play into these areas, following the restrictions of rule 9.8. This option favors the Allies.

10.8 Allied Code Breaking

Starting in Winter 1942, the Allied player may attempt to decipher Japanese codes (a Code Break) and use that intelligence to gain tactical advantage over an unsuspecting Japanese fleet. A Code Break grants the Allied fleet a +1 to Hit in a single Naval Combat. A Code Break occurs if the first Naval Engagement Roll of either Side’s turn results in an unmodified die roll of 4 or more. The Allies may elect to use a Code Break in any single Naval Combat during the current Side’s turn, including the one just rolled for, or hold it for a later Naval Combat (including the Blitz Phase). If not used by the end of the current Side’s turn, the Code Break is lost until successfully rolled again (this is, on a 4+ on the first Naval Engagement Roll of a later turn). In the interest of game balance, only one Code Break can used per year, and only in 1942 and 1943. So, no Code Breaks in 1944 or 1945, unless a brave Japanese player agrees to it. Forfeited Code Breaks (those unused and lost at the end of a turn) do not count against the once per year limit.

Designer Note: The Allied success in cracking Japanese codes provided critical strategic advantage, most famously at the Battle of Midway. The Allies were reluctant to overuse their advantage, however, lest Japan figure out that its codes had been broken.

10.9 Guerrillas

Philippine and DEI units do not need any supply and never surrender (8.2) even if their capital is enemy Controlled. They still can never be rebuilt (4.5.2) and while their Capital is enemy controlled, they cannot be reinforced. This option favors the Allies.

10.10 Oilfield Sabotage

The Allies may sabotage any of the following oilfields:

• Miri
• Taran
• Palembang
• Batavia Any Allied unit with at least two Steps that starts the Movement Phase in an oilfield Area, may elect to suffer one step loss and sabotage the oilfield, instead of moving. Japan does not get any PP from a sabotaged oilfield until it is repaired. Any Japanese unit with at least two Steps that starts the Movement Phase in a sabotaged oilfield Area, may elect to suffer one step loss and repair the oilfield, instead of moving. This option favors the Allies.

10.11 Distant Targets

China’s 5 PP in Urumchi is out of range of the Japanese air force. Unless Urumchi is Axis controlled, China cannot be reduced to below 5 PP by Strategic Warfare.

10.12 Kamikaze Attacks

From the instant the following two conditions are met, Japanese Kamikaze Attacks begin:

• The Japanese Elite CV is eliminated (recall, it cannot be rebuilt once destroyed, rule 4.5.2).
• The Allies control any Island within the Large Strategic War Umbrella. Kamikaze Attacks grant Japan a +1 modifier to all Ops Fire die rolls (for Combat, Sea Transport, and Assault Transport, see 5.3.2, 6.1.3, and 6.3.1) within the Large Strategic Umbrella. Additionally, reinforcing CV steps costs Japan double (8 PP per Step). Both conditions last until game end. This option favors the chaos of war.

Designer Note: The idea is that when Japan feels hard-pressed, they resort to Kamikaze tactics. Historically, this occurred in Fall (October) 1944, at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The bonus to Ops Fire reflects that most Kamikaze attacks came from land-based aircraft.

11.0 Scenarios

Setup locations and starting Strength (in parentheses) are given for all units, except those that enter their respective Force Pool after the scenario begins (1.5).

11.1 Surprise: During the first Naval and Land Phases (not Blitz Phases) of Scenarios and Campaigns starting in Fall 1941, Japan gains several advantages against the CW, US, and Phillippines (but not China):

• +1 Modifier to Naval Engagement Rolls (5.2)
• +1 Hit Bonus in Naval Combat, including Opposition Disc Fire (5.3)
• +1 Hit Bonus for Support Fire during Seaborne Operations (6.1)
• +1 Hit Bonus in Land Combat (6.4)
• The Allies cannot purchase the Oceanic Blitz Disc (7.2) on their first turn (Fall 1941)

Designer Note: We initially planned a 1942 scenario and a 1944 scenario. During testing it was discovered that by 1944 it wasn’t as much fun to play as Japan, and a short single turn Pearl Harbor scenario better served players to learn the game and, with a points-based Victory Condition, supported tournament style play. In all, Orange Swan includes:

• Two Scenarios:
  • 1941: Pearl Harbor
  • 1942: Midway to Guadalcanal
• Three Campaigns:
  • 1941: The Rising Swan
  • 1941: The Orange Swan
  • 1942: Turning the Tide
• Two Global Campaigns:
  • 1939: Danzig to Hiroshima
  • 1941: Waking the Giants

1941: Pearl Harbor

A short, one turn Tournament Scenario, where players switch Sides after the first game and play again. (Alternatively play just once for an ideal learning game, or if time is limited.)

Starts: Fall 1941, Axis Naval Engagement Phase. (Note, Sea Control was updated immediately prior to the first turn to reflect the situation at the start of the war.)

Ends: End of Allied turn, Fall 1941 (a single season).

Supply: All Units are In Supply.

War Status: All Nations are at war, except DEI. The DEI unit starts deployed on the map (and applies Ops Discs, rule 5.0.3) but Axis units cannot attack or enter DEI Land Areas, or cross Staits or double-black-arrows bordering them, until DEI is at war. At the start of the Allied turn in Fall 1941, all DEI restrictions end.

Surprise: Japan has Surprise (11.1).

Force Pool Additions: none.

Special Production Restriction: Eliminated Naval Units are not returned to the Force Pool and are kept aside to be counted for Victory detemination.

Special Scenario Setup Rule: “Where are the carriers?” After setup but before the game starts, each player rolls a die, rerolling ties. The player with the higher roll plays the Axis (for the first game). Divide the difference of the two dice by two, rounding down, to a minimum of one (thus the final result will always be 1 or 2.) The result is the number of US CVs and Subs that must swap positions with each other on the map. Units in the US Coastal Waters cannot be swapped. The Allied player makes the swaps in secret so the Axis player doesn’t know the exact location of the US carriers. After completing the first game, switch Sides and play again. Use the initial result (swap the same number of CVs as the first game) but the new Allied player can choose to swap different units.

Example: Japan and the Allies both roll 2 and reroll. On the second roll, Japan rolls 5 and the Allies roll 1. The Allies must swap the positions of two of their CVs with two of their Subs (5 minus 1 = 4, divided by 2 = 2).

Special Scenario Victory Conditions: Play the scenario twice, switching Sides after the first game. Instead of the standard Victory Check (8.4), at the end of the Allied turn in each game determine each player’s Victory Points by counting the number of opposing Naval Units destroyed, with CV’s and Elite Units counting double (the Japanese Elite CV counts as four). Sum each player’s Victory Points from both games to determine the overall victor (higher sum wins, ties result in a draw).

United States (US)

Economic Power: 30 (includes Manila, Samoa, Hawaii, Alaska, and domestic PP)

Strategic Power: 3 (Hawaii, Manila, Samoa)

Controlled Territories: All Green

Allowable Builds: Shielded CV “E”, HS, LS, Sub.

At Start Forces:

• Manila: Air (2), Art (2)
• Tacloban: Philippine Inf (1)
• Davao: Philippine Inf (1)
• Anchorage: Inf (1)
• Midway: Air (1)
• Wake: Marine (1)
• Johnston: Air (1)
• Hawaii: Air (2), Art (2), Inf (2)
• San Diego: Marine (1), Air (1), Art (1), Tank (1), Inf (1)
• Samoa: Inf (1)
• South China Sea: 2 Ops, LS (2), Sub (2)
• Philippine Sea: 1 Ops, Control Disc
• Celebes Sea: 1 Ops
• Gilbert Islands: Sub (1)
• Ellice Islands: Control Disc, LS (1)
• New Hebrides: Control Disc, LS (1)
• Fiji: LS (1)
• Samoa: 2 Ops, Control Disc, HS (1)
• Phoenix Islands: Control Disc, LS (1)
• Northern Cook Is.: Control Disc, LS (1)
• South Pacific: Control Disc, LS (1)
• Line Islands: Control Disc, CV (2)
• Hawaii: 3 Ops, two HS (4), LS (2), Sub (2)
• US Waters: CV (2), HS (2), LS (2), Sub (2)
• Wake Islands: 1 Ops
• Midway Islands: 1 Ops, Control Disc, CV (2)
• Gulf of Alaska: 1 Ops, Control Disc, HS (1)

Commonwealth (CW)

Economic Power: 45 (includes DEI).

Strategic Power: 3 (Delhi, Singapore, Sydney).

Controlled Territories: Light and Dark Blue Land Areas

Allowable Builds: LS.

At Start Forces:

• Hong Kong: 1-Step Inf (1)
• Delhi: Air (1)
• Calcutta: Art (1)
• Dacca: Tank (1)
• Rangoon: Inf (1)
• Singapore: Art (2)
• Batavia: DEI Inf (1)
• Brisbane: Air (1)
• Sydney: Tank (1)
• Rabaul: Inf (1)
• Wewak: Inf (1)
• Noumea: Inf (1)
• Viti: Inf (1)
• Eastern China Sea: 1 Ops
• South China Sea: 1 Ops
• Bay of Bengal: 2 Ops, Control Disc, 3-Step CV (1)
• Andaman Sea: 1 Ops, Control Disc, Sub (1)
• Gulf of Thailand: 2 Ops, 4-Step HS (2)
• Java Sea: 3 Ops, Control Disc, LS (1)
• Arafura Sea: Control Disc, LS (1)
• Coral Sea: 3 Ops, Control Disc, 3-Step HS (1)
• New Caledonia: 1 Ops, Control Disc
• Fiji: 1 Ops, Control Disc
• Solomon Sea: 2 Ops, Control Disc, LS (1)
• Bismarck Sea: 2 Ops, Control Disc, LS (1)
• Nauru: Control Disc, Sub (1)

China

Economic Power: 20.

Strategic Power: 2 (Chungking, Burma Road).

Controlled Territories: all Purple Land Areas.

Allowable Builds: Communist: Art, 4-Step Inf, 3-Step Inf; Nationalist: Air, Tank, 4-Step Inf. At Start Forces (all at start forces are Nationalist except the Communist Infantry in Yindiuan):

• Yindiuan: Communist 3-Step Inf (3)
• Yan’an: Art (3), 4-Step Inf (4)
• Chungking: Air (3), 4-Step Inf (4)
• Pujin: 3-Step Inf (3)
• Changsha: 3-Step Inf (3)
• Nanning: 3-Step Inf (3)
• Kunming: 3-Step Inf (3)

Japan

Japan starts the Scenario with Oceanic Blitz Disc.

Economic Power: 25.

Strategic Power: 3 (Tokyo, Nanking, Truk).

Controlled Territories: All Orange.

Allowable Builds: 3-Step Air, 3-Step Art, 3-Step Tank, 3-Step Inf, 3-Step HS, 3-Step LS, 3-Step Sub.

At Start Forces:

• Tokyo: 4-Step Inf (2)
• Hiroshima: 4-Step Inf (2)
• Nagasaki: 4-Step Inf (2)
• Peking: Art (3), 4-Step Inf (4)
• Nanking: Art (3), 2-Step Tank (1), 4-Step Inf (4)
• Shanghai: 3-Step Art (2), 3-Step Inf (3)
• Canton: Art (3), 4-Step Inf (4)
• Tapei: Elite 4-Step Air (4)
• Taan: Elite 4-Step Inf (4), 4-Step Inf (4)
• Hanoi: 4-Step Air (4), 4-Step Inf (2)
• Saigon: Art (3), 4-Step Inf (4)
• Iwo Jima: 3-Step Inf (1)
• Saipan: 3-Step Inf (3)
• Peleliu: Elite 3-Step Air (3), Elite 3-Step Inf (3)
• Ulithi: 3-Step Air (3), 3-Step Inf (3)
• Truk: 3-Step Inf (1)
• Eniwetok: 4-Step Air (4), 3-Step Inf (1)
• Kwajalein: 2-Step Inf (1)
• Juluit: 3-Step Inf (3), 3-Step Inf (1)
• Majuro: 2-Step Inf (1)
• Japan Sea: 3 Ops, Control Disc
• Yellow Sea: 3 Ops, Control Disc
• Eastern China Sea: 1 Ops, Control Disc, Elite HS “Y” (1)
• South China Sea: 3 Ops, 3-Step CV (2), HS (4), 4-Step LS (4)
• Gulf of Thailand: 1 Ops, Elite HS “T” (4), 4-Step LS (4), 4-Step Sub (4)
• Celebes Sea: 1 Control Disc, HS (4), 4-Step LS (4)

1942: Midway to Guadalcanal

Covers most of the tumultuous year of 1942, including both Japan’s rapid expansion and the inevitable Allied counterattack. Both sides have the opportunity to attack and defend with multiple strategic options to explore.

Starts: Spring 1942, with Axis Production Phase.

Ends: End of Allied turn, Fall 1942.

Supply: All Units are In Supply.

War Status: All Nations are at war.

Force Pool Additions: none. New Scenario Victory Conditions: In addition to the standard Victory Check conditions (8.4) Japan wins a Strategic Victory if they control Attu, Midway, and Port Moresby at the end of any Allied turn, and they maintain 5 Strategic Power. Otherwise, at the end of the scenario, whichever Side controls two of the three (Attu, Midway, Port Moresby) wins a Marginal Victory.

United States (US)

Economic Power: 35 (includes Hawaii, Samoa, Alaska, and 20 domestic PP)

Strategic Power: 2 (Hawaii, Samoa)

Controlled Territories: Gili Gili, Santa Cruz, and all Green Land Areas, except Guam, Wake and the Phillipenes

Allowable Builds: 1 Shielded CV “E”, 1 HS, 1 LS, 1 Sub, 1 Air, 1 Art, 1 Marine

At Start Forces:

• Anchorage: Air (2), Inf (4)
• Vancouver: Art (1)
• Midway: Air (2)
• Johnston: Air (2)
• Hawaii: Air (2), Art (2), Inf (4)
• Palmyra: Inf (2)
• Samoa: Inf (4)
• Funafuti: Marine (2)
• Santa Cruz: Tank (2)
• Western Bering Sea: Control Disc, Sub (1)
• Eastern Bering Sea: 1 Ops, Control Disc, LS (2)
• Gulf of Alaska: 2 Ops, Control Disc
• Northwest Pacific: Control Disc, LS (2)
• Midway Island: 1 Ops, Control Disc, Sub (4)
• Eastern Pacific: Control Disc, LS (2)
• Hawaiian Islands: 3 Ops, Control Disc, CV (4), HS (4), LS (4), Sub (4)
• South Pacific: Control Disc, LS (1)
• Line Islands: 1 Ops, Control Disc, HS (1)
• Northern Cook: Control Disc, CV (2)
• Samoa: 2 Ops, Control Disc, LS (4)
• Phoenix Islands: Control Disc, LS (3)
• Fiji: Control Disc, HS (3)
• Ellice Islands: 1 Ops, Control Disc, Sub (3)
• Gilbert Islands: HS (1)
• Nauru: Sub (2)
• New Hebrides: 1 Ops, Control Disc, LS (2)

Commonwealth (CW)

Economic Power: 20 (includes Calcutta, Noumea, Delhi, Sydney)

Strategic Power: 2 (Delhi, Sydney).

Controlled Territories: all Dark Blue Land Areas except Malay, Miri, and those occupied by Japanese units.

Allowable Builds: LS, Art, 3-Step Inf.

At Start Forces:

• Calcutta: Air (1)
• Dacca: Art (3)
• Rangoon: Tank (3), Inf (3)
• Brisbane: Tank (2)
• Sydney: Air (4)
• Darwin: Inf (1)
• Gili Gili: 1-Step Inf (1)
• Port Moresby: Inf (3)
• Noumea: Inf (3)
• Bay of Bengal: 2 Ops, Control Disc, 3-Step CV (1), 3-Step HS (2), LS (2), Sub (2)
• Andaman Sea: 1 Ops, Control Disc, LS (1)
• Ceylon Sea: Control Disc, 4-Step HS (1)
• Arafura Sea: 1 Ops, Control Disc, LS (1)
• Coral Sea: 5 Ops, Control Disc, LS (4), Sub (4)
• New Caledonia: 1 Ops
• Solomon Sea: 1 Ops

China

Economic Power: 20.

Strategic Power: 2 (Chungking, Burma Road).

Controlled Territories: all Purple Land Areas.

Allowable Builds: 1 Communist Art.

At Start Forces: (Nationalist unless noted otherwise)

• Yindiuan: two Communist 3-Step Inf (3)
• Xi’an: Communist 4-Step Inf (4)
• Yan’an: Air (3), Art (3), Tank (3), 4-Step Inf (4)
• Chungking: Air (3)
• Pujin: 3-Step Inf (3)
• Changsha: 4-Step Inf (4)
• Nanning: 3-Step Inf (3)
• Kunming: 4-Step Inf (4), two 3-Step Inf (3)

Japan

Economic Power: 50.

Strategic Power: 5 (Tokyo, Nanking, Truk, Singapore, Manilla).

Controlled Territories: All Orange plus DEI (Light Blue) Miri, Malay, Philippines, and Japanese Occupied Land Areas.

Allowable Builds: 3-Step Art, 3-Step Inf, 3-Step LS.

At Start Forces:

• Tokyo: 4-Step Inf (2)
• Hiroshima: 4-Step Inf (2)
• Jinzhou: 4-Step Inf (2)
• Peking: Art (3), 4-Step Inf (4)
• Nanking: 3-Step Air (3), Art (3), 2-Step Tank (2), 4-Step Inf (4)
• Shanghai: Art (3)
• Canton: 4-Step Inf (3)
• Hong Kong: 3-Step Air (1)
• Hanoi: 3-Step Tank (1), 4-Step Inf (3)
• Bangkok: 4-Step Inf (2)
• Vientiane: Art (1), 4-Step Elite Inf (3)
• Singapore: 3-Step Elite Air (3), Art (2)
• Batavia: 4-Step Elite Air (4), 4-Step Air (3), 3-Step Inf (2), 3-Step Inf (1)
• Iwo Jima: 3-Step Inf (1)
• Truk: 3-Step Inf (1)
• Eniwetok: 3-Step Inf (1)
• Kwajalein: 2-Step Inf (1)
• Juluit: 3-Step Inf (1)
• Majuro: 2-Step Inf (1)
• Tarawa: 3-Step Inf (3)
• Admiralty: 3-Step Inf (2)
• Wewak: 4-Step Air (4), 4-Step Inf (3)
• Rabaul: 3-Step Elite Inf (2)
• Japan Sea: 3 Ops, Control Disc, 4-Step LS (2)
• Yellow Sea: 2 Ops, Control Disc
• Eastern China Sea: 1 Ops, Control Disc

12.0 Campaigns

Remember to apply Surprise (11.1) for Campaigns starting in Fall 1941, and that US Production increases by 10 each Winter (4.2.2).

Play Note: We recommend that new players, particularly new Japanese players, play the Rising Swan Campaign before tackling the Orange Swan Campaign. Japan has the initial burden of attack, and their early success is crucial for a competitive game, so the Rising Swan Campaign starts with lower Strength Allied At-Start forces. Once mastered, players can move on to the Orange Swan Campaign.

1941: The Rising Swan

A full war Campaign, intended for newer players.

Starts: Fall 1941, Axis Naval Engagement Phase. (Note, Sea Control was updated immediately prior to the Campaign’s first turn to reflect the situation at the start of the war.)

Ends: End of Fall 1945 (unless early Victory is achieved, rule 8.4).

Supply: All Units are In Supply.

War Status: All Nations are at war, except DEI. The DEI unit starts deployed on the map (and applies Ops Discs, rule 5.0.3) but Axis units cannot attack or enter DEI Land Areas, or cross Staits or double-black-arrows bordering them, until DEI is at war. At the start of the Allied turn in Fall 1941, all DEI restrictions end.

Surprise: Japan has Surprise (11.1).

Force Pool Additions: as shown below (a year-track graphic in the printed rulebook marks the years in which units with a circled number are added to the Force Pools, see 3.2):

Setup: Use the 1941: Pearl Harbor Scenario setup including Japan’s starting Oceanic Blitz Disc (but not the “Where are the carriers?” Special Scenario rule).

1941: The Orange Swan

The main full war Campaign, intended for experienced players. Runs from Fall 1941 to Fall 1945. Use the 1941: Pearl Harbor Scenario setup except that every Allied unit (Naval, Air, and Ground) that starts on the map at 1-Step in the 1941: Pearl Harbor Scenario instead starts at 2-Steps in the Orange Swan Campaign (except the single Step Hong Kong garrison). All other setup rules from 1941: The Rising Swan Campaign apply (Start and End dates, Supply, War Status, Surprise, Force Pool Additions, Japan’s starting Oceanic Blitz, and no “Where are the carriers?” rule).

1942: Turning the Tide

This Campaign skips the initial turns of Japanese expansion, and assumes roughly historical progress. It runs from Spring 1942 to Fall 1945.

Starts: Spring 1942, with Axis Production Phase.

Ends: End of Fall 1945 (unless early Victory is achieved, rule 8.4).

Supply: All Units are In Supply.

War Status: All Nations are at war.

Force Pool Additions: as shown below (a year-track graphic in the printed rulebook marks the years in which units with a circled number are added to the Force Pools, see 3.2):

Setup: Follow the 1942: Midway to Gaudalcanal Scenario setup.

Special Victory Condition: In addition to the standard Victory Check conditions (8.4) Japan wins immediately if, at the end of any Allied turn in 1942, they control Attu, Midway, and Port Moresby, and they maintain 5 Strategic Power (4.2.5).

13.0 Global Campaigns

In Global campaigns, players who own both Orange Swan (OS) and Black Swan (BS) can combine both games and play the full war. Players begin the Gobal Campaign with Black Swan, starting with either the 1939 or 1941 Campaign, setting up and playing per the standard Black Swan rules. When the Black Swan campaign reaches the beginning of the Fall 1941 turn, setup and play Orange Swan simultaneously and side-by-side with Black Swan. The following rules allow for structured interaction and combined victory conditions for the Global Campaign.

13.1 The Golden Rule

Play each game by its own game rules. There are some subtle differences between the games and to help players remember them, we’ve included a summary of the rule differences below (see 14.0). The only changes to the OS or BS rulesets for the Global Campaign are listed in this section (13.0).

13.2 Inter-Theater Transfer of Forces

Starting in Winter 1942, the US and Commonwealth/UK (only) can Transfer units from one theater (game) to the other during the Production Phase. Each unit Transferred costs 5 PP from each theater (so 10 PP total per unit) paid by the owning Nation. Additional conditions apply:

• The Transfer cost is paid after the “Reinforce Units” step, and the units are Transferred (physically moved) at the end of Production.
• Marines and Airborne Units cannot Transfer.
• Transferred units must be full strength.
• Units cannot move or SM on the turn of Transfer.
• Only one unit per Allied turn may be Transferred.
• Naval Units must start and end the Transfer in a Sea Zone restricted to the Allies, from US Coastal Waters or Indian Ocean to US Coastal Waters or Indian Ocean in the other theater (Coastal Waters direct to Indian Ocean and vice versa is okay).
• Ground and Air Units can only Transfer across the US (from the USA Space in BS to the USA Space in OS or vice versa). This includes CW units, who will need to SM to the US on a prior turn.
• Units can Transfer back using the same rules and costs.
• Units destroyed after Transfer go back to the Force Pool of their original theater and once rebuilt may be transferred again (for an additional cost).
• For clarity, Transfer does not cost SM, and units cannot Transfer between Sea Zones of the same game (no Transfer from OS Indian Ocean to OS US Coastal Waters, for example). Note, Transfer of PP is not allowed, except as described in the Arctic Lend Lease Optional Rule below.

13.3 US Entry into the War

Note that US forces enter in the Fall 1941 turn in Orange Swan, but do not enter Black Swan until Winter 1942, as per standard rules. This reflects that the US didn’t have time to materially increase its impact on the European theater during the last three weeks of December.

13.4 Global Campaign Victory Check

At the end of each turn (two per season, at the end of the Axis and Allied turns) perform each game’s respective Victory Check:

• If the Allies have won Total Victory in both theaters (OS and BS), they win immediate Global Total Victory.
• If the Axis won Total Victory in either theater, they win immediate Global Total Victory.
• The war cannot go beyond the Fall 1945, so if no Side has achieved a Global Victory by then, it is an Axis Marginal Victory. Note, Economic and Strategic Victory Conditions do not apply to the Global Campaign.

13.5 Global Campaign Optional Rules

The rules for unit and Production exchanges for the Global Campaign are deliberately limited. Each game was designed to be tightly balanced on its own and allowing unfettered transfers from one theater to the other could imbalance the campaign. Players are of course free to explore the optional rules below (or create their own house rules) to further increase interaction between the games.

13.5.1 Unlimited Transfers: The Allies are free to Transfer any number of units each Allied Production Phase, at normal cost and restrictions per 13.2.

13.5.2 Rapid Transfers: Transferred units are free to move, Engage, or SM the turn of their Transfer (using an SM from the theater they just arrived in).

13.5.3 Permanent Transfers: When a Transferred unit is destroyed, it may enter the Force Pool (and later be rebuilt at normal cost) in the theater where it was destroyed, or its original theater (owner’s choice).

13.5.4 Extended Soviet-Japanese Border Conflict: Before the Spring 1941 turn, Japan may elect to designate up to four Ground and/or Air units from their starting setup (not Force Pool) for a limited attack on the Soviet Union. Japan’s force must include at least two different unit Classes and not more than two units of any Class. The designated Japanese force may be placed in the Soviet Union on the OS map and will fight a single round of Combat against the three Soviet full-strength Elite Artillery units that setup in Molotov, Kazan, and Kuybyshev. The terrain for this Combat is considered clear, with the Soviets defending, so Unopposed (and Elite) Hit Bonuses apply (but not Surprise). There will be no retreat by either Side.

After the single round of Combat, replace units involved to their respective starting locations at their newly reduced Strength (or their Force Pool if destroyed). Losses to these units cannot be reinforced (or rebuilt) until Summer 1941 for the Soviet Union and Winter 1942 for Japan.

Designer Note: The Extended Soviet-Japanese Border Conflict optional rule allows players to explore a hypothetical Japanese decision to abandon the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact signed on April 13, 1941, and provide limited support for Germany’s invasion of Russia (Operation Barbarossa). It’s a gamble, to be sure, but weakening the Elite Siberian forces that help rescue Moscow in the winter of 1941 might be enough to turn the tide in Europe. It might also, though, cripple Japan’s own ambitions. If this rule is used, it is strongly recommended that the Monsoon Group and Artic Lend Lease rules are also used to compensate the Japanese player for their efforts and/or mitigate a massive Soviet defeat.

13.5.5 Monsoon Group: Once Japan enters the war, Germany must provide 1 PP per Axis Production Phase to Japan, reducing their own PP accordingly. This reflects the historic exchange of strategic materials and technology between the Axis powers using U-Boats and submarines. Alternatively, the Axis players can agree on a higher amount, but once set it cannot be changed.

13.5.6 Artic Lend Lease: Each Allied Production Phase, the US can transfer multiples of 10 PP to the Soviet Union, using US PP from both OS and BS in any combination. The Soviet player rolls two dice for each 10 PP committed (just one die if Narvik is Axis Controlled) and receives the number of PP rolled (ten PP if 11 or 12 are rolled).

Designer Note: Lend Lease is already factored into the core economic system, and most Lend Lease was carried out over the safer but slower Pacific or Persian routes, but this optional rule allows for additional US “investment” in the faster, but riskier, Arctic route.

1939: Danzig to Hiroshima

The full Global Campaign for the entire war. Set up Black Swan according to the 1939: Rise and Fall of the Black Swan campaign and play through the end of the Summer 1941 turn. Then setup the 1941: Orange Swan campaign, and play the games together, using the Global Campaign rules and Victory Conditions.

1941: Waking the Giants

A Global Campaign that begins as the US enters the war. Set up Black Swan according to the 1941: Barbarossa to Berlin campaign and play through the end of the Summer 1941 turn. Then setup the 1941: Orange Swan campaign, and play the games together, using the Global Campaign rules and Victory Conditions.

14.0 Swans of a Different Feather

Following are the key rules differences between Orange Swan and Black Swan. This section does not include rules unique to each game (for example Vichy France in Black Swan or the Burma Road in Orange Swan). Instead, we highlight core rules both games share, but that differ in their details (for example Strategic Warfare exists in both games but is handled differently). We’ve also taken the opportunity to clarify a few FAQ’s from Black Swan. Numeric rules referenced are provided for each game’s own rulebook.

14.1 Declaration of War and Surprise

In OS there is no Declaration of War step. The only Nation whose War Status changes is DEI, as described in the Setup of some Scenarios and Campaigns. Surprise in OS is a Scenario and Campaign special rule for Japan, that benefits all unit types (11.1). In BS, there is a Declaration of War Phase (1.1) and Surprise (the +1 Hit Bonus for Ground an Air Units only, as described in 1.1) applies whenever a Nation declares war on another.

14.2 Supply Lines and Reinforcement

In OS, Supply (and eligibility for Reinforcement, 4.5.6) can only be traced through Controlled Sea Zones, but it doesn’t require the presence of Naval Units (4.1.2). In BS, Supply can be traced through Contested Sea Zones, but a Naval Unit is required in each Sea Zone (1.2). For BS Campaigns only, units cannot be Reinforced if tracing through Contested Sea Zones (9.0).

14.3 Garrisons

In OS, it is not necessary to Garrison Strategic or Production areas. In BS, to avoid PP loss, Garrisons are required in Strategic and Production Areas, as well as Capitals and certain other areas (1.4).

14.4 Strategic Warfare

In OS, Units not Steps are counted (4.3) for both Air and Naval Strategic Warfare, whereas for BS, Steps are counted (1.5).

14.5 Opposition Discs

In OS, one Ops Disc is applied by a Garrisoned Port and two Ops Discs are applied by a Garrisoned Strategic Area (5.0.2 and 5.0.3). In BS, a single Ops Discs is applied by Controlled (but not necessarily Garrisoned) Islands and Strategic Areas (2.2).

14.6 Naval (and Land) Combat Phases

Clarification: In both OS and BS, the general Firing order of units is the same, as described in additional detail in OS (5.3.1 for Naval Combat and 6.4.1 for Land Combat). Obviously, though, there are no Fort Units in OS.

14.7 Naval Support Fire for Assaults

In OS, HS Units roll one die and CV Units roll two dice for Naval Support of an Amphibious Assault, and Support Fire is limited to four Naval Units (6.1.7). In BS, only HS units provide Support Fire, one die each, with no limit (3.1.2).

14.8 Combined Ops

In OS, there is no rule for Combined Ops, thus no way to cancel the effects of a river or mitigate the reduction to Combat Strength for Assaulting units (except for US Marines). In BS, Combined Operations can reduce the negative impacts of attacking across rivers and double-black-arrows, as well as Seaborne Operations (3.1.3).

14.9 Air Unit Range

In OS, Japanese Air Units have a range of three (9.2) and Allied Air Units have variable range (9.3 and 9.4). In BS, all Air Units have a range of two (3.2).

14.10 Strategic Movement

In OS, Ground and Air Units can SM through Contested Sea Zones and each unit only uses a single Strategic Movement Point (SMP, see 6.3). In BS, Sea Zones must be Controlled to SM through (3.4) and there are multiple Bodies of Water (2.0.1) which could result in a unit using more than one SMP (3.4).

14.11 Retreat After Combat

Clarification: In both OS and BS, Retreat After Combat occurs immediately after each individual Combat is resolved (not after the entire Combat Phase).

14.12 Retreat Priorities

Clarification: In both OS and BS, Retreat Priorities are the same, as described in more detail in OS (6.5.1, step 4). In short, only count Steps for the first highest tied Unit Class – if still tied at that point the Attacker retreats.

14.13 Retreat by Sea

In OS, Air Units Retreating after a failed Amphibious Assault can fly home and don’t require Sea Transport (they still take the automatic hit per Sea Zone, see 6.5.3). In BS, Air Units Retreating from a failed Assault require Naval Units to carry them (3.6.1.b) but that is changed here. No longer do Air Units retreating from a failed Assault in BS require Naval Units to carry them (unlike OS, though, units in BS are still limited to a single Sea Zone for Retreat by Sea.) Finally, note that in BS, like OS, a Naval Unit used for Strategic Movement cannot also provide Assault Transport or Retreat by Sea in the same Land Phase.

14.14 Blitz Phase

The Blitz Phases in the two games are quite different. In OS there are two different types of Blitz Disc: Oceanic and Continental (see 7.0). The Oceanic Blitz allows a double Naval Phase, which doesn’t exist in BS. In BS, a Blitz Disc grants a second Land Phase but is specific to an individual Front (see 4.0).

14.15 Unit Surrender

In OS, only surrendering Allied units provide PP to the enemy (8.2). In BS, all units do (5.2). Note, in both games the PP awarded is per unit not per Step.

14.16 Weather

In OS, Monsoons occur in Summer and impact only Spaces marked with the Monsoon icon. In BS, Bad Weather occurs in Fall (Mud) and Winter (Snow) in the Western and Eastern Fronts. The impact of weather varies between games and is described in their Special Rule sections, 9.1 for OS and 6.5 for BS.