Pacific War 1942: Solitaire
Pacific War 1942: Solitaire Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Board
On the map, there are four fronts that have advancement routes across the Pacific and Asia shown by lines connecting location circles and fortified pentagon locations on the route. Japanese BOT front armies attempt to advance into adjacent locations, by attacking the Allied front markers. The Allied player attacks Japanese occupied locations to push them back and advance along the routes.
There are 3 sea areas: Central Pacific, Southwest Pacific and Indian Ocean. Sea area control is shown by a Sea Area Control marker being Allied or Japanese. Front locations in sea areas are:
- India Front = Indian Ocean
- Southwest Front = Southwest Pacific
- Central Front = Central Pacific
- China Front = No Sea Area
The game board shows tables used for game play and Action Charts used by the Allied player and Japanese BOT.
Game Components and Set Up
The game markers represent armies, ships and game trackers. A six sided die is used to determine outcomes/choices and results.
Place Allied front markers in locations along the tracks in locations with double circles (Burma, Kunming, Port Moresby, and Midway). Place Japanese front markers in Rangoon, Chungking, Guadalcanal, and Tarawa. Place Japanese Sea Area Control markers in each sea area and the turn marker on turn 1. Allied Sea Area Control markers, Reserves, and Europe markers are not in play yet.
Sequence of Play Each Turn
- The Allied player rolls a die to determine how many Action Points (AP) are available based on the AP Chart.
- Using the AP available, the Allied player chooses the action or actions to play and complete.
- Roll a die to determine the Japanese BOT action to use for the turn and follow its instructions. Play/apply the BOT action.
- Advance the turn track 1 space. Begin a new turn and repeat the turn sequence.
Using Action Charts
The Allied player uses AP to play actions, the Japanese BOT does not use AP.
The Allied player can play 1 to 4 actions per turn based on the AP received. AP cannot be saved from turn to turn. It costs 1 AP to play 1 action. Actions are:
- Attack a Japanese front marker on a Front
- Attack Japanese Sea Area Control marker on 1 sea area
- Add 1 Reserve marker to a front
- Remove 1 Europe marker
- Flip a front marker from stalled to active
Japanese BOT actions are completed after the player actions are implemented. Roll 1 die and use the results on the Japanese Action Chart following its instructions.
Several Japanese actions can cause a "stalled" result to an Allied front. When this occurs flip the Allied front marker to its stalled side. Allied fronts in a stalled status may not advance/attack. It costs an action to remove the stalled status.
Resolving Land Front Attacks
Roll 1 die to resolve attacks and consult the Advance Result Chart.
Attacks on locations result in advances for the attacker or no results. For the Allied player advances, move their front army marker into the location and retreat the Japanese marker. For the Japanese BOT advances, move the Allied front army marker back one location and advance the Japanese marker. Attacks on fortified locations and locations in a sea area controlled by the defender apply a -1 die roll modifier (DRM) to the die roll result.
EXAMPLE: On the Southwest Pacific front the Allied player controls the Southwest Pacific sea area and attacks Guadalcanal from Port Moresby. On a die roll of 3, 4, 5, or 6 the Allied army front marker advances and occupies Guadalcanal and the Japanese retreats to New Guinea. On die rolls of 1 or 2 the attack fails and the Allied army marker does not advance. Had the sea area been controlled by the Japanese a -1 DRM would have been applied to the Allied attack die roll.
EXAMPLE: The Japanese BOT attacks the Allied front marker at Singapore on the India front, a fortified location. The Allies control the Indian Ocean sea area. Roll a die and apply a -1 DRM for the fortified location AND a -1 DRM for the Allied control of the sea area. On a roll of 5, or 6 the Allied front marker is pushed out of Singapore to Saigon and the Japanese front marker advances into Singapore.
Resolving Sea Area Ship Attacks
Attacks on ships on an opponent controlled sea area result in change in sea area control to the attacker or no result. Roll 1 die and if the attacker wins flip the sea area control marker from the opposing side to the attacker side.
EXAMPLE: The Japanese control the Southwest Pacific sea area. The Allies attack the Japanese ships and roll a die. On a 4, 5, or 6 the Allies win, flip the sea area control marker from the Japanese to the Allies. Had the die result been 1, 2, or 3 the Allied attack would cause no effect.
Allied Army Reserves
When reserves are added, place the marker under the front army marker on the front it is to be used. Limit 1 per front. A reserve may be used to re-roll a die on an attack of a location/fortified location (attacker or defender) on the front it is on. When used it is removed from play.
Japanese Army Reserves
These are put in play by flipping the Japanese front marker. When in play in a land location attacked by the Allies they cause a -1 DRM to the attack die roll. If the Allies win the attack and advance, retreat the Japanese front marker back a space and flip the marker to the non-reserve side.
Europe First Box
Place a Europe First marker in the Europe First Box when in play. Until the marker is removed, Allied attacks on the India and China fronts apply a -2 DRM.
How to Win
The game ends in 3 ways:
- The last game turn has been played.
- The Japanese win an instant victory at the end of a turn if they occupy 2 of the 4 Allied locations as follows: Australia, Hawaii, India, and China.
- The Atomic Bomb is Dropped on Japan.
Victory Calculation
Victory is calculated for the Allies as follows:
- Add 6 VP if Japan is occupied by the Allies.
- Add 3 VP if Singapore is occupied by the Allies.
- Add 1 VP for each location (other than double-circled locations, Allied flag locations, Japan, and Singapore) advanced/occupied along each front based on the furtherest location the Allied army marker occupies on the front.
- Add 1 VP for each sea area controlled by the Allies.
- Deduct 2 VP for each sea area controlled by the Japanese.
- Deduct 2 VP if the Europe marker is in play.
- Deduct 2 VP if the Atomic Bomb has not been dropped to reflect the Soviet invasion of Northern Japan.
Score
- 12 OR LESS = Japanese Win. Much of Asia will become part of the Japanese empire. If the score is 6 or less, the Americans will become an isolated nation and Great Britain will lose the war.
- 13 TO 18 = Draw. Japan and the Allies will negotiate a peace so the Allies can defeat Germany and contain Russia.
- 19 OR MORE = Allies Win. The historical result even after the Atomic Bomb was dropped.
Key Game Concepts
- The Allied player may attack the same location and front multiple times in a turn if RP are available.
- If the Japanese occupy the last location on a front move the Allied front marker outside of the location. The Allies may attack to recover the location in their turn.
- If a Japanese BOT action cannot be played ignore it.
- A reserve can be added and used in the same turn.
- Allied Reserves move with advancing fronts. They can be used to also re-roll a Japanese Attack die roll.
- Die Roll Modifiers (DRM) are cumulative.
- Location is considered occupied by the last front marker that advanced into or through it.
- Attacks on Japan apply a -2 DRM. Note, Japan is many islands, occupying Japan only means occupying a portion.
- Only 1 Allied front marker can occupy Japan. Japanese front markers may not occupy Japan while the Allies are occupying it. They are placed to the side of the Japan location and may attack on their fronts, including the Allied front marker occupying Japan.