Empire of the Sun: The Pacific War 1941-1945

The game begins with players placing their units on the map. Japanese units are distinguished by their white (navy) and yellow (army) colors, while Allied units come in various colors representing different nations: blue and green for American, red for British, tan for Commonwealth (including Indian, Australian, and New Zealander units), orange for Dutch, and red and white for Chinese units. Headquarter units, identified by 'HQ' on their counters, are also placed. Some units have specific setup hexes indicated on their counters, while others show their turn of arrival as reinforcements. Ports and airfields, marked by blue and yellow icons respectively, are crucial features on the map for naval and air unit movement.

The primary objective for players in Empire of the Sun is to strategically outmaneuver their opponent to achieve victory conditions, which typically involve conquering key territories and weakening the enemy's resolve. For the Allied player, this means invading island after island in the Pacific, clearing the ocean, and eventually reaching the heart of Japan itself to force its surrender. The Japanese player, conversely, aims to defend their territories, inflict heavy losses on the Allies, and reduce the US Political Will to zero, which results in an instant victory for Japan. The game's complexity lies in balancing military operations with political and resource management.

A game turn in Empire of the Sun is structured into several distinct phases. It starts with the Reinforcement Segment, where units due to arrive as reinforcements are placed on the map. This is followed by the Replacement Segment, allowing players to bring back eliminated units or flip reduced units to their full strength. The Strategic Warfare Segment sees the Allied player performing strategic submarine and bombing attacks, which can affect the number of cards the Japanese player draws. Next is the Deal Strategy Cards segment, where each player draws a set number of cards from their respective decks. The core of the turn is the Offensives Phase, which includes Initiative Determination (deciding who plays first based on cards) and the Offensives Segment, where players alternate playing cards to activate units, move them, and conduct battles. This is followed by the Political Phase, where national status is checked for surrenders and the US Political Will is adjusted. The Attrition Phase then resolves supply issues, potentially reducing or eliminating out-of-supply units. Finally, the End of Turn Phase involves advancing the turn marker and performing other adjustments.

Victory in Empire of the Sun is determined by specific conditions that vary by scenario, but a central element is the US Political Will track. If the US Political Will drops to zero, the Japanese player immediately wins the game. Conversely, if the Allied player can maintain or increase the US Political Will while achieving other strategic objectives, they move closer to victory. The surrender of minor nations, influenced by territorial control, can also impact the US Political Will. Other victory conditions might include controlling specific key locations or achieving certain strategic milestones by a set turn, as outlined in the chosen scenario. The game can last from a few turns (yearly scenarios) to the full campaign (up to 12 turns, representing May-August 1945).

The game concludes when one of the players meets their victory conditions, or when the maximum number of turns for the chosen scenario has been completed. For the Japanese player, an immediate victory is achieved if the US Political Will track reaches zero. For the Allied player, victory typically involves a combination of factors such as controlling specific strategic locations, inflicting significant losses on the Japanese, and preventing the US Political Will from falling too low. If neither player achieves their victory conditions by the end of the final turn, the game's outcome is determined by comparing their respective scores based on controlled territories and other strategic achievements, as specified by the scenario rules.