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Trade War: Pacific Front
Fun Financial Games · 2020
3–6120–240 min12+ yrsStrategy
⚡ short answer
How do you play Trade War: Pacific Front?
The primary objective of Trade War: Pacific Front is to accumulate the most money by the end of the game. This is achieved through strategic trading of commodities between ports, managing player alignment with either the Axis or Allied powers, and successfully completing secret contracts that offer additional monetary rewards.
To find the best price for Trade War: Pacific Front, howtoplay.ro compares deals from Romanian shops every day.
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the rules in 60 seconds▶ auto · 1/6
🧩
01
Setup
Players are independent merchants in the Pacific Ocean during World War II, starting with commodities and cash.
The rules, step by step
Setup
Players begin as independent merchants in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. Each player starts with a set amount of oil, iron, gold, and cash. The game board displays various ports with either commodity supply (red) or demand (blue), along with their respective quantities. There are also market price and player alignment boards to track global and individual prices and allegiances.
Objective
The primary objective of Trade War: Pacific Front is to accumulate the most money by the end of the game. This is achieved through strategic trading of commodities between ports, managing player alignment with either the Axis or Allied powers, and successfully completing secret contracts that offer additional monetary rewards.
On your turn
A turn consists of several actions. First, a player navigates their ship across the map, paying one unit of oil for each route traversed. Movement is limited to once per turn. After moving, the player can choose to stop at a port to trade commodities. Trading involves buying from supply ports or selling to demand ports. The quantity of commodities at a port changes accordingly after each trade. Finally, the player must play an event card, which can alter prices, demand/supply, or introduce other game-changing effects.
Scoring
The price at which commodities are bought or sold is determined by three factors: the global market price (shown on the market price board), the local price indicator at the specific port (which can be adjusted by event cards), and the player's alignment with either the Axis or Allies. Trading with an Axis-aligned port shifts a player's alignment towards the Axis, and vice versa for Allied ports, affecting future trade prices. Players can also pay iron or gold to change any player's alignment by two spaces.
Game end
The game is structured into 9 years of war, divided into 10 rounds of trading. After every two years (two rounds), there is a 'pit phase' where players can buy and sell commodities directly among themselves. At the very end of the game, all remaining commodities held by players are sold. If there's a net positive demand for a commodity on the map, players with surplus can sell it at a penalty. If there's a net negative demand (surplus), players owing that commodity must buy it at a penalty. Finally, players receive bonus money for any contracts they successfully completed.
Tips
To maximize profits, players should carefully consider market prices, local port indicators, and their alignment when planning trade routes. Strategic movement and efficient resource management are crucial. The pit phase offers a unique opportunity for direct player interaction and negotiation, allowing players to fulfill urgent needs or offload surplus. Completing contracts provides significant bonus money, so players should prioritize these objectives throughout the game, adapting their strategies to the dynamic events of World War II.
🔬 game anatomy
Vibe
Strategy
Language dependence
Moderate text — a crib sheet helps
Play time
120–240 min
Players
3–6
Recommended age
12+ yrs
✨ from Trișache · verified
Frequently asked questions
Q1What is the goal of the game?
The primary objective of Trade War: Pacific Front is to accumulate the most money by the end of the game. This is achieved through strategic trading of commodities between ports, managing player alignment with either the Axis or Allied powers, and successfully completing secret contracts that offer additional monetary rewards.
Q2How do you set up the game?
Players begin as independent merchants in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. Each player starts with a set amount of oil, iron, gold, and cash. The game board displays various ports with either commodity supply (red) or demand (blue), along with their respective quantities. There are also market price and player alignment boards to track global and individual prices and allegiances.
Q3How does a turn work?
A turn consists of several actions. First, a player navigates their ship across the map, paying one unit of oil for each route traversed. Movement is limited to once per turn. After moving, the player can choose to stop at a port to trade commodities. Trading involves buying from supply ports or selling to demand ports. The quantity of commodities at a port changes accordingly after each trade. Finally, the player must play an event card, which can alter prices, demand/supply, or introduce other game-changing effects.
Q4How is scoring calculated?
The price at which commodities are bought or sold is determined by three factors: the global market price (shown on the market price board), the local price indicator at the specific port (which can be adjusted by event cards), and the player's alignment with either the Axis or Allies. Trading with an Axis-aligned port shifts a player's alignment towards the Axis, and vice versa for Allied ports, affecting future trade prices. Players can also pay iron or gold to change any player's alignment by two spaces.
Q5When and how does the game end?
The game is structured into 9 years of war, divided into 10 rounds of trading. After every two years (two rounds), there is a 'pit phase' where players can buy and sell commodities directly among themselves. At the very end of the game, all remaining commodities held by players are sold. If there's a net positive demand for a commodity on the map, players with surplus can sell it at a penalty. If there's a net negative demand (surplus), players owing that commodity must buy it at a penalty. Finally, players receive bonus money for any contracts they successfully completed.
Q6What tips are there for beginners?
To maximize profits, players should carefully consider market prices, local port indicators, and their alignment when planning trade routes. Strategic movement and efficient resource management are crucial. The pit phase offers a unique opportunity for direct player interaction and negotiation, allowing players to fulfill urgent needs or offload surplus. Completing contracts provides significant bonus money, so players should prioritize these objectives throughout the game, adapting their strategies to the dynamic events of World War II.
Q7How much does Trade War: Pacific Front cost?
No store is currently tracking Trade War: Pacific Front. Check the Prices tab — you can set a price alert to be notified when it appears.
Q8Where can I buy Trade War: Pacific Front cheapest?
Check the Prices tab — howtoplay.ro aggregates offers from 7+ Romanian board-game stores and tracks price history.
Q9How do you play Trade War: Pacific Front?
Trade War: Pacific Front is a economic game, for 3–6 players, taking ~120–240 minutes, featuring area movement. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about Trade War: Pacific Front — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q10How many players does Trade War: Pacific Front support?
Trade War: Pacific Front is played by 3–6 players.
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