AirWar: Pacific! Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Introduction
  • Parts of an Airwar Card
  • Attack Values
• Section I: Overview
  • Airwar Pacific! Card Types
  • Aircraft Attack Value Guide
• Section II: Beginning the Game
  • Basic Card Setup
• Section III: Turn Sequence
  • Mobilization Stage
  • Airbase Stage
    • Attack Phase
    • Intercept (Defense) Phase
    • Combat Phase
    • Damage Allocation Phase
  • Carrier Stage
• Section IV: Damage Effects
  • Resource Attack
    • Industry Card
    • Convoy Card
  • Airbase Attack
  • Carrier Attack
  • Airbase / Carrier Capacity
• Section V: Specialty Card Types
  • Elite Aircraft
  • War and Battle Cards
• Section VI: Order of Play
  • Beginning a Game
  • Turn Sequence
    • Mobilization Stage
    • Airbase Stage
    • Carrier Stage
    • End of Turn
• FAQs
• Misprints
• Optional Rules

Introduction

Airwar Pacific! is an exciting two player card game recreating the thrilling World War II aerial combat of the Pacific. Defeat your opponent by attacking targets on land, sea, and in the air, while making sure to protect your own resources! Airwar Pacific!'s most important rule is to have fun!

The next two graphics give information on the anatomy of an Airwar Card and the different types of cards you will find in Airwar Pacific!.

Parts of an Airwar Card

• Type of card: Fighter card (aircraft, shown as "Fighter Card" in the card header).
• Country: Shown in the top right of the card header (for example RAAF).
• Attack values: Air to Air, Bombing, Carrier and Convoy attack values, shown in the attack value bar.
• Defense: The amount of damage a card requires to be destroyed.
• Based: Displays what type of card the aircraft may be deployed from (Airfield, Carrier, or both).
• Historical information: Short description and/or history of the card.
• Special ability: Unique characteristics added to some cards that affect gameplay.

Attack Values

• Air to Air: Amount of damage dealt when attacking Aircraft Cards.
• Bombing: Amount of damage dealt when attacking an Airbase Card or the Industry Card.
• Carrier: Amount of damage dealt when attacking a Carrier Card.
• Convoy: Amount of damage dealt when attacking the Convoy Card.

Section I: Overview

Object of the Game: The object of Airwar Pacific! is to reduce your opponent's Industry Card value to zero, representing an inability to continue to sustain a war effort. If a point arrives in the game where no more action can take place, the player with the highest remaining Industry Card value is the victor. As there are both strategic and tactical considerations in Airwar Pacific!, simply attacking the Industry Card every turn is not necessarily the quickest path to victory.

Equipment: Airwar Pacific! is divided into two decks: Axis and Allied. Future add-on expansion decks will also be made available, to be added to the base deck with certain restrictions. Each side must have a minimum of 41 cards, including the Industry Card and Convoy Card.

Gameplay Overview: This section serves only as a very general guideline for gameplay in Airwar Pacific!. Each turn in Airwar Pacific! has distinct stages: the Mobilization Stage, the Airbase Stage, and the Carrier Stage. Both Airbase and Carrier Stages are comprised of four nearly identical sub-phases: ATTACK, INTERCEPT, COMBAT, AND DAMAGE ALLOCATION. During the Mobilization Stage two new cards are drawn, any landed aircraft are returned to the player's hand, and AIRBASES, CARRIERS and WAR CARDS can be laid down and put into play. Deployment of bases and carriers affects how many aircraft may operate during any given turn, but also exposes them as potential targets to the enemy.

During the ATTACK PHASE of either the Airbase or Carrier Stage a player creates a special attack mission hand (distinct from the main hand) and begins a raid upon enemy objectives. The defending player then has an opportunity during the INTERCEPT PHASE to scramble fighters in response to the incoming threat. The air battle is resolved during the COMBAT PHASE, and any destroyed planes are discarded. All attacking aircraft that survive combat are then considered to arrive safely on target, and dole out damage in the DAMAGE ALLOCATION PHASE. All aircraft must then return and land at an available airbase or carrier. Also, all operations during the Carrier Stage must take place from carriers at sea unless attacking an Airbase, reflecting the unique nature of the conflict in the Pacific during WWII.

Airwar Pacific! Card Types

Also see Section V: Specialty Card Types.

• Aircraft Cards
• Elite Aircraft Cards
• Airbase Cards
• Carrier Cards
• War Cards
• Battle Cards
• Resource Cards (Industry and Convoy)

Aircraft Attack Value Guide

All aircraft can operate from Airbases, but only aircraft highlighted as "Carrier Capable" aircraft may operate from a Carrier.

• When attacking an Aircraft Card use the Air to Air attack value to deal damage to the enemy.
• When attacking an Airbase Card use the Bombing attack value.
• When attacking a Carrier Card use the Carrier attack value.
• When attacking the Industry Card use the Bombing attack value.
• When attacking the Convoy Card use the Convoy attack value.

Section II: Beginning the Game

Both players place their Industry and Convoy Cards face UP in front of them. The Industry Card begins the game with a value of 60 points. The Convoy Card begins the game with a value of 15.

The Axis player mobilizes (enters a card into play from his hand) the LAE Airbase, face up.

The Allied player mobilizes the Midway Airbase, face up.

Both players shuffle their own side's deck and draw the top seven cards, putting aside the remaining card pile.

The Axis player always begins play first, following the turn sequence outlined in the next section.

Basic Card Setup

• Airbase Card: LAE (or Midway) Card.
• Resource Cards: Industry Card and Convoy Card.
• Players Card Hand (7 cards to start).

Section III: Turn Sequence

Each round consists of two turns, one for Axis and one for the Allies. Each turn uses the following order:

Mobilization Stage

The player draws two new cards from his deck (occurs in all turns except for the first).

Any aircraft cards currently stationed at an Airbase Card or Carrier Card or available Battle Cards are returned to the player's hand.

The player may choose to mobilize (place into play) any Airbase Cards, Carrier Cards or War Cards and they remain face up and in play until they are destroyed or the end of the game is reached. Such cards may also be kept within the player's hand and not mobilized until a subsequent turn, if desired. Airbase, Carrier and War Cards may not be mobilized at any other time apart from the Mobilization Stage.

Airbase Stage

Any aircraft may operate from an Airbase. The Airbase and Carrier Stages follow the same phase order:

Attack Phase

The attacking player either passes or launches an attack from an Airbase (or Carrier if during the Carrier Stage). The attacking player first announces his target. He can choose to attack the Resource Cards, an Airbase or a Carrier.

The player creates an Attack Mission hand comprised only of Aircraft Cards and which is separated from the main hand. The attacker can use as many Aircraft Cards as his total capacity from all bases allows for the Attack Mission. Since the attacker should not have any Aircraft Cards currently landed at the start of this phase, total capacity is simply adding up all the operations capacity for all mobilized airbases. This number represents how many Aircraft Cards may be used. There are no other restrictions as to how many aircraft may be used, but any deployed aircraft will not be available again for one full round (meaning they cannot Intercept during the opponent's attack phase!).

The player then temporarily sets aside all remaining cards, announces how many cards are in the Attack Mission, and holds the hand in such a way that the defending player cannot see the card values.

Intercept (Defense) Phase

The defending player either passes (allowing the incoming raid to pass unharmed) or chooses to Intercept. The defending player creates an Intercept Hand consisting of Aircraft Cards numbering up to but not exceeding capacity from all Airbases (or Carriers if defending during Carrier Stage). To determine what the available capacity is, simply add the operations capacity for each mobilized airbase (or Carrier during Carrier Stage) and then subtract any landed (attached) Aircraft Cards. The result will be the available capacity.

If intercepting, the player decides which aircraft will be used. If during the Airbase Stage the attacker targets an enemy Carrier then and only then is the defender allowed to use Carrier Operations Capacity in addition to his Airbase capacity. Each Aircraft Card used to intercept counts against the available capacity. However if an Aircraft Card is destroyed in combat, the available capacity is not affected. All intercepting aircraft must have an Air to Air attack value of at least 1. Any aircraft cards that are currently landed at an Airbase or Carrier (because they were used in an earlier Attack Mission) are not available for use and once the attack is over the defender must have room to attach his surviving Aircraft Cards on to his airbases.

The defending player places down the first intercepting Aircraft Card with its face visible to both players. The defending player then plays any card from his Intercept Hand and selects and draws any one Attack Mission Card from the opponent's hidden hand, placing it next to his own played card. Combat ensues between the two cards as per the Combat Phase instructions.

Fighter cards in this Intercept Hand do not have to be utilized if the defending player so chooses. However any unused cards must still "land" by being placed on their respective airbase or carrier card after the damage allocation sub-phase.

Combat Phase

Compare the Air to Air attack values to the Defense values of both the Attacking and Intercepting cards to one another. Combat between the two cards occurs simultaneously. If an Air to Air value is greater than or equal to the Defense value of the opposing card, the opponent is destroyed and the aircraft card discarded. It is possible that two cards may eliminate one another if both Air to Air attack values are greater than or equal to the corresponding Defense values of the opposing card.

If an aircraft card is not destroyed during combat it remains in play face up and visible to both players. These cards (if any) that survived the engagement are now face up and considered scouted and are subject to a penalty of a -1 modifier to its Defense value if attacked.

The loser of the engagement plays next and may elect to strike his opponent's now scouted card (subject to its -1 Defense penalty), to pass his turn or, if he is the defender, to intercept a new Attack Mission card from his opponent's hidden hand (not subject to any penalties).

If neither player loses a card, or if both aircraft in combat are lost, then the defender may choose to intercept a new Attack Mission card, to attack a previously scouted (if one is visible) card(s), or to pass and let the rest of the raid pass unharmed.

Combat continues until the defender elects not to intercept again, runs out of Intercept Mission cards, or runs out of available capacity to attach to his Airbase or Carrier cards.

At any time during the Combat Phase either player may place down Battle Cards from their original hand (still held aside) that affect the results of any cards that are engaged in combat. Some Battle Cards are immediately discarded after a single use, while others are attached to aircraft cards and returned to the hand at the beginning of the player's next turn (see text on individual cards for details).

Damage Allocation Phase

After the Combat Phase is resolved, the attacker then places down any remaining cards from his Attack Mission hand, combining them with any cards that survived combat and are currently scouted. All of these Aircraft Cards are considered to arrive safely to their objective and deal damage to their selected target. For specific details about how damage affects the opponent, view Section IV: Damage Effects.

If targeting the Resource Cards, multiple aircraft cards that were on an Attack may then split up and divide themselves between the opponent's Industry Card and Convoy Card if the attacker so wishes.

After damage allocation, all aircraft cards in play by both the attacker and defender (including any unused cards from an Intercept Mission hand) must then land at an Airbase if used during the Airbase Stage or to a Carrier if used in the Carrier Stage, whereupon the stage ends.

Carrier Stage

Normally a Carrier must be mobilized in order to participate in the Carrier Stage either offensively or defensively, and it has exactly the same order as the Airbase Stage: Attack, Intercept, Combat, and Damage Allocation.

Only aircraft highlighted as Carrier Capable may operate from Carriers, and must return to one at the end of their sortie. Aircraft that were flown during the Airbase Stage are not available for use and must remain attached to Airbases. If during the Carrier Stage the attacker targets an Airbase then and only then is the defender allowed to use Airbase Operations Capacity in addition to his Carrier capacity. (E.g. Defending Airbases can launch land based fighters to defend itself.) Otherwise if the Attacker targets the Resource Cards or an enemy Carrier, land base fighters cannot be used.

IMPORTANT! Carrier launched bombers flying during this stage have their Carrier Attack and Convoy Attack values DOUBLED.

There are a select few specialized aircraft that may defend during the Carrier Stage even though they can only operate from an Airbase (this capability is indicated on the Special Ability section of the card). The completion of the Carrier Stage signifies the end of a player's turn.

Section IV: Damage Effects

Resource Attack

Industry and Convoy Cards represent the ability of the enemy to sustain a war effort on a long term basis and to keep supplies moving.

Industry Card

Your ultimate goal is to reduce your opponent's Industry Card value to zero, signifying the war's end. When successfully attacked, sum all of the arriving aircraft cards' Bombing values and reduce this total from the Industry Card's value, using a coin or other such indicator along the scale.

Convoy Card

Shipping convoys are also an important aspect of the war machine, and can be particularly vulnerable to attack. A Convoy Card begins with a value of 15 and when it reaches zero its owner must:

• Discard any two of his cards
• Reduce his Industry Card's value by 4 points
• Reset his Convoy Card value to 15

When a player's Convoy Card is reset, they may discard any mobilized airbase, carrier, or landed aircraft, as well as any cards in their hand. The Convoy Card can only be attacked by aircraft that have a Convoy Attack value.

Carrier Capable aircraft that are launched during the Carrier Stage have their Convoy Attack value DOUBLED.

If the Convoy Card has damage allocated to it that exceeds the total number of 15 points, the card is reset and any points above and beyond 15 are disregarded.

The Convoy Card is then reset to "0" for the next turn, along with the listed penalties associated with it.

Airbase Attack

Airbases are vital in Airwar Pacific! as they control the amount of aircraft that can operate during the Airbase Stage for both the attacker and defender, subject to Capacity limits. Eliminating Airbase Cards can quickly reduce the ability of your enemy to fight back, though they are not easy targets to destroy.

When an Airbase Card is attacked, total the Bombing attack value of any aircraft cards that arrive on target. An Airbase Card is wiped out if it receives damage greater than or equal to its Defense value in one attack. Damage is not cumulative over multiple turns. Any War Cards attached to a destroyed Airbase are immediately discarded. If any Aircraft Cards are attached to an Airbase when it is destroyed, then the player must choose 1 of these cards and discard it immediately. Any remaining cards are placed back into the player's hand.

If an Airbase card is destroyed while the Intercepting player still has an intercepting card with no where to land, then the card is returned to the player's hand.

Carrier Attack

When a Carrier is attacked, total the Carrier Attack value of any enemy Aircraft Cards that arrive on target.

IMPORTANT! If the attacking aircraft are launched from a Carrier (e.g. during the Carrier Stage) their Carrier Attack values are DOUBLED.

A Carrier Card is sunk if it receives damage greater than or equal to its Defense value in one attack (damage is not cumulative). If any Aircraft Cards are attached to a Carrier when it is destroyed, then the player must choose 1 of these cards and discard it immediately. Any remaining cards are placed back into the player's hand.

If an Carrier card is destroyed while the Intercepting player still has an intercepting card with no where to land, then the card is returned to the player's hand.

Airbase / Carrier Capacity

Aircraft launched from an airbase (counted against airbase capacity) on an attack mission or for intercept must land at an airbase after use. Aircraft launched from a carrier (counted against carrier capacity) on an attack mission or for intercept must land at a carrier after use. Land-based aircraft may only launch and land at airbases. Carrier-based aircraft may launch and land at either airbases or carriers.

Aircraft Cards may only be used once per turn unless otherwise dictated by its Special Ability (i.e. A6M2 Tainan Wing).

A land-based fighter with the special ability "Patrol: May intercept from Airbase during opponent's Carrier Stage" such as the P-400 must land at an airbase even if it intercepted during the Carrier stage.

Section V: Specialty Card Types

Elite Aircraft

Elite Aircraft Cards are used like normal Aircraft Cards but represent certain squadrons that had a major impact in at least one or more battles during World War II. All Elite Aircraft Cards have a Special Ability, identified directly on the card.

War and Battle Cards

War Cards are put in play during the Mobilization Stage, at which point they are always visible, and have effects that last for the duration of the game until countered and/or destroyed. War Cards once they are mobilized can not be moved to another Airbase, Carrier, or Resource Card. If the object card to which the War Card is attached is eliminated, then the War Card is also considered lost.

Battle Cards can be played at any time during the Combat Phase of either the Airbase or Carrier Stage, and have an effect for only a single combat encounter. Battle Cards are usually discarded after one use.

Section VI: Order of Play

This section lists the steps involved in a single turn of Airwar Pacific!

Beginning a Game

• Set Industry counter to 60 and Convoy counter to 15
• Each player places down Lae or Midway Airbase
• Shuffle each deck and draw top 7 cards
• Axis player goes first then Allied

Turn Sequence

Mobilization Stage

• Draw 2 cards (except on the first turn)
• Aircraft or Battle cards are returned to player's hand
• Mobilize Airbase, Carrier, or War Cards

Airbase Stage

• Announces target (Resource Cards, Carrier, or Airbase Cards)
• Create Attack Mission hand adhering to capacity rules
• Defending player either passes or chooses to intercept
• Defending player places down (face up) first intercepting card, adhering to capacity rules
• Defending player chooses one card from Attack Mission
• Combat Occurs
• Repeat until Defending player either has no more cards to intercept with, or decides to let the Attack Mission through
• Damage Allocation
• All Aircraft Cards return to land at either Airbase or Carrier

Carrier Stage

• Same steps as Airbase Stage

End of Turn

FAQs

Q: Is there a limit to the number of identical cards that a player may collect and use in his decks?

A: Nope. A limit of identical cards should be agreed upon by the players.

Q: Can Bomber cards defend during the intercept phase?

A: No. Only aircraft cards with an Air to Air value of 1 or greater can be used to defend.

Q: Is there a limit to how many Aircraft cards can be used for an Attack?

A: Yes. To understand how many cards can be used in an Attack you simply add up the Operations Capacity values for ALL of your Mobilized Airbases. This total capacity represents how many Aircraft cards can be used. Follow the same rules for Carrier attacks but instead add up the Operations Capacity for all mobilized Carriers.

Q: What does mobilized mean?

A: The card has been placed down and can be used. Airbases, Carriers, and War cards get mobilized.

Q: How do Special Abilities work?

A: Here's some further explanation on Special Abilities.

May Intercept from Airbase during opponent's Carrier Stage: As long as total capacity is not reached by the defender then he may use this land based Aircraft card to intercept during the opponent's Carrier Stage.

Cannot be attacked once scouted: After this Aircraft card is used in combat, it then gets placed back at an airbase. This card cannot be attacked once it was involved in combat.

Must attack twice to sink: This card requires two turns (two attacks) to sink. The USS Yorktown was a tough carrier to sink, so it requires at least damage of 9 points on the first attack, and the second attack (subsequent turns) requires damage greater than or equal to 4 points to sink.

Para-Frag Card (1942 Expansion Deck): This card attaches to one of your own airbases and can only be destroyed if 'that' particular airbase is destroyed. As long as the base that the Para-Frag is attached to remains in play (not destroyed) any A-20, B-26, or B-25 can use the +4 airbase attack. This occurs even if the aircraft were based at a different airbase than the Para-Frag war card. Regardless of the number of aircraft attacking an enemy airbase, only ONE (A-20, B-26, or B-25) card may use the +4 base attack per turn.

Example: if two B-26Ds are attacking an airbase, the total airbase attack value is 4 (B-26 #1) + 4 (B-26 #2) + 4 (Para-Frag) = 12.

Heavy AAA Card (1942 Expansion Deck): This card "reduces the total attack on either Convoy or Industry card by 2." Heavy AAA can only be attached to the Convoy or Industry card, and cannot be attached or used to defend an Airbase.

Example: if three B-26Ds are attacking the Industry card, the total bombing attack value is 4 (B-26 #1) + 4 (B-26 #2) + 4 (B-26 #3) - 2 (Heavy AAA) = 10.

Q: What's the limit on the number of cards a player may have in his hand?

A: There is no limit on the number of cards a player may have in his hand.

Misprints

Convoy Card: The Convoy cards for both sides were misprinted. The correct language should be the following:

"IF RESET: DISCARD 2 CARDS, & SUBTRACT 4 POINTS FROM INDUSTRY"

Akagi Carrier: The special ability of this card should read:

"AIRCRAFT BASED ON AKAGI ALSO DOUBLE THEIR ATTACK VALUE WHEN ATTACKING AN AIRBASE."

Optional Rules

Indestructible Airbase: Players may implement a rule stating that the Lae and Midway Airbase cards cannot be destroyed. This will allow players to remain competitive in the game by always having at least a single airbase to be used.

Single Mobilization per turn: Players may only mobilize one card per turn during the Mobilization phase. This helps a player who has not drawn any airbase or carrier cards, while his opponent has multiple airbase or carrier cards from the start.