Pacific War Unboxing | GMT Games | Wargame Historical Board Game | Mark Herman - World War 2

[@markherman50]

Best unboxing video I've seen in quite some time. I will share some information that you were guessing at. The backs of the counters is the unactivated versus the activated side. You use Command Points (logistics) to activate units. Units take individual hits which is what all the hit markers are for. If you have other questions, feel free to reach out.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks for the kind words, Mark! And thanks for clarifying those elements. I was particularly wondering about the backs of the counters; that makes total sense now. I'm going to enjoy the riding learning this. And thanks for the offer to help with questions, so far no issues, all is clear. :)

[@GromStal]

Thank you Mark for your GREAT work! EOTS is my favorite game, but Pacific War is an incredible level. Thank you!

[@66morningview]

I really appreciate your unboxing videos as you have obviously taken the time to do a bit of research and are able to explain to us a bit more about what we are seeing and how the game works. Rather than a lot of guys who are more like, "well here's a map, here's a player aid, here are some cards".....

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks for the kind words, Joseph! These are fun to make and I enjoy spending some time with the game before sitting down to make one. I'm always a bit cautious of saying too much without having played the game, but I think we can learn a lot by spending an hour or two with the rules and components before sitting down to shoot one of these, and it helps me get started on learning the game as well. :)

[@patrickols]

I got the original game back in the 80’s, played two campaign back then with it. It’s a massive game and it requires a lot of learning and time to play it. We played two vs two as the game is so massive and required so much attention it’s easier to separate the operations with two different commanders. It’s a amazing game to play

[@ZillaBlitz]

I'm hoping to get some time in with this in the fall, it's such an amazing game. Sounds like you've got a great time with the older one. :)

[@gmtpanzersoloproject8936]

Just started Twilight of the Gods. These are brilliant reads. They are a great suggestion for anyone attempting Herman's Pacific War. Great unboxing video! I appreciate the effort put into it. I just received the game and look forward to getting this on the table.

[@ZillaBlitz]

I think so too, yes. The overlap between the issues both sides struggled with and the mechanics in the game seems very strong. And I'm hoping the game helps give a new understanding of the history too. Two-way street sort of thing. :)

[@OldLadyPlays]

Excellent video. I'm really interested to watch you learn to play this, and see what you think of the different experiences between solo and 2P.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks! I'm thinking that the engagement level scenarios will make for some fun video creation opportunities, both to share the learning experience and improve an understanding of the game. I really am hoping sometime in 2022 to play this two player as well. As you've mentioned, the informational elements of the Pacific Theater were huge, and it would seem that two player is geared best to capturing that tension and drama. :)

[@thecustardprophet8434]

This looks an insane game. Up to 100h play time! Oh boy! Looks gorgeous though.

[@ZillaBlitz]

I think the 100 hours is a low end for the strategic game, but I'm more interested in the campaign scenarios of 3-30 hours. :)

[@davet010]

All I can say, Zilla, is that you are braver than I to pick this up. On the BGG forums, someone posted that Mark Herman dropped the solitaire rating for this one because so many games now come with solo bots or similar mechanisms, and this one doesn't. My wallet may not get away scot free though, because those Ian Toll books look really interesting, and the Pacific war is a big gap on my bookshelf.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Ah, that's interesting on the solitaire rating. I'll dig in and see. I'm confident I'll get my money's worth out of this, and can adapt some game elements for a fun solitaire experience. I do hope to be able to play this 2-player at some point in 2022 as well. :) ~ Those Ian Toll books are soooo good. Just loving them!

[@furrysharker]

What an impressive monster game! I confess that I would feel guilty buying a copy of this as I already have Mark's original Victory Games edition, which I never found the time to dig into.

[@ZillaBlitz]

It really is an impressive piece of gaming art. :) And yes, I think it requires a deep breath, and then you dive in. I started on the Engagement rules last night, just a couple of pages in so far.

[@turcochristian3469]

Thanks to Mister Herman, this game is a pure diamond!

[@ZillaBlitz]

The other thing to probably mention here is the incredible value. I mean, there are so many scenarios in this package, each one of them could be a stand-alone game.

[@mk20336]

Just got my box; this is huge and so beautiful!

[@ZillaBlitz]

Nice! Yes, for sure it it both of those things. So much to dig into and explore. :)

[@HissyCat]

I am looking to pick up this game and play solo, so thanks for talking about solo play.

[@ZillaBlitz]

I'm cautiously optimistic that this will be an enjoyable solo experience, yes. I'd love to dig into a couple of the campaign scenarios, they look like fabulous games. :)

[@alphanerdgames9417]

Amazing! I bought this game over 30 years ago when vg had it. It was my favorite.

[@ZillaBlitz]

It's got a long history, hasn't it. :) And this version is a significant upgrade over the original, too.

[@orbitalair2103]

has it been that long? geez, and mine is still unpunched.

[@dutchww]

This is a wonderful unboxing! It provides a very nice overview of the game and it makes it a bit less intimidating for me to start playing my own copy (solo). I would really appreciate it if you can show some solitaire gameplay anytime soon!

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks DutchWood! It was fun to make. I'm looking forward to working up from the engagement scenarios and those seem like they'd be fun to make some videos of. It will probably take some time, though, as I've got a list of projects to work on for the next couple of weeks. We'll get there, though. Best of luck learning the game, although it is a massive creation, I do feel like there is a clear and well defined learning path through the content. :)

[@martinsmith4711]

Informative reviews delivered by an immensely likeable enthusiast. First class work, Sir!

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks, Martin! Glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@coyi51]

Looks a really interesting game, in my case it's just too big, so I will have to content myself with watching on You Tube. Excellent and informative unboxing.

[@ZillaBlitz]

It definitely will require some space, for sure. Although the map footprint isn't big, the player aids probably end up taking up a good bit of space. :)

[@manders7868]

It's important to note that while you CAN use this to fight out the entire war, but it isn't really ideal for that. Herman himself has said so, and that his Empire of the Sun is much better for the strategic level. Pacific War is more of a toolkit/sandbox for playing out the operational scenarios. Agree about the Ian Toll books. They are great.

[@ZillaBlitz]

I think this is a really important point, yes. I kind of wished I had emphasized it a bit more in the unboxing, but it was getting long already. :) At some point it might be fun to do a comparison video of the two games.

[@manders7868]

@@ZillaBlitz I think a deep comparison of Pacific War & Empire of the Sun would be GREAT. And really like the content on your channel. I'm in the same boat, returning to board wargaming after a long hiatus.

[@ZillaBlitz]

I definitely want to get some hours in with both games before attempting a comparison, but they really are two games that where that sort of video would make a lot of sense. And thanks! It's been so much fun getting back into wargaming for me as well. Well, my wallet isn't super happy, but ... you can't take it with you. :)

[@RJLNetwork]

I was so happy to get this game. Looking forward to some Engagement Scenarios. BTW, Ian Toll's Trilogy is one of the best on the Pacifc War!

[@ZillaBlitz]

It's going to be a while before I can start, but I'm looking forward to learning the system and yes, playing the engagements. So much gaming in the box!

[@RJLNetwork]

@@ZillaBlitz Its not a game for the faint of heart. I had the original for many years but it got lost in the shuffle. I have even played the Strategic Scenario once and it was actually a blast even though it really is very difficult for the Japanese to win it. So what i did was to see how it long it would take before the Japanese lost the Strategic Initiative. He has added more Campaign scenarios into this edition which actually will let you fight the whole war in sections. Looking forward to seeing how you do and take your time.

[@ZillaBlitz]

That's impressive that you took on the Strategic Scenario, bucket list level accomplishment! I tend to enjoy complex yet well explained rulesets. I have a sense this will take time, for sure, but that it's going to be a manageable task because the rules are so solid. We'll see as we go forward! Thanks for the thoughts and ideas!

[@crapphone7744]

This looks like it has fascinating possibilities. Unfortunately for me my cats will want to play this game as well. Talk about a Divine Wind!

[@ZillaBlitz]

Katikaze! :)

[@jakebewsher6792]

Dude I loved your video. Was wondering if I should buy this as a Pacific War buff. Now I think I definitely will! Actually reading the Ian Toll trilogy right now myself! Best wishes from the UK.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks for the kind words, Jake! I'm about 1/4 of the way into the last Toll trilogy book now, and the game and the books are a great combination. If you do get the game, I hope you enjoy it!

[@robertmoffitt1336]

That's a great trilogy, did them all on Audible.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@ZillaBlitz]

Nice! A couple of friends and I are doing a mini-book club with them, and we're all really liking them. I'm in the Guadalcanal portion now and it's such an amazing story.

[@jackrussell3084]

For me John Tolland book is essential for understanding the choices as the Japanese saw it, other books will give you an understanding of how the allies saw it, but are 2 dimensional for the Japanese.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Oh, that looks fantastic, thanks. I've added it to my wishlist. I want to read some other things before reading more on the Pacific War and this looks fairly hefty at 976 pages. But it certainly looks outstanding, thanks for the recommendation. :)

[@jackrussell3084]

@@ZillaBlitz Please do. I can honestly say it was the first book that truely put me in the heads of the Japanese and helped me understand how they viewed their position in the world and their choices as they saw it..

[@crapphone7744]

So call me crazy but I think playing this solo and breaking out fast carriers or a similar game out for the tactical parts for crucial battles, squad leader or advanced squad leader for the land encounters could be a fun multi-year exercise. Maybe work in one of those solitaire submarine games to handle the submarine warfare affects.

[@ZillaBlitz]

That could be cool on many levels, yes. Just pick up a different game to play the smaller engagements. It would take … a while, but I could see this working with a lot of strategic games. It’d be fun to try, I’d need to retire first. :)

[@jeremyjones2754]

So tempted to buy this one, even for solitaire. I’d like to see how others store and sort the counters. I may buy it just for the effort involved in making this piece of art.

[@ZillaBlitz]

I'm cautiously optimistic that it's going to provide a solid solitaire experience, minus perhaps the knuckle-biting tension of carrier operations. Short of that, though, from a historical perspective, from a military exploration perspective, and from a fun gaming perspective, I'm quite hopeful that the single-player experience will be well worth it. I mean, it's hard to say without playing, of course, but there is so much in the box, and so much history captured, that I think it's going to provide hours of fun.

[@jeremyjones2754]

This is the second game your channel has gotten me to purchase now. Preordered from online game store with the newest Fire in the Lake bot cards. I’m playing Hill of Doves now from Legion Wargames, which I picked up after watching your video. Keep up the great work!

[@ZillaBlitz]

Oh, very cool! Not that I'm trying to sell stuff, mind you, but it's always good to hear if someone finds a game they can enjoy via the content. :) I was out of town last week and busy getting ready to go out of town the week before that, so I'm just getting around now to playing my first real game with Hill of Doves. (I got about 3 weeks of a learning game in before that.) I'd be curious to hear how both of these games go for you. :)

[@teecee5449]

Thanks for the great video. I bought the game, fully aware I might never play it (the full scenario’s) But I will study it. Will support my history learning experience on the area. Blown away by the component quality and detail. Even the DEI ships and planes are in, my link to the theater history, being Dutch…

[@ZillaBlitz]

Glad it was helpful, and I hope you enjoy the game! I think it's more accessible than its "monster game" myth. Sure, the full campaign game is a monster, but I think the three levels below that are pretty playable for mere mortals like most of us. And that's great that the Dutch forces are in the game, for sure! Thanks for stopping in!

[@ThymeKeeper]

I would guess the solitaire rating goes hand in hand with the complexity, which I don't necessarily dispute. but which I don't find really useful, I think we can assume solitaire suitability for a 9 complexity is not the same as for a 4, even if the solo ratings are the same.

[@ZillaBlitz]

That's something I hadn't considered, good point. I was more focused on the key role that information played in the campaigns, especially with ship and carrier combat. I'm sure I'll get a lot of value out of the game, and at the same time I'm curios to see how the solitaire components play out. :)

[@ThymeKeeper]

@@ZillaBlitz I didn't know about the screens and such. Might just be a challenge to work out a solo mode that works for me (or you, or anyone).

[@ZillaBlitz]

Yeah, I'm not sure how the rules say to handle the screens, but I suspect from the name that they're supposed to "screen" viewing. I do think that there might be some simple solo house rules that could be added for handling ambiguity in searches. "1-2 the US launches a full air strike, 3-6 they wait". Something like that. :)

[@myk646]

Hanshin Tigers! 😄Very cool. Is that your team? My team is Giants. Did you live in Osaka whilst in Japan? And I would also like to say that apart from being very cool with the HT hat, I think that your videos are of a very high quality. Oh - and should we ever play something together I will wear my YG hat! 😎

[@ZillaBlitz]

Ha, nice spot! I was thinking that this hat might be good considering the game content. :) I'm more a fan of hats than teams, but yes, the Tigers were the team I rooted for while in Japan. Not a fan of the Giants, but what can you do. :)

[@skinnydog6665]

Great vid as always. Have you played Empire of the Rising Sun? I have it on order, but wondering how it compares to Pacific War…

[@ZillaBlitz]

I'm guessing you're referring to GMT's Empire of the Sun? I have that on P500 order as well, and have an older version that I picked up a while ago but have yet to play. Not having played either but having read up and looked through both, I'd venture to say that the gold in Pacific War is the Campaign Scenarios (things like Guadalcanal, etc.) but not the full-war strategic game, while the gold of Empire of the Sun is its full-war strategic campaign.

[@ParkeraNZ]

Wow what an incredible looking game, can't wait to see you tackle this. Also cheers for the book recommendations added them to my booklist!

[@ZillaBlitz]

It really is amazing to see how everything is modeled. I mean, there is so much that the game captures, in such detail. Remarkable game design achievement.

[@Phalanx11]

So CLose! If it was 5/8th inch I would like it.

[@eprohoda]

How ae you?!superb ~:))

[@ZillaBlitz]

Good good, prohodaction, thanks. I hope you're doing okay as well. :)

[@michaelstearnes1526]

If you look closely, you'll find sushi rules for the Japanese.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Whaaaa? I am so on this. Thanks. :)

[@robmarcjon]

Love Ian Tolles Books i have read those.. have you read six frigates??

[@ZillaBlitz]

Yep! I just finished the last Pacific War book a couple of weeks ago, read Six Frigates last year. Isn't his stuff great?! :)

[@robmarcjon]

@@ZillaBlitz absolutely I just picked up the battle of midway by Craig Symonds I would highly recommend thAt as well

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks, added to my book list to check out. :) Just ordered Over the Edge of the World (Magellan's Circumnavigation)

[@robmarcjon]

@@ZillaBlitz I bet that would be a very interesting book I used to read slot about explorers Undaunted courage about the Lewis and Clark expedition. Another good one if you like that subject

[@ZillaBlitz]

That one I have on a bookshelf somewhere. I really should read that one, too. :)

[@trekanbelluvitsh]

No "complete playthrough" on your channel I think... 😅

[@ZillaBlitz]

That would be a bold adventure indeed. 200-video campaign game. :)

[@charlieloffler4713]

We could play the 3 hrs. battle scenario or we can play the 100 h-ell to the naw naw naw~

[@ZillaBlitz]

I think this game really shines in the scenarios and operations, to be honest.

[@charlieloffler4713]

@@ZillaBlitz Absolutely. If I'm not mistaken, that is how designer Mark Herman recommends playing it. My buddy and I are not brave enough to dedicate more than two weeks to play the full pacific campaign. 😂

[@ZillaBlitz]

I think Empire of the Sun would be my preferred way of doing a playable campaign game. :)