Here is a complete how to play for 1942.2 with lots of examples and detailed explanations of the entire rulebook, including corrections. It can be watched all the way through or used a companion to the printed rulebook. A full chapter list is in the description for an easy search.
We sent an earlier version to Larry Harris and he approved of the entire video. His thoughts on this video are included. We also did a full interview with him that will be available soon.
Please enjoy and share this with anyone that needs to know or has questions about how to play this great game. Thanks for watching!
We also did a crash course for those that want to jump right in and figure it out as they go. Here is the entire rulebook in ONE GIANT example.
For my friends that are experienced players, I am curious if you can find what we missed.
Enjoy!
Also, here is the link to our unboxing video for 1942.2.
“ONE Giant Example” -
1942.2 rulebook looks nice but is badly organized. Some of what I write following is not literally in the book, but interpretation that might be accepted as reasonable.
3:51: “and that should be all the Americans’ combat moves” - can be understood as “combat movement phase is over”, but that’s not actually what’s intended.
I understand the video simplifies to give viewers the best experience, and veteran players often aren’t strict about enforcement, so long as they see no advantage is gained. But for newer players, going more “by the book” helps avoid confusion.
I’d say do all combat movements first, then start combat phase. Specifically:
Blitzing tanks. Control markers apply immediately when unoccupied enemy territory is blitzed. This happens during the combat movement phase. I know you know, I’m just making the point to reference later.
Air units. Use wee dice or markers to indicate remaining movement. You did a transition at 4:27 where you did just that with dice, but the point was not emphasized. Yet it’s exactly that sort of tip that’s useful for newer players. It comes up again around 8:15; players that are really paying attention may catch it then (you mention ranges that line up with what’s shown on dice), but it could still be missed. I think you may have covered that in the unboxing video, but maybe it’s not too off-topic to mention it again?
Move other units. You know how naval and land retreats work. When moving units into an attacked territory, leave at least one unit on each border of an eligible retreat territory/zone. That way players don’t have to keep mental track of where everything was retreating to. Units on transports remain with transports; if the transport is destroyed the units are removed, if the transports aren’t destroyed then they still stay together as amphibiously landed land-based units can’t retreat.
Players won’t be able to always literally do the above with packed boards. But it’s good practice for newer players that might get confused; even when they don’t do it they’re extra careful as it’s drilled into them that they need to track air movement, eligible retreat zones, and keep transported units separate.
5:30: It’s correctly shown a transport cannot unload into sea zone with enemy submarine without a friendly warship. But for newer players, a couple things may be confusing. First, they may not understand the enemy submarine is being ignored by the destroyer. The attacking destroyer may also choose to engage the enemy submarine, and that actually is decided during the combat phase, not the combat movement phase.
Also, the control marker at 5:30 is flipped immediately. But though the entire sequence (including ignoring the submarine) is clear to veteran players, technically it shouldn’t happen yet. Blitzing tanks into unoccupied territory is part of combat movement. But amphibious assaults including into unoccupied territory resolve during combat phase. So actually strategic bombing should happen first. Then amphibious assaults. Then regular combats. The control marker would be flipped when that particular combat resolved.
Veteran players won’t blink, they know the results can’t change and no advantage is imparted. If anything, it could be argued there’s a disadvantage. (It’s assumed the sub is ignored, and 1942 Online would force you to commit to designating the sea zone as “hostile” or “friendly”. But actually under board game rules you don’t have to commit until that particular combat starts being resolved. So if you decided you didn’t want to take the territory, you could fight the sub and retreat if the destroyer didn’t hit.)
Thanks for watching and for all the great feedback!
“featuring the Game’s Designer - Larry Harris!” - nice btw -
Video has a nice look, bits of footage spliced in, just generally really well done imo ,overlays, etc. etc.
Around 40:00 then for the following sea unit section, some parts were a lot louder relative to the rest of the video. Gave me a bit of a start at points.
I might have just missed it, and this is not an “error” - at most perhaps an omission. But if I remember right fighters can’t use a planned carrier retreat to plan an eligible landing zone. And that could bear mentioning.
Also noticed there were “GERONIMO” references in both videos. So both videos have a thingie in one of the examples, really, not just a cut and paste thing?
Nice videos.
Wow! Thanks for the amazing feedback! We really appreciate you taking the time to go through the whole thing so carefully. We hope you will share this with others interested in learning the game.
Audio balancing with other folks is always tricky. We did our best.
The Geronimo Easter egg is available in both videos. Each has one subtle error. Find them and win a prize.
