Step-by-step instructions for running an offensive in Empire of the Sun

1) Declare if the card is being played for the event (EC) or for OPS (OC).
a. Number of declared Battle Hexes: OC = 1. EC = Unlimited. (7.24)
b. Max. Number of activated units: Add the HQ efficiency to: OC = OC Value. Event = Logistics Value. (6.3)
c. Extra limitations or bonuses: OC = None (ignore card text). Event = See card text.
d. Number to roll against to change the Intelligence Situation: OC = OC value. Event = EC Value. (5.2)

2) Select the HQ to Activate.

a. Check supply status of U.S. or Joint HQ (6.21 & 6.22). If out of supply, subtract 1 from its efficiency
rating. (6.25).
b. If Japanese HQ attempt is going to activate a Japanese unit starting in Burma, Northern India, or Ceylon,
check Rangoon and if Bridge on the River Kwai card has been played (13.79).
i. If Rangoon is Japanese controlled, card has been played, and at least one activating unit is
tracing supply through the railroad route, add +1 to efficiency.
ii. If Rangoon is Allied controlled and card has NOT been played, subtract 1 from efficiency.
c. You may activate up to a number of units equal to the effective value of the HQ (red box value) plus the
logistics value of the card (if you played it for the event) or the OPS value (if you played it for OPS). (6.11)

3) Activate units.
a. Each unit must be within activation range of the HQ (1 st number on the HQ). The path cannot cross
through un-neutralized Z.O.I. in an all-sea hex side or through a through a land hex occupied by an
enemy air or ground unit. (6.3)
b. Unit must be in supply (see 6.21), but does not have to draw supply from the activating HQ (6.3)
c. Unit must follow nationality restrictions (7.21):
i. U.S. HQ may only activate any U.S. (blue or green) or Chinese (red) units.
ii. Commonwealth HQ may only activate Commonwealth (tan), Chinese (red), and U.S. AIR units
(blue or green)
iii. Joint HQ may activate any allied unit (note: this is the only HQ that may activate Dutch (orange)
units).
iv. Japanese HQs may activate any Japanese (yellow or white) unit.
d. Follow Inter-Service Rivalry restrictions if they apply (14.1):
i. U.S. Army (green) and U.S. Navy (blue) units may not both activate in the same offensive.
ii. Japanese Army (yellow) and Navy (white) units may not both activate in the same offensive and
may only use half of ASPs.
4) Move units (each unit uses either operational movement or strategic movement, but not both):

Operational Movement: May move individual counters or stacks, but may NOT pick up and drop off
units. Units use operational movement to move or react into combat hexes and are eligible for post-battle
movement, whether they participated in combat or not. Note: ground units move by sea by either Amphibious
Assault (operational) or Strategic Movement.
a. Naval Operational Movement
i. Maximum hexes = 5 x OPS value on card (8.1).
ii. May move by themselves through hexes that contain enemy units and un-neutralized ZOI
(exception: a non-carrier unit is escorting a ground unit on an amphibious assault cannot move
through an un-neutralized ZOI) n amphibious attack infantry unit, then it cannot). (8.21)
iii. Must end movement in one of these hexes: (8.21)
1. A friendly port hex (note: if a ground unit moves by ground movement into an empty enemy
port hex, it converts to your control immediately and you can move to it. If it was taken by
amphibious assault, you cannot move to it until Post-Battle Movement. (8.44).
2. A hex with enemy units. (A stack with carriers and any escorts may violate this rule if they are
within range of the combat hex and the carrier(s) are participating in the combat.)
3. An enemy controlled coastal hex while accompanying a ground unit during the entire
movement (See “Amphibious Assault, #4d below).
4. An unoccupied enemy controlled hex. It can either escort a ground unit to the hex or if the
ground unit is already there, it can then join and carriers and escorts can stop short and be in
range (see #2 above) have the option to be WITHIN carrier range). The carrier cannot act like
a ZOI plow, stopping short of the unoccupied hex, neutralizing the target hexes ZOI, so that
the ground unit can follow and move into the empty hex.
5. May not end the TURN overstacked (you may be overstacked for a battle) (see #11 below).
b. Air Operational Movement
i.Number of legs moved = OPS value of card (8.1).
ii.A leg must start and end in different friendly air strip hexes. (8.31)
iii.Maximum distance between legs = extended range of air unit. (8.31)
iv. Air units may use a friendly combat airstrip in a combat hex as one of its legs, but it may never
END its movement in a combat hex. (8.31)
v. After movement is completed, it may join any one combat hex that is within its extended range
after it moves its last leg. If the distance exceeds its standard range, the air unit uses half of its
attack value. (Exception: if extended range is in parenthesis and ANY leg of the air unit was 3+
hexes). (8.31)
vi. May not end the TURN overstacked (you may be overstacked for a battle). (see #11 below).
vii. May not end movement in Air Ferry hex 5408 (8.35)
c. Ground Operational Movement (by ground)
i. Movement points = value of OPS card (8.1).
ii. Must have enough movement points to enter a hex (no minimum 1 hex movement rule). (8.42)
iii. May use rail/road movement during movement that results in combat, but may not enter the
combat hex itself using the rail/road movement. (In other words, a unit in 2105 could use a 3
OPS card to move into Rangoon (2008) and declare a battle, but could not do so by using a 2
OPS card.) (8.42)
iv. Only Chinese Allied units may enter 2407 or an adjacent hex (non-coastal China) (8.41)
 v. Japanese ground units may not end movement in 2407 or an adjacent hex (non-coastal China)
or hexes 1306-1805 in India. (8.41)
vi. Chinese units may only operate in non-coastal Chinese hexes, Northern India, or Burma. (8.41).
vii. May not end the TURN overstacked (you may be overstacked for a battle). (see #11 below).
d. Ground Operational Movement (amphibious assault)
i. Prohibited: Dutch (orange), Chinese (red), and Indian (tan w/ brown rectangle). (8.45).
ii. U.S. Army units: A U.S. Army (blue) ground unit cannot invade an occupied one-island hex by
itself. There must be a U.S. Marine (green) unit in the hex. (8.45D). ISR does not prevent Army
units from using Amphibious Assault without naval escort. (8.45)
iii. ASP costs: Japanese 18-18 Army (2/step), XXXX or XXX (1/step), everything else (1/unit).
Japanese white unit moving entire move with a CA, CL, or APD naval unit (0). (8.45A, 8.46)
iv. Movement restrictions: Maximum hexes = 5 x value of OPS value on card. Must begin
movement in a port or coastal hex. May not enter coastal mountain hex except Port
Moresby.(8.45)
v. ZOI effects: May never enter or exit an all-sea hex side through un-neutralized ZOI. A carrier
that escorts the ground unit all the way to the destination hex will act as a “ZOI plow”,
neutralizing the ZOI along the way. (8.45B)
vi. Enemy vessel effects: May not enter the same hex as an enemy naval unit unless moving with a
friendly naval unit the entire length of its movement. If enemy reacts with a naval move to an
unaccompanied ground unit, the ground unit takes a step loss and may not proceed with an
amphibious invasion, no matter the result of the air-naval combat (8.45B).
vii. Japanese Barges: If the Japanese ASP marker is on its “Barges” side, and a 3 OC card has been
played for an offensive (Event or OC), one ground unit (any size) may amphibious assault for 0
ASP across 1 sea hex side. (8.47)
Strategic Movement (May move twice as far as operational movement, but lots of restrictions):
e. Restrictions on all units:
i. May not participate in combat or enter a combat hex.
ii. May never enter or exit un-neutralized ZOI. Carriers and fighter air units do not act as “ZOI
plows” when using strategic movement: “never” means never.
iii. Never uses Post Battle Movement.
iv. May not end the TURN overstacked. (8.24, 8.34)
f. Naval Strategic Movement:
i. Maximum number of hexes moved = 10 X value of OPS card.
ii. Must start and end movement in a friendly port. (8.23)
g. Air Strategic Movement (8.33):
i. Number of legs moved = 2 X OPS value of card.
ii. A leg must start and end in a different friendly air strip hex.
iii. Maximum distance between legs = extended range of air unit.
iv. May not end movement in Air Ferry hex 5408 (8.35)
h. Ground Strategic Movement (sea movement only) (8.44):
i. Maximum number of hexes moved = 10 X value of OPS card.
ii. Must begin in a port or coastal hex and must end in a friendly port (no amphibious assault
allowed).
iii. Unlike ground units using Amphibious Assault Movement, ground units using strategic
movement, MAY pass through hexes containing enemy naval units.
 iv. May move into an enemy port hex only if that port was empty when movement began and a
ground unit used ground movement (NOT Amphibious Assault) to move on to that empty hex.
v. Dutch (orange), Chinese (red), and Indian (tan w/ brown rectangle) may not use strategic
movement by sea. (8.45)

5) Reaction Player plays Weather card: The reaction player may play a weather event and
cancels the reaction and returns any ASPs used during the offensive. In this case, the offensive ends.
Otherwise, proceed.

6) Reaction:
a. Special Reaction (unoccupied hex) (7.27):
i. Can occur if one the offensives player captured one the following unoccupied hexes and all of
these conditions are met:
1. The captured unoccupied hex contains a port, air strip, resource, or named city (IMPORTANT:
May not perform special reaction if target hex lacks these, such as a blank hex).
2. The hex is within the direct range (note: ZOI does not affect this) range of a reaction player’s HQ.
3. The hex is IN the ZOI of a reaction player’s aircraft. Note: neutralizing the ZOI does not affect
this. Also, the reacting player will automatically receive the -2 modifier on the special reaction
intelligence roll.
4. The hex was entered by amphibious invasion (does not apply if entered by ground movement).
ii. Each such hex is rolled for one at a time. Special reaction by itself does not change the
intelligence condition (NOTE: Reaction cards that change the intelligence condition are not
played at this time.) Therefore, follow standard procedure for determining the intelligence die
roll.
iii. Roll for each individual qualifying special reaction hex, one-by-one. The result of one does not
affect the other. Each is independent of everything else happening during the offensive.
iv. If you roll less than or equal to the target value (EC or OC intelligence value with -2 DRM) then
you may react to that hex, as it becomes a potential battle hex.
b. Change the intelligence condition (7.25). All attacks, by default, are surprise attacks and Special
Reaction success does not alter this (7.27). The defender selects one of the two methods to attempt to
change the intelligence condition. If the attempt fails
i. Roll an intelligence die roll: (Note: If the offensive card is played as an event and that event
specifically calls out the intelligence condition as “Surprise,” this method may not be used.)
1. If the event on the card that was used to create the offensive, roll against the “EC” value.
Otherwise, the OPS value was used and in that case, roll against the “OC” value.
2. If any unit entered or exited your ZOI, subtract two from the die roll. (Note: neutralizing the ZOI
does not affect this die roll).
3. If the roll is less than or equal to the value you are rolling against, the intelligence condition is
changed from “Surprise” to “Intercept.”
4. If this method fails and there are no Special Reaction Battle hexes, skip to step 7 (Combat).
ii. Play an intelligence (blue) card: If you fail the roll, you may NOT play an intelligence card. If the
card changes the intelligence condition, then it is automatically changed to the condition on the
card (“Intercept” or “Ambush”), even if the attacker’s card says “surprise,” the reaction player’s
card trumps it.
 c. Activate Reaction HQ (7.26): The Reaction Player selects ONE HQ that is in supply (6.21 & 6.22) and
within range (ignore ZOI) of any battle hex and activates it. The HQ does not have to be within range of
the battle hex that it is attempting to react to, so long as it is in range of at least one battle hex. Also
note that while the activating HQ need not be in supply (only the activating units), the reacting HQ must
be in supply.
d. Activate units (7.26):
i. Reaction player activates a number of units equal to the efficiency value (red box) of the
reaction HQ plus:
1. If a Reaction (blue) card was played, add the Logistics Value of the Reaction card.
2. If a Reaction (blue) card was NOT played, add the OPS value of the Offensives card. NEVER use
the logistical value of the Offensives card. (7.26)
ii. Units in the battle hex:
1. Must participate in the combat.
2. Are not required to be activated.
3. Are eligible for post-battle movement (see #9 below) ONLY if they were activated.
4. Are eligible (naval & air units) for emergency movement (see #10 below) if inactivated and in
the battle hex is taken by the offensives player.
iii. All reacting units must:
1. Be in supply (6.21)
2. Be able to trace an unblocked (ZOI) activation path to the Reaction HQ. Path may enter or pass
through a battle hex even if it contains enemy units.
3. Participate in a battle, even a battle hex that is out of range of the Reaction HQ.
4. Follow the operational movement instructions listed above.
5. Limit ONE ASP total in reaction.

7) Air-Naval Combat: Each combat hex is resolved completely before moving on to the next battle hex.
Air-Naval Combat is resolved first, followed by Ground Combat.
a. Determine if combat is sequential or simultaneous (9.2 C-E):
i. If intelligence status = “Surprise” then Offensives Player (a.k.a. “Rolling Player”) attacks first,
applying steps b through e below in order. After taking hits, then the Reaction Player (a.k.a.
“Receiving Player”) applies the same steps sequentially.
ii. If the intelligence status = “Intercept” then the battle is simultaneous and both players apply
steps b through e below, applying the hits simultaneously. In this case, both players will be the
“Rolling Player” and the “Receiving Player” depending on who is rolling the die.
iii. If intelligence status = “Ambush” then the Reaction Player (a.k.a. “Rolling Player”) attacks first,
applying steps ii through v b through e below in order. After taking hits, then the Offensives
Player (a.k.a. “Receiving Player”) applies the same steps sequentially.
b. The Rolling player sums the attack factors of air and naval units brought to the battle (9.2):
i. Non-carrier naval units only add their attack factor if they are in the battle hex.
ii. Carrier units add their attack factor if they are in the battle hex or if an activated carrier is within
range of the battle hex (Note: carriers may not participate in multiple battles in the same
offensive, even if they are in range of multiple battle hexes).
iii. Air units that are within standard range of the combat hex use their full attack strength. If they
are within their (non-parenthetical) extended range of the combat hex, they use half of their
attack value. Even if an air unit used (non-parenthetical) extended range during any leg of
movement, the value of the attack factor is solely based on the distance to the combat hex.
 (Note: units with parenthetical extended range cannot participate in the combat if its standard
range was exceeded at any point during the offensive).
c. Determine (cumulative) die roll modifiers (see table or 9.2):
d. Roll a die, apply die roll modifiers, and determine number of hits (see table or 9.2):
e. Apply hits (9.2F):
i. Ground units may only receive hits if they are the only units in the battle for the Receiving Player
and there is more than one step of ground units. The last ground step can never be eliminated
in air-naval battle.
ii. All Non-carrier naval units, even escorts not in the battle can receive hits. None are exempt.
iii. Air units and carrier naval units in the battle hex can receive hits. None are exempt.
iv. Air units and carrier naval units NOT in the battle hex may only receive hits if the Rolling Player
has an air unit or carrier for each such air unit and carrier unit taking damage (one for one). If
the Rolling Player has less units, only that number may take damage.
v. If you rolled a critical hit (natural 9): Note: “Eligible” units are defined by steps i-iv above.
1. The Rolling Player applies hits to reduce or eliminate any eligible unit that has a defense
strength less than or equal to the number of hit points remaining.
2. If there are not enough points to reduce or eliminate any Receiving Player unit, then the
Receiving Player selects an eligible unit that has the lowest defense value and reduces or
eliminates it.
3. Any unapplied hit points remaining due to not having enough to reduce or eliminate any
additional eligible are lost.
vi. If you did not score a critical hit (roll 0-8): Note: “Eligible” units are defined by steps i-iv above.
1. First, the Receiving Player applies hits to any full strength eligible units. To reduce a unit, the
remaining hit points must meet or exceed the defense strength of the unit. If they do not
meet the defense value, the unit is not reduced.
2. If every eligible unit of the Receiving Player is reduced and there are any full strength units
remaining (due to condition iv above), then any excess damage points are lost.
3. If every one of the opponent’s participating units have been reduced, then any leftover hits are
used to eliminate reduced air and naval units. To eliminate a unit, the remaining hit points
must meet or exceed the defense strength of the unit. If they do not meet the defense value,
the unit is not eliminated.
4. Any unapplied hit points are lost.
5. If the Japanese player has more than one carrier, he can reduce one of his carriers or eliminate it
and recover one step lost by another carrier regardless of size (A CV can recover a step and
transfer it to a CVL, for instance). This is done AFTER hits are applied and do not apply when a
critical hit was scored.
6. If the Reaction Player only has ground units in the battle, the Reaction Player applies the
damage. The same rules apply (all must be reduced before eliminating any). The one
exception is the last ground step cannot be lost. Intrinsic defense strength is always the last
ground step, otherwise, the Reaction Player determines the last ground step.
f. After all hits have been applied, then sum up the attack factors of both sides. The side with the most
attack factors is the winner. Ties go to the Reaction Player (9.3). If all naval and air units were
eliminated, then the Offensives Player is the winner (9.31)
g. If the Offensives Player won he may proceed with an amphibious assault so long as one the following
occurred (9.32):
i. An escorted ground unit was brought to the battle hex.
 ii. An unescorted ground unit was brought to the battle hex and the reaction player did not react
with any naval units to the hex.
h. If the Reaction Player won the air-naval battle, the amphibious assault may not proceed, but and the
ASP is still lost (9.32).
i. If both sides have ground units in the battle hex, proceed to ground combat. Otherwise, the side that
has ground unit(s) takes control of the hex. Proceed to step 8(g) below.

8) Ground Combat Again, each combat hex is resolved completely before moving on to the next battle hex.
a. Ground combat occurs after Air-Naval combat (9.34)
b. Ground combat is ALWAYS simultaneous (9.4).
c. Each side adds up the attack strengths of all ground units (9.4).
d. Each side determines the (cumulative) die roll modifiers (see table or 9.4):
e. Roll a die and apply the die roll modifiers (see table or 9.4):
f. Apply Hits (9.4B):
i. Only ground units can be hit.
ii. Inactivated units are not exempt from receiving hits.
iii. Apply hits to any full strength ground units that are in the battle hex (units with only side are
considered reduced). To reduce a unit, the remaining hit points must meet or exceed the
defense strength of the unit. The player applying hits decides which full strength units are hit.
iv. If every one of the opponent’s ground units have been reduced, then any leftover hits are used
to destroy reduced units.
v. If there are unapplied hit points remaining due to not having enough to destroy any more units,
then the unapplied hit points are lost.
g. Determine the winner (9.4C):
i. If only one side has units remaining, that side wins
ii. If all ground units on both sides have been eliminated, the Reaction Player wins. (Ignore naval
units).
iii. If both sides have ground units remaining: Count up the number of step losses for each side.
The side that took more step losses is the loser (Reaction Player wins ties).
iv. If the Offensives player won, his side immediately takes control of the hex. Air and naval units
may conduct post battle movement to the hex (if it contains an air strip or port for the
respective units).
h. Retreat (9.5):
i. If the Offensives Player lost the ground combat, he must retreat from the hex from which he
entered the battle hex. If a unit entered by amphibious movement, it conducts post battle
movement like a naval unit and if air-naval losses put it in an enemy ZOI, it can actually move
through hexes in ZOI until it enters a space free of it, in which case, it cannot re-enter ZOI (see
9.62).
ii. If the Reaction Player lost the ground combat, the Offensives Player chooses how to retreat
each losing ground unit. It must first be retreated to a named hex if possible and if not, then any
other adjacent hex that does not violate any of these rules (otherwise the unit is eliminated):
1. No Offensives Player’s units.
2. No over-stacking.
3. Cannot come from the hex from which an attacking unit entered the battle hex.
4. Cannot use amphibious movement (Units on a 1-hex island space are eliminated).
5. Prohibited terrain.
 i. Conduct next battle: if there are other battle hexes, conduct those following the same combat sequence
for each respective battle hex.

9) Post Battle Movement.

a. Post Battle Movement (PBM) can be conducted by any of the following units (offensive or reaction
units) (9.6):
i. Air or naval units only (no ground units!)
ii. The unit must be ACTIVATED (Ex: an inactivated naval unit in a battle hex cannot conduct PBM).
iii. Offensive units that did NOT use strategic movement.
b. Reaction player conducts PBM first (9.61).
c. Movement is the same as operational movement (see 4 above) except naval units MUST end movement
in a friendly port. (9.61)
d. Each destination hex must be in supply and within range of a friendly HQ IF POSSIBLE. If not, then any
friendly port or air strip is allowed (9.61).
e. If the Offensives Player lost an Air-Naval battle that denied him the ability to perform an Amphibious
Assault and the ground unit is in un-neutralized ZOI, that unit may move through that ZOI until it enters
a hex free of enemy ZOI and then it must follow the operational movement rules (9.62)
f. If the offensives player captured an enemy port and/or air strip hex during this offensive, it may be a
used as a PBM destination for the Offensive player’s units (8.44).
g. Units that cannot move to a required friendly air strip or port hex are eliminated (9.62)

10) Emergency Movement (8.22, 8.32)

a. Emergency movement can be used by units that meet the following criteria:
i. Inactive unit (Active units use Post Battle Movement).
ii. In a hex that switched control to the other player.
b. Naval units using Emergency Movement locate a friendly port within 10 hexes and place the unit there.
c. Air units using Emergency Movement locate a friendly air strip hex within the extended range of the air
unit and place the unit there.
d. Units are picked up and placed in the destination hex. They are not “moved.”
e. Enemy ZOI does not affect Emergency Movement.
f. If more than one location exists, then the owning player selects.
g. Units that are unable to use emergency movement are eliminated.

11) Over-stacking (8.24, 8.34, 8.35, 8.48)

a. A hex is overstacked if it has:
i. 7 or more naval units in it.
ii. 4 or more air and/or ground units it. (Note: Pairs of Allied air units of the same designation,
only count as 1 toward stacking limits).
b. If hex is overstacked because of air/ground units, then remove air units first. Otherwise, owner’s choice.
c. If the hex is overstacked because of naval units, the owner chooses which units to remove.
d. Remove units until stacking limits are met.
e. If the removed unit(s) are out of supply, they are eliminated.
f. If the removed unit(s) are in supply, they are placed on the turn track:
i. Naval units return during the next reinforcement phase.
ii. Air/ground units return after the SECOND reinforcement phase.