Top 5 WW2 Pacific Games 

Guys, thanks for putting together this list. Growing up I never got into the Pacific Theater of WWII. My list of theaters probably went North Africa, Eastern Front, Western Front, Italian Campaign, the Pacific Theater. I think it was the slow slog through the jungle, the island hopping, and that I was not into naval battles. I recently have been thinking of getting some Pacific games. Your lists and your descriptions (along with your enthusiasm) has convinced me that it is time. Thanks!

Glad to see CC: Pacific on the list - I've been having so much fun playing this lately that I picked up the rest of the series! Great list as always!

Giving a game to a bro in need... awesome!

I don't play wargames (yet!) but I enjoy listening to HAMTAG talking about them. The three guys all have such distinct preferences and tastes, and they speak with both knowledge and passion. Great stuff, even to a layperson.

I get that giddy 'Christmas morning' feeling every time I look over the Dice Tower Vids and a new HAMTAG one appears.... Thanks Guys!!!!!

My wife's family lives just a few miles from Game HQ and it is indeed one of the best stores in the country.

Have always loved the Pacific Theatre of WW2. Great discussion and lots of fun as always - well done! I have and love: Pacific War, Empire of the Sun, Tokyo Express, Victory in the Pacific, Midway and Flat Top. Surprised as before that Flat Top gets no mention? Thanks for a great list of other games that I should try to find - Asia Engulfed, Fire in the Sky, Pacific Victory etc.

My top five Pacific Games would be (5) Iron Bottom Sound (Quarterdeck), (4) Midway (AH), (3) USN (SPI), (2) War of the Suns (MMP), and (1) Across the Pacific (Pacific Rim & K2-Japan).

Thanks guys.. I always enjoy your presentations. I always enjoy the air side of the pacific and love Dauntless the air war side with all the possible aircraft vs ship senarios. Originally by Battleline and remade by Avalon Hill. I got my Battleline copies in 1977 at GenCon in Lake Geneva Wisconsin, at the Playboy resort. Geeks vs Beauty.

Guys - this is the second time i've watched this through - honestly you guys are a Stand Up comedy act - such great fun and repartie !! Love the too and fro - plus your depth and breadth of time that you have your wargames over. Sorry but I'm siding with Judd on Mark Herman's EoTS - its on my list of Pacific game buys, but also along with Fire in the Sky !! Awesome Viewing - keep it up

Awesome video. Hilarious credits. :p Still a really great video. You guys have a really good chemistry.

Thanks for the video guys, fun as always. Now that I have my monthly injection of wargame enthusiasm. Think I'm going to break out B-17 Flying Fortress and go on some bombing runs this afternoon. P.S. Greg, way to take care of your gamer bud with Banzai, nice.

Love the HAMTAG guys. Keep up the great work. I think I own about half of these games. Now looking for the other half

Very cool thing to do Greg!

Id like to see a redone version of this. Lots of great games have come out since this video was made

That pacific war board game is cool, haven't you tried the mega War in the Pacific by DG? Its expensive and really interesting.

Seemed like some of Bart's old Army days came out in the beginning of the video. It sounded like he said HOOAH!

How is "Pacific War" *operational* ??

Outstanding! Are there any other eras/fronts/themes that you guys would feel comfortable doing?

Whoa!!!!! I had to stop the video to post this! Banzai, Bart....Greg just gave you Banzai!!!!!!!!

GMT is releasing an updated Pacifc War this month by Mark Herman. May want to check it out. I pre-ordered it a year ago. It will be worth the wait.

Name and descriptions =D those were good games ;)

Late to the party but what the hey. A couple games I own fit this category as well as unplayed games that I want to get to the table. They are in no particular order: 1) Empire of the Sun (I own both editions, of that seldom mentioned genius in the HAMTAG videos, What’s his name again, Judd? Marcus Hermanus Caesar?)2) Saipan (and Guam) from Compass Games new Company Scale Series by Adam Starkweather and Ross Mortell3) Saipan & Tinian from Legion Wargames by Michael Taylor (actually we started a Tinian scenario but had to wrap up before turn 2)4) Operations Olympic and Coronet from World at War Magazine (Decision Games)5) Yamato Unleashed (actually about the battle off Samar, you know, Taffy 3) from World at War Magazine (Decision) 6) Butterfield’s D-Day @ Tarawa and D-Day @ Peleliu7) Islands of the Damned (ATO Magazine, designed by Steven Cunliffe, iirc) Wake Island and Peleliu8) Kawaguchl’s Gamble; Edson’s Ridge (MMP, designed by Ken Dunn) Mike Rinella’s area movement system on Guadalcanal (great, evocative map with designed in coffee cup stains on the side. You’d think Mike Edson or Chesty Puller used the map) My favorite PTO games are 1) Matanikau (The Gamers, before the MMP merger, 1993) TCS system, features platoons and individual vehicles with command and control and fog of war rules.2) Bloody Ridge (The Gamers/MMP, 2005) same system3) Saipan & Tinian from what I did play of it4) MacArthur’s Return (Avalanche, 1994) Leyte island fighting (one of Avalanche’s first games)5) Iwo Jima: Rage Against the Marines (the first game that came in Operations Magazine) just a wonderful hidden movement game. (Lost this one in a move to an apartment. I think my lady friend accidentally tossed it out).6) The Last Battle: Ie Shima (Revolution Games, 2016) designed by a guy who should be on the pedestal next to Caesar Hermanus, Mike Rinella. Another fine area movement game with a great, evocative map; this one resembling an invasion map used by the planners. Greatest time playing a PTO game: A double blind game of Flattop with eight players. We had two GMs/umpires, playing the Eastern Solomons scenario. I brought my Dad’s old Squadron patch (VC-11) and my G-1 goatskin flying jacket to add atmosphere. The game ended when the opposing naval air contingents failed to put any hurt on each the others ships. We had a choice of splitting our strikes up to hit two Japanese groups or sticking with one powerful strike. I pushed for one strike, but we hit a separate group near the carriers. Had we split the strikes, we would likely have damaged some of their carriers. Instead we lost about half our strike hitting capital ships.

OK...I am obviously just now catching up with you guys. But I gotta tell you that presenting that "extra" copy of a game is first-class gentleman stuff.

The End Titles are the best part!

Thanks for the kind words gentlemen.

nice hats!

Guys, you should try Carrier. It's a Victory Games (VG). That game is a solitary game.

Wow... "Name Description" won all places... I've gotta buy that one.

Your videos always make thirsty! Always a tall glass of ice water front and center. It is now a habit to have a glass as well when I watch.

I messed up the final list I always put at the end. Sorry about that. I did all the work and then must have accidentally deleted it in editing. Chief

I love the HAMTAGs. How about a ACW one.

Pacific War, Nuts Publishing, coming out this summer....now 4 years later, and not out yet. Hahaha

FINAL COUNTDOWN!!! ROCKING! Great movie.

Pacific Fury: Guadalcanal Across the Pacific Fire in the Sky Flat Top Victory in the Pacific

That's Top Ten! Doh!

How about Ten Mark Herman Games - oh wait, they'd all be all number one!

Back when the dice tower still do some wargames. Good times...

Did Judd wink at the camera at 9:42 when he was talking about a super classy BGG guy?

HAMTAG!!!!!!!!

OK guys, when are you going to do your top 5 American Civil Games. I looked, but it seems that you have not done one yet. Am I wrong and missed it?

i miss hamtag

title/name/description at the end :)

Pacific war still says coming soon.

Fire in the Sky is now being reprinted. And no more quarter oil...

How's bout this.. Top 5 Monopoly Editions