Free · Turn-based strategy · HandyGames
1942 Pacific Front: island battles, one hex at a time
1942 Pacific Front is a turn-based World War II strategy game from HandyGames, played on hex-grid maps of Pacific islands, beaches and straits. You command either the United States Army or the Imperial Japanese Army, moving infantry, artillery, tanks, warplanes, battleships and submarines one turn at a time to defeat the enemy force and seize its facilities. HandyGames presents it as the continuation of its earlier 1941 Frozen Front: the eastern-front tank war moves to the Pacific, and naval warfare becomes the focus. Besides the campaigns there is Pass & Play, which lets two people share one screen and take turns against each other.
Quick facts
- Developer: HandyGames (now THQ Nordic Mobile)
- Series: follows 1941 Frozen Front
- Genre: turn-based WWII strategy on a hex grid
- Sides: United States Army or Imperial Japanese Army
- Modes: Campaigns and Pass & Play (two players, one device)
- Input: mouse clicks; landscape screen
How to play 1942 Pacific Front
Each battle is a sequence of turns. On yours, you move and fire with your units; then the enemy does the same.
- 1
Start with Basic Training
Open Campaigns and pick Basic Training. Its tutorial series has three missions, opened one after another, that teach the units and tactics.
- 2
Select and move a unit
Click one of your units, then click the hex you want it to reach. Terrain changes how far it can go and how much cover it has.
- 3
Attack and use abilities
Click an enemy unit to attack it, or click the icons on your own unit to use its abilities.
- 4
Take and hold the facilities
Push into enemy territory, defeat the defenders, capture their facilities and hold them against the counterattack.
Controls
Desktop
- Left-click a unit to select it
- Left-click an empty hex to move the selected unit there
- Left-click an enemy unit in range to attack
- The battle screen has a pause button at the top left and a skip-arrow button at the top right
- If a click does not register, hold the button a moment longer before releasing
Phone & tablet
- GamePix lists the game for desktop and mobile browsers
- The embed is landscape, so turn the phone sideways
- HandyGames also publishes it as an app on iOS and Android
What sets 1942 Pacific Front apart
Pass & Play on a single screen
Two players share one device and take turns, choosing from five maps. The first, Sand Arena, puts the two armies on either side of a wide sandbank.
Fuel, ammo and terrain
Vehicles cover more ground but depend on fuel and terrain; infantry cross most terrain and only need ammo. Supplies are restored from facilities or support units.
Land, sea and air in one battle
Warships, submarines and planes fight alongside tanks, artillery and infantry, and units can be repaired, camouflaged or fortified during a battle.
Money you earn in combat
New units and supply drops cost money shown at the top of the screen. You earn more by defeating enemies, and you can only call in units while you hold certain facilities.
Tips for 1942 Pacific Front
- Make the starting army last. GamePix's advice is not to resupply or buy units until you have gained ground worth defending.
- Fight from good terrain. Cover and movement depend on the hex a unit stands on, so set traps and counterattacks from favourable ground.
- Plan for the counterattack. Taking a facility is only half the objective; it has to survive the enemy's reply.
- Check fuel before a long drive. Vehicles run on fuel, and refills come only from facilities or support units.
- Look at the Gold slider before a local match. Pass & Play shows one on the map screen; ours was set to 5,000.
Who is 1942 Pacific Front for?
Players of 1941 Frozen Front
The same studio's follow-up keeps the hex-grid, turn-based format and adds naval units.
Two people at one computer
Pass & Play gives a head-to-head match without accounts or an internet opponent.
WWII history fans
Historical US and Japanese units fight over islands, beaches and lagoons of the Pacific theatre.
Winning a battle
A battle is won by defeating the enemy force and taking control of the area; it is lost if your units and territory are all gone. At the end of a level the game scores you on the objectives and on how well you performed. The campaign menu also tracks your standing as a commander: a new player starts at the rank of Corporal, shown with one of five stars.
Frequently asked questions
What is 1942 Pacific Front?+
1942 Pacific Front is a turn-based WWII strategy game by HandyGames. You lead US or Japanese land, sea and air units across hex-grid maps of Pacific islands.
Is 1942 Pacific Front a sequel to 1941 Frozen Front?+
Yes. HandyGames describes it as the battle continuing after 1941 Frozen Front, this time focused on naval warfare in the Pacific.
Is 1942 Pacific Front multiplayer?+
Only locally. Pass & Play lets two players take turns on the same device, but there is no online match in this version.
How do you move units in 1942 Pacific Front?+
Click a unit, then click the hex you want it to move to, or click an enemy to attack. Vehicles are limited by fuel and terrain, while infantry need ammo.
Can you play 1942 Pacific Front on a phone?+
Yes, in a mobile browser in landscape. HandyGames also releases it as an app for iOS and Android.
Privacy
GamePix hosts 1942 Pacific Front and supplies the frame it runs in on this page. Any advertising in that frame is handled by GamePix, and What Games Play has no say in it. There is nothing to register for.
Basic Training is open
Learn the units in the tutorial, then take a side in the Pacific.
↑ Play 1942 Pacific Front
