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30095774000001EN TABLE OF CONTENTS OBJECT OF THE GAME Object of the Game ...... 3 It is August 1942 and Japan Summary of Play How to Win Summary of Play ...... 3 has occupied much of the An Axis & Allies: Guadalcanal The fi rst player to reach 15 victory How to Win ...... 3 Solomon Islands chain. The goals game generally lasts 4 to 6 turns. points wins. You earn victory Each turn, the players alternate points by controlling airfi elds of the occupation are to protect Game Components ...... 4 moving their units, one unit and destroying capital ships Game Setup ...... 8 the fl ank of the Japanese offensive type at a time. Combat occurs in (battleships and aircraft carriers). in New Guinea, form a security contested zones in three stages— Units...... 9 air, sea, and then land—in an Land Units ...... 9 barrier for the Japanese base at attempt to seize control of the Sea Units ...... 10 Rabaul, and interfere with Allied island zones and the all-important supply lines. The United States airfi elds. Finally, the players will Air Units ...... 13 call for reinforcements and build has just begun its counterattack Sequence of Play ...... 14 more airfi elds. with a surprise landing on Phase 1: Movement ...... 14 Guadalcanal, capturing the Phase 2: Combat ...... 16 under-construction airfi eld there, Phase 3: Regroup ...... 21 which will later be renamed ...... 24 Appendix 1: Optional Rules Henderson Field. Advantage Tokens ...... 24 Hidden Movement ...... 25 Appendix 2: Battle Box Results Chart ...... 25 Appendix 3: Designer’s Notes ...... 26

CREDITS Game Design: Larry Harris Game Development: Nate Heiss and Bill McQuillan Additional Playtesting: Steve Warner, Mons Johnson, Gregory Marques, Rich Baker, Scott Larabee, Erik Lauer, Mike Turian, Frank Gilson, Graeme Hopkins, Alan Comer, and Courtenay Moore Editing: Bill McQuillan

Art Direction: Blake Beasley Cover Illustration: Tommy Lee Edwards Graphic Designer: Scott Okumura

Brand Management: Linda Cox, Laura Tommervik, and Brian Hart Production Management: Bob Carrasca

Thanks to all of our project team members and the many others too numerous to mention who have contributed to this product.

2 3 GAME COMPONENTS GAME COMPONENTS (continued) 1 Game Board 20 Supply Tokens 87 Total Axis Playing Pieces (brown): 1 Rulebook 16 Advantage Tokens 6 Battleships 10 Transports 12 Infantry 1 Storage Tray 85 Plastic Chips (10 red, 75 grey) 5 Aircraft Carriers 8 Submarines 7 Artillery 1 Battle Box 85 Total Allies Playing Pieces (green): 10 Destroyers 8 Fighters 6 Antiaircraft Guns 12 Dice 6 Battleships 10 Transports 10 Infantry 8 Cruisers 7 Bombers 2 Base Cards (Rabaul and New Caledonia) 5 Aircraft Carriers 8 Submarines 7 Artillery 2 Reference Charts 10 Destroyers 8 Fighters 6 Antiaircraft Guns 1 First-Player Token 8 Cruisers 7 Bombers 2 Victory Point Markers 6 Control Markers 9 Airfi eld Markers

4 5 GAME COMPONENTS (continued) GAME COMPONENTS (continued) Game Board Base Cards (Rabaul and New Caledonia) The game board is a map of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacifi c. These serve as each country’s launching point for the Solomon Islands campaign. Each card represents a base that is much further away than a normal sea zone, but moving from its sea zone to its connecting route-to- Route to Base base sea zone on the board takes just 1 movement. Your base also houses The United States and Japan have route-to-base zones on opposite damaged units for repair and is where you place your reinforcements ends of the game board. These sea zones connect with the waters on when you purchase them. the appropriate base card. Airfi eld Markers If you control the airfi elds, you control the war. Each undamaged airfi eld can hold up to 2 aircraft and is worth 1 victory point per turn.

Supply Tokens Battle Box and Dice Use these for building and repairing airfi elds, Use the battle box to determine repairing damaged sea units, and for expediting the results of combat. Place the 12 the deployment of reinforcements. They can be dice in the neck of the battle box, carried on destroyers and transports. Spent supply and then slide it in. tokens are returned to the game box.

Control Markers Plastic Chips Use these to save space in Use these during the fi nal phase of each turn overcrowded zones. Putting a to indicate control of the island zones. grey chip under a unit shows that there is an additional unit of that First-Player Token unit type in the zone. Putting a red The player who has this will move each type of 1st chip under a unit shows that there are an additional fi ve units of that unit fi rst and will choose the order of zones when Player resolving combat. unit type in the hex.

Example: A destroyer with 1 Advantage Tokens grey chip under it counts as 2 Use these for optional rules to add a twist to game play. destroyers. An infantry with (See page 24.) 1 grey and 1 red chip under it counts as 7 infantry.

Sea Zone Island Zone These are marked with the letters Each of these has a name and A through M for reference. Sea an airfi eld capacity. For example, and air units can enter sea zones. up to 2 airfi elds can be put on 1 infantry unit Land units can enter sea zones Guadalcanal. Controlling island only if they’re being carried by zones will grant you more 1 destroyer unit red chip (5 units) destroyers or transports. reinforcement points. grey chip (1 unit) grey chip (1 unit)

Victory Track 2 Destroyers 7 Infantry The fi rst player to reach 15 victory points wins. You earn victory points by controlling airfi elds and destroying capital ships. 6 7 GAME SETUP UNITS • Decide who will play the Axis This section includes detailed information for each Cost: This number is the unit’s cost in reinforcement and who will play the Allies. Sit unit in the game. Keep any units you aren’t using in points. on the appropriate side of the your game box. Whenever a unit gets destroyed, put board. it back into the game box. Attack: This is how many dice a unit contributes to an attack against the indicated unit category (land, • Give the Axis player the fi rst- There are three categories of units in the game: sea, and air). Also, land attack power is used to player token. land, sea, and air. Each unit type is defi ned by the determine control of island zones. following characteristics: • Put your base card adjacent to Special Abilities: Some units have special abilities. your route-to-base zone(s).

• Put the victory-track markers Land Units on the victory tracks. Land units can attack only when in an island zone. They can be carried by transport or destroyer across sea zones.

• Put 1 airfi eld marker on Infantry Guadalcanal and 1 on Bougainville. The Allies player controls the airfi eld on Guadalcanal and the Axis player controls the airfi eld on Bougainville. Axis: Japan Allies: United States

• Put an Allies control marker on Infantry is the basic land unit of war. They are not effective against air and naval units but are key in capturing Guadalcanal and Axis control 2 Destroyers and controlling the disputed islands. It is easy to deploy a large number of infantry onto the battlefi eld. markers on the other islands. Cost: 1 • Put units on the board as Air Attack: 0 1 Cruiser indicated by the printed Sea Attack: 0 silhouettes, using plastic chips Land Attack: 1 as needed. 2 Transports • Put the 12 dice into the battle Artillery box.

Axis: 70mm Howitzer Allies: 105mm Howitzer

Artillery is the most powerful land unit in the Solomon Islands campaign. It can infl uence the tide of battle both on land and at sea.

Cost: 2 Air Attack: 0 Sea Attack: 1 Land Attack: 1

Special Abilities Ranged Fire: May attack into 1 adjacent sea zone each turn during the Attack Sea Units step of combat.

8 9 UNITS (continued) UNITS (continued) Antiaircraft Guns Special Abilities Torpedo Attack: After moving (or deciding not to move), a submarine makes a 1-die attack on the target of your choice in the same sea zone. This special attack happens during the movement phase, so a unit damaged or destroyed by this attack will be removed from the zone before it can attack. Antiaircraft guns provide a powerful umbrella that helps protect your airfi elds and land units from aircraft assaults. Destroyer Cost: 2 Air Attack: 3 Sea Attack: 0 Axis: Fubuki class Allies: Johnston class Land Attack: 0 A naval task force with a good ratio of destroyers will always prove to be a deadly force. Intentionally limited Sea Units in both land and air attack abilities—jobs best left to the cruisers and battleships—destroyers are the infantry in a world where the oceans are the battlefi elds. Each sea unit can move 1 sea zone per movement phase. They can never move into island zones. Cost: 5 Transport Air Attack: 1 Sea Attack: 1 Land Attack: 0 Axis: Hakusan Maru class Allies: Liberty Ship Special Abilities Island warfare is all about the transports. Land troops can’t maneuver between islands without them. All the Makeshift Transport: A destroyer has 1 space for transporting a land unit or supply token. other ships and planes are there to make sure these key units can carry the war to the enemy. Resilience: Damaged instead of destroyed on a hit roll of 2. Cost: 2 Air Attack: 0 Cruiser Sea Attack: 0 Land Attack: 0

Special Abilities Axis: Takao class Allies: Portland class Transportation: A transport has 2 spaces for transporting land units and supplies. Each unit or supply token takes up 1 space. With the ability to participate in land, sea, and air battles, these warships will have a lasting impact on all three dimensions of this struggle. Submarine Cost: 7 Air Attack: 1 Sea Attack: 2 Axis: I class Allies: Ray class Land Attack: 1

This unit has its own particular way of conducting war. These lone wolves can target specifi c ships and cause Special Abilities great problems for an unsuspecting target. Ranged Fire: May attack into 1 adjacent island zone each turn during the Attack Land Units step of combat.

Cost: 4 Resilience: Damaged instead of destroyed on a hit roll of 2. Air Attack: 0 Sea Attack: 0 Land Attack: 0 10 11 UNITS (continued) UNITS (continued) Aircraft Carrier (Capital Ship) Air Units Fighters and bombers can move into and attack island zones or sea zones. They can land on airfi elds you control and on the land zone of your base card. Fighters can also land on your aircraft carriers.

Axis: Shinano class Allies: Wasp class Bomber

Capable of transporting fi ghter aircraft to any island or sea zone on the battlefi eld, these capital ships are indeed the heart and soul of the fl eet. Protect them well!

Cost: 7 Air Attack: 0 Sea Attack: 0 Axis: G4M2E Model 24J “Betty” Allies: B-17 Land Attack: 0 Transporting powerful payloads over great distances, bombers can turn the tide of any battle—be it on land, Special Abilities sea, or air. They will be your powerful fi st ready to strike where and when they are needed. Flight Deck: Up to 2 fi ghters can land on a friendly aircraft carrier. Cost: 5 Capital Ship: Your opponent earns 1 victory point for destroying a capital ship. Air Attack: 1 Sea Attack: 2 Resilience: Damaged instead of destroyed on a hit roll of 2. Land Attack: 2

Battleship (Capital Ship) Special Abilities Range 3: Can move up to 3 zones during movement and 3 zones during regroup.

Fighter Axis: Yamato class Allies: Iowa class

These capital war ships are the cornerstones of power. The presence of a battleship in a given sea zone will always signal the ultimate effort and center of activity. Axis: A6M2 Zero-Sen “Zero” Allies: Carrier Based Fighter Cost: 12 Air Attack: 1 Land-based or fl ying off the decks of carriers, these weapons will dictate the terms of any engagement. In the Sea Attack: 3 end, these machines replaced ships as the dominant weapons of the time. Land Attack: 2 Cost: 3 Special Abilities Air Attack: 2 Ranged Fire: May attack into 1 adjacent island zone each turn during the Attack Land Units step of combat. Sea Attack: 1 Land Attack: 1 Heavy Armor: Ignore the fi rst hit on a battleship each turn (a roll of 1 or 2). Special Abilities Capital Ship: Your opponent earns 1 victory point for destroying a capital ship. Range 2: Can move up to 2 zones during movement and 2 zones during regroup.

Resilience: Damaged instead of destroyed on a hit roll of 2.

12 13 SEQUENCE OF PLAY SEQUENCE OF PLAY (continued) Axis & Allies: Guadalcanal is Movement Sequence Put the units you wish to load on played in turns. A turn consists of a transport into the sea zone next Examples of Sea Movement 3 phases, followed in order. 1. Load and move transports to the transport. If you’re loading 2. Move battleships multiple transports in the same Turn Order 3. Move aircraft carriers sea zone, indicate exactly how you’re splitting up the units and Phase 1: Movement 4. Move cruisers supplies among the transports. This cruiser moves 1 zone Phase 2: Combat 5. Load and move destroyers This is important in case any of from the U.S. base card Phase 3: Regroup 6. Move and attack with the transports are destroyed and to sea zone J. submarines you need to determine which Phase 1: Movement 7. Move bombers cargo is lost. 8. Move fi ghters In this phase, the players alternate When you move a loaded moving their units by unit type. transport to a different sea zone, How an individual unit moves For each step of the movement keep the loaded units next to the depends on whether it’s a sea, air, sequence, the fi rst player transport. or land unit. completes that step for his or her own units, and then the other 2. Move Battleships • Sea unit: May move 1 sea zone. player does the same. Then go to the next step of the sequence. Battleships don’t have any special • Air unit: May move multiple movement rules. They can simply zones and can move into sea move 1 sea zone. and island zones. When you fi nish a given step, let your opponent know it is his or • Land unit: May only be moved her turn. 3. Move Aircraft Carriers This battleship can’t move through New Likewise, a sea unit couldn’t move from sea by transport or destroyer. Any fi ghters that are loaded on Georgia from sea zone I to sea zone G, because zone C to sea zone H. 1. Load and Move Transports the carrier move along with the the island zone is between those zones. The sea zone on your base card You may load land units and carrier for free into the new zone is one move away from the route- it moves into. to-base sea zone(s) indicated on supplies from adjacent island 6. Move and Attack with Example of Air Movement the board. zones onto transports. Each Submarines transport has 2 spaces for 4. Move Cruisers transporting land units and Cruisers don’t have any special A submarine attack is a special 1-die attack on a sea unit of your You have a fi ghter on supplies. Each unit or supply movement rules. They can simply New Caledonia and token takes up 1 space. move 1 sea zone. choice in the zone the submarine is in. The submarine may make you want to move it onto the game board. 5. Load and Move Destroyers this attack even if it does not move, but it happens after you The fi rst move is Load and move destroyers like you move, or declare that you’re not into the sea zone on did transports, except destroyers moving, the submarine. Choose the New Caledonia have less space. Each destroyer a sea unit in the zone and roll the card, and the second has only 1 space for transporting a dice in the battle box. Apply the is into sea zone J. land unit or supply token. result of the fi rst die in the box to Later in the turn, the target you chose. Read more during the regroup about attacks and how they work phase, the fi ghter can on page 16. move another 2 zones to land, allowing it to land on your 7. Move Bombers Guadalcanal airfi eld. A bomber moves up to 3 zones.

8. Move Fighters A fi ghter moves up to 2 zones. 14 15 SEQUENCE OF PLAY (continued) SEQUENCE OF PLAY (continued) Phase 2: Combat 2. Attack Sea Units 4. Attack Land Units and/or How to Attack A battleship or cruiser may add its Airfi elds land attack power to an attack on In this phase, resolve combat in Do what you did for air units Use the following sequence for in step 1, but this time for each Do what you did for air and sea resolving attacks against each 1 adjacent island zone each zone that contains opposing per turn. Similarly, an units. sea zone in which sea units can units in steps 1 and 2, but this category of unit—air, sea, and land: be fi red upon. Also, some sea time for each island zone in which artillery may add its units can be damaged instead land units and/or airfi elds can be 1. Determine Total Attack Power sea attack power to an Combat Sequence of destroyed. Put them on the fi red upon. For each of your air attack on 1 adjacent sea 2. Roll Dice in the Battle Box zone per turn. Other 1. Attack air units damaged area of their base cards units and sea units participating in at the same time you remove the attack (not land units), decide 3. Declare Your Hits units add their attack 2. Attack sea units destroyed sea units. whether it will attack the enemy’s powers only to attacks 3. Unload transports and land units or airfi elds. It can’t 1. Determine Total Attack Power in their own zones. destroyers Each artillery may fi re into only attack both. Add up all the attack powers of 4. Attack land units and/or 1 adjacent sea zone each turn. the attacking units. That is your airfi elds The attacker must declare if the When attacking airfi elds, the total attack power and determines artillery is part of the attack for attack is made with the combined how many dice you will be rolling For each step of the combat each sea zone adjacent to it. Once attack power of each unit chosen for that attack. sequence, the fi rst player chooses declared as part of an attack on a to attack the airfi elds in the island the order in which zones are sea zone, an artillery can’t attack zone. Ignore the unit types listed Each unit has 3 attack numbers. resolved. For details on how another sea zone this turn. on the neck of the battle box when Each number tells you how many attacks are resolved, see How to attacking airfi elds. Simply look dice it rolls against the indicated Attack on the next page. 3. Unload Transports and at a number of dice in a row— category of unit—land, sea, and air. 2. Roll Dice in the Battle Box Destroyers starting with the outside tip of the Make sure all 12 dice are in 1. Attack Air Units The fi rst player may unload units neck—equal to the attack power. Example: A battleship has the battle box and the neck is The fi rst player attacks the and supply tokens from transports For every 2 hits scored on those an air attack power of 1. This fully inserted. Shake the box to opposing air units in the zone of and destroyers onto adjacent dice (a roll of 1 or 2) damage one means it will add 1 die to your randomize the dice, tilt the box his or her choice. Then the other island zones. The other player enemy-controlled airfi eld in the air attack against all the enemy slightly downward, and then pull player attacks the opposing air then does the same. zone. Flip the airfi eld marker over air units in the same zone as the neck out. The dice will come units in that zone. After both to indicate that it is damaged. the battleship. The battleship out in a straight line in the neck. players have rolled their attacks, also has a sea attack power of then remove the destroyed air Each cruiser or battleship may 3, so it will also add 3 dice to If you have an attack of greater units from the board. Repeat this fi re into only 1 adjacent island your attack against the enemy than 12 dice, you’ll need to use process for each zone in which air zone each turn. The attacker must sea units in the same zone. the box again until you have units can be fi red upon. declare if the cruiser or battleship Finally, the battleship has a land rolled enough dice. is part of the attack for each island attack power of 2, so when it is zone adjacent to it. Once declared time to attack land units in an it as part of an attack on a island adjacent island zone, you may zone, a cruiser or battleship can’t add its 2 dice to your attack in attack another island zone this turn. that zone.

16 17 SEQUENCE OF PLAY (continued) SEQUENCE OF PLAY (continued) 3. Declare Your Hits Hitting Units the Enemy Example: You are attacking Starting with the fi rst die at the Doesn’t Have sea units with 12 dice, and your tip of the neck, check a number of During an attack, it’s possible opponent has 2 destroyers, 1 dice in a row equal to the power you’ll hit a unit type your cruiser, and 1 battleship in the 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 of the attack. Each die result of 1 opponent doesn’t have in that zone you’re attacking. You or 2 is a hit. The inside of the neck zone or a type for which all units score a hit on a transport, which of the box is numbered to make in that zone have already been your opponent doesn’t have in this easier. destroyed. In that case, the hit still that zone. This hit will go to a counts, but it will hit a different destroyer, because it’s the fi rst Tell your opponent which specifi c unit type in that category. unit type listed on the neck of unit types are hit by reading them the box that your opponent has. off from slot 1 and counting up. To fi nd out what it hits, look at To do this, look at the outside the unit types listed on the neck portion of the neck of the box of the battle box. Starting with the where your hit is positioned. Then unit listed for slot 1, look to see read off the unit type indicated on if there is an undestroyed enemy that slot for the category of unit unit of that type present in the you are attacking (air, sea, or land). zone. If so, the hit goes to that unit. Keep reading up the neck from slot to slot until you reach a type of unit in that zone that can take the hit.

Battle Box Example Loss of Cargo units on it, and the other has 2 instead of being destroyed, they Let’s say you attack with a total attack power of 8, and you are fi ring at air units. You get this roll: If a transport or destroyer gets hit, supplies. You can now choose are damaged. the units and supply tokens it was to assign the hit to the one with carrying are destroyed. 2 supplies because you rolled When a unit is damaged, instead of a 1. If it was a 2, the opponent returning it to the game box when 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 If a carrier gets hit, the fi ghters could have it go to the empty you are removing casualties, place that were on it are not destroyed. transport. it on the damaged area of your They stay in that sea zone but will home base card. This represents need to fi nd a new place to land Damaging and destroying the ship returning for repairs. The during the regroup phase. units ship will remain there until you Most units in the game are spend 1 supply token during the When assigning hits, on a result destroyed on any hit of a 1 or 2. regroup phase to repair it. Since it is an attack with 8 dice, you only need to pay of a 2 the defender chooses When a unit is destroyed, you attention to the fi rst 8 dice in the neck of the box. which unit of the appropriate remove it from the board at the When a unit is damaged in type actually takes the hit. On end of the combat step in that combat, it is still possible for it to be destroyed during the same The fi rst hit was with the fi rst die rolled! Look at the This hit is also on a fi ghter. a 1, the attacker chooses. This particular zone. attack. If the damaged unit is neck of the box in the slot where that hit is located. is important in cases involving hit with a second hit (be it 2 or There are three units listed there: fi ghter, destroyer, multiple transports or destroyers Destroyers, cruisers, battleships, 1), then it is destroyed. Hits are and infantry. Since you are fi ring at air units, this hit carrying different units. and aircraft carriers have the applied to undamaged units before is going to be on a fi ghter. Let your opponent know This hit is on a bomber! Nice shooting. ability to sustain damage but not damaged ones, so this will only about it so he will remove it from the board after Example: You make an attack be completely destroyed. If any happen when all the other units fi ring at air is fi nished. and roll a 1 in the transport of these units are hit by a roll of slot of the dice box. Your a 1, then they are destroyed just of the same type as the damaged opponent has 2 transports in like any other unit. However, if unit have also been damaged or the zone. One of them has no they are hit by a roll of a 2, then destroyed. 18 19 SEQUENCE OF PLAY (continued) SEQUENCE OF PLAY (continued) Phase 3: Regroup Capturing Airfi elds and Supplies Because you have to eliminate Example of a Sea Attack all opposing units on an island This is the fi nal phase of the turn. If there are no enemy land units remaining in an island zone to capture any enemy-controlled airfi elds there, it’s possible for a You are making a 10-power attack in during this step, capture all enemy Regroup Sequence airfi elds and supply tokens in player to control an island zone a sea zone containing the following but not the airfi elds on it. enemy sea units: 2 destroyers, 1 cruiser, 1. Determine control of island that zone. Treat them as if you 1 battleship, and 2 transports. One of zones had built them. You can spend the supplies and land air units on the transports has a supply token and 1 2. Land air units the airfi elds in the same turn you artillery on it, and one of the destroyers 3. Build airfi elds is carrying 1 infantry. capture them. You will also score 4. Reinforce, repair, and deploy the victory points for the airfi elds. You shake up the battle box and roll: 5. Score victory points and check for victory 6. Pass the fi rst-player marker Example: The Allies player unloads 5 infantry into Axis-controlled New Georgia, where the Axis player controls an airfi eld and 4 infantry. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1. Determine Control of Island Zones For each island zone, total up the players’ respective land attack powers of land units in the zone to determine who controls it. Land power is determined by the number of land attack dice the Okay, nice rolling! Let’s assign these hits. Start units in that zone would roll. For from the fi rst slot and make your way up, only Slot 6: “3” — Miss. example, an artillery has 1 land counting the fi rst 10 dice. attack power, and an antiaircraft Slot 7: “2” — This hits the damaged destroyer, gun has 0 land attack power. Slot 1: “2” — Damage a destroyer. Your opponent because it is the only destroyer left, destroying it! Air units do not contribute to chooses which one because you rolled a 2. He controlling an island zone. chooses the one without the infantry, since the Slot 8: “6” — Miss. infantry would be destroyed otherwise. If you have at least 1 land unit Slot 9: “3” — Miss. in the island zone, your adjacent Slot 2: “1” — Destroy the cruiser! cruisers and battleships also exert Slot 10: “2” — This would hit and damage an their land attack power on that Slot 3: “1” — Hit the battleship, but due to its aircraft carrier, but there isn’t one, so the hit is zone. special ability of ignoring the fi rst hit per turn, this assigned to the fi rst unit available listed from left hit is ignored. to right on the battle box neck, starting with slot Whichever player has the highest 1. The fi rst listed unit available is found in slot 3 total land attack power in the zone Slot 4: “1” — This hit would destroy an aircraft — the battleship. The battleship is damaged. controls it. In a tie, the person carrier, but there isn’t one, so the hit is assigned to the who has control keeps it. Mark the fi rst unit available listed from left to right on the battle The end result is that you damaged a battleship, island zone with the appropriate box neck, starting with the unit listed for slot 1. It hits sending it home for repairs, and destroyed control marker. the undamaged destroyer and destroys it because it was everything else except a lone transport delivering a roll of a “1.” This also destroys the infantry on it. an artillery and supply.

Slot 5: “2” — Hit and destroy a transport After combat, the Allies player has 4 infantry remaining, and the Axis of the defender’s choice. He chooses the player has 2. The Axis player loses control of the island zone, but retains one with nothing in it. control of the airfi eld because there are still Axis units on the island.

20 21 SEQUENCE OF PLAY (continued) SEQUENCE OF PLAY (continued) 2. Land Air Units 4. Reinforce, Repair, and Repair Deploy 5. Score Victory Points and Reinforcement Costs Fighters and bombers must land Deploy Starting with the fi rst player, each Starting with the fi rst player, Check for Victory now. Bombers may move up to 3 In this step, players will bolster player may repair airfi elds and players may deploy their sea units Each player scores 1 victory point zones and can land only on their their forces, repair their damaged Unit Type Cost sea units. from their base cards directly for each undamaged airfi eld he or home base or on any controlled units, and stage their attack for the onto the game board by spending she controls. Adjust the victory airfi eld. Fighters may move up to 2 following turn. Infantry ...... 1 You may spend 1 supply token supply tokens at the home base. tracks accordingly. zones and can land on their home Artillery ...... 2 at your home base to repair a base, a controlled airfi eld, or on Reinforce Antiaircraft Gun ...... 2 damaged sea unit there. Put the The sea zones on the sides of the When a player reaches 15 victory a friendly aircraft carrier. Any air Each player gets 5 reinforcement repaired unit into the sea zone on board have deployment numbers points during this step, that player unit that can’t land is destroyed. points to spend each turn plus Transport ...... 2 your base card. You may do this for on them. You may deploy a sea wins the game. (If a player goes 2 points per island he or she Submarine ...... 4 each damaged sea unit you control. unit from your home base card to to 15 points or above during the An aircraft one of those zones on your side of combat phase because he or she controls. Thus, a player controlling Destroyer ...... 5 can’t land on a 3 islands would get 11 You may spend 1 supply token on the board by spending a number destroyed a capital ship, that Cruiser ...... 7 damaged airfi eld, reinforcement points. an island zone to repair a damaged of supply tokens equal to the player doesn’t win the game until even if it didn’t move Aircraft Carrier ...... 7 airfi eld you control on that island. deployment number in that zone. this step.) from that island zone this turn. Starting with the fi rst player, Battleship ...... 12 Flip the airfi eld marker over to spend reinforcement points. Put the undamaged side. You may do Any units loaded on that sea unit If both players reach 15 victory Landing Capacities any reinforcements bought onto the Bomber ...... 5 this for each damaged airfi eld move with it at no extra supply points in the same turn, the player with more victory points wins the • Home Base (Rabaul or New appropriate base card, with land Fighter ...... 3 you control. cost. This can be an effective way game. If they are tied, the game Caledonia): Any number of air units, air units, and supply tokens for getting troops or fi ghters into continues until the tie is broken. units going on the land zone and sea Supply Token ...... 2 combat where they otherwise units going in the sea zone. wouldn’t reach. • Airfi eld: 2 air units per airfi eld 6. Pass the First-Player marker If you buy a transport, destroyer, Any reinforcement points you do Marker • Aircraft Carrier: 2 fi ghters or aircraft carrier, you may not spend are lost. Spend them The player with the fi rst-player (no bombers) wisely! marker passes it to the other player. immediately load units onto it Example: You have 1 battleship, 1 transport, and 3 supply tokens at That player is now the fi rst player. from your base card. your base at New Caledonia. Your transport is loaded with 2 infantry. 3. Build Airfi elds Start the next turn of the game. You decide to spend 1 supply token to put the transport (with its Starting with the fi rst player, cargo) into sea zone J, and then spend another 2 supplies to put the players may build airfi elds. To battleship into sea zone I. build an airfi eld, spend 3 supply Land Zone tokens you control on an island zone that has an empty airfi eld slot. Place an airfi eld marker on that island zone. You control the Sea Zone airfi eld you build, even if you don’t control that island.

Guadalcanal, Bougainville, and New Georgia can each have up to 2 airfi elds. Santa Isabel, Malaita, and Choseul can each have no more than 1 airfi eld.

On each island that can hold 2 airfi eld markers, it’s possible for each player to control an airfi eld marker on the same island.

22 Sea Units Air and Land Units, 23 Supply Tokens APPENDIX 1: OPTIONAL RULES APPENDIX 1: OPTIONAL RULES (continued) Once you’ve played a few games, Banzai Charge Allies Tokens PT Boats Hidden Movement Once both players are done, reveal you may want to try out one or your plans and move your units as A factor to consider in World War both of the two optional rules: 1 token Command Decision 2 tokens you pre-determined. advantages and hidden movement. II naval warfare was that often unit movements went undetected. When used: During combat, 1 token When used: During combat, 3. Move Bombers Smart commanders could keep before the land combat step begins. before sea combat begins. Starting with the fi rst player, each Advantages When used: Use at the beginning the enemy second guessing about player moves his or her bombers. Axis & Allies: Guadalcanal their true objectives. Effect: Choose an island zone. of a combat phase before any Effect: Place this token in a sea comes with 16 advantage Each 3 you roll against land units attacks are made. zone where you have at least one tokens—8 per player—that If you’d like to simulate this 4. Move Fighters counts as a hit in that zone this unit. This token counts as a sea you may use to add a twist to effect, replace the steps of Starting with the fi rst player, each turn. Effect: Choose a zone and choose unit—a PT boat—that has 1 sea your games. You can spend an the movement phase with the player moves his or her fi ghters. air, sea, or land. After both players attack power. If your opponent advantage token at the appropriate following steps: Night Fighting make their attacks against the attacks your sea units in the zone time to generate the effect of the chosen category of unit in the with your PT boat and hits a type advantage. Once expended, the 1. Load Transports and chosen zone and take casualties, of unit you don’t have there, token can’t be used again for the 2 tokens Destroyers both players attack again against your PT boat takes that hit and rest of the game. that unit category in that zone. Starting with the fi rst player, each When used: During combat, is destroyed. (This token stays in player loads his or her transports before the sea combat step begins. play until hit.) You may choose to include all Good Logistics and destroyers. the advantages in a single game, Effect: Choose a sea zone. Each Coast Watchers or use only some of them. Each 1 token 2. Hidden Sea Movement player should get the same 2 you roll against sea units in 2 tokens Both players secretly write down number of tokens, though. that zone this turn counts as a “destroy” hit, just like rolling a 1. When used: During regroup, the movements of their sea units before you buy reinforcements. When used: During movement, on paper by indicating the letter of Axis Advantages Quick Drop before moving a specifi c unit type the sea zone the units originated Command Decision Effect: Whenever you buy a of your choice. from, and the letter of the sea zone supply or artillery this turn, get a 2 tokens they are moving to. If you want second one of the same type free. 1 token Effect: You do not move that to split up a force in one zone and have it move to two separate When used: At the end of the unit type until all other units have Amphibious Assault places, simply write the units that When used: At the beginning movement phase. moved this turn. are splitting off and their new of combat before any attacks are 2 tokens destination. made. Effect: Choose a sea zone. You may unload all your destroyers Effect: Choose a zone and choose and transports in that zone onto an When used: During combat, after air, sea, or land. After both players adjacent island zone. unloading but before land combat. make their attacks against the APPENDIX 2: BATTLE BOX RESULTS CHART chosen category of unit in the Superior Fighters Effect: Make an attack against For reference, the slot lineup on the neck of the battle box is: chosen zone and take casualties, the land units in 1 island zone of your choice with each unit you both players attack again against 2 tokens that unit category in that zone. unloaded there this turn. Resolve the effects of this extra attack When used: During movement, immediately, without the enemy before you move your fi ghters. returning fi re. Effect: Your fi ghters may move 3 zones during movement and regroup this turn instead of 2.

24 25 APPENDIX 3: DESIGNER’S NOTES APPENDIX 3: DESIGNER’S NOTES (continued) A Guadalcanal Diary everything. In addition to the blast of the bombs, the stacks of ammunition and shells were exploding. The drums of gasoline were bursting into fl aming liquid, shooting high into the air. Some of you know that my father was an infantryman in the South Pacifi c and fought in the Solomon Islands Hundreds of men were running every which way and being cut down by the explosions.” as well as New Guinea and the Philippines. I usually don’t miss an opportunity to write or talk about this whenever I have an audience. I’m sure my pride in my dad comes shining through each time. Manning the jungle perimeter during the rainy season, when the nights were so black that one could not see his own hand in front of his face, the sounds of the killing were muffl ed by the falling rain and everything seemed On the surface, the South Pacifi c was nothing short of paradise. Think of what it must have to move in slow motion. been like. . . . An 18-year-old kid from New England, back in the 1940s when the world was a much bigger place, was getting a tropical vacation all paid for by Uncle Sam. All “We tied the empty ration cans together and strung them out and around our foxholes so if the the transportation, food, and ammo you would need would be provided. There were white Japs were moving around us in the dark they would rattle the cans and then we could open sandy beaches, palm trees, and lush jungles. It was just like in the movies. It must have up with our rifl es and machine guns. This happened almost every night because the Japs were been confusing when the enemy artillery and bombs began to fall. strongly entrenched in the jungle and were all around us. They tried to infi ltrate our perimeter at night and bayonet our men. You could swear that every bush around you was moving with a My father kept a wartime diary of his experiences. His diary was just a small book with Jap behind it.” probably two hundred or so, now yellowed pages. Nonetheless, it is a big book in so many other ways. It is amazing that it has survived after so much and for so long. Many The diary also speaks of more uplifting events. It talks about when his troop train crossed the country from the of the pages show wear. On a couple of them, rain drops that fell many years ago east coast to the west coast and how at every small town and railroad crossing local people came out to wave formed blue spots where the ink and water met. They serve as a testimony of a rainy at the soldiers . . . how they tossed cases of cold beer and cola onto the slow passing train . . . how there were day on Guadalcanal. This small book is now one of my most cherished possessions. more cookies and cakes then they could eat and more books and magazines they could ever read. Axis & Allies®: Guadalcanal is indeed a very special game to me. It of course takes on a The diary talks about crossing the Pacifi c on an unescorted troop ship fi lled to capacity with 5,000 people and deeper meaning. The islands and the names on the map take on more signifi cance than usual. They now have tons of equipment badly needed on Guadalcanal. Upon entering a channel to the island of Espiritu Santo the a more personal context. Guadalcanal is a place where Japanese war ships and planes bombarded my father’s ship suddenly shuddered and shook. Not once but twice. The ship had hit two mines in the harbor and sunk position. A quote from his diary: within minutes. With but a handful of casualties, 5,000 U.S. Army troops found themselves shipwrecked with no equipment and late for their scheduled appointment at Guadalcanal to join the Marines already fi ghting there. “At night and especially under the full moon, the bombers came over and dropped their bombs and the Jap destroyers came down the slot and poured their huge shells into us. A shell coming Axis & Allies: Guadalcanal and the other games in the Axis & Allies series are what could be called an in sounded just like a freight train.” artistic interpretation of the historical battles they represent. I use the word artistic because I’m a designer and sincerely see games to be an art form. If these games were paintings they would have been painted with a The island of Rendova and the town of Munda, both part of the New Georgia Islands group, were places where broad brush indeed. Nonetheless, they bring information and often shine a bright light on the subject. Corporal Harris made two of what would prove to be many beachheads. All the games are a result of a sincere effort on my part to recapture the signifi cance and meaning of the “It was dawn when we went over the side of our transport, down the landing nets, and into struggles they portray. It is my hope that they honor your friends and relatives that may have participated in our Higgins boats. Before we headed in, our ships bombarded the beach with 16-inch shells these epic events. and scores of rockets. Our planes were swarming in over our heads strafi ng the beach. The thoughts running through my head were: ‘This is it. . . . When that ramp goes down, you’ll It is my hope that once you have played Axis & Allies: Guadalcanal, you will have probably run right into a Jap machine gun nest. If you live through today, nothing can ever a better understanding and appreciation for what occurred on that great battlefi eld of worry you again, because you will be living on borrowed time.’” ocean and jungle. I think this game offers something different from the written text of a dedicated book on the subject. When such a text is combined with the playing of this Being bombed by enemy aircraft is always, I’m sure, a terrifying experience. For the Americans, new to the game, a greater insight of the subject can be had. Historical games permit you to be war in the Pacifi c, this happened with a certain painful regularity. The Guadalcanal and Solomon Islands in the drivers seat and steer the events. You can experiment with them. You can study campaigns were among the few campaigns in which the two opposing forces could be considered on an equal “what ifs.” You are in charge! par. After this battle the Japanese would never again be equal to the American air force, but for the moment the contest for air supremacy had not yet been resolved. I for one have learned much about the struggle for the Solomon Islands while designing this game. This has been a personal voyage of discovery as well. Being “I was looking up to what was thought to be low-fl ying American bombers. Suddenly I better informed, I walk away from this project even more proud of my father then I spotted the Jap rising sun markings. That’s when all hell broke loose. The bombers came was before. How could that be possible? Enjoy! fl ying in low, hopping over a small mountain that hid their approach. The planes were strafi ng and bombing our beachhead. They were doing a devastating job of blowing up — Larry Harris 26 27