As Midway is widely regarded as the turning point in the war at sea in the Pacific Theater, the Battle for Henderson Field is similarly seen as the pivotal point in the land war in the Pacific. The failed attack on Henderson Field by the 17th Army marked the end of strategic offensive operations for Imperial Japan. Thereafter policy shifted to a defensive strategy designed to make America bleed island by island, with the hope for either a climactic Naval battle after US forces had been whittled down and/or a negotiated peace settlement that would allow Japan to keep control of at least some possessions.

Last updated: August 06, 2024 19:26

The basic concept of all Valiant Defense games is that the player is commanding forces that are defending a fixed position. Pavlov’s House – my favorite solitaire game – takes this a step further by adding an Operational command element in which, if the reader is unfamiliar, the player also has to make certain critical decisions from a wider perspective, in particular, the supply of Pavlov’s House via the Volga River. This is my favorite element of the game, and it is very popular with a lot of players too.

Guadalcanal – The Battle for Henderson Field was a good choice for this model as, first of all, the basic requisite is met: Forces defending a fixed position. The 1st Marine Division – supported by the 164th Americal Regiment (AMERIcan/CALedonian) – are fighting off the 17th Imperial Japanese Army that is trying to cross the Matanikau River, more of a diversion than anything else, while the main force launches what is supposed to be a decisive attack against the Lunga Perimeter to the south.

Of equal interest and importance is the Cactus Air Force, operating out of Henderson Field. While the IJA are making night attacks, during the day, as had been going on for several months, Japanese aircraft flying from Rabaul are trying to bomb and/or dogfight the Marine pilots into submission. While all this is going on Vice Admiral Nagumo is moving undetected ever closer to Guadalcanal with a carrier force intent on seeking revenge for Midway and destroying the US carrier fleet in the Pacific. Another Naval operation is also underway: The light cruiser Yura is also moving into position to bombard Henderson Field from the sea. Finally, Task Force 62 is trying to keep the Marines supplied. So, all the elements were there for an Operational command aspect to the game as well, similar to Pavlov’s House. �

In effect, the player is commanding the USMC firing line beating back waves of Japanese attacks while also making critical decisions as, simultaneously, the commander of the 1st Marine Division (General Vandegrift), the commander of Task Force 62 (Rear Admiral Turner) and the commander of the Cactus Air Force (Brigadier General Roy Geiger).

Last updated: August 06, 2024 19:26

The biggest one is one that I hope players won’t really notice! That is, the scale of the game has changed completely from the individual defenders portrayed in past VD games to a battle involving thousands of soldiers on either side. There were hints of this in previous VD games with the composition of an attacking counter not really being described and there are no objections to this that I am aware of, so that is being extended further to the composition of the defending counters also not really being stipulated, though the scale is platoon(ish).

This is a big risk and again I would like to thank David for trusting me that I would look after his baby so to speak! If Guadalcanal is popular, then the breadth of topics that can be covered in future games expands enormously.

The other notable new additions are the Difficulty Levels and the Variant play options. If you like the game in its basic form, you will have hours and hours of different, challenging options to work through.

Last updated: August 07, 2024 17:54

The design process started early in 2021. As mentioned, I am the biggest fan of Pavlov’s House and my initial goal was to emulate that game. As such, Guadalcanal wasn’t much more than a direct copy of Pavlov’s but with the names changed!!! The Soviet defenders simply became the USMC. The attacking Wehrmacht simply became the 17th Army. Storm Groups simply became Scout/Sniper Combat Patrols and so on. There is still a fair amount that is recognizable. The ‘Betty’ bombers flying in from Rabaul will be immediately recognizable as doubles for the Stukas!! David encouraged me to make Guadalcanal more a game about Guadalcanal and less about emulating the Pavlov’s model, which I hope I have succeeded in doing. The Banzai card was probably the first big change and again, though some points are clearly influenced by Pavlov’s (dehydration for example), those cards begin to lend a different flavor, capturing the desperation of the Japanese attackers to overwhelm the Marine firing line with numbers rather than guile, along with the rules for pilot nutrition and the bombardment mission of the Yura.

Probably the biggest design element created are the rules for Defensive Fire and Hand-to-Hand combat. For much of the design process, the game ended as normal for a Valiant Defense game with an IJA counter advancing from an Attack Position into a USMC Combat Position. The rules for Defensive Fire and Hand-to-Hand combat capture that final, brave attempt by the defenders to hold their position to the last man. In fact, historically there were isolated cases of the Japanese breaking through the lines and carving out a salient, at least on the first night of fighting, and a few even managed to get to Henderson Field, so I am trying to capture that aspect and have the game really come down to the last roll of the dice!! �

Last updated: August 07, 2024 17:54

The overall aim is to protect Henderson Field. To do this the player must first use assets located on Henderson Field itself: The Wildcat F4Fs of the Cactus Air Force and the 3rd Defense Battalion (which provided Anti-aircraft fire). Also important are the two Coast Watchers located on Bougainville Island who, if activated, are able to give an early warning to the pilots who are then assumed to be able to reach an altitude of 20,000 feet (‘Angels 20’) and destroy the incoming Betty bombers and Zero escorts quickly and easily. Similar to Pavlov’s, if the 1st Marine Division HQ is destroyed, that ends the game. Attempting to do this, along with the bombers from Rabaul, is the light cruiser Yura and her escort. Once again, the Cactus Air Force is needed, this time utilizing SBD – Bomber aircraft to execute dive bombing missions to drive off the encroaching bombardment force.

Further to this is the firing line manned primarily by Marines, but supported by the 164th Americal Regiment. The defensive line stretches from the Matanikau River Mouth south to the Matanikau River Log Bridge and then east along the Southern Lunga Perimeter, which is where the heaviest fighting took place. To help defend the perimeter the player has access to various counters with different abilities, including heavy weapons, along with the support of the 11th Marine Regiment (Artillery) firing out of Henderson Field.

Last updated: August 09, 2024 00:37

Event cards represent real life events or potential events that could have occurred in favor of the Imperial Japanese forces. Introducing these cards will make the defense of Henderson Field even more challenging!

For some Event cards, there are three Difficulty Levels: Regular, Veteran and Elite. This determines the severity of the event stipulated, with higher Difficulty Level introducing more severe challenges for the player.

We have play tested for three Event cards per game, though there is no reason a player cannot reduce or increase the number of Events used.

The conditions stipulated on the Event card remain in effect for the duration of the game. The Tactics cards (detailed below) are drawn on a turn-by-turn basis. Normally the player would draw three random Event cards per game, but one of the play testers – Shane – came up with some thematic ideas for scenarios that focus on making one particular aspect of the game more difficult. And of course, the player can create his own scenarios �

An example scenario might be ‘There are No More Reserves. Hold the Line.’ In this scenario the player pre-selects the Malaria, No Reserves and one of More Ammo, Damaged Wire or Poor Morale Event cards. In this scenario, the number of Marines to man the front line is limited, which in turn has affected the resupply of ammunition, the preparation of defensive positions or has impacted morale in a negative manner.

Here are some example Event cards.

Malaria (Elite) Malaria – amongst other health hazards – was a major issue for the Marines in Guadalcanal. As such, there are actually three different Malaria Event cards, from Regular to Veteran to Elite Difficulty Level. This card (Elite) is the most severe.

The text reads: Any USMC counter that would be removed from play is instead removed from the game. It is not returned to stock and remains unavailable for the duration of the game.

There is a hard limit to the number of USMC counters available to the player. This Malaria card adds a further restriction because the stock is never replenished. This emulates the debilitating effects of malaria and simulates the dwindling number of combat effective troops that can be sent to the front line.

Savo Island (Veteran) The Battle of Savo Island took place on the night of 8-9 August, that is, immediately after the 1st Marine Division landed on Guadalcanal on 7 August. Mikawa was able to surprise the US Navy in the vicinity of Guadalcanal and demonstrate the skill of the Imperial Japanese Navy during night actions. Savo Island is regarded as being perhaps the worst defeat in history of the US Navy, and is certainly regarded as being one of the worst. Fortunately for the Navy, Mikawa withdrew before sunrise, fearing a counter-attack from US carriers he assumed were in the area; in fact, they had also withdrawn, fearing a similar attack from the Japanese Navy. As a result, the supply ships of Task Force 62 were spared. Savo Island is depicted in Episode 1 of ‘The Pacific’, with the Marines looking across at the burning ships.

The text reads: Rear Admiral Mikawa destroys transport ships belong to Task Force 62. Anytime you take the Land Supplies action (2.6) instead of placing six Supply Tokens in the Supplies box on Henderson Field, you only place four Supply Tokens.

So, this Event card assumes Mikawa was able to inflict damage on Task Force 62 and in turn hinder the supply of the 1st Marine Division. Supply Tokens are generic (Pavlov’s House uses specific Tokens) and critical for various actions, such as readying 11th Artillery Tokens or ensuring the Wildcat F4F pilots have high quality nutrition, so limiting the supply is a major problem for the player.

Last updated: August 09, 2024 00:39

Defending the perimeter are Rifles, NCOs, Officers, Medics and Weapon Teams utilizing heavy weapons. Counters have different abilities, and the stronger those abilities are, the higher the Deployment Cost. On Henderson Field, the player is controlling the 1st Marine Division HQ, Task Force 62 (responsible for Supplies), Division Intelligence (D-2), the 11th Marine Regiment (Artillery), the 3rd Defense Battalion (Anti-aircraft) and the Cactus Air Force, which uses Wildcat F4F, SBD – Bomber and SBD – Patrol aircraft. In addition, the Coast Watchers on Bougainville Island take a part as does COMAIRSOPAC (Commander, Air, South Pacific), though the latter is ‘off-board’. As a point of interest, in the early stages of the Guadalcanal campaign John McCain Senior occupied the position of COMAIRSOPAC, though he had been replaced by Admiral Aubrey Fitch by the time of the Battle for Henderson Field.

Last updated: August 09, 2024 17:15

The 17th Army is represented by Infantry, Officers, Bushi, Veterans, and Infiltrators, supported by Knee Mortarmen and a single Tank unit. The Infantry are the most numerous and – an added twist – as the Wave number increases, so does the number of Infantry placed. So, by Wave 4 if you draw an Infantry card during the IJA Card and Counter Phase, you will place four Infantry counters randomly on the game board.

The Officers are accompanied by an Infantry counter, and that Infantry counter must be destroyed before the Officer can be targeted. Veterans are similar to Infantry but receive a higher Defense Value. Bushi are inspired by Yamato Damashii (Japanese Spirit) which makes them fight to the bitter end. A Bushi gains a saving throw if it is hit, and that saving throw becomes easier as the Waves progress.

Infiltrators are something new. When an Infiltrator crosses the USMC line, the game does not end. Instead, the Infiltrator will target a USMC counter in a rear Combat Position or the Reserves box. This means there is no hiding from an attack.

The Knee Mortar and Tank counters progress along Attack Tracks as normal, but fire at the defenders with each move.

Last updated: August 09, 2024 17:15

Suppression is a key weapon in the arsenal of the player. For anyone unfamiliar, the attacking IJA counters are placed on Attack Tracks with subsequent counters pushing forward the foremost counters, closer and closer to breaching the USMC line. When an IJA counter is first placed, the player may use any number of Suppression counters available to make an immediate attack on that IJA counter. Some counters – the Tank, the Veteran and the Officer – are Immune to Suppression and cannot be targeted.

Suppression counters are generated by heavy weapons: the 60mm and 81mm mortars generate the most, followed by the M1919 Browning Light Machine gun and the 37mm AT gun which was also capable of firing cannister shells. The Suppress action requires two matching Weapon Team counters to use two Actions (which are limited according to the Difficulty Level) and for a Supply Token to also be redeemed. Heavy weapon counters and their attendant Teams are expensive to deploy, and both Actions and Supply Tokens are in short supply, so the decision of whether to use Suppression is important. I don’t want to give too much away as I love designing games that are non-telegraphed brain teasers, so I want the player to figure things out by himself through trial and error and reflection on failure, but deciding whether to go with heavy weapons and Suppression will shape the game in very different ways to not going with heavy weapons.

Last updated: August 11, 2024 02:16

Historically all aspects of the defense of the perimeter were intertwined. Certainly, the artillery played a massive role in breaking up the attacks into small, manageable groups of advancing Japanese infantry that were more easily repelled. To avoid ‘Barrage! Barrage! Barrage!’ though the 11th Marine Regiment has been neutered. Forward Observer counters are restricted, and easy to destroy. Setting up the artillery on Henderson Field takes time and a single Betty or stray shot from the Yura can ruin everything. So, while the artillery plays a part, the player will also need to make use of heavy weapons to generate Suppression tokens and, in the case of the MG, use direct fire. But that still isn’t enough. Ultimately, it is the Rifles counters on the front line that must first lay Barbed Wire then defend it, possibly using hand-to-hand combat in the final Banzai!

Last updated: August 11, 2024 02:16

Tactics cards are Variant/Optional cards that experienced players are encouraged to use. Each Tactics cards represents decisions and situations at the tactical level, with different cards impacting different areas on the game board at different phases of the game for the duration of a single turn. The number of Tactics cards drawn in the IJA Card and Counter Phase is determined by the Difficulty Level (Boot, Regular, Veteran and Elite), with more cards being drawn at higher Difficulty Levels.

Let’s take a look at a couple of examples �

Air Cover (Yura)

The text reads: No SBD – Bomber Dive Bomb actions can be taken against the Yura this turn (along with the rules reference).

If the player draws this at the beginning of the IJA Card and Counter Phase, it will remain active during the following USMC Card Phase, which covers the operational aspect of the game. The player will be unable to select the SBD – Bomber Diver Bomb action on that Operational card. The other actions (Ready SBD – Bomber and Repair) actions will be available as normal. This can really mess up the player’s plans for the current and following few turns and forces the player to initially be reactive when first using the Tactics cards and find a solution then, as his experience grows, become more proactive as he learns what cards are potentially coming up. With the Yura approaching and about to bombard Henderson Field now, does he launch a Dive Bomb mission in the current turn with a single flight of SBD – Bombers or take a risk and hope he can ready more bombers for a larger attack in a future turn?

Covering Fire

The text reads: Select a Combat Sector and Combat Position at random. If there is a USMC counter in that Combat Position place a Disrupted Token on it.

This Tactics card affects the Marines in the firing line. A Marine with a Disrupted Token must either Recover or be targeted by the Command action to remove the Disrupted Token. This means that in the upcoming USMC Counter Phase, that counter will not be able to Move or take any other Action. In addition, at different points in the game a counter that is Disrupted suffers further penalties. For example, a Disrupted counter cannot use Defensive Fire against an IJA counter that is making the final surge against Henderson Field moving from the foremost Attack Position into the defending Combat Position. A Medic that is Disrupted cannot use the First Aid action. Again, the card forces the player to react to different battlefield conditions until he ‘learns’ the deck and becomes more proactive in anticipating what may happen next and takes measures accordingly.

Last updated: August 11, 2024 18:12

The origins of the Difficulty Levels lie in FC Lee but really came to fruition with Merville Battery. These were added at a later stage to Guadalcanal as Pavlov’s House doesn’t incorporate these mechanics. The initial issue was how to keep a new player involved in a game for as long as possible in order to learn what is going on rather than losing in the first 20 minutes and having to set things up again without really progressing deeply in the game. The ‘easy’ level (Boot) probably won’t be much of a challenge to a veteran Valiant Defense player but for someone new to the VD series or solitaire gaming in general, it’s a really good place to start.

Beyond Boot the levels get progressively more difficult (obviously… �). Where the game really comes into its own though is when the player starts to mix different Difficulty Levels for different aspects of the game. Choosing the Boot level Deployment option combined with the Elite USMC Counter Phase (limiting Moves and Actions) creates a very different game than choosing the Elite Deployment option and the Boot USMC Counter Phase. All these Difficulty Levels have been extensively play tested to work seamlessly with the Variant Rules options as well.

I am also a wargame consumer and I live in Japan. Take a look at the shipping costs and the current exchange rate to understand why I totally sympathize with anyone who wants a very high-quality game that provides – really!! – hours of replayability.

Last updated: August 11, 2024 18:12

The game has been designed to create a tough, tight, decision-heavy 75-90 minutes of non-telegraphed gaming bliss!!! We have been able to cover ALL the major events surrounding the defense of Henderson Field and Nils has represented all those elements beautifully. Some aspects are more abstracted than others, for sure, but this keeps the game manageable and playable (twice!!!) in an evening.

Last updated: August 12, 2024 18:29

Where to start?!?!? The magnificent art, obviously. I really can’t say enough about the quality. The more I look at the detail the more I am drawn into the game. It amazes me that another person can do something like this.

I think the game does justice to the Valiant Defense series and to Pavlov’s House in particular (and I am sure David is happy/relieved about this as well… �). That was my only goal when I started this: To emulate Pavlov’s, and I think I have done that.

I think the game offers enormous scope to be played again and again and, as I mentioned, in the current economic climate I think that’s VERY important.

Finally, as I mentioned, I have succeeded in designing the kind of game that I want to play. I wanted to create a non-telegraphed, decision heavy game that had to be played, experienced and analyzed to succeed at. This is not the kind of game you can simply pull out of the box and beat the first time you play. There is no obvious ‘hack’. There are multiple paths to victory and each must be experimented with. The Variant rules prevent the player from repeating the same method again and again. The player has to become good at the game and has to be able to respond to the ever-changing situations on the board. �

Last updated: August 12, 2024 18:29

I live in Fukuoka, Japan. Fukuoka is famous for being the gateway through which a lot of Chinse culture entered Japan, via Korea. Green tea was introduced here and the first Zen temple was built here. It is also the site of the two failed Mongol invasions in the 13th century, which gave rise to the now infamous ‘Kamikaze’ (Divine Wind) phrase, though originally it described a major typhoon that destroyed the Mongol/Korean/Chinese fleet.

I have been in Japan for over 25 years now. I have trained to a high level in martial arts, and karate in particular, since my teens and have a deep interest in the relationship between Zen Buddhism and art forms such as karate, but also the tea ceremony and other ‘Zen arts’. I teach English a couple of evenings a week and on the weekends I am a wedding conductor. The rest of the time nowadays I spend working on game designs. I am striving to become a successful, semi-professional game designer!! � In my free time I still train in karate, but also enjoy cycling and hiking. I love the hot spring culture in Japan so I like to visit a hot spring whenever I have the chance. I also love watching live sports and having a drink. �

Last updated: August 13, 2024 18:12

The inspiration goes all the way back to the first time I played Pavlov’s House. One of the aspects of that game that really caught my attention was the way David Thompson had turned the supply of Pavlov’s House into a game within a game. For anyone unfamiliar, different Supply tokens must be not only transported across the Volga, but also protected from the Luftwaffe. I thought this was part of the genius of the game and I quickly formulated a couple of ideas that I thought would work well with this kind of model. Both ideas however were for battles of a much larger scale AND they weren’t WW2 AND they didn’t involve US forces.

After approaching DVG and then David with my ideas it was agreed that I would have permission to design a Valiant Defense game but the subject needed to be revised. Living in Japan and being an enthusiastic amateur historian of the Pacific War, Guadalcanal didn’t quite fit perfectly, but it was close enough that we could agree on that topic for a game. Although supply is a key point of the game, the Supply Tokens used in Guadalcanal are generic rather than the specific ones found in Pavlov’s House. This was the minor difference. So, a Supply Token in Guadalcanal can represent ammunition, or quality nutrition (for pilots) or medical supplies and so on, but there are no individual Ammunition Tokens or Nutrition Tokens or Medical Supplies Tokens.

Guadalcanal also challenges the player to take command of Henderson Field, another Pavlov’s influence, mirroring the Operational control aspect. The player takes control of the 1st Marine Division HQ, Division Intelligence and Task Force 62, as well as the 11th Marine Artillery Regiment and the 3rd Defense Battalion. He also commands the famous Cactus Air Force, utilizing Wildcat F4F, SBD – Bomber and SBD – Patrol aircraft to repel attacking bombers and complete crucial missions vital to the defense of Henderson Field and victory in the overall Guadalcanal campaign. This was a big inspiration as it offers the player so much more control and decision-heavy game play.

Last updated: August 13, 2024 18:12

The core mechanics and concept remain the same: The player is defending a fixed position against an attacking enemy advancing along Attack Tracks, with the actions of that enemy determined by drawing and resolving cards which in turn affect the counters on the game board. Everything will be familiar. For USMC counters you roll a number of d6 die determined by the Attack Value of the counter. If one or more of those results is equal to or greater than the Defense Value of the target IJA counter, that counter is destroyed and removed from the game board. Different counters have different abilities, for both the USMC and IJA. For example, the 37mm Anti-tank Gun is able to use direct fire against the Tanks advancing at the Matanikau River Mouth, but it can also generate Suppression Tokens to use as anti-personnel weapons against Infantry (the 37mm AT Gun could also fire cannister shells).

The Medic does not have an Attack Value but does have the First Aid ability and can save a USMC counter in an adjacent Combat Position from being destroyed. Doing so requires a Supply Token.

For the Imperial Japanese Army, the Bushi counter is possessed by Yamato Damashii (Japanese Spirit) and gains a saving throw anytime it is hit, with the chances of survival increasing at the Attack Wave number increases.

The Infiltrator is a unique counter. In Pavlov’s House when the defensive line is penetrated, the game ends in defeat, and that is almost always true in Guadalcanal. The exception is the Infiltrator. After crossing into the USMC firing line, the Infiltrator destroys a counter in a rear Combat Position or the Reserves box. There is no safe place!!!

One of the biggest developments is the use of Event cards. These affect the entire game and are based on historical events that either did happen or could have happened. For example, one card assumes the Japanese Navy were successful in the Battle of Savo Island and managed to inflict heavy losses on Task Force 62, which in turn limit supplies landed ashore throughout the game.

Another example might be Surprise Attack. This is a Regular Difficult Level Event card (R). Historically, the 17th Army was unable to surprise the Marine defenders, but this card assumes surprise. As such, it is assumed the defenders do not have enough time to react to the attack and cannot bring heavy weapons to bear, reflected in the limited number of Suppression Tokens that can be used.

Last updated: August 14, 2024 17:51

First of all, the player must protect Henderson Field! The player must prevent any IJA counters breaching the USMC firing line, must protect 1st Marine Division HQ at Henderson Field and must ensure he always has forces on the board. If any of those conditions are not met, the game ends immediately in defeat. By eliminating attackers and completing critical missions (Dive bombing the light cruiser Yura, locating Admiral Nagumo’s carrier fleet, defeating Colonel Oka’s final attack and activating Coast Watchers to gain Intelligence) the player accumulates Victory Points. The more Victory Points the higher the medal earned! � This allows players to measure their progress in skill development. It also allows for a points comparison if playing competitively with another person. Each player tries to beat the score of their opponent.

Last updated: August 14, 2024 17:51

Well, I simultaneously don’t want to either overstate or understate the multiple player options.

This is not a fully fledged 2-player or 3-player game. It is very much a solitaire game.

That said, the competitive play option allows the second player much more scope to interact with the game and his opponent and get involved in making decisions.

Perhaps a fair way of describing it is that the competitive play option means the USMC player is playing the solitaire game he is familiar with, while the IJA player is playing a variant of the game he is familiar with (assuming he has also played Guadalcanal and knows the rules). The key differences are:

1) There is a Variant deck option and the game – if the Stretch Goal is funded (I am sure it will be) – will include additional IJA cards. These serve primarily to prevent the solitaire player being able to ‘read’ the deck as he draws familiar cards. In the competitive play option, these Variant cards allow the IJA player to design his own deck to battle with. �

1. In the solitaire game three IJA cards are drawn each turn in the IJA Card and Counter Phase and resolved as they are drawn (as is familiar in a VD game). The competitive variant allows the IJA player to draw 4 cards (from the deck he has designed!!), choose three of those cards and then choose to resolve them in any order.

2. Another Variant is the use of Event cards. In the solitaire version these are usually drawn randomly and impact the duration of the game. Another alternative is to select a scenario which provides a theme around which the Event cards are based. In the competitive variant we encourage the IJA player to be able to determine which three Event cards he will use (which in many cases are further affected by each card’s individual Difficulty Level).

So, in summary, if the IJA player is using all three options detailed above, he has a great deal of control over how the IJA will perform. The counters still move along the same Attack Tracks and normal rules otherwise apply, but this option allows for far more player agency than we have seen in previous VD games.

The three-player option repeats the competitive variant but puts one player in charge of Henderson Field (thereby resolving the USMC Card Phase) and a second player in charge of the defense of the perimeter (thereby resolving the USMC Counter Phase). These two players are then battling against the third player controlling the Japanese attackers (resolving the IJA Card and Counter Phase).

Last updated: August 15, 2024 17:32

The Valiant Defense series is itself unique and really pushes the ‘States of Siege’ type of game to a new level. Elements are familiar, most notably the use of Tracks along which the attackers move, but the scope of player interaction (that is, interaction with the game) and decision making is far wider than other States of Siege games that I have played (not that I don’t like them � ). Where Guadalcanal REALLY shines is adding the Operational element found in Pavlov’s House. Pavlov’s is the most popular VD game, and my fave solitaire game of all time! The player is not only defending against IJA counters moving along Attack Tracks, but is also using the Cactus Air Force to complete missions, landing and distributing supplies from Task Force 62, setting up Comms between Division Intelligence and the Combat Sectors, readying the artillery of the 11th Marine Regiment and using the 3rd Defense Battalion to shoot down Betty bombers flying in from Rabaul. The different types of aircraft available (Wildcat F4F, SBD – Bomber and SBD – Patrol) each have a unique role to play in the game.

Last updated: August 15, 2024 17:32