DVG - Valiant Defense: Guadalcanal

Stretch Goal Update (It's a Good One!!!)
over 1 year ago – Tue, Aug 27, 2024 at 06:13:14 PM

Thank you all again for your support for Guadalcanal - The Battle for Henderson Field. :) 

Some very good news!!!

We came up a little short for the Stretch Goal targets for the Cubes and the free Companion book download. :)

However, Dan has agreed to include the Cubes in the game and the Companion book will be made available (in the near future) as a free download on the DVG website (dvg.com).

I will keep you all informed and will provide a direct link to the Companion book when it is available :) 

Thanks!

Vince

Thank you VERY much!! :) :) :) :)
over 1 year ago – Thu, Aug 22, 2024 at 06:37:34 PM

Thank you to everyone who has backed Guadalcanal - The Battle for Henderson Field!! 

Your support is really appreciated! :) :) :) :)

I will be confirming everything over the next few days and will keep everyone informed :)

If you have any questions, please feel free to post below :)

Thank you once again!

Vince

Variant Play Options
over 1 year ago – Wed, Aug 21, 2024 at 05:38:29 PM

One of the biggest developments in Guadalcanal - The Battle for Henderson Field is the multiple variant play options that can be experienced individually or in combination, along with the range of Difficulty Levels. :) 

Fog of War Cards

Fog of War cards are placed in the USMC Card deck and serve as 'dud' draws. The number of FoW cards used is dependent on the Difficulty Level, and the Boot option allows the new player to place the cards in the IJA Card deck.

Event Cards

Event cards remain in effect throughout the game. They are also graded by Difficulty Level and reflect historical events or possible events. An example of an historical event would be rules for Malaria that deplete the pool of USMC counters available. An example of an ahistorical event would be Savo Island, which assumes damage was done to Task Force 62 in the battle, which in turn disrupts the supplies even further to the 1st Marine Division. 

Tactics Cards

These will be familiar to fans of Valiant Defense! Tactics cards are drawn at the beginning of the IJA Card and Counter Phase and remain in effect for the duration of that turn. The number of cards is also determined by the Difficulty Level selected. 

Variant IJA Cards

Variant IJA cards are primarily intended to prevent the player 'reading' the IJA deck. As experience with the game grows, the player can work out which cards remain in the IJA deck as familiar cards are drawn. Variant IJA cards ensure the IJA Wave decks are random each game.

Epic Battle

This utilizes ALL the Variant IJA cards along with the regular IJA cards to create a longer, epic battle. Each of the four IJA Waves is increased by 2 or 4 cards depending on the Difficulty Level, along with stipulated Fog of War cards to neuter Henderson Field. 

Surprise

Historically one of the major contributing factors to the Japanese defeat was the inability to achieve surprise. This variant assumes the IJA did achieve surprise and puts the 1st Marine Division under more pressure from the beginning. 

Co-ordinated Attack

Another failure of the Japanese was the inability to co-ordinate an attack across the Southern Lunga Perimeter. These rules reflect that historical situation with the number of IJA cards drawn in each Wave fluctuating from turn to turn. 

All Quiet on the Guadalcanal Front

This is a Boot level option and ends each Wave after resolving the Banzai card, rather than continuing to draw up to three IJA cards. This makes it a touch easier for the new player to recover after the onslaught!

Boot Cards

Again, exclusively for the Boot level. These cards introduce conditions that make it easier for a new player to achieve victory. 

Cooperative (2 Players)

Familiar to fans of Pavlov's House. One player assumes command of Henderson Field and the other player controls the defense of the perimeter.

Competitive (2 or 3 players)

One player controls the IJA and the remaining one or  two players control the USMC.

This is a big step forward!

Along with rules for Fog of War and Tactics cards, the IJA player gets to choose three Event cards AND build a deck using the Variant cards. The astute player will be able to shape his choices to give him the greatest chance of victory. In addition, the IJA player draws the normal number of Tactics cards (as determined by the Difficulty Level) plus one. The IJA player then gets to choose which cards he keeps (again, dictated by Difficulty Level), discarding one.

Victory and Defeat
over 1 year ago – Tue, Aug 20, 2024 at 05:22:19 PM

First of all, let's cover the Defeat conditions.

There are three ways to lose the game:

1. 1st Marine Division HQ (located on the Henderson Field section of the game board) is destroyed by accumulating two Disrupted Tokens. Disrupted Tokens are created by 'Betty' bomber cards in the IJA Card Phase and by bombardment by the light cruiser Yura when resolving Banzai cards.
2. An IJA counter (other than the Infiltrator) passes from an IJA Attack Position into a USMC Defense Position.

• No USMC counters remain in any Combat Positions in any Combat Sectors. 

As long as the player avoids one of these Defeat conditions by the end of the game (after resolving the Wave 4 Banzai card) he can check the number of Victory Points he has accumulated.

Victory Points are scored for surviving USMC counters, for forcing the light cruiser Yura to turn back, for locating Admiral Nagumo's Carrier Strike Force, for defeating Colonel Oka's attack and for using Coast Watchers to Gain Intel. Victory Points are lost for surviving IJA counters on the game board. 

From the rulebook:

Depending on your final Victory Point total, you will be awarded a medal! 

From the Companion book:

Weapon Teams & Weapon Counters
over 1 year ago – Mon, Aug 19, 2024 at 05:02:25 PM

There are four Weapon counters available to the player: the 37mm AT gun (also capable of firing canister), the M1919 MG, the 60mm Mortar and the 81mm Mortar. 

Each Weapon counter needs to be attended by a specific Weapon Team, comprising of a further two counters.

The Deployment Point cost is high, but once deployed, heavy weapons can do a lot of damage!

37mm AT Gun

There are two options:

1. The 37mm AT gun can be used to fire directly against the Tank counter. In this case, the weapon has an Attack Value of 3, so the player rolls 3d6 and compares each individual result to the Defense Value of the Tank. Any result that is equal to or greater than this value destroys the tank.
2. The second option allows the Weapon Team to resolve the Suppress action (covered in a previous Update) to generate anti-personnel Suppression tokens. Suppression Tokens are used to destroy enemy counters when they first enter play and are placed on the Attack Track.

M1919 MG

There are two options:

The MG can be used to fire directly against IJA counters in any Attack Position, including the entry Attack Position. The Attack Value in this case is 2, so that gives the player 2d6. If a result is equal to or greater than the Defense Value of the targeted IJA counter, that counter is destroyed.

The second option again allows the Weapon Team to resolve the Suppress action to generate Suppression Tokens that are used to destroy IJA counters when they first enter play.

60mm & 81mm Mortars

There is only one option. There is no Direct Fire option for either Mortar counter.

• Either Mortar Weapon Team can resolve the Suppress action to generate Suppression Tokens. Both Mortars generate more Suppression Tokens than either the 37mm AT gun or the MG.