First Blood: The Guadalcanal Campaign 1991

First Blood: The Guadalcanal Campaign is a battalion-level board-wargame simulating the Battle of Guadalcanal. Starting in August of 1942 and concluding in early 1943, the US Marines invaded and captured a small airfield, and then, with the US Army, spent months fighting off Japanese attempts to recapture or destroy the airfield.

Guadalcanal is considered one of the turning points in the War in the Pacific. Japanese expansion was stopped, and the Japanese Army confronted a foe who didn't flee from banzai charges. The Japanese found themselves unable to support offensive efforts on Guadalcanal and in New Guinea at the same time.

First Blood: The Guadalcanal Campaign was included with the SILVER Anniversary Issue of the A.H.I.K.S.-Vol.-26~#6-magazine and the game is akin to a "kit" in that you have to mount and cut-out the counters. They have been printed on adhesive backed paper which makes it easier for producing this aspect of the game.

The contents of the game include: the RULES Folder(8)-pages; a thick paper CHART; a Sheet of adhesive backed counters(over 150); & a (4)-COLOR 11" by 17" thick paper Mapsheet; while players will need to provide their OWN 6-sided DIE.

The RULES contain the following sections of note: Off-board Movement; Artillery; I.J.N. Naval Units; U.S. Engineers; Airstrip Capacity; Air Units; Brief Historical Commentary; Counters mounting advice; & the Turn Sequence on the back page. The Counters are RED/WHITE(Japanese)& BLUE/WHITE(U.S.) which are Battalion level for ground units, Air Unit Squadrons, individual Ships(Destroyers), Damaged & Destroyed Airfield markers, & Off-board Movement markers. There are MANY different Combat Unit types as well as various Aircraft depicted in this although for game purposes, these are of either Fighter or Bomber types(and F4F-Wildcats can be considered as either).

The Game Chart is printed with the Setup-/Reinforcements-/Combat Results Explanations on one side with a Units-/Terrain Identification Charts on the reverse. Players may want to copy this prior to play for EACH player to have available. The game Mapsheet covers the area around Henderson Field and it's environs. Also on the Mapsheet are: the seperate Japanese & American Attack Tables; Terrain Movement Cost/Defense Modifiers Table; Off-board Movement Boxes; Reinforcements Starting locations; and BOXES for I.J.A.F. & I.J.N. - Reserve & Attack; and U.S.A.F. Reserve, C.A.P., & Ground Attack.

The Turn Sequence is as follows: 1.Japanese Reinforcement phase; 2.Japan. Movement phase; 3.Japan. Combat phase; 4.Japan. Supply Resolution phase; 5.Japan. Strategic phase; 6., 7., 8.,-U.S.Player's similar to Japanese 1st 3-phases; 9.U.S. Engineer phase; 10.U.S. Air phase; 11.Check Victory Conditions or begin NEW turn. Overall, a very professional appearing production considering it's subject matter & their operating strictures while the graphics are very detailed, especially for the Aircraft types depicted.

Subsequently republished after major development in Strategy & Tactics magazine #178 by Decision Games. The original AHIKS version is now available for free download.

Game scale in S&T #178 version: approx. 600 yards/hex; units are mostly battalions.