HEADQUARTERS HEADQUARTERS (2) Regimental HQ COMBAT PLATOONS You must field the HQ and two Marine Platoons and one Transport Platoon. You may choose additional Tanks, Artillery Support and Reserve. INFANTRY(2) INFANTRY (2) INFANTRY (2) INFANTRY (2) Marine Platoon Marine Platoon Marine Platoon Marine Platoon WEAPON PLATOONS MACHINE-GUNS (3) Machine-gun Platoon ARTILLERY(3) Mortar Platoon INFANTRY (4) Parachute Rifle Platoon FIELD FORTIFICATION (4) Bunkers, Mines and Barbed wire REGIMENTAL SUPPORT PLATOONS ARTILLERY(6) Armoured Mortar Platoon SUPPORT PLATOONS INFANTRY(6) Engenieer Platoon RECONNAISSANCE(5) Scout Platoon ANTI-TANK(5) Anti-tank Platoon ARMOUR(8) Light Tank Platoon AIRCRAFT(8) Air Support TRANSPORT(7) Naval Transport Platoon ANTI-AIRCRAFT(7) Light Anti-Air Platoon 2nd CONFIDENT 8th RELUCTANT You may choose between 2nd and 8th Regiment. 2nd is confident trained. 8th rating is reluctant trained. 1
HEADQUARTERS HEADQUARTERS Company Command Carbine team 2iC Command Carbine team Company HQ 2nd 30 Company HQ 8th 20 Add 20 Add up to three Sniper teams each per 50 COMBAT PLATOONS HQ Command Marine Combat Platoon Squad 4 Squads 2nd 180 4 Squads 8th 140 Squad 3 Squads 2nd 100 3 Squads 8th 60 Squad Add 20 Add Flamethrower to each squad for a rifle team Squad The M1 Carbine, M1 Garand and Browning Automatic Rifle (B.A.R.) gave the Marines their smallarms firepower. 2nd CONFIDENT 8th RELUCTANT You may choose between 2nd and 8th Regiment. 2nd is confident trained. 8th rating is reluctant trained. 2
WEAPON PLATOONS MACHINE-GUN PLATOON HQ Command Command Rifle team Machine-Gun Platoon 2 Machine-gun sections 2nd 110 M1917 HMG team M1917 HMG team 2 Machine-gun sections 8th 90 Add Bazooka 20 Add Jeep 5 M1917 HMG team M1917 HMG team Weapon Platoons may make Combat Attachements to Marine Combat Platoons MORTAR PLATOON HQ Command M1 81mm Mortar Platoon Command Rifle/MG team 2 Mortar s 2nd 135 2 Mortar s 8th 115 Mortar team Mortar team Mortar team 1 Mortar 2nd 95 1 Mortar 8th 75 Add Bazooka 20 Add Jepps with trailers 5 Mortar team Mortar team Mortar team Weapon Platoons may make Combat Attachements to Marine Combat Platoons 2nd CONFIDENT 8th RELUCTANT You may choose between 2nd and 8th Regiment. 2nd is confident trained. 8th rating is reluctant trained. 3
WEAPON PLATOONS PARACHUTE RIFLE PLATOON Mortar Squad M2 60mm mortar Parachute Rifle Platoon Command Rifle/MG team Rifle/MG team Rifle/MG team Rifle/MG team 2 Rifle Squads 110 1 Rifle Squads 90 Add Bazooka 20 Command Rifle/MG team Rifle/MG team Rifle/MG team Rifle/MG team FIELD FORTIFICATIONS Field Fortifications Fortification 2 Fortifications 180 HMG Bunker Barbed Wire Mine Field 1 Fortification 90 Fortification Add 2 Mine Fields 100 HMG Bunker Barbed Wire Mine Field Add 1 Mine Field 50 WEAPON FEARLESS VETERAN Parachute Rifles and Rider Platoons are fearless veteran rated 4
REGIMENTAL SUPPORT PLATOONS RECONNAISSANCE HQ Command Command Rifle/MG teams M2 half-track with.50 cal AAMG Regimental Support came from the 25th Infantry Disivion Support. Scout Platoon 2 Recon Squads 210 Add for 20 points Rifle team Recon Squad Rifle team Recon Squad Add jeeps for 5 points ANTI-TANK PLATOON HQ Command Regimental Support came from the 25th Infantry Disivion Support. Anti-tank Platoon Command Rifle/MG team 2 Gun s 200 M3 37mm gun M3 37mm gun 1 Gun 100 Add for 20 points M3 37mm gun M3 37mm gun Add jeeps for 5 points SUPPORT CONFIDENT 25th Infantry Support is rated confident trained. 5
REGIMENTAL SUPPORT PLATOONS ARTILLERY Regimental Support came from the 2nd Disivion Support HQ Armoured Mortar Platoon Command Carbine team Mortar section M2 half-track with.50 cal AAMG Mortar section 3 Mortar s 95 Add.cal 50 cal MGs to any or all for 5 points per half-track M4 81mm MMC half-track Mortar section M4 81mm MMC half-track M4 trucks with mortars were available but not deployed during the battle on Betio. M4 81mm MMC half-track INFANTRY Pioneers HQ Command Engineer Platoon Squad 3 Engineer Squads 135 2 Engineer Squads 100 Pioneer Rifle/MG teams Pioneer Rifle/MG teams Squad Add Pioneer Supply 1.5-ton truck 25 Pioneer Rifle/MG teams Pioneer Rifle/MG teams Add Bulldozer 5 Weaponsquad Add Bazookas for 25 points each M1917 HMG M1917 HMG Engineers are Pioneer Platoons with Tank Assault 4 SUPPORT CONFIDENT 25th Infantry Support is rated confident trained. 6
REGIMENTAL SUPPORT PLATOONS TRANSPORT 2nd Amphibious Tractor Battalion Amphibious Transport Platoon 4 Amphibious Transport s 100 3 Amphibious Transport s 75 2 Amphibious Transport s 50 4 Higgins boat s 50 3 Higgins boat s 30 2 Higgins boat s 15 Add.cal 50 cal MGs to any or all LVT-1 for 5 points per gun. Add 9mm armour to one or all LVTs for 10 points each. SUPPORT PLATOONS ANTI-AIRCRAFT Automatic Weapon Regimental Support came from the 25th Infantry Disivion Support. Anti-Aircraft Artillery (self-propelled) Platoon Command M13 MGMC M13 MGMC Automatic Weapon T28E1 CGMC T28E1 CGMC 2 Automatic Weapon s 160 1 Automatic Weapon 90 3 M3 75mm GMC 160 Replace all M13 for 5 points per section Replace all T28E1 with M15 CGMC at no cost SUPPORT CONFIDENT Support is rated confident trained. 7
SUPPORT PLATOONS ARMOUR HQ Light Tank Platoon Command tank Tank Tank Tank Tank Tank Tank 5 M3 or M3A1 Stuart 260 4 M3 or M3A1 Stuart 210 3 M3 or M3A1 Stuart 160 Equip all M3A1 with stabelisers for 5 points per tank 5 M5A1 Stuart 310 4 M5A1 Stuart 250 3 M5A1 Stuart 190 AIRCRAFT Air Support Priority Air Support Bell P-400 140 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat 120 Sporadic Air Support Bell P-400 90 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat 80 SUPPORT CONFIDENT Support is rated confident trained. 8
THE US 2nd MARINE CORPS For the first time the 2d Marines supported the landing in the battle of Guadalcanal, in the Solomon Islands campaign ( 4 January to 8 February 1943). The landings took place in Guadalcanal-Tulagi from the 7th to 9th August 1942. They fought and defended Guadalcanal from the10th August 1942 to 31st January 1943. The 2nd and 8th Marines (reinforced by other units of the 2nd Marine Division) were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation while attached to the 1st Marine Division from 7 August and 4 November 1942, respectively, for the Guadalcanal operation. The Battle of Guadalcanal - 7 August 1942 9 February 1943 The Guadalcanal Campaign, (Operation Watchtower) was fought between 7 August 1942 and 9 February 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal, an island of the salomon island group. It was the first major offensive by Allied forces against Japanese Forces. On 7 August 1942, US and allied forces, landed on the islands of Guadalcanal, Tulagi, and Florida in the southern Solomon Islands. The treat of a further japanese expension and the strategic position for airbase were the reason why this was choosen for the awaited counterattack. The Allies overwhelmed the outnumbered Japanese defenders, who had occupied the islands since May 1942, and captured Tulagi and Florida, as well as an airfield (which was later named Henderson Field). Powerful US naval forces supported the landings. Surprised by the Allied offensive, the Japanese made several attempts between August and November 1942 to retake Henderson Field. Three major land battles, seven large naval battles (five nighttime surface actions and two carrier battles), and continual, almost daily aerial battles culminated in the decisive Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in early November 1942, in which the last Japanese attempt to bombard Henderson Field from the sea and land with enough troops to retake it was defeated. In December 1942, the Japanese abandoned further efforts to retake Guadalcanal and evacuated their remaining forces by 7 February 1943 in the face of an offensive by the US Army's XIV Corps, conceding the island to the Allies. The Guadalcanal campaign was a significant strategic combined arms victory by Allied forces over the Japanese in the Pacific theatre. The Japanese had reached the peak of their conquests in the Pacific, and Guadalcanal marked the transition by the Allies from defensive operations to the strategic offensive in that theatre and the beginning of offensive operations, including the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, and Central Pacific campaigns, that resulted in Japan's eventual surrender and the end of World War II. 9
US MARINES RULES RULES FOR GUADALCANAL RULES FOR USMC ON GUADALCANAL ALWAYS ATTACK US Marine Divisions uses the Always Attack Rule. NO WAY TO RETREAT As the Marine Combat platoons were thrown on islands there was no way to retreat, they may re-roll all motivation tests. PACIFIC ISLAND ATTACK SPECIAL RULE Landing on islands is happening in waves and uses the Island Attack Special Rule. Half your force and put them in your LVTs or Higgins boats. Set up the LVTs and Higgins boats for the first wave of the attack. LVTs and Higgins boats start on the edge of the table and have to cross the sea and reef zone. This will take 2 game turns. You move all or none of your LVTs or boats from the sea zone to the surf zone until you reach the beach zone. On the next turn you may move normally. All guns bound to the LVTs may fire. If a LVT or Higgins boat is lost to enemy fire it may return on a roll of a five at the start of your turn. All the lost teams in a LVT or boat are returning, too. US TANKS LANDING RULE (for Pacific island attacks) Tanks were landed with landing crafts but never landed before turn 2 of the battle. SUBMARINE SUPPORT Some US lists can buy the Submarine Support Option. This special rule option enables your troops to land their platoons from reserve freely on the table via submarines where sea areas are present or declared in the vicinity of the table edges. There must be no visible sea or beach area. In case of remote small islands all the edges of the table may count as near to a sea areas. The platoons may land on a selected area for landing but must be 40 cm away from enemy troops (independent teams do not restrict deployment). There is no submarine support available in case of a beach landing scenario. TROPICAL DISEASE A platoon suffering from tropical disease will not counterattack. In assault they hit on a 4+ only. Moral tests for platoon moral need a 5+ to pass. OTHER RULES All other US rules are used as usual. 10
US MARINES RULES RULES FOR GUADALCANAL RULES FOR USMC ON GUADALCANAL AMPHIBIOUS TRANSPORTS US and japanese troops used lots of specialized equipment for amphibious operations in the pacific war. Some lists contain this option to field amphibious tanks, tractors or transport teams. All the known rules apply with some add ons to the official rules to take the flavor of the combat on the islands like Guadalcanal or Tarawa. In case of a huge beach landing, we developed a beach landing scenario, which can be used to play some of these epic battles and operations. As indicated in the rules all amphibious vehicles can move in water and water counts as difficult going to pass. AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT In an amphibious assault soldiers and weapons are packed in special vehicles to land troops and bring their weapons on the beach. Some of these are able to fire while landing troops and some have to get to the beach first to assist the landing crews. Amphibious vehicles can move through impassable water areas even within an island and support the ground troops and tug heavier weapons like guns. In an pacific landing scenario troops land at the beach with all there weapons on their amphibious vehicles and or Landing crafts. The enemy on behind the beach is well concealed and dug in behind walls of concrete bunkers, open pillboxes or HMG Nests. They will open fire when the distance and view allows a good field of fire. They will even shoot vehicles still on the water or bring even their amphibious vehicles into water to fight them before they reach the beach! A scenario like this needs a lot bigger water area then the known D-Day Normandy Scenarios. Landing at a beach in the pacific, has even other aspects to think about. For a long beach you need to let the long side of the table be a typical sea and beach for the landing operation. Another thing is the danger of coral reef banks or other obstacles in the water. Any vehicle needs to take a skill checks to get through possible coral reef dangers otherwise they get damaged or sink and or need to return to the greater landing ships. The landing crafts - if they are armed - may fire at targets on the beach if in range and visible. Landing craft vehicles move as if in very difficult going - that means 10 cm max. All vehicles start at the coral zone (20 cm), after that they reach the Surf Zone (10 cm ) then they reach the beach zone of 20 cm. NAVAL GUN FIRE SUPPORT Commanders of companies with the naval gun fire support option may range in as usual. Naval gun fire uses the devastating or 30cm x 30cm bombardment area. The template or area is positioned parallel to the sides of the table edges. 11
US ARSENAL ARSENAL FOR GUADALCANAL 1942/1943 PACIFIC TANKS M5A1 Stuart Standard,30cm Front: 4 Side: 2 Top: 1 - Co-ax MG, Hull MG, AA MG, Stabeliser M6 37mm gun Range: 24 / 60cm ROF: 2 AT: 7 FP: 4+ M3 or M3A1 Stuart Standard,30cm Front: 3 Side: 2 Top: 1 - Co-ax MG, Hull MG, AA MG, Stabeliser M6 37mm gun Range: 24 / 60cm ROF: 2 AT: 7 FP: 4+ M4 or M4A1 Sherman Standard,30cm Front: 6 Side: 4 Top: 1 - Co-ax MG, Hull MG,.50cal AA MG M3 75mm gun Range: 32 / 80cm ROF: 2 AT: 10 FP: 3+ Stabeliser, Smoke TANK MGs: Range 40cm ROF: 3 AT: 2: FP: 6 - ROF 1 if other weapons fire SUPPORT WEAPONS M8 Scott HMC Standard,30cm Front: 3 Side: 2 Top: 0 -.50cal AA MG M1A1 75mm howitzer Range: 16 / 40cm ROF: 2 AT: 6 FP: 3+ Smoke, Smoke Bombardment fireing bombardment: 64 / 160cm AT: 3 FP: 6 T30 75mm HMC half-tracked Front: 1 Side: 0 Top: 0 - Hull mounted M1A1 75mm howitzer Range: 16 / 40cm ROF: 2 AT: 6 FP: 3+ Smoke, Smoke Bombardment fireing bombardment: 64 / 160cm AT: 3 FP: 6 T19 105mm HMC half-tracked Front: 1 Side: 0 Top: 0 - Awkward layout, Hull mounted M1A1 75mm howitzer Range: 24 / 60cm ROF: 1 AT: 9 FP: 2+ Smoke, Smoke Bombardment fireing bombardment: 72 / 180cm AT: 4 FP: 4+ M3 75mm GMC half-tracked Front: 1 Side: 0 Top: 0 - Hull mounted, Smoke M1897 75mm howitzer Range: 32 / 80cm ROF: 2 AT: 9 FP: 3+ M4 81mm MMC half-tracked Front: 1 Side: 0 Top: 0 - Awkward layout, Hull mounted directfire Range: 16 / 40cm ROF: 2 AT: 9 FP: 5 Smoke Bombardment fireing bombardment: 40 / 100cm AT: 2 FP: 6 GUNS M1A1 75mm howitzer - light, Range: 16 /40cm ROF:2 AT:6 FP: 3+ - Smoke fireing bombardment: 48 /120cm AT:3 FP: 6 M2A1 75mm howitzer - light, Range: 24 /60cm ROF:1 AT:9 FP: 2+ - Gun shield, Smoke fireing bombardment: 72 /180cm AT:4 FP: 4+ Smoke Bombardment M1919 LMG man-packed 16 /40cm ROF:5 AT:2 FP:6 - ROF2 when pinnened M1917 HMG man-packed 24 /60cm ROF:6 AT:2 FP:6 - ROF2 when pinnened M1 81mm Mortar man-packed 40 /100cm AT:2 FP:6 - Smoke Bombardment M2.50cal AA MG heavy 6 /40cm ROF:4 AT:4 FP:5 - Anti-Aircraft, turntable 12
US ARSENAL ARSENAL FOR GUADALCANAL 1942/1943 PACIFIC ANTI-AIRCRAFT M13 MGMC half-tracked Front: 1 Side: 0 Top: 0 - Awkward layout, Anti-aircraft M33 twin.50cal MG Range: 16 / 40cm ROF: 5 AT: 4 FP: 5+ T28E1 CGMC half-tracked Front: 0 Side: 0 Top: 0 - Awkward layout, Anti-aircraft M33 twin.50cal MG Range: 24 / 60cm ROF: 4 AT: 5 FP: 4+ M15 CGMC half-tracked Front: 1 Side: 0 Top: 0 - Awkward layout, Anti-aircraft M15 37mm Range: 24 / 60cm ROF: 4 AT: 5 FP: 4+ AMPHIBIOUS LVT1 Alligator slow Front: - Side: - Top: - - Amphibious transport LVT2 Waterbuffalo slow Front: - Side: - Top: - - Amphibious transport, 2x.50cal HMGs LVT-(A)1 slow Front: 1 Side: 1 Top: 0 - Amphibious, 2 x rear mounted MGs 37mm Range: 24 / 60cm ROF: 3 AT: 6 FP: 4+ 9mm LVT Added Armour Front: 1 Side: 0 Top: 0 TRANSPORT M2 or M3 half-track half-tracked Front:1 Side:0 Top:0 passenger fired AAMG or.50cal AAMG JEEP wheeled Front:- Side:- Top:- NAVAL GUN SUPPORT Battleship Washington or South Dakota fireing bombardment: 72 /180cm AT:4 FP: 3+ (use a devasting bombardment template or 30x30cm) INFANTRY Carbine team 16 /40cm ROF:1 AT:2 FP:6 - Automatic rifles Rifle team 16 /40cm ROF:1 AT:2 FP:6 - Automatic rifles Rifle/MG team 16 /40cm ROF:2 AT:2 FP:6 - ROF 2 when pinned 8 /20cm ROF:1 AT:10 FP:5+ - Tank Assault 4 SMG team 4 /10cm ROF:3 AT:1 FP:6 - Full ROF when moving Staff team 16 /40cm ROF:1 AT:2 FP:6 Pioneer teams are rated as Tank Assault 3 AIRCRAFT Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat : MG tohit: 2+ AT: 6 FP: 5+ Bombs: to Hit: 4+ AT: 5 FP: 2+ Chance Vought F4U Corsair: MG tohit: 2+ AT: 6 FP: 5+ Bombs: to Hit: 3+ AT: 7 FP: 2+ 13