Axis and Allies Guadalcanal

by Avalon Hill

Product Features

• 2 player game
• 120 minutes to play
• Second Axis and Allies Battle variant
• 172 detailed playing pieces
• WWII Historical board game

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3 x 10.6 x 15.8 inches ; 2.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000YIYRFM
• Item model number: 957740000AVH
• Manufacturer recommended age: 13 years and up
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #114,655 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Japan occupies the Solomon Islands, interfering with Allied supply lines in the South Pacific. In a surprise attack, the Americans capture Guadalcanal and its invaluable airstrip. As the Imperial Navy struggles to regain and strengthen its hold on the Solomons, the U.S. must press its counterattack in order to seize control of the island chain. Axis and Allies Guadalcanal challenges you to command a fleet of ships, direct aircraft, and deploy ground forces in order to dominate the enemy in one of the crucial campaigns of World War II. A sweeping conflict in the South Pacific where naval might leads to air superiority. Axis and Allies: Guadalcanal challenges you to control sea zones and island groups while managing troop and supply transport and directing land, sea, and air forces in one of the decisive campaigns of the Second World War's Pacific Theater.

Product Description

Axis and Allies: Guadalcanal challenges you to control sea zones and island groups while managing troop and supply transport and directing land, sea and air forces in one of the decisive campaigns of the Second World War's Pacific Theater. Axis and Allies: Guadalcanal incorporates crucial elements that were key factors in the historical campaign, such as air strip construction, troop and supply transport, and furious land, sea and air battles. It introduces the Cruiser unit as well as mechanics for land, sea and air combat in the South Pacific using a randomized casualties system. Features one Game Board, 172 Combat Unit Playing Pieces, 85 Plastic Chips, 20 Supply Tokens, 12 Six-Sided Dice, one Battle Box and one Rulebook.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fun game for experienced wargamers, October 22, 2008

By 

Gisli Jokull Gislason "Jokull" (Iceland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:2.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Axis and Allies Guadalcanal (Toy)

IN A NUTSHELL

This is a wargame for 2 players. Other than a visual board and game pieces it shares little with the original Axis and Allies game. The rules make for a competitive and tense game that takes around 3 hours to play. The best game of the new Axis and Allies series, better than D-Day or Battle of the Buldge but it is a game only for those that like wargames and have experience playing them and are willing to sacrifice accuracy for playablity and fun. A nice historic setting.

THE FULL REVIEW

If you are aware of the Solomon Island Campaign at all, then you are familiar with Guadalcanal. An important part of the Pacific Campaign. It is here that the USA started their offensive against Imperial Japan. Not really a turning point in WW2 (Midway would have this honour) but the first step on a long road of the defeat of Japan. Guadalcanal was the scene of bitter land fighting between the US Marines, later the Army and the Japanese. While at sea the losses on both sides were so heavy that Sealark Sound, the stretch of water between Guadalcanal, Savo Island, and Florida Island of the Solomon Islands, became kown as Ironbottom Sound due to the amount of ships and planes that went to the bottom in a series of engagements. So historically this makes a nice setting and the reason for its educational value, but keep in mind this game is about the naval and ground action in the Solomon Islands, not only Guadalcanal.

As for the Game, this is not another Axis and Allies game, other than the models it uses very different mechanics. The scope of the game is Tactical rather than Strategic and it uses a new feature of a battle dice box, which seems like a silly concept until you actually play the game, well it still seems a little silly but I can't think of a better way for it to work. Dice put a high random factor to the game that can be offset in part by concentrarion of forces and a few special effects counters.

The board is limited, there isn't a lot of room to maneuver, especially regarding naval units, yet there is pressure all along to go for victory since the game is won on a victory point system and every turn both sides collect victory points and must break the stalemate before the other side in order to win. The victory point system is clever and works very well and reflects the actual campaign.

So even if there is little room for maneuver there are still possiblities to achive surprise and deploy tactics. Because of the constant pressure of the victory points system players must be bold and the game is tense making it a good wargame.

As for durability, this game comes in a strong box and thankfully has a plastic tray (unlike Battle of the Buldge). The board and plastic pieces are visual and of reasonbly good quality. Properly handled it will last a long time. On the other side, since this is more a game for dedicated players you probably already own other games you like to play more than this one so you won't play it that often in the end.

The game takes about 3 hours to play and is a 2 player game. If you are an Axis and Allies fan then it is better than D-Day or Buldge, the mechanics work better than in those two but it is not as good as the original or Pacific, which are both better games and you will not play this one as often. Also it is slightly complicated and requires a dedicated mindset so it is a game for wargamers, preferably experienced wargamers looking for a fun evening.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Works out some kinks, February 1, 2010

By 

M.C. Elwain - See all my reviews

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:2.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Axis and Allies Guadalcanal (Toy)

Works out some kinks present in the original game with more rules about what moves when. Overall a quick play but doesn't allow a number of things that would make it more varied (ie, casualties doen't shoot)

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Review of Axis and Allies Guadal Canal, April 27, 2008

By 

Steven M. Valenti - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:3.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:1.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Axis and Allies Guadalcanal (Toy)

Game arrived quickly no problems with order or shipping. I love original axis and allies but sometimes you do't have 8 hoursto play a game. I like this game because the scope of the game is smaller then original axis and allies so game can be a shorter amount of time to play and finish a game in a resonable amount of time. I like the addition of the cruisers to the game. I wish they would go back and add them to the original axis and allies.