Saipan & Tinian: Island War Series, Volume I

Saipan & Tinian: Island War Series, Volume I is a World War II wargame covering the American invasions of Saipan and Tinian during the Marianas campaign of 1944.

Part of Legion Wargames’ Island War Series, the game focuses on ground combat between Allied and Imperial Japanese forces. Naval and air power are handled abstractly, keeping the main attention on landings, beachheads, fortifications, Japanese defence, and the pressure on the attacker to advance efficiently.

Saipan covers the American invasion and capture of the island that opened the way for B-29 bomber operations against Japan. Tinian covers the follow-up shore-to-shore Marine operation, later turning the island into one of the most important B-29 bases of the war.

The system includes limited intelligence, amphibious landings, night rules, banzai attacks, coastal defence units, replacements, fortifications, and weather. The defender faces an “against the odds” situation, but victory conditions reward doing better than history, which puts real pressure on the American player to avoid costly mistakes.

The game is designed for two players, but can also support multiplayer team play, for example by splitting U.S. Marine, U.S. Army, and Japanese commands.

Contents include: one 11" x 17" map, one 17" x 22" map, 528 0.6" counters, a 24-page series rulebook, 8-page Saipan exclusive rules, 8-page Tinian exclusive rules, six 8.5" x 11" charts, and two scenarios.