- BGG rank
- BGG #601
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Advanced Squad Leader
- 2 players
- 120–480 min
- Complexity 4.7/5
- 1985
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Rules assistance for Blood & Sand: Pacific Variant for Squad Leader
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 180 min
- 12+
- Complexity 4.0/5
Rules assistant for Blood & Sand: Pacific Variant for Squad Leader
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Blood & Sand: Pacific Variant for Squad Leader is an expansion for Squad Leader released in 1984 for 2–4 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Bill Wilder and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Secret Unit Deployment.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,329
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Flat Top
- 2 players
- 360 min
- Complexity 4.2/5
- 1977
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,713
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Submarine
- 1–6 players
- 60–180 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 1976
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,435
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Starship Troopers
- 1–2 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 1976
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,423
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Ambush!
- 1 player
- 180–240 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 1983
- BGG rank
- BGG #226
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Memoir '44
- 2–4 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2004
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,462
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Panzer Leader: Game of Tactical Warfare on the Western Front
- 2 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 1974
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,642
- BGG rating
- 6.7
PanzerBlitz
- 2 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 1970
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,076
- BGG rating
- 8.1
Ligny 1815: Last Eagles
- 1–4 players
- 60–600 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #664
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Star Wars: Battle of Hoth
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,216
- BGG rating
- 7.7
The Great Battles of Alexander: Deluxe Edition
- 1–4 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 1995
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,270
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Commands & Colors: Samurai Battles
- 2 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2021
About the game
This is a supplement from The Wargamer #30, for Squad Leader and provides RULES, 3-Scenarios, and (3)-Mapsheets for use with other components NOT included but available with YOUR Squad Leader games. The Mapsheets are the same size (8-1/2" by 11") as the standard Squad Leader boards, are NOT mounted and have FULL colors(in a Pacific Island Beachhead motif) printed on them. They also have a designation (P-16 Tarawa) printed on one of them maybe for some future Scenario. The RULES detail their introduction, background information on the Japanese, a Map of where the entire Scenarios(20 of them)are taking place all over the Pacific arena, and the 3-Scenarios depicted here. These are: S.P-4-To the Death:Yae Take-Okinawa, April 15, 1945; S.P-6-Airborne Samurai:Buraen, Leyte Island, Philippines, December 6, 1944; S.P-9-Bloody Betio:Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll, November 20, 1943. They are presented in familiar Squad Leader format with any Special Rules used included in the notes section. There are many Special Rules included of which these are some of them: Starshells; Air Support-Napalm; Caves; Special Invasion Rules; Tunnels; Dogs; Special Infiltration Rules; Weather-Climate; Booby Traps; Dated Japanese Play(for after 1943 Scenarios)& Misc. There are also some game counters that Players will have to produce themselves, prior to playing these. A note is made stating that in the future, MORE Scenarios and possibly, related game Counters will be provided in later editions of the Wargamer magazine. Bill Wilder originally self published Blood & Sand as an independent publication in the following three parts: Part I: Against the Rising Sun (1983). Contained the core rules, seven scenarios (P-1 to P-7), sheet with un-mounted color overlay and counters. Part II: Island Ordeal (1983). Contained six scenarios (P-8 to P-13) and two color, un-mounted geo-boards (P-16 [reproduced in the Wargamer with a few errors] and P-17. Part III: Do or Die! (n.d.). Contains seven scenarios (P-14 to P-20) and sheet of un-mounted counters and overlay P-B.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- 3W (World Wide Wargames)
Questions and answers
Blood & Sand: Pacific Variant for Squad Leader supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Blood & Sand: Pacific Variant for Squad Leader is 180 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Blood & Sand: Pacific Variant for Squad Leader for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Blood & Sand: Pacific Variant for Squad Leader has a complexity rating of 4.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Blood & Sand: Pacific Variant for Squad Leader belongs to these categories: Wargame, World War II, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Secret Unit Deployment. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Blood & Sand: Pacific Variant for Squad Leader are: Bill Wilder. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Blood & Sand: Pacific Variant for Squad Leader as an expansion for Squad Leader. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Squad Leader to use it. Check that your edition of Squad Leader is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.