
- BGG rank
- BGG #21,565
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Run Silent, Run Deep
- 2–6 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 1993

2005
Rules assistance for Bloody Ridge
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Bloody Ridge is a board game released in 2005 for 2 players, 240 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Dean Essig and Michael Scott Smith and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation.
Bloody Ridge is a small, low counter density addition to the award winning Tactical Combat Series (TCS) by The Gamers and designed by noted Guadalcanal historian Michael S. Smith. Bloody Ridge portrays the fighting that occurred around “Bloody Ridge” on the island of Guadalcanal from 12-14 September 1942 between US and Imperial Japanese forces. The Japanese are attempting to recapture Henderson Field, the airstrip they abandoned when the Marines first landed on 7 August. The Marines are trying to hold the perimeter south of Henderson Field to prevent the Japanese from recapturing the airstrip. Game Scale: Game Turn: 20 minutes Hex: 125 yards / 114 meters Units: Infantry sections & platoons Game Inventory: One 17 x 22" full color maps One dual-side printed countersheet (280 1/2" counters) One 28-page TCS v3.1 specific rulebook One 16-page Bloody Ridge specific rulebook One 4-page TCS v3.1 Charts & Tables booklet Two 6-sided dice Solitaire Playability: Medium Complexity Level: Medium Players: 1 or more Playing Time: 4 hours or more
Bloody Ridge supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Bloody Ridge is 240 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 Bloody Ridge 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.
Bloody Ridge has a complexity rating of 3.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Bloody Ridge belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation. 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 Bloody Ridge are: Dean Essig and Michael Scott Smith. 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 Bloody Ridge as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.