
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,787
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Tokyo Express: The Guadalcanal Naval Campaign – 1942
- 1–2 players
- 60–360 min
- Complexity 4.0/5
- 1988

1990
Rules assistance for Carrier: The Southwest Pacific Campaign – 1942-1943
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Carrier: The Southwest Pacific Campaign – 1942-1943 is a board game released in 1990 for 1 player, 180–360 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Jon Southard and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Grid Movement.
"Carrier: The Southwest Pacific Campaign - 1942-1943" is a solitaire wargame simulation of both historical and hypothetical carrier battles in the Southwest Pacific Theater during the hotly-contested naval campaigns of 1942 and 1943. As the U.S. commander, you maneuver your task forces and conduct air searches in a tension-packed contest to find the Japanese carriers before they locate and attack yours. Simple game mechanics control Japanese movement and determine the timing and strengths of their attacks. You will not know that a Japanese air strike is headed your way until it actually appears in the skies above your task force. Once the enemy has been located, you face the very same, real-life, tactical dilemmas as your historical counterparts. Contents: 1 22" x 32" Map 780 Counters (3 Sheets) 1 Rules Booklet 2 Charts and Table Cards 2 Charts and Table Screens 1 Ten-sided Die 1 Counter Tray
Carrier: The Southwest Pacific Campaign – 1942-1943 supports 1 player 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 Carrier: The Southwest Pacific Campaign – 1942-1943 is 180–360 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 Carrier: The Southwest Pacific Campaign – 1942-1943 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.
Carrier: The Southwest Pacific Campaign – 1942-1943 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.
Carrier: The Southwest Pacific Campaign – 1942-1943 belongs to these categories: Wargame, Nautical, and World War II. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Grid Movement. 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 Carrier: The Southwest Pacific Campaign – 1942-1943 are: Jon Southard. 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 Carrier: The Southwest Pacific Campaign – 1942-1943 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.