- BGG rank
- BGG #3,329
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Flat Top
- 2 players
- 360 min
- Complexity 4.2/5
- 1977
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,315
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Guadalcanal
1992
Rules assistance for Guadalcanal
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 90–240 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.6/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Guadalcanal
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Guadalcanal is a board game released in 1992 for 2 players, 90–240 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by S. Craig Taylor and its main mechanics are Secret Unit Deployment and Hexagon Grid.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,105
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Midway
- 2 players
- 90–240 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 1991
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,799
- BGG rating
- 7.3
C.V.: A Game of the Battle of Midway
- 2–4 players
- 300–1200 min
- Complexity 3.8/5
- 1979
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,219
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Wooden Ships & Iron Men
- 2 players
- 60–300 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 1974
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,997
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Air Force
- 1–2 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 1976
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,057
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Mustangs
- 2–4 players
- 60–150 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 1991
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,490
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Battle of the Bulge
- 2 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 1991
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,270
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Gettysburg (125th Anniversary Edition)
- 2 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 1988
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,150
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Firepower
- 1–6 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 1984
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,505
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Wings: World War One Plane to Plane Combat 1916-1918
- 1–4 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 1981
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,205
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Pacific Victory: War in the Pacific 1941-45
- 2–4 players
- 120–240 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2000
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,713
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Submarine
- 1–6 players
- 60–180 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 1976
About the game
GUADALCANAL Smithsonian Edition simulates one of the best known and least understood campaigns of WWII. Covered are the 1942 actions as ship and air units are commanded by each player on their hidden Searchboards. Combats are resolved on a separate Battleboard. The first side to find the enemy will be the first to attack. A combined arms game of carriers, land based air, and surface ship combat, Guadalcanal 1992 gives two players the ability to conduct tense battles at campaign scale, with tactical encounters fought out on battle boards with air groups and individual ships. Similar to Midway, each player has their own colorful map of the Solomon Islands behind a screen. Each player "searches" for the enemy fleet by flying search planes to the hex and calling the hex number. Once found, bombers can be sent in to sink the enemy fleet. The actual attack is fought on a separate battle board where the ships are first placed on hexes and the attacking planes are placed in hexes to indicate which ship they are attacking. The basic game is very simple. Additional rules add realism (and complexity): CAP fighters, surface actions, bases, inaccurate search reports, etc. Note: The back of the box says 356 counters, but there are only 298 (1 of which is blank).
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- The Avalon Hill Game Co
Questions and answers
Guadalcanal 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 Guadalcanal is 90–240 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 Guadalcanal 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.
Guadalcanal has a complexity rating of 2.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light 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.
Guadalcanal belongs to these categories: Wargame, Nautical, and World War II. Its main mechanics are Secret Unit Deployment and Hexagon Grid. 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 Guadalcanal are: S. Craig Taylor. 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 Guadalcanal 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.