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Manila '45: Stalingrad of the Pacific
2007
Rules assistance for Manila '45: Stalingrad of the Pacific
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 180 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.4/5
Rules assistant for Manila '45: Stalingrad of the Pacific
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Manila '45: Stalingrad of the Pacific is a board game released in 2007 for 2 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Joseph Miranda and Ty Bomba and its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid.
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About the game
Manila '45: Stalingrad of the Pacific (M'45), is a two-player, low-to-intermediate complexity wargame that simulates the American liberation of the capital of the Philippines in World War II, which took place from 3 February to 4 March 1945. To control complexity and present an overall-force-commander's-view of the battle, the game uses a tactically scaled map and units of maneuver coupled with an operationally scaled game turn length. The American player is generally on the offensive, trying to clear the entire Japanese defending force from the city prior to the end of the game. Each game turn of M'45 equals three days. Each hexagon on the map represents 0.3 miles (0.5 km) from side to opposite side. The units of maneuver in the game are companies, batteries and battalions, representing anywhere from a about 100 to 1,000 men and their equipment. Historically the Japanese fought to the last man (literally, not metaphorically), and the game's victory conditions represent that brutally absolute mindset. To determine the winner, both players examine the map at the end of Game Turn 10. If at that time there's one or more Japanese units still in play anywhere, the Japanese player is declared to have won the game. If there are no Japanese units left on the map at that time, the US player is declared to have won the game. Of course, if all Japanese units are wiped out prior to the end of the last game turn, play stops and the US player is declared the victor. No draws are possible. Tacticians will enjoy the fact there are 22 unit types in the game: heavy artillery, heavy anti-aircraft, heavy mortar, heavy rocket artillery, naval infantry (armed ship crews), regular infantry, combat engineers, heavy weapons (machineguns), anti-aircraft, military police, anti-tank, field artillery, rear echelon ad hoc infantry, glider infantry, paratroopers, bridging engineers, mortars, armored cavalry, tanks, self-propelled artillery, amphibious tractors, and self-propelled anti-tank.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Decision Games (I)
Questions and answers
Manila '45: Stalingrad of the Pacific 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 Manila '45: Stalingrad of the Pacific 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 Manila '45: Stalingrad of the Pacific 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.
Manila '45: Stalingrad of the Pacific has a complexity rating of 2.4 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.
Manila '45: Stalingrad of the Pacific belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are 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 Manila '45: Stalingrad of the Pacific are: Joseph Miranda and Ty Bomba. 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 Manila '45: Stalingrad of the Pacific 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.