
- BGG rank
- BGG #15,321
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Second World War at Sea: Leyte Gulf
- 2 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
- 2005

2005
Rules assistance for Second World War at Sea: Strike South
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.
Second World War at Sea: Strike South is a board game released in 2005 for 2 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Brian L. Knipple and its main mechanics are Simultaneous Action Selection, Paper-and-Pencil, and Hexagon Grid.
"Strike South" is a "Second World War at Sea"-series game based on the Japanese efforts in early World War 2 to seize the rich assets of the Dutch East Indies. There are 140 “long” playing pieces, depicting the major fleet units of both sides: battleships, aircraft carriers, cruisers and fleet destroyers. There are also 280 square playing pieces, half the size of the ship pieces, mostly depicting aircraft but also smaller warships and markers. The game comes with two operational maps, covering the South China Sea and the East Indies, and these maps overlap with the maps in the "Eastern Fleet" product. As with all "Great War at Sea"/"Second World War at Sea" games, the tactical map is a generic field of blue hexagons that ships and aircraft move to when fleets meet on the operational maps. Combat is simple - roll 1d6 for every 'factor' the ship has, with a result of '6' equaling a hit. Compare the weapon that hit (primary gun, secondary gun, tertiary gun, torpedo, or bomb) vs the armor of the area hit to determine if penetration occurred. If it did, mark off a damage box. "Strike South" includes 15 scenarios, of which 8 of these are limited "Battle Scenarios", that just use the tactical map. The larger 'Operational Scenarios' can take some time to play out - sometimes a whole evening, although Avalanche Press tries to focus them on a 2-hr timeframe - and include such actions as the last mission of the British Battleship Prince of Wales, the Battle of the Java Sea, the Battle of Sunda Strait, and the Japanese invasion of the Philipines. Strike South includes: Two 32"x22" strategic maps 11"x17" tactical map 420 game pieces 12-page rulebook 12-page scenario book 2 player aid cards 1 organizational card
Second World War at Sea: Strike South 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 Second World War at Sea: Strike South is 120 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 Second World War at Sea: Strike South 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.
Second World War at Sea: Strike South has a complexity rating of 2.7 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.
Second World War at Sea: Strike South belongs to these categories: Wargame, Nautical, and World War II. Its main mechanics are Simultaneous Action Selection, Paper-and-Pencil, 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 Second World War at Sea: Strike South are: Brian L. Knipple. 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 Second World War at Sea: Strike South 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.