
- BGG rank
- BGG #23,032
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Red Star Falling
- 2 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 1981

1981
Rules assistance for Wake Island
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.
Wake Island is a board game released in 1981 for 2 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Kenneth Kaufman and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation.
Wake Island is an operational level simulation of the Battle of Wake Island. The battle occurred between December 9, 1941 and December 23, 1941. The game is played by two players: one who controls the Japanese, and the other who controls the Americans. Wake Island begins at 9:00 hours on December 8 (December 7, Pearl Harbor time) and continues in game turns each representing 3 hours of time until 2400 hours, December 24, 1941.
Wake Island 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 Wake Island 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 Wake Island 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.
Wake Island 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.
Wake Island 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 Wake Island are: Kenneth Kaufman. 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 Wake Island 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.