Saipan & Tinian is a World War II wargame covering the American invasions of two strategically important Japanese-held islands in the Mariana Islands during the summer of 1944.
Volume I in Legion Wargames' Island War Series, the game focuses on ground combat between American and Imperial Japanese forces during the Pacific campaign. Players command their forces through amphibious landings, difficult terrain and determined Japanese resistance as they attempt to secure or defend the islands.
The game includes separate scenarios for Saipan and Tinian, each with its own map and exclusive rules. With an emphasis on historical operations, limited intelligence and the challenges of amphibious warfare, Saipan & Tinian offers a detailed recreation of these important Pacific battles.
This game includes:
1 Saipan Map (17" × 22")
1 Tinian Map (11" × 17")
528 EasyPunch Game Counters (5/8")
1 Island War Series Rulebook (24 Pages)
1 Saipan Exclusive Rules Booklet (8 Pages)
1 Tinian Exclusive Rules Booklet (8 Pages)
6 Player Aid Charts (8.5" × 11")
2 Scenarios
Key Features:
Recreates the American invasions of Saipan and Tinian in 1944
Volume I in Legion Wargames' Island War Series
Two separate battles, each with its own map and exclusive rules
Focuses on ground operations between American and Imperial Japanese forces
Includes amphibious landings, beachheads and coastal defences
Limited intelligence adds uncertainty to battlefield decisions
Night operations and Japanese Banzai attacks
Fortifications, weather and replacement rules
Naval and air operations are represented in an abstract manner, keeping the focus on land combat
Victory conditions allow Japanese defenders to succeed by performing better than their historical counterparts
Primarily designed for two players, with the possibility of dividing command responsibilities among additional players
About the Game:
The Island War Series recreates ground combat during the Pacific War, with each volume focusing on a particular island campaign. The system uses a common set of standard rules alongside exclusive rules covering the circumstances, initial deployments and reinforcement schedules of individual battles.
Saipan & Tinian covers two American operations in the Mariana Islands during 1944. Although the battles share the same game system, each presents different challenges for the attacking and defending forces.
Saipan – June to July 1944
The invasion of Saipan formed part of Admiral Nimitz's Operation Granite II, the American campaign to capture the Mariana Islands.
Saipan was the first objective of the Northern Troops Landing Force, with Tinian to follow. Its capture was strategically important because it provided the United States with a base from which long-range bombers could reach the Japanese home islands.
In the game, American forces must establish themselves ashore and advance against Japanese defenders who are determined to resist the invasion. Amphibious landings, fortified positions, limited intelligence and the difficulties of maintaining an offensive all influence the campaign.
Tinian – July to August 1944
Following the capture of Saipan, American forces turned their attention to the neighbouring island of Tinian.
The invasion was a major Marine Corps shore-to-shore operation and became an important example of American amphibious warfare in the Pacific.
After its capture, Tinian was developed into a major B-29 bomber base, playing a significant role in the final stages of the war against Japan.
The Tinian game recreates the struggle to establish a foothold and overcome Japanese resistance, with the island's terrain and defensive positions presenting their own tactical challenges.
Gameplay and Victory Conditions
The Island War Series concentrates on the ground campaign, with naval and air forces handled through abstract rules rather than represented as separate operational forces.
Players must consider amphibious landings, the establishment of beachheads, fortifications, weather, night operations and the availability of replacements.
The game also reflects the difficult position faced by Japanese defenders. Rather than requiring them to defeat the American invasion outright, the victory conditions allow the defending player to achieve success by performing better than the historical Japanese forces.
This creates pressure on the American player to maintain the offensive and avoid costly mistakes, while the Japanese player attempts to delay the invasion and inflict sufficient losses.
Game Details:
Players: 2 (Additional Players Can Share Command Responsibilities)
Playing Time: Approximately 6–12 Hours
Complexity: Medium
Solitaire Suitability: Low to Moderate
Historical Period: World War II – Pacific Theatre
Campaigns: Saipan and Tinian, 1944
Game System: Island War Series
Series: Volume I
Scenarios: 2
Unit Scale: Platoon to Regiment
Map Scale: ½ Mile per Hex
Time Scale: 12 Hours per Turn
Saipan & Tinian: Island War Series – Volume I offers a historically focused examination of two important American amphibious operations in the Pacific War. With separate island maps, detailed ground combat rules and victory conditions that challenge both sides, it provides an engaging experience for players interested in World War II island campaigns and traditional hex-and-counter wargames.
Saipan & Tinian is a World War II wargame covering the American invasions of two strategically important Japanese-held islands in the Mariana Islands during the summer of 1944.
Volume I in Legion Wargames' Island War Series, the game focuses on ground combat between American and Imperial Japanese forces during the Pacific campaign. Players command their forces through amphibious landings, difficult terrain and determined Japanese resistance as they attempt to secure or defend the islands.
The game includes separate scenarios for Saipan and Tinian, each with its own map and exclusive rules. With an emphasis on historical operations, limited intelligence and the challenges of amphibious warfare, Saipan & Tinian offers a detailed recreation of these important Pacific battles.
This game includes:
1 Saipan Map (17" × 22")
1 Tinian Map (11" × 17")
528 EasyPunch Game Counters (5/8")
1 Island War Series Rulebook (24 Pages)
1 Saipan Exclusive Rules Booklet (8 Pages)
1 Tinian Exclusive Rules Booklet (8 Pages)
6 Player Aid Charts (8.5" × 11")
2 Scenarios
Key Features:
Recreates the American invasions of Saipan and Tinian in 1944
Volume I in Legion Wargames' Island War Series
Two separate battles, each with its own map and exclusive rules
Focuses on ground operations between American and Imperial Japanese forces
Includes amphibious landings, beachheads and coastal defences
Limited intelligence adds uncertainty to battlefield decisions
Night operations and Japanese Banzai attacks
Fortifications, weather and replacement rules
Naval and air operations are represented in an abstract manner, keeping the focus on land combat
Victory conditions allow Japanese defenders to succeed by performing better than their historical counterparts
Primarily designed for two players, with the possibility of dividing command responsibilities among additional players
About the Game:
The Island War Series recreates ground combat during the Pacific War, with each volume focusing on a particular island campaign. The system uses a common set of standard rules alongside exclusive rules covering the circumstances, initial deployments and reinforcement schedules of individual battles.
Saipan & Tinian covers two American operations in the Mariana Islands during 1944. Although the battles share the same game system, each presents different challenges for the attacking and defending forces.
Saipan – June to July 1944
The invasion of Saipan formed part of Admiral Nimitz's Operation Granite II, the American campaign to capture the Mariana Islands.
Saipan was the first objective of the Northern Troops Landing Force, with Tinian to follow. Its capture was strategically important because it provided the United States with a base from which long-range bombers could reach the Japanese home islands.
In the game, American forces must establish themselves ashore and advance against Japanese defenders who are determined to resist the invasion. Amphibious landings, fortified positions, limited intelligence and the difficulties of maintaining an offensive all influence the campaign.
Tinian – July to August 1944
Following the capture of Saipan, American forces turned their attention to the neighbouring island of Tinian.
The invasion was a major Marine Corps shore-to-shore operation and became an important example of American amphibious warfare in the Pacific.
After its capture, Tinian was developed into a major B-29 bomber base, playing a significant role in the final stages of the war against Japan.
The Tinian game recreates the struggle to establish a foothold and overcome Japanese resistance, with the island's terrain and defensive positions presenting their own tactical challenges.
Gameplay and Victory Conditions
The Island War Series concentrates on the ground campaign, with naval and air forces handled through abstract rules rather than represented as separate operational forces.
Players must consider amphibious landings, the establishment of beachheads, fortifications, weather, night operations and the availability of replacements.
The game also reflects the difficult position faced by Japanese defenders. Rather than requiring them to defeat the American invasion outright, the victory conditions allow the defending player to achieve success by performing better than the historical Japanese forces.
This creates pressure on the American player to maintain the offensive and avoid costly mistakes, while the Japanese player attempts to delay the invasion and inflict sufficient losses.
Game Details:
Players: 2 (Additional Players Can Share Command Responsibilities)
Playing Time: Approximately 6–12 Hours
Complexity: Medium
Solitaire Suitability: Low to Moderate
Historical Period: World War II – Pacific Theatre
Campaigns: Saipan and Tinian, 1944
Game System: Island War Series
Series: Volume I
Scenarios: 2
Unit Scale: Platoon to Regiment
Map Scale: ½ Mile per Hex
Time Scale: 12 Hours per Turn
Saipan & Tinian: Island War Series – Volume I offers a historically focused examination of two important American amphibious operations in the Pacific War. With separate island maps, detailed ground combat rules and victory conditions that challenge both sides, it provides an engaging experience for players interested in World War II island campaigns and traditional hex-and-counter wargames.
