Archie's War: The Battle for Guadalcanal is playable in both solo and duel.
In the single player game, you play as Alexander "Archie" Vandegrift, commander of the 1st Marine Division charged with defending Guadalcanal against the Japanese. Your Marines are tough but isolated as the Japanese build up around you. Your most important asset is Henderson Airfield, a small airstrip that gives you control of the sea lanes during the day. At night, the Japanese sneak in boats with men and supplies and sometimes bomb the field directly. You must assess the various threats against you and defend the island until reinforcements arrive.
In the two-player game, you take on the role of the Japanese commanders, who are trying to retake Guadalcanal, or Vandegrift, the American commander, who is trying to hold the Henderson airfield. The condition of the airfield depends primarily on the condition of the runway, which the Americans are constantly trying to improve while the Japanese bomb it from the air, land and sea. As a Japanese player, your troops arrive slowly, and it is difficult to gather enough strength to gain a clear advantage. In addition, the Marines' artillery and light tanks with Vandegrift are a deciding factor when they can engage in battle. You still have to use the jungle and fog of war to hide your troops as they maneuver to attack the Marine perimeter around Henderson Airfield. You also have an advantage, your navy, which can bomb the Marine positions. As Vandegrift, you must protect the airfield from Japanese attacks and bombing. If they manage to get close and bring their artillery within range of the airfield, all is lost.
The game box contains:
- Double-sided game board mounted on hardboard (one side for solo play / one side for two-player play)
- 60 wooden blocks for the game units. Red blocks for the Japanese and green blocks for the Marines
- Marker cubes for tracking game status
- Label sheet with 2 sets of labels (one full set / one spare set)
- 1 die
- Game rules
- Battle archive
- Plastic racks for storage
