Saipan: Conquest of the Marianas, June 1944

Overview

Saipan: Conquest of the Marianas, June 1944 is a two-player hex-and-counter wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates the Battle of Saipan during World War II. One player controls the American invasion forces while the other commands the Japanese defenders. The game uses a simple I Go, You Go turn system with alternating player turns. Each game turn represents 2 days, and the full game lasts 15 turns. The Americans must establish beachheads, advance inland, and eliminate Japanese resistance, while the Japanese must delay, defend, and counterattack with limited resources.

Components

• 1 Hex grid map (17” x 22”) depicting the island of Saipan
• 100 Unit counters (American and Japanese forces)
• Rules booklet
• Combat Results Table (CRT)
• Terrain Effects Chart (TEC)
• Turn Record Track

Setup

Place the map on the table. The Japanese player deploys all units on the island according to setup instructions. The American player designates up to 6 beachhead hexes along the coast. American reinforcements arrive through beachheads during play. Set the turn marker to Turn 1.

Turn Structure

Each game turn (representing 2 days) follows this sequence:

1. American Player Turn:
   • Movement Phase: Move all desired American units.
   • Combat Phase: Resolve all attacks against adjacent Japanese units.
2. Japanese Player Turn:
   • Movement Phase: Move all desired Japanese units.
   • Combat Phase: Resolve all attacks against adjacent American units.
3. Advance Turn Marker.

Actions

Movement

• Units move hex by hex, spending movement points based on terrain.
• Each unit has a movement allowance printed on its counter.
• Terrain costs vary: clear terrain costs 1 MP, rough terrain costs more, some terrain is impassable.
• Stacking: No stacking is allowed – only one unit per hex.
• Zones of Control (ZOC): ZOCs are both rigid and sticky. A unit moving adjacent to an enemy unit must stop there and cannot leave an enemy ZOC voluntarily.

Combat

• Combat is mandatory when units are adjacent to enemy units in their ZOC.
• Calculate combat odds ratio (attacker strength vs. defender strength).
• Roll on the Combat Results Table (CRT) cross-referencing odds and die roll.
• Results include: Attacker Eliminated, Exchange, Defender Retreat, Defender Eliminated, and variations.
• Terrain modifiers affect combat odds (defenders in rough terrain get bonuses).

Beachheads and Reinforcements

• Americans hold up to 6 beachheads on coastal hexes.
• American reinforcements arrive at the rate of 1 unit per beachhead held per turn.
• Beachheads are critical for sustaining the invasion.
• If a beachhead hex is captured by Japan, it is lost.

Banzai Charges

• Japanese units may declare banzai charges during their combat phase.
• Banzai charges double the Japanese unit’s attack strength.
• If the banzai charge fails, the Japanese unit is eliminated regardless of CRT result.
• Especially effective in early turns when Americans are confined to narrow beachheads.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

American Victory: Eliminate all Japanese units or control all key terrain objectives by the end of Turn 15.

Japanese Victory: Prevent the American player from achieving their objectives. If any significant Japanese forces remain on Saipan at game end, the Japanese achieve varying degrees of victory based on remaining strength.

Draw: If neither side clearly achieves its objectives, the game is a draw (judged by remaining force ratios and territorial control).

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• No Supply Rules: The game abstracts supply – there are no explicit supply lines or logistics.
• Rigid ZOC: Units must stop when entering an enemy Zone of Control and cannot leave voluntarily. This creates rigid battle lines.
• No Stacking: Only one unit per hex, limiting concentration of force.
• Beachhead Loss: Losing beachheads reduces reinforcement capacity, potentially crippling the American invasion.
• Japanese Defense in Depth: The Japanese benefit from terrain and fortified positions, making the American advance costly.
• Turn Length: At 2 days per turn over 15 turns, the game covers the entire month-long battle.

Player Reference

Odds Ratio	Typical Results
1:2 or less	Attacker likely eliminated
1:1	Even exchange
2:1	Defender may retreat
3:1+	Defender likely eliminated

Special Action	Effect
Banzai Charge	Double Japanese attack strength; unit eliminated if charge fails
Beachhead Landing	1 American reinforcement per beachhead per turn

Key Rules: No stacking. Rigid/sticky ZOC. No supply rules. 15 turns total.