'We struck at Guadalcanal to halt the advance of the Japanese. We did not know how strong he was, nor did we know his plans. We knew only that he was moving down the island chain and that he had to be stopped ... From that moment in 1942, the tide turned, and the Japanese never again advanced.'-- Maj. Gen. Alexander A. Vandegrift, USMC Commanding General, 1st Marine CorpOn the morning of August 7, 1942, the U.S. Marines landed on the beaches of Guadalcanal, marking the first American offensive against Japan in the Pacific in World War II. The bitter and protracted struggle that followed involved major elements of the navies and air forces of both sides.Guadalcanal was the operation that started the Allies on the road to Tokyo. From here the U.S. Marines would later launch the invasions of the Palau Islands, Bougainville and Guam. Operation Shoestring is a company-level game focusing on that dramatic first conflict.OPERATION SHOESTRING simulates this fascinating campaign & includes special rules to simulate such unique aspects of the battle as: Innovative combat resolution, integrating maneuver combat, close assault, artillery bombardment, shore bombardment, air support, and even Banzai charges into one easy-to-use system. Full-featured naval and air game that integrates with the island fighting. Engineers to rebuild airfields and construct improved positions. Japanese hidden units and limited U.S. intelligence.OPERATION SHOESTRING includes a full-color 22 x 34 map with 600 counters 24-page rule & scenario Booklets and player aid charts, including: U.S. Naval Display Card, Japanese Naval Display Card, Japanese Hidden Units Card, Air-to-Air/Air-to-Surface Combat Flow Chart, Game Charts Card, Automatic Victory Conditions Card, - all in gorgeous graphics by renowned artist Rodger MacGowan.TIME SCALE 3.5 day per game turn MAP SCALE One mile per hex UNIT SCALE Company NUMBER OF PLAYERS One to Four suitable for team play PLAYING TIME 5-30 minutes for introductory scenario 2-3 hours for tournament scenario 4-30 hours for campaign game. - BoardGameGeek