Manila '45 (2007)

Strategy & Tactics magazine #246.

Manila '45: Stalingrad of the Pacific (M'45), is a two-player, low-to-intermediate complexity wargame that simulates the American liberation of the capital of the Philippines in World War II, which took place from 3 February to 4 March 1945. To control complexity and present an overall-force-commander's-view of the battle, the game uses a tactically scaled map and units of maneuver coupled with an operationally scaled game turn length. The American player is generally on the offensive, trying to clear the entire Japanese defending force from the city prior to the end of the game.

Each game turn of M'45 equals three days. Each hexagon on the map represents 0.3 miles (0.5 km) from side to opposite side. The units of maneuver in the game are companies, batteries and battalions, representing anywhere from a about 100 to 1,000 men and their equipment.

Historically the Japanese fought to the last man (literally, not metaphorically), and the game's victory conditions represent that brutally absolute mindset. To determine the winner, both players examine the map at the end of Game Turn 10. If at that time there's one or more Japanese units still in play anywhere, the Japanese player is declared to have won the game. If there are no Japanese units left on the map at that time, the US player is declared to have won the game. Of course, if all Japanese units are wiped out prior to the end of the last game turn, play stops and the US player is declared the victor. No draws are possible.

Tacticians will enjoy the fact there are 22 unit types in the game: heavy artillery, heavy anti-aircraft, heavy mortar, heavy rocket artillery, naval infantry (armed ship crews), regular infantry, combat engineers, heavy weapons (machineguns), anti-aircraft, military police, anti-tank, field artillery, rear echelon ad hoc infantry, glider infantry, paratroopers, bridging engineers, mortars, armored cavalry, tanks, self-propelled artillery, amphibious tractors, and self-propelled anti-tank.