Advanced Squad Leader (asl) - Blood Reef: Tarawa

Betio Island on Tarawa Atoll was defended by over 4,000 well-trained Japanese marines, in almost 500 mutually-supporting defense positions constructed from concrete, coconut logs and all surrounded by sand. They manned 8-inch naval guns, large caliber AA guns, A-T guns, and machine guns too numerous to count. The garrison commander, Rear Admiral Meichi Shibasaki, said, "One million Americans couldn't take Tarawa in 100 years." Despite nearly 170 years of distinguished service, the U.S. Marine Corps had never landed in force against such a well-fortified position. The reef at Tarawa prevented landing craft from approaching the beaches, so the Marines would have to wade in on lightly-armored LVTs and on foot. In the darkness of the morning of November 20, 1943, the men of the Second Marine Division set off to test Admiral Shibasaki's prediction. The next three days would set the tone for much of the island-hopping to come.

Blood Reef: Tarawa includes: two 4-color 22"x31" map sheets depicting almost the entire island of Betio; Chapter T of the ASL rule book which details the terrain on Tarawa, various of the special circumstances surrounding the landing (such as direct naval fire, counter battery fire, and Korean laborers), and the rules for Blood Reef: Tarawa Campaign Games; over 3 full counter sheets, including new counters for field-modified LVTs, 8-inch Naval Guns, and Japanese Bombproofs, as well as the additional U.S.M.C. and Japanese squads, support weapons, guns, and vehicles needed to play the campaign games; and seven new scenarios which highlight the key moments of the battle.

Central to Blood Reef: Tarawa are the three campaign games. The shortest starts with the Marines having already established a toe-hold on the shore, while the largest covers all three days and all six of the Marine Battalion Landing Teams. Two to three campaign scenarios occur each day, with a special Refit Phase (patterned on the Refit Phases of Red Barricades, Kampgruppe Peiper, and Pegasus Bridge) in between each scenario to allocate new forces. The campaign games and the scenarios all take place on the beautiful new map, painstakingly researched and painted by Don Petros.