Copyright © 2009 Decision Games and Decision Games
Bloody Ridge is a simulation of the attempt by Japanese forces to retake the airfield at Lunga Roads, Guadalcanal, after the unopposed occupation of that field by U.S. Marines. The Marines were dependent upon control of the air, afforded by the airfield, for continued supply and reinforcement. The Japanese, who controlled the seas surrounding Guadalcanal, could have isolated and prevented the evacuation of the Marines had the airfield fallen into their hands.
Both Players receive reinforcements. The number and type of reinforcement units received is listed on the Turn Record/Reinforcement Track. These units appear during the Owning Player's Movement Phase of the Game-Turn next to which they are listed.
Reinforcements arrive during the Movement Phase, after all units already on the map which are to move that Phase have been moved. Reinforcements may be moved normally during the Movement Phase in which they arrive. Reinforcements may not be deliberately withheld, and may not be brought into the game on some later Game-Turn. U.S. reinforcements may be delayed due to airfield effects (see case 12.4).
Japanese reinforcements may land on any coastal hex, or they may be placed on any hex on the east map edge. U.S. Units may land on coastal hexes between hexes 2003 and 3003, inclusive.
Reinforcements may be placed in any Coastal hex in the specified area not occupied by an Enemy unit. Each reinforcement unit need only pay the cost for entering the terrain in the coastal hex; there is no additional cost for the landing. Any number of reinforcements may enter through the same Coastal hex.
Reinforcements may arrive in an Enemy Zone of Control. However, if they do so they may move no farther that Movement Phase and must attack at least one Enemy unit to which they are then adjacent (see 7.1).
Units which are to enter on the mapedge may be placed in any hex in the first row of hexes at the mapedge. These units pay only the Movement Point cost for entering the hex at the mapedge (and all other hexes which they enter that Phase). They need not pay any additional Movement Points to enter, regardless of the number of units entering through the same hex.
Reinforcements may engage in combat in the normal manner in the same Game-Turn that they arrive.
If any hex of Henderson Field is occupied by a Japanese unit, no U.S. reinforcements can be brought into the game on that Game-Turn. Delayed reinforcements may land on the Game-Turn following that in which all airfield hexes are re-occupied by U.S. units.
Only one Japanese or U.S. Artillery unit may apply FPF to a hex in a single Phase. There is no limit to the number of Barraging Artillery units which may attack a single Enemy hex.
Each Player has a number of Ground Support Points available on each Game-Turn. This number is available by selecting 'Air' on the tool bar within the game.
Ground Support Points may not be used as FPF and may only be used against units in non-jungle, non-broken terrain hexes.
The ten Japanese ground support points on Game-Turn Seventeen are the result of bombardment by the 360mm guns of Japanese battleships.
HexWar Edition Note: These are a variation on the optional rules as first published by SPI. We decided to change the optional rules as the use of air power in combat was extremely restrictive and moved the play balance too far in favor of the U.S. Player. Also the the Japanese Naval bombardment, as published, was too predicable and easy to avoid.
The Victory Conditions for all Scenarios are the same. The Japanese Player wins by occupying any two (or more) hexes of Henderson Field with any of his units at the end of any two consecutive Japanese Combat Phases. Occupation is defined as having a unit physically in place in the hex. The U.S. Player wins the game by having avoided the fulfillment of the Japanese Victory Conditions at the end of the game.