ATO Black Swan #22 Operation Cartwheel

Deciding which battle in the Pacific War is the bloodiest all depends on what numbers are being counted. Convincing arguments can be made for Tarawa, Iwo, Okinawa, and Peleliu, and possibly others.

One island’s name, Rabaul, is not on the list. But it could have been.

The Japanese “fortress” of Rabaul had 60,000 soldiers, over 350 miles of tunnels, many airfields, and heavy defenses of all kinds. It was the largest case of the “bypass and let them wither on the vine” strategy the Allies pursued in the Pacific. And in fact, MacArthur considered it too large to bypass...too important to leave behind. He was overruled.

Way back in the ATO 2008 Annual, Paul Rohrbaugh's game on the 1943 Solomons battles, Operation Cartwheel, explored fresh ground. A game with integrated land, sea and air operations was very new at the time...but it worked. So much about the game does... except getting a copy. It has been out of print for years.

We recently found a stash of "extra" counter sheets, maps, and air displays for Operation Cartwheel. There's no magazines left to go with them—darn!—but folks could still have the complete game if we put the rules and charts on a CD. So we did!

You get:

Operation Cartwheel counters (288 full-color, mounted and die-cut pieces)

Operation Cartwheel map (full-color 22" x 34" playing surface)

Operation Cartwheel Japanese and Allied Air Base Displays

Operation Cartwheel game rules and charts on a CD

Yes, a long out of print game is now available once more. Get yours today, before our limited stock is gone!