Ambon: Burning Sun & Little Seagulls

About this board game

Ambon: Burning Sun & Little Seagulls is a two-player wargame with an approximately 120-minute play time, simulating the Battle of Ambon in February 1942.

The battle took place on the island of Ambon in the Moluccas from 30th January to 3rd February 1942. One player commands the Japanese forces, while the other leads the Allied forces made up of the Dutch Molukken Brigade and the Australian Gull Force.

The Japanese force consists of the 228th Regiment of the 38th Division of the Imperial Japanese Army and the 1st Kure Special Naval Landing Force. The opposing Allied player must attempt to slow the Japanese advance while avoiding excessive losses.

Victory is determined through control of specific hexes and the elimination of enemy units. The Japanese player’s central objective is to capture Ambon’s three main key locations: the city of Ambon, Paso, and the Laha airfield.

• Japanese objective: capture the three main key locations and additional secondary key locations.
• Allied objective: delay the Japanese advance without suffering too many losses.
• Victory focus: control important hexes and eliminate opposing units.

Timing is crucial for the Japanese player. The sooner these locations are conquered, the more victory points the Japanese player receives, turning the offensive into a race against the clock.

For the Allied player, every delay matters. Ambon: Burning Sun & Little Seagulls presents a focused contest between an advancing force seeking a rapid victory and defenders trying to make that advance as difficult and costly as possible.