Band of Brothers: Old Breed South Pacific

About this board game

Band of Brothers: Old Breed South Pacific is a 2023 tactical game for two players, with games lasting about 90 minutes. It covers the U.S. First Marine Division’s squad-level combat during the battles for Guadalcanal in World War II.

The rules are simple and require no combat charts, while still encompassing infantry, tanks, and artillery. Its distinctive suppression system replaces simple unit states with varying degrees of suppression, allowing fire from multiple sources to accumulate.

A unit does not take a morale check immediately when suppression increases. Instead, the check comes when the unit is asked to do something, so you will not know exactly how your forces will respond until they are needed.

• Fire and maneuver: squads firing at range will not cause significant casualties against dug-in, first-line troops.
• Close-range combat: enemy sections must be pinned down and eliminated from up close.
• Realistic tactics: the system rewards spreading troops out and encourages believable battlefield behavior.
• Distinct squads: Proficiency and Casualty ratings differentiate units beyond morale alone.

Artillery and heavy weapons can cause casualties, making them important battlefield targets. The game’s systems push players to suppress enemy positions, maneuver their forces, and choose carefully when to commit a unit.

Old Breed South Pacific is a standalone game and part of the growing Band of Brothers series. Other entries include Screaming Eagles, following the U.S. 101st Airborne Division; Ghost Panzer, following the German 11th Panzer Division; and the dependent expansion Texas Arrows, following the U.S. 36th Infantry Division.