Coast Watchers: Allied Field Intelligence in the South Pacific, 1942-1943

About this board game

Coast Watchers is a World War II South Pacific intelligence game for 1–2 players, with play lasting about 120 minutes. Set between the Japanese incursion of early 1942 and the neutralization of the great base at Rabaul by the end of 1943, it centers on the struggle between Allied coastwatching teams and Japanese security forces.

Standup blocks conceal coastwatching stations, guerrillas, refugees, and stranded Allied crew. Facedown counters hide the buildup of Japanese forces, while other counters indicate patrols searching for coastwatchers or are drawn from cups to run Japanese searches and Allied delivery missions.

The Allied side seeks to observe Japanese activity and report it to headquarters while handling side tasks assigned by Allied Mission cards. Japanese Mission cards establish secret military objectives for victory points, including air and sea operations that the coastwatchers must warn Allied forces about. The Japanese player hunts for coastwatchers while building military readiness and guiding operations, attempting to slip through the Allied intelligence net.

• 15 standalone Situations covering the South Pacific conflict from early 1942 through the end of 1943
• Four campaigns that connect the Situations into longer arcs
• Asset cards that provide special abilities and may add victory points
• A dedicated solitaire system

Mission cards keep objectives secret, counters make searches and force buildup uncertain, and Assets offer additional ways to shape each side’s efforts. Across its individual scenarios and linked campaigns, Coast Watchers presents a focused account of field intelligence, warning missions, and survival in the wartime South Pacific.