Picket Duty: Kamikaze Attacks against U.S. Destroyers – Okinawa, 1945

About this board game

Picket Duty: Kamikaze Attacks against U.S. Destroyers – Okinawa, 1945 is a solitaire wargame for one player with an approximately 480-minute playing time. You take the role of a Fletcher Class destroyer captain performing picket duty off Okinawa.

Set during the period from late March 1945 to late June 1945, the game recreates the U.S. Navy’s radar picket operation during the invasion of Okinawa. Your goal is simple: survive the expected kamikaze attacks while maintaining your ship and its crew.

Each game turn is divided into three phases, with each phase depicting an eight-hour period. Key crew members have specific functions, while damage control teams help respond to the consequences of attack. The game also represents 27 types of Japanese planes, including aircraft with special attack capabilities.

• Weather, damage control, and ship trim and listing
• Ammo and fuel consumption
• Land and ship radar
• Air and surface fire support
• Ohka attacks and other special attack capabilities

Picket Duty includes a basic game and an advanced game, along with six historical scenarios and two hypothetical scenarios. Optional rules provide additional ways to play, while a mini-campaign and a full campaign extend the experience beyond individual scenarios.

With its focus on radar warnings, crew functions, damage control, ammunition, fuel, and the changing condition of a destroyer under attack, Picket Duty presents a detailed solitaire challenge based on the Okinawa operation.