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Saipan 1944 version 2

AP Series	Panzer Grenadier
Designers	Bennighof, Townsend
Game Type	Standalone
Format	Boxed
Release Date	2026-03
Availability	In Print
Scenarios	40
Counters	330
Counter Type	Die-cut
Maps	4

Tour Veterans

Saipan 1944 version 2 Tour of Duty Ribbon

2026-09-19 JayTownsend

Overall Rating, 40 votes
5 4 3 2 1 3.8
Standalone Rank: 8 of 45

Popularity: Ownership & Activity
Status	Owned by 1%	Played by 1%	AAR'd by 1%	Medaled by 1%
Rank	177th of 179	167th of 172	166th of 170	95th of 106

	Total
Side 1	11
Draw	0
Side 2	29

	Total
Side 1	0
Draw	0
Side 2	0

	In June 1944, American Marines and soldiers stormed ashore on Saipan, a large island in the Central Pacific whose possession would put Allied heavy bombers in range of Japanese cities. Three weeks of savage fighting would finally see the island secured, as places like Death Valley, Hell’s Pocket and Purple Heart Ridge entered the U.S. Marine Corps’ lexicon. The campaign saw the largest tank battle of the Pacific war, and also its largest banzai charge as almost the entire Japanese garrison (and much of the island’s Japanese civilian population) chose death over surrender.

In June 1944, American Marines and soldiers stormed ashore on Saipan, a large island in the Central Pacific whose possession would put Allied heavy bombers in range of Japanese cities. Three weeks of savage fighting would finally see the island secured, as places like Death Valley, Hell’s Pocket and Purple Heart Ridge entered the U.S. Marine Corps’ lexicon. The campaign saw the largest tank battle of the Pacific war, and also its largest banzai charge as almost the entire Japanese garrison (and much of the island’s Japanese civilian population) chose death over surrender.

Display Scenario List (40)

Scenario	Plays	AARs	Rating
01. Red Beach	1	1	---
02. Green Beach	1	1	---
03. Riding Shotgun	1	1	---
04. Stumbling Armor	1	1	---
05. Advance from Blue Beach	1	1	---
06. Punishment on Yellow Beach	1	1	---
07. Counterattack on Yellow Beach	1	1	---
08. Night Action on Red Beach	1	1	---
09. Capture of Afetna Point	1	1	---
10. Koshaho	1	1	---
11. Tank Battle on Saipan	1	1	---
12. Japanese Landing	1	1	---
13. Orphan Battalion	1	1	---
14. Faugh a Ballagh	1	1	---
15. Dagu Village	1	1	---
16. Rockets’ Red Glare	1	1	---
17. The Fighting Sixty-Ninth	1	1	---
18. Seven Lives for One's Country	1	1	---
19. Gas Alarm	1	1	---
20. Tanks Again	1	1	---
21. Hill 500	1	1	---
22. Combined Arms	1	1	---
23. Patrol Action on Hill 790	1	1	---
24. Foothills of Mount Tipo Pale	1	1	---
25. Foothills of Mount Tapochau	1	1	---
26. Warehouse Find	1	1	---
27. Summit of Mount Tapochau	1	1	---
28. Hell's Pocket	1	1	---
29. The Emperor’s Sword	1	1	---
30. Death Valley	1	1	---
31. Hell’s Pocket, Revisited	1	1	---
32. Purple Heart Ridge	1	1	---
33. Attack Ruthlessly	1	1	---
34. Flametree Hill	1	1	---
35. East of Garapan	1	1	---
36. Tokyo of the South Seas	1	1	---
37. Mutcho Point	1	1	---
38. Valley of Hell	1	1	---
39. Rice Demons	1	1	---
40. Prudential Hill	1	1	---

Display Order of Battle

Japan Order of Battle

Imperial Japanese Army
Foot Leader Mechanized Misc Towed

Imperial Japanese Army

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Misc

Towed

Imperial Japanese Navy
Foot Leader Mechanized Misc Towed

Imperial Japanese Navy

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Misc

Towed

United States Order of Battle

Army
Foot Leader Mechanized Misc

Army

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Misc

Marine Corps
Foot Leader Mechanized Misc Motorized Towed

Marine Corps

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Misc

Motorized

Towed

Navy
Misc

Display Relevant AFV Rules

AFV Rules Pertaining to this Game's Order of Battle
Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0). AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement. AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1). Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2). Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3) Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0). Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3). Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3). AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42). AFV's may Dig In (16.2). Open-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables, but DO take step losses from X and #X results (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). If a "2X" or "3X" result is rolled, at least one of the step losses must be taken by an open-top AFV if present. Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC) Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable Tank Destroyer: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB) Anti-Tank Gun Carrier: half-track with anti-tank gun, NOT a Tank Destroyer APC – Armored Personnel Carrier: These are Combat Units, but stack like Transports. They can transport personnel units or towed units. They are not counted as combat units for the +1 stacking modifier on the Direct Fire and Bombardment Tables (4.4). They may be activated by regular leaders and tank leaders (1.2, 3.34, 4.3, 5.43). They do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC). River Vessels: see Rule 15.2 ~ 15.22 Unarmored Weapon Carriers: These are unarmored halftracks (Bufla and Sk7/2) or fully-tracked vehicles (Karl siege mortar) with mounted weapons. All are mechanized, except the BM-13 (Katyusha rocket launcher mounted on a truck). They are weapon units, not AFV's, so they are never efficient and cannot be activated by tank leaders. (SB)

AFV Rules Pertaining to this Game's Order of Battle

Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0).
AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement.
AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1).
Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2).
Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3)
Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0).
Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3).
Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3).
AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42).
AFV's may Dig In (16.2).
Open-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables, but DO take step losses from X and #X results (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). If a "2X" or "3X" result is rolled, at least one of the step losses must be taken by an open-top AFV if present.
Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT).
Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC)
Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
Tank Destroyer: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB)
Anti-Tank Gun Carrier: half-track with anti-tank gun, NOT a Tank Destroyer
APC – Armored Personnel Carrier: These are Combat Units, but stack like Transports. They can transport personnel units or towed units. They are not counted as combat units for the +1 stacking modifier on the Direct Fire and Bombardment Tables (4.4). They may be activated by regular leaders and tank leaders (1.2, 3.34, 4.3, 5.43). They do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC).
River Vessels: see Rule 15.2 ~ 15.22
Unarmored Weapon Carriers: These are unarmored halftracks (Bufla and Sk7/2) or fully-tracked vehicles (Karl siege mortar) with mounted weapons. All are mechanized, except the BM-13 (Katyusha rocket launcher mounted on a truck). They are weapon units, not AFV's, so they are never efficient and cannot be activated by tank leaders. (SB)

Display Errata (5)

5 Errata Items
Scen 23	American Off-Board Artillery should say; One Turn Only not Turn One Only. (JayTownsend on 2026 Aug 30)
	LVT 4 is a one step open-topped APC. Any scenarios where units and leaders start loaded on LVT 4's and enter the board via ocean hexes do not activate in the regular manner. While at sea, all LVT 4's activate like AFV's with leaders, and move toward beach hexes. While moving toward the beach hexes they don't need to use all MPs or move in a straight line. Once they are on the beach, they must follow standard activation rules for both land and water hexes. LVT 4's that are destroyed at sea do not trigger leader decapitation. (Shad on 2013 May 06)
	The A1 has an inherent leader and two combat steps. Its counter should have been given an amphibious armor symbol. (Shad on 2013 May 06)
	The A4 has an inherent leader and two combat steps. Its counter should have been given an amphibious armor symbol. (Shad on 2013 May 06)
	The 8-3 Marine Infantry counter appears in most of the Saipan 1944 and Marianas 1944 scenarios, replacing the 10-3 DF valued Marine counters for those scenarios and is currently published in the most recent Saipan printing. (JayTownsend on 2015 Dec 26)

Display Nations (2)

Nations at War - Scenario Appearance Percentages
Japan	100%	Japan
United States	100%	United States

Display Battle Types (11)

Battle Types - Scenario Appearance Percentages
Inflict Enemy Casualties	100%	Inflict Enemy Casualties
Hill Control	35%	Hill Control
Urban Assault	25%	Urban Assault
Entrenchment Control	25%	Entrenchment Control
Beach Control	18%	Beach Control
Cave Control	18%	Cave Control
Exit the Battle Area	10%	Exit the Battle Area
Amphibious Landing	8%	Amphibious Landing
Rural Assault	8%	Rural Assault
Airfield Control	5%	Airfield Control
Road Control	5%	Road Control

Display Conditions (10)

Conditions - Scenario Appearance Percentages
Off-board Artillery	73%	Off-board Artillery
Entrenchments	33%	Entrenchments
Caves	20%	Caves
Randomly-drawn Aircraft	20%	Randomly-drawn Aircraft
Smoke	13%	Smoke
Terrain Mods	13%	Terrain Mods
Minefields	8%	Minefields
Reinforcements	8%	Reinforcements
Illumination	8%	Illumination
Naval Bombardment	5%	Naval Bombardment

Saipan 1944

Secret Weapons

PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Games > Saipan 2

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