Ironbottom Sound (board game)

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Ironbottom Sound is a two-player naval board game that recreates the Guadalcanal battles of World War II. It was first published in 1981 by Quarterdeck Games and designed by Jack Greene, with cover art by Bill Haggart. The game takes its name from the heavily sunk ships in the area, which gave the waters around Guadalcanal the nickname “Ironbottom Sound.”

How to play in brief
- Each turn, players secretly plan ship movements and torpedo maneuvers.
- Ships have three speed options for the first three turns, and turning costs vary.
- Movement and gunfire happen at the same time, and torpedoes require a dice roll to hit once they enter a ship’s hex.
- Different scenarios have different victory conditions; for example, one scenario may let the Japanese win by sinking ships and exiting the board, while the Americans win by preventing those goals.

Editions and history
- 1981: The original edition in a flat box by Quarterdeck Games, with Bill Haggart’s cover art. It includes ten scenarios (five Guadalcanal actions and five balanced tournament scenarios).
- 1982: Hobby Japan released a Japanese edition in a bookcase box with cover art by Rodger MacGowan.
- 1990s: Rules were revised to include night actions.
- 1998: Iron Bottom Sound II, with the same MacGowan artwork, was published by Moments in History.
- 2015: Iron Bottom Sound III, a bilingual English/Japanese edition, was published by K2 Publishing using MacGowan’s artwork again.
- 2021: Kilovolt Designs released a fourth edition in Simplified Chinese.

Reception
- Reviewers praised the game’s exciting combat and tense decision-making, though some noted issues with visibility rules. John Lambshead (Phoenix) found the visibility rules awkward but liked hidden torpedo movement and the quick, decisive combat. Chip Hanika (The Wargamer) called the game tactically exciting and highly engaging, describing it as a must-buy for naval combat fans.