(UPCOMING) 2026 Annual - The Road to Tokyo

"We are fighting the Japanese, but the US Navy is the enemy."

- MacArthur's Chief of Staff to a visiting Australian general

The Road to Tokyo is a two player (but uniquely, four-sided) game depicting events in the Pacific Theater for the first 6 months of 1944. The map depicts the principal fronts in New Guinea and the Central Pacific and each turn is around 2 weeks. Players assume the roles of both Nimitz and MacArthur and more indirectly, the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy forces opposing them. The twist is, each player controls forces on both sides and must strive to do better than his nominal ally (but secret opponent).

The victory conditions are a bit unusual. Players must minimize their own casualties, but maximize those of their opponent, and attempt to garner the most "Headline Points" possible, influencing Roosevelt's ultimate decision to take the road to Tokyo through the Philippines (MacArthur's demand) or by Formosa (Nimitz's plan). At times, the imperative to "make the news" will cause "mere war considerations" to seem almost quaint.

The second game inside, Thunder on South Mountain, covers the battle at South Mountain fought over Turner's and Fox's Gaps, Sept. 14th, 1862, during the American Civil War. Following the discovery of Confederate Special Order No. 191, which outlined the disposition of General Robert E. Lee's entire army across the countryside, Union commander General George McClellan moved to catch the rebel army while it was so dispersed. At South Mountain, the Union I and IX Corps tangled with an assorted Confederate force under D.H. Hill, who fought the battle of his life. Can he hold the Yankees at bay and buy enough time for Lee to pull his scattered army back together?

Thunder on South Mountain is a two-player tactical, brigade-level simulation of low complexity with an emphasis on command and control. A unique "army posture" matrix determines the sequence of play each turn, and leader effectiveness is governed by a combination of momentum, luck, and resource management. The game features rules for long-range artillery fire and target disruption, line of sight, corps leaders, and variable reinforcement times.

Best of all, this game features link rules for our Sharpsburg: Landscape Turned Red game (in ATO #64). A strong Union success at South Mountain will cause the Battle of Antietam to start 1 or 2 days before the historical Sept. 17th date, placing even more pressure on Lee's outnumbered forces assembling there. Designed by Scott Holmgren, Thunder on South Mountain comes with an 11"x17" color map, 140 two-sided, color die-cut counters, a rules booklet, and player charts and cards.

The Road to Tokyo and the 2026 ATO Magazine Annual from ATO

Maps - One full color 17"x22" mapsheet
Counters - 176 colorful die-cut 5/8" pieces
Cards - 52
Rules length - 12 pages
Charts and tables - 2 pages
Event Cards - 18
Complexity - Medium
Playing time - Up to 4 to 6 hours
How challenging is it solitaire? - Average

Design - Stephen Cunliffe
Development - Russ Lockwood
Graphic Design - Mark Mahaffey

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