Wake Island

The Battle of Wake Island was a battle in the Pacific theater of World War II. It was initiated by a Japanese assault on the American controlled island on December 8, 1941, simultaneous with the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The battle is the basis for maps in the games Battlefield 1942, Battlefield Vietnam's WWII mod and Battlefield 1943. However, the map is seen as an iconic symbol of the entire Battlefield series, with versions featured, albeit in different contexts, in Battlefield 2, Battlefield 2142 and Battlefield 3 as a part of the Back to Karkand DLC.

"It’s very dynamic. Its U-shape means that the water gameplay between the map’s two legs – whether it’s going by boat or swimming across – creates new alternatives for when you’re locked in a hopeless struggle against superior armor. There’s always an alternate solution on Wake Island, and for me personally, that’s what makes Battlefield Battlefield."

- Lars Gustavsson

Battlefield 1942
Wake Island is a map in Battlefield 1942, and was the map included in the Battlefield 1942 demo.

It is a Pacific theatre map, contested between the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and the United States Marine Corps (USMC). There are 5 flags, all held at the beginning of the game by the USMC. The Japanese must launch an amphibious attack from their waiting fleet.

Japanese forces start with more reinforcement tickets than the USMC, but are at a slow ticket-bleed until they manage to control at least one flag. If all flags are captured by the Japanese, American forces will lose their tickets extremely quickly, losing over 10 tickets per second, usually resulting in immediate defeat.

Wake Island is characterized by its unique horseshoe-like shape, which makes for a narrow battlefield. As such, there is usually always a certain frontline that can only be displaced by brute force or by entering through a different leg of the island. "Well, on some maps, the frontline can be rather “slippery”, or almost like a merry-go-round. Which happens to work really well on maps like El Alamein. I mean I love that map, but the reason the merry-go-round gameplay works there is because you have an overview of the entire battlefield so you realize when you’ve been overrun. But on Wake Island it was super important to get the sense across of where the frontline is at all times."

Japanese Fleet
At the start of the game, possessing no capture points, the Japanese forces spawn at the Japanese fleet, consisting of an aircraft carrier and destroyer, each with landing craft. The ships are movable, but in singleplayer the destroyer is initially located off the island's South coast, near the 'Landing Beach' control point (within range of the Landing Beach's defgun), while the aircraft carrier is positioned at the narrow entrance to the lagoon in the North West (within range of the North Western and South Western defguns). In multiplayer, both ships are located where the aircraft carrier is in singleplayer.

Landing Beach
Usually the point of initial engagement, this is the closest part of the island to the Japanese fleet (in singleplayer) and makes an ideal location for an amphibious landing (other suitable locations are present, in the South East corner of the lagoon near the Airbase, at the North West and South West defgun positions and on the Eastern coast between the North Base and Airfield). Located on the island's Southern limb, West of the Airfield. Like all points on the map, it is initially American controlled. Two tanks spawn at the Landing Beach on the road behind the beach and overlooking bunker. A coastal defgun is located here, pointed at the Japanese fleet.

Airfield
Wake Island features an airfield, located in the island's South Eastern corner, where the island's southern and northern limbs meet. Spawning 3 fighter planes, a tank and a jeep, it also houses a defgun, overlooking the atoll's lagoon. Initially controlled by the US forces, it is a key Japanese target for potentially disabling the defensive US forces. While under Japanese control, Japanese forces also have ultimate air superiority, with no US opportunity to launch aircraft.

South Base and coast
The South Base is the furthest West control point of the island's southern limb, initially under US control, it is located on the other side of the Landing Beach to the Airfield. It spawns a tank, a jeep and an APC.

To the West of the base is a short bridge from the main island to a smaller island. Located at the far West end of this island are a defgun and a Willys MB.

Village, North Base and coast
To the North of the Airfield is a stretch of island leading to another limb, heading West parallel to the Southern limb. At the corner of these two limbs is the initially US controlled North Base. Home to an AA gun and defgun, it also spawns a jeep and an APC.

To the West of this is another initially American control point, the Village. Home to multiple buildings, it spawns a jeep and a tank.

Similar to the Southern coast, to the West of the Village, at the far West of the island's horseshoe are a defgun and a Willys MB.

Outcome
"The capture of Wake Island will long be remembered as another glorious victory for the Imperial Forces of Japan. Like the strike on Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces overwhelmed the Americans by surprising them with superior naval and air power. Japan's fearless carrier-based pilots led the assault on Wake, demonstrating once again why they are the world's best pilots."

- Japanese victory

"After such a glorious victory at Pearl Harbor, it's difficult to explain this surprising defeat at Wake Island. The Imperial Japanese fleet has stumbled badly in its inability to capture a key strategic base from such a small US force. Inexplicably, the Japanese commanders were unable to take advantage of their superior firepower and the momentum built by Pearl Harbor. It is unlikely that any Japanese commander going into battle with US forces will take his opponent so lightly as did the commander of this force."

- Japanese defeat

"Though vastly outnumbered, the small US force couldn't be outfought. Coming so soon after Pearl Harbor, this important victory allows the US to maintain a vital position in the Pacific. It also serves to let the Japanese know that the United States refuses to roll over after Pearl Harbor. In addition to the strategic implication of holding Wake Island, the victory provides a huge morale boost to US troops and its Allies everywhere."

- American victory

"Though the small US force on Wake Island fought hard, it could not stop the Japanese attack on Wake Island. With Pearl Harbor still smoldering, Wake Island captured, and other key targets under siege, the Imperial Fleet looks to be in a strong position to control the entire Pacific."

- American defeat

Battlefield Vietnam
Wake Island was added to Battlefield Vietnam with a World War II mod which offered Battlefield 1942 maps modified with more plants and trees while the core of the maps such as flag positions remained the same.

Battlefield 1943
In Battlefield 1943, Wake Island is one of the three original maps, being available as soon as players purchased it. It was a highly modified version of the Battlefield 1942 map, being relatively smaller and differently set out. It is also the first time the map was built with the Frostbite Engine.

Like all maps in Battlefield 1943, it is contested by the Imperial Japanese Navy and the United States Marine Corps. There are five flags, all initially neutral. Players of both sides spawn on aircraft carriers and must deploy to the island and capture flags. As long as a team controls at least one flag, the opposing team will be at a constant ticket bleed, made faster depending on how many flags are under their control.

Wake Island is a very versatile map. Like Iwo Jima, players have fighters, boats, tanks and jeeps at their disposal. The map retains its iconic horseshoe-shape, though doesn't quite have the same sense as of the frontline as in Battlefield 1942, and it can be relatively easy for players to navigate around the map, and maneuver around enemy lines. Long-range to close-range combat is present.

Carriers
The Carriers are the starting points for both factions, with the Japanese carrier near the southern limb of the island, and the American carrier near the norther one. Two fighters and four LCVPs spawn on them.

Signal Station
Located past the bridge connecting the southern limb of the island, the Signal Station is the closest flag to the American carrier. Comprising of a few houses, a trench decorated with sandbags and barbed wire facing the lagoon, fuel tanks surrounded by sheet metal, the signal station spawns a 40mm Bofors, an M1919 Browning mounted in a watchtower and an LCVP docked in the water. A tank and a jeep also spawn. To the West of the flag, past the bridge on the southern leg, a neutral Willys MB spawns.

Beach
The Beach is a relatively minor flag situated on the south side of the map. It comprises descending paths to a small bunker and sandbag formation. Inside the bunker spawns an M1919 Browning. It spawns a single jeep located up the path leading West. It is secluded and does not provide much vehicle support, and as such rarely sees a large amount of combat. It is notably unsuitable to vehicular combat, since the paths are difficult for a tank or jeep to enter, and as such is generally prone to close-quarters infantry combat.

Airfield
The Airfield, located to far south-east of the map, is arguably the most important flag of the map. It provides two tanks, three jeeps and an extra fighter plane, and most importantly activates the map's Air Raid Bunker. It is a large area, comprising of many small and large buildings, including a repair station and an airstrip (with two hangars). The flag itself is placed near an L-shaped house by the airstrip, and can be captured within the house or outside it. It is important to note that even if a player's faction does not control the Airfield, they can still use the Air Raid Bunker.

AA Village
The AA Village is located to the North-West of the island's northern leg. It comprises several houses, similar to the Village and the Signal Station. As its name states, it spawns several 40mm Bofors anti-air guns, situated in or on the outskirts along the paths leading to the village. It also spawns a jeep.

Village
Symmetrical to the Signal Station, the Village is located near the end of the island's northern limb, and is the closest flag to the Japanese carrier. It is past the bridge, and as such can be difficult to access by ground vehicles if the bridge is destroyed. Comprised of a few houses and sandbag formations, it spawns 40mm Bofors, an M1919 Browning mounted in a watchtower, an LCVP docked in the water, a tank and a jeep.

Trivia

 * In Battlefield 1943 there is a sand castle with the Swedish flag which is located on one of the islands by Beach.