Guadalcanal (Battlefield 1943)

"This hilly island north east of Australia saw heavy fighting between August of 1942 and February of 1943 in a combined land, sea and air operation, the Allies managed to capture it from the Japanese in a campaign that is considered to be a turning point in the war."

- Loading Screen Tip

Guadalcanal is one of the four maps available in Battlefield 1943. It is also one of the first three original maps released. Differing from its Battlefield 1942 counterpart, it is the only map in 1943 devoid of any naval combat and also the only one not to include the presence of an aircraft carrier.

USMC Base
The USMC Base is the permanent flag and starting point for the USMC forces. It consists of an airstrip, multiple buildings and a few concrete guard towers. It spawns 2 Willys MBs, 2 M4A1 Shermans and 2 Vought F4U Corsairs.

Fuel Dump
The Fuel Dump is the closest flag to the USMC base. It provides a 40mm Bofors anti-air gun at a high place, which can be very useful at taking down enemy aircraft. Under USMC control it spawns a Willys MB, while under IJN control it spawns a Type 95 Kurogane. To one side of the base is a cliff which is excellent for snipers. The cliff can be a good viewpoint for Radio Bunker and Outpost, as well as Fuel Dump.

Ridge
The Ridge is the center-most flag of the map. Control of this flag allows easy access to any other flags on the map. It is placed atop of a tall mountain and is composed of a concrete guard tower and a small arrangement of sandbags. It is near impossible to access this flag with a light vehicle as it is too steep to go up and jumping down from the ridge on the North-East side of the flag with a light vehicle will most likely get it destroyed. Tanks can climb up to the flag, however. Often, a single well-coordinated tank can single-handedly capture the flag, though infantry can spawn from all sides and a lucky scout can easily sneak up on a tank, considering how tight the area is. The concrete tower is generally a choke point for spawning players. Enemy players entering the guard tower in order to capture the flag should be careful, as they can be surprised by a player that suddenly spawns. Players from both the Fuel Dump and Radio Bunker will have a clear view on the flag, making it a common target for snipers. No vehicles spawn here.

Village
The Village is on the South-East side of the map, very close to the Ridge. It is a small cluster of light buildings and two guard towers, surrounded by forest. Players can often see heavy fighting here, as the use of the extra vehicles and the abundance of usable cover makes it easy for there to be a large amount of destruction and ambushes. There is also an airstrip by the water, where there are two steal guard towers. Under USMC control it spawns an M4A1 Sherman and a Vought F4U Corsair, while under IJN control it spawns a Type 97 Chi-Ha and a Mitsubishi A6M Zero

Outpost
The Outpost is an isolated flag, consisting of two concrete guard towers and formation of sandbags. The most prominent feature of the flag is that it allows access to the Air Raid Bunker. Under USMC control it spawns an M4A1 Sherman and a Willys MB, while under IJN control it spawns a Type 97 Chi-Ha and a Type 95 Kurogane. It is about the same distance from both deployments, so there can be battles here right from the word go. The hill surrounding it often have snipers, and the road up to Ridge often has many enemies throwing down grenades.

Radio Bunker
The Radio Bunker is the closest flag to the IJN Base. Like the Fuel Dump, it also provides a 40mm Bofors anti-air gun and spawns, under USMC control, a Willys MB and, under IJN control, a Type 95 Kurogane. It is a good sniping point, because it features a bunker.

IJN Base
The IJN Base is the permanent flag and starting point for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It consists of an airstrip, multiple buildings and a few concrete guard towers. It spawns 2 Type 95 Kuroganes, 2 Type 97 Chi-Has and 2 Mitsubishi A6M Zeroes.

Trivia

 * On the larger of the islands in the ocean lies a sand castle with the Swedish flag, next to a tree. This sandcastle is present on each of the maps in Battlefield 1943, and references DICE being a Swedish game developer.