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It shouldn't be too difficult to take a small island only 4.5 miles long and 1.5 miles wide. But when it's mountainous and garrisoned by 22,000 Japanese that have dug in pill boxes, tanks and gun emplacements it's not going to be easy, even though you outnumber them.

This is the setting of the latest in PSS's excellent strategic wargames series.

The battle is played through 32 turns in which you must take the island otherwise the game is lost. In each turn you get to land your reinforcements on to one of the six beaches and move or attack with all your units. Then it's your turn to sit back and watch the computer playing the Japanese, pummel your forces.

Each unit in the game has four factors that determines its attack and defence strengths, how far it can move in a turn and the range of its attack weapons. Obviously some units are stronger than others and it is up to you to use them wisely as silly mistakes like walking on a minefield can cost you heavily.

When the sea conditions aren't too bad then you can have naval support in your attacks. The number and strength of these attacks depends on the gunships that you have left after the suffered heavy air and submarine attacks. Your ships do fight back and will eventually destroy the attacking aircraft, but it is likely that you will lose this naval support before the game is over so you must ensure that you use it well.

Iwo Jima can be played at five different skill levels which range from a steady stroll across the island to get used to the joystick controls to a tough pitched battle to even get clear of the beach!

The battle of Iwo Jima was described as the US marines' toughest fight - it isn't going to be easy, even for avid wargamers.