"good game/rules for air carrier ops" Topic

I want a modern or WWII game/rules, either miniatures or boardgame – that would really simulate good air carrier operations, detailed on things like launching and landing planes, helos, etc.

I think.. harpoon 4 – anything else?

thanks
bs

The best WW2 carrier game is surprisingly called Carrier from Victory Games, which is now out of print and it will cost you some on Ebay($40-75). Carrier is a complex solitaire treatment of the Coral Sea, Guadacanal, and Santa Cruz campaigns. You as the player usually operate two carriers and yes, you track on the displays aircraft that are being fueled/serviced, ready, launching, on CAP, etc… . Aircraft form up for strikes and their time aloft is kept track of with counters. The Japanese, played by the system are tough and usually kick the player's as you only have a hint of what is out there. Programmed learning takes off some of the complexity, but it does a great job of letting you know what it was like running a carrier task force in the South Pacific. That last contact could be a transport force heading towards Port Moresby or it could be a three carrier task force and their strike is already on its way to you!

I remember with enormous nostalgia some great games of Flat Top played against my old mate, Pete, back in the 70's. Who published that game? Was it Yaquinto? I've still got my copy somewhere- must dig it out.

The tension and excitement resulting from the hidden moves, the anxious waiting as the Catalinas scoured the ocean for the enemy, the fear of having the strike force caught on the deck, the worry of balancing CAP with providing escorts for strike formations – it was all there.

That was a super game…..Ahhhh

Doug

I never played Carrier but heard good things. Flattop was just a great game.

Flat Top was originally a Battleline game, and was later redone by Avalon Hill.

Carrier by Victory Games is more detailed than Flat Top, but both are very good.

Harpoon 4 is excellant for detailed modern carrier operations, and Command at Sea is it's WWII counterpart.WWI air operations including some of the 1st carrier types are covered in Fear God and Dread Naught. All three are part of the same Admiralty Trilogy system.

-Matt

A friend of mine and I refought Coral Sea with Seapower and it worked well also. Not too complicated.

C.V. is another one. It is the one by Yaquinto that Doug was thinking of. Essentially the same as Flat Top, it covered Midway and the hypothetical actions around Wake Island in December '41.

The mechanics were all the same as Flattop, with a little additional chrome here and there. Both are/were great games, and like Doug, I have really fond memories of games. In college our club played huge umpire moderated games with individual players handling TF and/or the ground bases and working the aviation ops.

Carrier is also good. As a solo game in particular, although after tons of plays, I have found that it isn't quite as exciting as those old games of Flattop.

Joe

I ran a campaign using Flat Top. It's not all that detailed when it comes to carrier ops, but very playable.

Carrier is pretty complex.

Command at Sea has lots of detail and is more from a miniatures point of view.