Main Menu

Carriers at War

Started by panzerde, June 09, 2014, 07:43:08 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

GJK

Quote from: Nefaro on June 10, 2014, 09:44:03 AM
Quote from: GJK on June 10, 2014, 06:48:01 AM
Naval Campaigns Midway is my preference at this scale in the Pacific.  It's ugly and it's over-priced but it really captures all the elements that I want in a game; deck management, search management, task force/fleet organization and movement/screening.  The interface is a typical HPS Sims interface that is clunky but functional yet the game is very easy to play once you learn how to work with it.

I have eyed those HPS Naval Campaign games in the past, but I got the impression that the scenario selection was also limited.  As if it only models a very specific attack with little strategic maneuver beforehand. Combined with the cost, that always made me shy away.

I also eyed the Air War series.. notably the Arab-Israeli one but again, it seemed like the scope was a bit too limited and considering I have the various Harpoon iterations and CMANO, those can probably model such things better anyway.

From the HPS website re: Midway

QuoteMidway features 36 scenarios ranging from small 10 minute actions covering a specific air attack to 12+ hour scenarios covering full fleet actions with dozens of ships and hundreds of aircraft. These scenarios include the entire battle of Midway as well as specific actions, such as attacks on individual carriers and recreations of each attacking wave of aircraft. There is also a "what if" scenario based on the Coral Sea action not having been fought a month earlier. But aside from Midway, the game also includes the historical carrier battles of the Eastern Solomons, Santa Cruz and the Philippine Sea, as well as a hypothetical IJN-USN confrontation at Pearl Harbor.
Limited in scope?  Well, yeah.  It's either going to be air-naval combat or naval-naval combat (or both) but I think the replay value is there.  What I like is the forming of air "packages"; moving the planes needed from the hanger to arming where you decide the load out and then up to the flight deck where they are put in queue after you've assigned them a route to take or target to strike (yes, you can send them out blind hoping that a target is where you suspect that they are, which is cool).  I would say that I got my monies worth out of it but $50 for a game that is several years old with a very outdated interface can easily have its worth questioned.
Clip your freaking corners!
----------------------
Blood Bowl on VASSAL - Ask me about it! http://garykrockover.com/BB/
----------------------
"Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son."

-Dean Vernon Wormer

panzerde

Quote from: GJK on June 10, 2014, 06:48:01 AM
Naval Campaigns Midway is my preference at this scale in the Pacific.  It's ugly and it's over-priced but it really captures all the elements that I want in a game; deck management, search management, task force/fleet organization and movement/screening.  The interface is a typical HPS Sims interface that is clunky but functional yet the game is very easy to play once you learn how to work with it.

Hmmm...I'm actually pretty partial to the HPS/JTS interface at this point because I have it down nearly to muscle memory from playing so many of these games. I wasn't aware that Midway had all of those features. I may have to go that route rather than Carriers at War, given the what people are saying about the limited replay value...
"This damned Bonaparte is going to get us all killed" - Jean Lannes, 1809

Castellan -  La Fraternite des Boutons Carres

SgtRock

Seemed to be little more than set piece battles, too bad there wasn't more mod support like the old Carrier's at War.

Grim.Reaper

Quote from: panzerde on June 10, 2014, 06:07:48 PM
Quote from: GJK on June 10, 2014, 06:48:01 AM
Naval Campaigns Midway is my preference at this scale in the Pacific.  It's ugly and it's over-priced but it really captures all the elements that I want in a game; deck management, search management, task force/fleet organization and movement/screening.  The interface is a typical HPS Sims interface that is clunky but functional yet the game is very easy to play once you learn how to work with it.

Hmmm...I'm actually pretty partial to the HPS/JTS interface at this point because I have it down nearly to muscle memory from playing so many of these games. I wasn't aware that Midway had all of those features. I may have to go that route rather than Carriers at War, given the what people are saying about the limited replay value...

Can get a little cheaper here

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HPS-SIMULATIONS-NAVAL-CAMPAIGNS-MIDWAY-NEW-VIA-USA-/160815703510?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item25715ce5d6

magnus

 If you look in the Matrix forum for CAW, someone has been doing a mod that adds all of the scenarios from the DOS version. I don't know how far along it is now.

vyshka

Quote from: Grim.Reaper on June 10, 2014, 06:15:55 PM
Quote from: panzerde on June 10, 2014, 06:07:48 PM
Quote from: GJK on June 10, 2014, 06:48:01 AM
Naval Campaigns Midway is my preference at this scale in the Pacific.  It's ugly and it's over-priced but it really captures all the elements that I want in a game; deck management, search management, task force/fleet organization and movement/screening.  The interface is a typical HPS Sims interface that is clunky but functional yet the game is very easy to play once you learn how to work with it.

Hmmm...I'm actually pretty partial to the HPS/JTS interface at this point because I have it down nearly to muscle memory from playing so many of these games. I wasn't aware that Midway had all of those features. I may have to go that route rather than Carriers at War, given the what people are saying about the limited replay value...

Can get a little cheaper here

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HPS-SIMULATIONS-NAVAL-CAMPAIGNS-MIDWAY-NEW-VIA-USA-/160815703510?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item25715ce5d6

And $39.95 at Tiller's website for the download version.

Grim.Reaper

a web site that has mod scenarios for CAW  to further expand it for you...

http://www.alternatewars.com/Games/CAW/CAW_Mods.htm

Nefaro

Quote from: Grim.Reaper on June 10, 2014, 06:44:15 PM
a web site that has mod scenarios for CAW  to further expand it for you...

http://www.alternatewars.com/Games/CAW/CAW_Mods.htm

Nice!  Thanks!

I previously had problems tracking down scenarios and mods thinly scattered across the forums.  Didn't know there was more than a couple user-created scenarios.  :)

BanzaiCat

I enjoy self-contained scenarios, but would personally much prefer a grander campaign-style game, like the old CaW had. Even if it was unrealistic, it was challenging as the Japanese, having to try to keep sinking those Essex-class carriers the roundeyes kept churning out... ;)

SgtRock

Quote from: magnus on June 10, 2014, 06:32:07 PM
If you look in the Matrix forum for CAW, someone has been doing a mod that adds all of the scenarios from the DOS version. I don't know how far along it is now.

I heared that years ago shortly after the game was released, I think the issue was/is lack of modding support from the developer. I don't understand why release a remake of a game that has less then the original?

BanzaiCat

Figured you CaW fans might enjoy these...or maybe you've already seen 'em.

Carriers At War, Apple II version, from 1984. I played this a lot on my grandfather's Apple IIc. That intro midi 'Anchors Aweigh' brought back a LOT of memories!



And here's the SSG version from '93:


mirth

I still have my CCAW disks and manual kicking around somewhere. There's a ton of content in that version.
"45 minutes of pooping Tribbles being juggled by a drunken Horta would be better than Season 1 of TNG." - SirAndrewD

"you don't look at the mantelpiece when you're poking the fire" - Bawb

"Can't 'un' until you 'pre', son." - Gus

mirth

Quote from: Nefaro on June 11, 2014, 08:00:20 AM
Quote from: Grim.Reaper on June 10, 2014, 06:44:15 PM
a web site that has mod scenarios for CAW  to further expand it for you...

http://www.alternatewars.com/Games/CAW/CAW_Mods.htm

Nice!  Thanks!

I previously had problems tracking down scenarios and mods thinly scattered across the forums.  Didn't know there was more than a couple user-created scenarios.  :)

+1 Thanks for sharing that link. I'm much more tempted to bite on the remake now.
"45 minutes of pooping Tribbles being juggled by a drunken Horta would be better than Season 1 of TNG." - SirAndrewD

"you don't look at the mantelpiece when you're poking the fire" - Bawb

"Can't 'un' until you 'pre', son." - Gus

panzerde

Quote from: Grim.Reaper on June 10, 2014, 06:44:15 PM
a web site that has mod scenarios for CAW  to further expand it for you...

http://www.alternatewars.com/Games/CAW/CAW_Mods.htm

Thanks! That really does making getting this a no-brainer at the $20 price point.
"This damned Bonaparte is going to get us all killed" - Jean Lannes, 1809

Castellan -  La Fraternite des Boutons Carres

Toonces

Guys, there are plenty of scenarios in CAW.  I don't have it installed on this computer, but there must be at least 10 scenarios, and each one has several variants, from historical set up to 3-4+ alternate set ups (like Midway with the full Kido Butai, as if Coral Sea didn't happen.  That kind of stuff).

Also, you can play each scenario from both sides, effectively doubling your scenarios.

If you don't like the game in and of itself, fine, but to pass because it doesn't have enough content is a mistake IMO. 

CAW fills a great niche as a wargame you can pick up and play and finish a scenario in an hour or two.  It's not super complex, and there are plenty of game-changing decisions you have to make.  I give this a firm thumbs up at $20.  And I have HPS Midway.  CAW and Midway are completely different in how they play, even if they model the same thing.  I strongly prefer CAW's interface to Midway's, FWIW.   >:(
"If you had a chance, right now, to go back in time and stop Hitler, wouldn't you do it?  I mean, I personally wouldn't stop him because I think he's awesome." - Eric Cartman

"Does a watch list mean you are being watched or is it a come on to Toonces?" - Biggs