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Actual Game
Carrier Strike
with 1946 Expansion
1-Click Install
Windows
11, 10, 8, 7, Vista, XP
(SSI 1992)
MY PROMISE
My games are genuine, install in one step, look, sound and play in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, Vista and XP like they did in the old days, or your money back.This is my unconditional guarantee for three years.
WHAT IS INCLUDED This listing includes the original game CD. An on-screen printable manual is also included. The game box is pictured for reference and not included. The jewel case is also not included.
I will also provide a compatibility CD that will allow the game to run under ALL VERSIONS of Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, Vista and XP, both 32 and 64 bit.
INSTALLATIONOne step: Insert my CD and the game will automatically work on your computer. Done. Yes, it's that simple.
Want to play? Click the icon. Want the game off your computer? Click Uninstall. Zero hassle.
TECH SUPPORT Rapid response technical support for three years is always an e-mail or phone call away.
In the extremely rare event I cannot get this title to work on your system I will take it back for a full refund. All I ask is minimal assistance from you during the troubleshooting process.
The Game
This game follows in the footsteps of SSI's Second Front (Russian Front WW2) and continued their series of grand tactical/strategic simulations set in World War 2. It is aimed at people who are not so much interested in simulators but rather in the machinery which gets opposing forces into battle in the first place.
There are two players (Allied, Japanese) and either, both, or neither canbe played by humans. The game runs 26 months of game time and allows forone battle of up to four game days duration each month, so the CampaignGame is long.Turns are 20 minutes each. Game units are Task Forces(Surface Action, Air Combat--your carriers, Transport, Bombardment), Strikes (air units), Airbases (land installations mainly run by the com-puter for both sides) and submarines, which are also managed by the computer.
You can also play single battles (Coral Sea, Midway, Marianas etc.) of which there are six.
The game map covers an enormous area stretching from Truk in the North,to Townsville, to Espiritu Santo, and North again. The Midway andMarianas battles use different maps around those areas. The areas are divided into hexes (not visible) 17 miles across.
The objectives overall are to sink enemy fleet and, within each monthlybattle, to gain extra victory points by achieving your Transport orBombardment (of coastal airfields) Missions. Your specialised TaskForces for these missions need air support, and this is where your AirCombat TFs come in--to engage the opposing carriers, or, by maintainingair superiority over your objectives, to drive away enemy missions andfulfil your own.
The heart of the game, and what makes it such fun, is the hidden movementsystem. That is, at the start of each battle, the players have no ideawhere the opposing forces are, other than in the very general terms outlined in the Battle Plan given to each player by Strategic HQ (i.e. the computer) every month. The computer then places the forces on the game map.
Given the huge size of the play area, the essence of success is locating theenemy and bringing your forces to bear at greatest advantage in range and numbers. This captures the flavour of the warfare--beware nasty surprises!
Once the enemy is found, you may be able to launch airstrikes and inflictsome damage. On the other hand, if the enemy is out of range, you have tomove to within strike range (risky) to do this, all the while being mind-ful of the possibility of enemy strikes on your precious carriers. If yourcasualties are too high, Strategic Command (the computer) will intervene and order General Withdrawal, forcing you to quit the battle area. This is to prevent overly aggressive players making unrealistic decisions, forexample using crippled carrier forces as Surface Combat units.
The game system gives a very realistic idea of the problems of commandingnaval forces in WW2. It enables skilfully handled small forces to defeatmuch larger ones, and really makes the game worthwhile.
After joining battle, the players make their dispositions during the mutual Orders Phase in each turn. That is, one at a time, and hidden fromthe other player, you bring planes up from the hangar deck, fuel and arm them, move them onto the flight deck, and fly them off. Each step takes one, 20-minute turn.
This is crucial, since enemy strikes can arrive while planes are being prepared and at this point, one lucky bomb hit will see your carrier a blazing wreck.
Both sides have primitive radar, but it does not indicate whether a strikeis arriving or leaving. Hence, multiple strikes can inflict huge damage ifthe enemy commander decides to risk fueling planes after one enemy strike departs.
This combines the possibility of strategic surprise (via hidden forces)with tactical surprise (strikes attacking at staggered intervals). The style of play is up to you--you can be conservative and not fuel up whileANY enemy strikes are around, but will you miss an opportunity by doing so?
In the end this is a simple game to play, though quite long, and despite the small number of playing pieces (2-12 per side) thereis plenty for the player to think about as the game progresses. As the fleet commander for the South Pacific area, you can do no more than make your best dispositions with the forces available and trust to your luck. This is quite reasonable for a period when the soldiers, not the munitions, had the smarts!
Carrier Strike tests reasoning and decision-making rather than reflexe and is one of the best naval combat games of the early 90s.
Note: My compatibility CD does not alter the retail game or bypass copy protection. It allows the original media to install and run correctly on any recent version of Windows.
