Naval wargames?

[Da Pwnzlord]

I'm looking for a good system that simulates naval warfare, preferably in the 1914-1945 era. Does anyone have any suggestions for one's they like? I'm looking for ones that maybe involve the use of minis.

[Flickerdart]

The only games I know that do ships at all is Empire: Total War, in which ship combat is only a small and ponderous part of the game, and Sid Meier's Pirates! which is hardly accurate. Both games are nowhere close to your time period though.

[Winterwind]

He was asking for tabletop wargames, not video games, Flickerdart. It's somewhat difficult to stuff miniatures into a computer. :smallwink:

Alas, do not know of any myself, though I am sure they exist.

[elpollo]

There are some on here (http://www.freewargamesrules.co.uk/), although I have no idea how good they are.

[RandomLunatic]

From memory, I can only name Avalon Hill's Sink the Bismark! I believe they published a follow-on based on the Channel Dash, but cannot remember the name (Action Stations, maybe?).

You can always try places like www.boardgamegeek.com.

[Zorg]

This might help lots listed there:

http://www.seawarstore.com/NavalGames.htm

The last time I played a naval game was in the mid '90s - Harpoon - but that's modern so I have no idea what's about now.

[Thane of Fife]

Hmm:

1. While I've not played it, Command at Sea, by Clash of Arms, has free "jumpstart" (http://www.clashofarms.com/files/CaS%204th%20Jumpstart.pdf) rules, so you could take a look. It focuses on WWII-era stuff.

2. Avalanche Press's Great War at Sea (http://www.avalanchepress.com/line_GWAS.php) series covers WWI naval combat. It's a board "hex-and-chit" game, but it could easily be played with miniatures. I've played Cruiser Warfare from this series, and while I found the tactical combat enjoyable enough, the strategic part of the game was a pain (a bit too much logistical stuff for me). The rules did include just tactical scenarios, though, so you could look into that.

3. Avalon Hill puts out Axis & Allies: War at Sea. It's a very simple game that expects the use of pre-packaged minis, but it's not bad, and you could probably create cards for other ships without too much difficulty. This is another WWII game.

[elpollo]

Also a few more here (http://www.btinternet.com/~david.manley/naval/naval.html).

[factotum]

Bit out of your era but I'm sure I remember a game called "Wooden Ships, Iron Men" which was basically a board-based naval wargame.

[Philistine]

I'm looking for a good system that simulates naval warfare, preferably in the 1914-1945 era. Does anyone have any suggestions for one's they like? I'm looking for ones that maybe involve the use of minis.


This might help lots listed there:

http://www.seawarstore.com/NavalGames.htm

The last time I played a naval game was in the mid '90s - Harpoon - but that's modern so I have no idea what's about now.

Check out Seekrieg at this site - I haven't played it myself, but I've heard very positive things about it. And they're offering an older edition of the rules free for download.

[Thorcrest]

Not really your time period, but Flat Top by Avalon Hill is a very complex game that attempts to recreate the battle of the Coral Sea. Might have to buy off of Ebay though, and has no miniatures.

[Philistine]

May 1942 is within the 1914-1945 time period specified by the OP.

[Thorcrest]

OOPS! I read that as 1914-1915... silly eyes... well then it is within your time frame. I was wondering why it was so specific...

[Hawriel]

All I can think of is Axis and Allies. They have a naval mini game.

Oh and battleship of corse :smalltongue:.

[hamishspence]

Some existing games could be done as WW1 with a bit of re-engineering.

the 40K game Battlefleet Gothic, for example, is very heavy on broadsides, maneuvers like crossing the T, torpedoes, bombers and fighters (better for later eras) and so on.

[Closet_Skeleton]

I've had some fun with Uncharted Seas, but its generic fantasy with dwarves using Ironclads.

[HamHam]

Diplomacy has ships.

[The Glyphstone]

Similar to Hamish's suggestion, there's a 3-D space combat game (with Newtonian physics) called Attack Vector. Constrain everything to the x-y plane, and you might be able to get a passable naval combat ruleset.