Carrier Strike - One of the best game ever!! (IMHO)

[Paul Vebber]

Joel, you snuck in there on me ... I for one would be very interested in working with 2 by 3 on a tactical Carrier game, but as you say it would be awhile!

[RayM]

Thankfully, it hasn't happen yet. But I suspect that it probably will before I'm through with the scenario.

[Rich Dionne]

Regarding your questions RayM,

1) "...Could this be because I haven't sunk more IJN carriers and hence the quality of the IJN pilot pool is fairly intact and in turn, US experience remains less? Or am I over-analysing the game?"

In my experience, the results of your previous games does affect the experience of both your own and the opponent's. This may explain the difficulty your having with your SBD's.

2) "During one transport mission, I was moving the transport TF to Henderson and tried moving up between Guadalcanal and Malaita and San Cristobal. I seemed to get hung up and I was wondering whether that path was actually allowed?"

You can get hung up if you try to pass through a hexside that the computer thinks is a land hexside. This is the only explanation I can think of.

3) "Also, I tried moving another transport TF around and over the Tassafronga end of Guadalcanal and just as I rounded the island, the computer took over and started back to Espiritu Santo..."

Did you get the message for a general withdrawal, and did a * appear in the TF message window? This would explain why the computer took over movement of your transport TF.

Regards,

Rich

[Von Rom]

I just downloaded Carrier Strike this week along with the expansion pack from underdogs and it plays fine on my P350 with Win'98.

After playing all the flashy high-end games, I am surprised how much I love this game. The graphics are so simple, but the gameplay is quite involving. There is nothing like trying to load up your planes, and get them airborne, before the IJN hit you.

Currently, I've started a campaign and just finished Midway. Folks, it was not pretty. A real blood-bath. Playing as the Americans, I lost two fleet carriers (Yorktown and Hornet) and a destroyer, with another fleet carrier badly damaged and out of commission for a month.

The IJN lost one heavy and one light carrier, with one battleship damaged.

Both the Americans and the Japs lost well over one hundred aircraft each.

Needless to say, when night fell, my poor forces limped away, heading east of Midway, with smoke billowing into the moonlit sky from the damaged Enterprise.

I love this game. I can't wait until I steam up to Port Moresby and deal out a little retribution.

It would be great if an update for this game was available, or if a new carrier game came out.

I never expected to be hooked like this on a 9 year old game. It goes to show you. . .

As for CAP, I found this works well: say you have 20 fighters. Instead of placing them on CAP in just one group, place them in four groups of five fighters. This can be done in flight operations, while the fighters are still on deck. Launch 5 fighters on CAP, then cycle through the missions, until you come to CAP again, and you'll notice a empty air group slot becomes available. Now launch the secod wave of 5 fighters, and cycle through the missions until you come to CAP again, and launch a third wave of 5 fighters, and so on. . .

This means that the Japs have to pass through each group of fighters before they can hit my TF. With just 20 fighters on CAP in 4 groups of 5 planes each, I took out 25 Jap planes before they were able to attack my carriers. And CAP also causes disruption to the attacking Jap planes so they aren't as accurate as they would be otherwise.

Great game. . .

[ August 28, 2001: Message edited by: Von Rom ]</p>

[KING]

Originally posted by Von Rom:
...I never expected to be hooked like this on a 9 year old game. It goes to show you. . .

Great game. . .

[ August 28, 2001: Message edited by: Von Rom ]

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I agree completely. I can´t understand why this day´s young kids says that game is not good if it doesn´t include at least 1280 x 1024 resolution with 32 bits colours. And demands 2 Gigahertz processor for their PC´s <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> . And those games are usually real bug-nest <img src="wink.gif" border="0"> .

It seems to be hard for younger to understand that good graphic is not everything what you need. You need also good idea and most important thing: It should create a lot of excitement for player when you play game.

Note: I´m 23 years old and started with Vic-20 so.. I´m old fart, I think <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[RockinHarry]

Originally posted by Joel Billings:
I don't know about Matrix, but Gary, Keith and I would like to do another tactical carrier game in the future. Given our current commitments, however, it will be 2003 at least before we get around to doing another carrier game.

Joel

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Take all the time you need guys! <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> Meanwhile eagerly awaiting your other 3 games in development. <img src="cool.gif" border="0"> ...They look more than just promising.

_________
Harry

[RayM]

Originally posted by Rich Dionne:
Regarding your questions RayM,

1) "...Could this be because I haven't sunk more IJN carriers and hence the quality of the IJN pilot pool is fairly intact and in turn, US experience remains less? Or am I over-analysing the game?"

In my experience, the results of your previous games does affect the experience of both your own and the opponent's. This may explain the difficulty your having with your SBD's.

***It has gotten better as time goes by.***

2) "During one transport mission, I was moving the transport TF to Henderson and tried moving up between Guadalcanal and Malaita and San Cristobal. I seemed to get hung up and I was wondering whether that path was actually allowed?"

You can get hung up if you try to pass through a hexside that the computer thinks is a land hexside. This is the only explanation I can think of.

3) "Also, I tried moving another transport TF around and over the Tassafronga end of Guadalcanal and just as I rounded the island, the computer took over and started back to Espiritu Santo..."

Did you get the message for a general withdrawal, and did a * appear in the TF message window? This would explain why the computer took over movement of your transport TF.

***I don't recall seeing the message but I did get an * in the TF message window for my forces.***


Regards,
Rich

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***The good news is that I finished my first campaign last night and won a decisive victory. One neat exchange involved one surface combat TF and one bombardment TF tangling with two IJN carrier TFs. I just waxed them good. Then I added carrier TF air strike to "help" things along. Quite satisfying indeed.

This really is a great game in spite of not having as much control as you have in PACWAR.***