Incredible Victory

2 player designed, low-to-moderate complexity, naval wargame. It can ideally be played by three players. The Japanese player controls three task forces, and the American player controls two task forces, plus the forces at Midway Island itself. Note: This game cannot be played solitaire, because it is a "double-blind" game.

There is an introductory scenario to ease you into the mechanics of the game system and it's sequences. Both players have a state of readiness chart, so you can see if your planes are in the hanger-deck being armed, on the flight-deck ready, or in the air. Just like the Admirals you will need to make critical judgements and decisions, based on the information you have. The sighting of a lone Destroyer, or a report of a conflict in the air can garner important information that you can use, at various and unforeseen times. Either player could find themselves facing a similar dilemma to Nagumo's.

Japanese player: Resist any temptation you may have to fly CAP at night, trying to shoot down Catalina's. You will lose more Zero's trying to land at night, than you will get Catalina's. Push your invasion force forward every turn it can move, so that it may start bombarding Midway on the night of the fourth if you get two U.S. carriers, or set up a sea-plane base at Kure if you don't. Put some detached DD counters out to confuse the U.S. search. Better still, keep your two task force markers close to each other so you can end up with four or five counters adjacent, in the clouds, by detaching DD counters. That should keep the Catalina crews scratching their heads.

United States player: Use those Catalina's to your advantage. They can stay in the air for a very long time. Launch all four promptly on turn one. They won't have to land until 10:00 hrs the next morning. Split them up and cover every clear weather hex that the Japanese carrier task force could be in. Remember they could be cute and try to sneak around the edges. If your Catalina gets intercepted, you know there's a carrier in that hex, and if downed the Catalina can be replaced. Keep your task force back, but in Devastator range, and remember to keep them near enough to each other, in case you need landing capacity for planes from a damaged carrier. Use your sub's to supplement the Catalina's searches, as soon as he can be in row seven. Don't send sub's any further west that that, and maybe not even that far, as the battle will move past them, and leave them behind.

Summary: Not as good a Jon Southard's "Carrier" game, but this is surprisingly easy to learn and play. Another 1980's gem published by Quarterdeck Games, similar to, but better than "Norway 1940: The Kriegsmarine Strikes". There are critical decisions for both players to make, and if you like playing poker, you will like this game. Raising the stakes, bluffing, then making calculated risks.

A very good double blind game, maybe a tad worse than its sister, Scratch on Flat Top'. I like 'Scratch' more because it is smalle and the games flows better, but nonetheless, Quarterdeck got the game right.

Searching is incredibly important. YEs, it was an 'incredible victory', but when you play the game, you recognize the benegfits of Catalina's. Find your opponent first and hit HARD. Unlike Fast Carriers, this game got the interaction between fighters, bombers, aA right, and is exciting. A solid and rewarding game.

Decent simulation but no real game here. Lots of rolls and little control. Typical ship game with lots of details on hardware and damage effects, but little in the way of decision-making.