What scale you looking for?
Many, MANY tactical naval wargames out there. Do you like a particular era? Age of Sail? 20th Century naval games run from relatively simple technology of Russo-Japanese War and World War I to potentially complex multi-domain action in the modern (and hypothetical Cold War or Near Future). It's a bit old school but BATTLEWAGON from Task Force Games has long been my go-to for surface combat (it don't do subs or aircraft).
Operational campaign games focus more on getting the right forces to the right place at the right time to fight a battle that may be complex rules or very simple. I like the Fleet Series and the modern South China Sea/Indian Ocean.
Strategic games are highly abstracted, but something like Victory in the Pacific just feels so right in many ways. Blue Water Navy is good but has a VERY steep learning curve. I can't wait for the reprint of SEAPOWER AND THE STATE to come out; the 1980s version is incredible once you get past the tiny, overcrowded counters.
What Brant said - and along the lines of scale of Blue Water Navy.
That might be a tad complicated for me - I've heard the ruleset isn't particularly well written. Having said that, I was able to muddle through Fields of Fire and get most of it right to enjoy the game.
I've recently looked at Sink The Bismarck by compass games...not my thing. Also watched Atlantic Chase - again, didn't seem like it was what I was looking for.
Blue Water Navy looks the part - everything I'd like, Backfires, subs, CAP, Tomcats...I just don't know if the rules are going to be a bugger.
I was also considering South China Sea as I have Indian Ocean Region - but I was hoping for something different to that - and Cold War fits the bill, as does almost anything WWII Pacific.
What's the Fleet series?
Topic: Naval board wargames...what's out there? (Read 6175 times)