Did I want to have a 10MB gif for the header image? No, I did not.

Carrier Battles for Guadalcanal is trying to become Carrier Battles for PC/Mac and more

iOS Universal, Android, PC/Mac •

While I used to talk quite a bit about iOS war game gem, Carrier Battles for Guadalcanal, over at another site I used to write for, our coverage here at SP has been shamefully light. I apologize not only to the one-man development team of Cyril Jarnot, but to you as well. CB4G is a pretty great hex-and-counter war game for iOS (the only one I can think of) and we’re the kind of audience that should be eating it up. With a little (or a lot–that’s a big $ number) luck, CB4G will be a little less niche than it currently is. A Kickstarter started today to not only bring CB4G to other platforms–namely, PC/Mac–but also adding a ton of functionality making “the little war game that could” into the sprawling epic war game that Cyril envisioned from the beginning.

Carrier Battles for Guadalcanal covers the Hundred Years War in Europe starting in 1337. Ha! No, I’m kidding. If the overly descriptive title didn’t give it away, CB4G covers the Pacific theater of World War 2, specifically the naval conflicts. Players control the US fleet and aircraft against the Imperial Japanese Navy in several lengthy scenarios. That’s how it all started when it came to iPad back in 2016, at least. Since then, it’s been updated with so much more detail and new content that it hardly resembles that initial release. Currently out for iPad and iPhone, this new Kickstarter aims to bring it to PC/Mac and eventually Android with a bunch of new features and content. Eventually, that content would make its way back into the iOS version as well.

Here’s what we can expect in a full-blown, expanded version of CB4G:

  • Solitaire play against powerful US (new in desktop version) or Japanese AI
  • 6 historical scenarios: Coral Sea May 42, Midway June 42, Eastern Solomon Aug 42, Santa Cruz Oct 42, Guadalcanal Dec 42, Bismarck Sea March 43
  • Varied Hex maps with a scale of 30 miles per hex • 80 types of warplanes, historical ships
  • Naval-air search, radar, progressive intelligence gathering on enemy naval forces
  • Air strikes against naval and land targets, surface battles
  • Advanced damage system
  • Invasion, naval bombardment
  • Turn-based system
  • A nice on-boarding sequence will guide the player to the depth of the game
  • Available in English and in French
  • No internet connection required to play against the AI
  • The duration of a game is about 1-3 hours

We currently also offer 4 extra scenarios as DLC:

  • A 7th scenario covering the landing at Bougainville and airstrikes against Rabaul in November 1943
  • A 8th scenario covering the evacuation of Guadalcanal by Japanese troops in Jan/Feb 1943
  • A 9th scenario covering the US invasion of Guadalcanal in August 1942
  • A 10th scenario covering the US carrier raids against Japanese positions in Feb/Mar 1942
  • The 4 scenarios are in addition to the 6 base content (Coral Sea May 42, Midway June 42, Eastern Solomon Aug 42, Santa Cruz Oct 42, Guadalcanal Dec 42, Bismarck Sea March 43) and will ALSO come as DLC in the Desktop version, except for the Early Bird Contributors who will get them free of charge.
  • We also have What-ifs for the scenarios in order to test the effects of some likely events. Ex: what would happen if the Japanese had committed their whole carrier forces to invade Port Moresby, what-if the Saratoga was repaired on time for the battle of Midway, etc…

Other than the new scenarios and upcoming AI for the American fleet (allowing solo play as the IJN), this is already in the iPad version. What’s new? Read on:

The main change is of course the ability to play the game on your desktop, in solo or multiplayer, but it also comes with a large number of improvements that were designed to meet the players’ expectations.

Improved UI and Maps:

  • Menus and buttons treated in an unique style, navy-like. You feel now like you are onboard the great warships you are commanding.
  • Maps and UI effects for sea, weather, combat, terrains are added to improve the playing experience and feedback.

Artificial Intelligence:

  • Play the Imperial Japanese Navy against an AI American fleet: Compared to the original version, the desktop version now allows you to play the Japanese, against a US AI. This come along with various other improvement for the AI

Sound and Music:

  • The desktop version will have all the sounds that were absent from the iOS versions: ships, combat, aircraft, bombs, AA fire and more.
  • Background music, historical music will also be there (with option to handle their play as you want it)

More Game Features:

  • Planes on Deck: Planes were sometimes armed on carrier deck / airstrip waiting for daylight or the right opportunity to take off
    • Prepare CAP/Search before dawn. Units will take off on first daylight
    • Hold a CAP/Search mission on deck
    • Prepare an airstrike without target. It will stay armed on deck until a targets assigned.
  • Extra Scenarios: In addition to those already present as DLC on the iPad/iPhone versions, we shall also include in our portfolio new scenarios, as follows for instance:
    • Wake 41
    • Indian Ocean 42
    • Marshall 42
    • What-if New Hebrides 42
    • Marshall 43
    • Philippines Sea 44
    • Leyte Gulf 44

There’s also a promise of multiplayer if they can reach the first stretch goal, which brings us to the biggest problem I see with the CB4G Kickstarter. They’re asking for $25K just to get off the ground. While not a ridiculous number for a video game, CB4G is a war game which makes is a small niche of an already small niche (board games). I really want this to succeed, however, so let’s spread the word. Head on over to the KIckstarter and check out the options. A PC/Mac version will run you €20, which isn’t a bad price for a hex-and-counter war game. I’m sure you’ll see me post about this a few more times over the next 35 days, so prepare yourselves.

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  1. Fucking. Get. In.

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