Carrier Deck from Every Single Soldier sneaks onto the App Store

Front Page Discussion
#1

Originally published at: http://statelyplay.com/2017/06/27/carrier-deck-from-every-single-soldier-sneaks-onto-the-app-store/

iPad, PC •


It probably won’t come as a huge surprise to readers of Stately Play that we’re not on the press list of Slitherine. As such, unless I’m actively searching out for Slitherine news, it passes us by. Last week they published a game developed by Every Single Soldier, the gents behind the wonderful Vietnam '65 and it’s companion title, Afghanistan '11. Their latest is called Carrier Deck and it’s not another hex and counter war game. Instead, it’s a naval simulation that puts you on the deck of the titular ship and it couldn’t be more different than their previous titles. Even more interesting, however, is that it was released for both PC and iPad.

As far as titles go, Carrier Deck is about as descriptive as you can get. You’re in control of the flight deck on a nuclear-powered supercarrier, the USS Ronald Reagan, managing everything: loadouts, takeoffs, landings, damage control, amphibious operations, special forces deployment. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were expected to clean up the galley after breakfast.

The game takes place in active war time, and it eschews the usual wargame convention of turn-based gameplay. Instead, this is a full-on simulation where everything happens in real-time, fast enough to keep your heart rate up and maybe sweat a little.

  • Full management of the flight deck incl, moving, fueling and arming of aircraft
  • Aircraft maintenance and management of the hangar deck
  • Selecting and launching of search missions to detect enemy air, surface and submarine threats
  • Tasking and launching of intercept missions
  • Special Forces deployment and Amphibous operations
  • Ground strikes and close air support missions
  • Receiving and dispatching cargo missions
  • Full range of aircraft and helicopters onboard from fighters to early warning and detection aircraft.
Carrier Deck is available via Steam or on the App Store for iPad. I didn't think Slitherine was publishing games for iOS any more, so I'll definitely keep an closer eye on their site now that I know mobile gaming is still a possibility on their end. https://youtu.be/xCng_AAmb3w
#2

I beta tested this… and lord help me, I wanted to like it… but it fell flat after a few plays.

The graphics are top notch and very cool to watch - I loved seeing my little planes and helos getting fueled and armed, and coming in for their landings and all. The gameplay, however, fell short on two counts, IMHO. First and foremost, it became repetitive after a while, no matter the incoming threats or mission. Fuel plane, arm plane, send plane on required mission.

My other main quibble with the game was (may be hard to understand without having played the game / I might not explain it well) that planes could only be launched in the order in which you tasked them. So, as an example, if I task an F-18 for a surface mission, and then task one for an air to air mission, I can’t launch the air to air mission first even if the plane is armed and ready to go before the surface mission. Not a big deal until you end up with four or five missions at the same time and a plane sitting on the catapult that won’t freaking launch because it was tasked after one that’s still fueling or what have you. Plus, the game provided no clue why you couldn’t launch the damn thing… it became more an exercise in frustration than anything else. When coupled with the repetitiveness, it just didn’t do anything for me.

I was excited when I first heard about it, but am glad I got to “try” it as part of the beta test… it’ll save me $10…

#3

Shame, I was keeping an eye out for this. Oh well, I’ll hang on for Afghanistan '11 making it to iOS.

#4

I’m still awaiting Afghanistan '11 as well, and really wish they’d have put time into porting that before Carrier Deck.