Aircraft, Battle Force: The Ships that Held the Line
2025
BGG Average Rating
3.5
community average
Players
2-6
Weight
2.0
Playtime
90 min
Age
12+
⚙️ Game Mechanics
How this game works - core systems and player actions
Card Play Conflict Resolution
Communication Limits
Critical Hits and Failures
Dice Rolling
Drawing
Hexagon Grid
Hidden Movement
Impulse Movement
Line Drawing
Line of Sight
Measurement Movement
Minimap Resolution
Movement Points
Paper-and-Pencil
Pattern Movement
Push Your Luck
Relative Movement
Secret Unit Deployment
Simulation
Simultaneous Action Selection
Square Grid
Turn Order: Time Track
📂 Categories
🎨 Artists
🏢 Publishers
📖 About This Game
Aircraft, Battle Force (ABF) is a naval wargame that overs the Solomon Islands & Coral Sea battles & Guadalcanal Campaign of 1942.
Each player plots their task forces movement for 3 days (14 hours long) and 3 nights (10 hours each), and also each day’s air searches (time of launch, duration & direction), and also any air strike missions that may result from successful searches.
Each 1 inch distance on the map is 100 nautical miles, and the various latitude & longitude lines are shown on the map; the latter decrease in distance as they go away from the equator.
Game play is quick, and rules and play are easy to learn. A full battle of 3 days lasts between 30-45 minutes.
Successful plotting & execution of air searches are at the heart of the game, and moving your aircraft carrier task forces into the most advantageous & flexible location will help you survive the enemy air searches & strikes. Land-based air squadrons also offer reconnaissance & attack opportunities.
The time scale will telescope between 1 day and 1 minute game turns (the latter for air strike resolution).
—description from the designer
