Flat Top (1977)

Flat Top is a board game of high complexity that covers the battles of the Solomon Seas between the United States and Japan in 1942. It is very well researched and covers all aspects of naval and air combat as it existed in 1942. The system depicts weather, air searches, air combat, surface combat, carrier operations, submarines, air bases, supplies, and much more. The game requires intense planning and searching since movement is covert and the map is pretty huge.

The units are individual ships and submarines with each air point representing three aircraft. Hexes are twenty miles, and each turn represents one-hour.

The game includes thirteen hundred counters, one 44" x 28" map board, four Allied/Japanese operations cards, three player aid cards, and two log sheets.

Flat Top (1979)
Previous design (Battleline) redesigned by Avalon Hill
Designed by Craig Taylor

AH revision will include new scenarios, rewritten rules, and new box art.

Magazine References:

The GENERAL Index Article List:

• The GENERAL Vol.18,No.6
  • Flat Top – “On Deck - The Revision of Flat Top” (Design Discussion) Alan R. Moon
  • Flat Top – “Scenario Six - Midway”, (Scenario/Map) Alan R. Moon
  • Flat Top – “Flat Top More Options” (Variant) Don Gilman
  • Flat Top – “Scenario Seven - Wake Island”, (Scenario/Map) Don Gillman
  • Flat Top – “British Flat Tops in the Solomons” (Variant) Bob Collman
  • Flat Top – “Eastern Fleet Order of Appearance” (Insert) Richard Hamblen
• The GENERAL Vol.19,No.6
  • Flat Top – “Flattop Gamemastered” (Variant Discussion) Jim Burnett
• The GENERAL Vol.22,No.2
  • Flat Top – “Pacific Dreams - Considerations for Flat Top” by Fred Helfferich
  • Flat Top – “The Airpower System - Understanding Land-Based Air Assets in Flat Top” by James Werbaneth
  • Contest #126 - Flat Top
• The GENERAL Vol.27,No.2
  • Flat Top – “Flight Jackets Not Included: Tactical Chrome for Flat Top ” (Variant) Jim Davis