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, 4 maps to create a 44" x 28" map of the South Pacific, four Allied/Japanese operations cards, three player aid cards, and two log sheets.

Microbadge:

from "The Avalon Hill General Index and Company History, 1952-1980"

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.26,No.5
  • Flat Top – “Battles for the South Pacific” (Scenarios) James Lutz
  • Flat Top – “Scenario Eight: Reinforcing Henderson Field” (Scenarios) James Lutz
  • Flat Top – “Scenario Nine: Encircling Rabaul” (Scenarios) James Lutz
  • Flat Top – “Scenario Ten: Decision in the South Pacific” (Scenarios) James Lutz
  • Flat Top – “Scenario Eleven: The fight for Henderson” (Scenarios) James Lutz
• The GENERAL Vol.27,No.2
  • Flat Top – “Flight Jackets Not Included: Tactical Chrome for Flat Top ” (Variant) Jim Davis

Campaign Article List:

• Number 86, July-August 1978
  • Flat Top - "Thumbnail Analysis" (review), Don Lowry

The Wargamer Magazine Article List:

• Number 22, 1982
  • Flat Top - "Thoughts and Reflections", Jack Greene

Casus Belli Article List:

• Hors Série 9, december 1993
  • Flat Top - "La Battaille de Guadalcanal", Jean-Philippe Liardet
  • Flat Top - "Etude du Jeu", Jean-Philippe Liardet
  • Flat Top - "Scenario: la 2me battaille de la Mer de Corail", Jean-Philippe Liardet
  • Flat Top - "Des variantes pur Flat Top", Jean-Philippe Liardet

The Broadside Article List:

• Issue 20, fall 1990
  • Flat Top - "New Weather rules for Flat Top", Ryan Shultz
• Issue 21, fall 1990
  • Flat Top - "Aircraft Carriers in Flat Top - What the Flat Top Carrier Ratings Really mean ", Mark A. Campbell

Lider Article List:

• Issue 5, June-July 1988
  • Flat Top - "Escenario de Leyte Hipotetico", Joan Parés & Gerardo Rodas

Sir Roger Article List:

• Issue 4, 1994.
  • Flat Top - "¿Tora, tora, tora?", Miguel Aldaz