A Brief Historical View

The emergence of air power completely changed modern naval warfare in the 40s. The traditional armadas of the 1800s centered around the mighty battleship and a host of support ships. Big guns ruled the seas. However, with the power to fight and scout from the sky fighters, bombers, torpedo planes and recon planes redefined the naval task force. The ability to deliver air support became more important than the ability to fire the huge modern cannons. As a result the cruisers and battleships that once had no equal at sea, suddenly took a back seat to the new technology, the flattop (aircraft carrier).

Grolier Online states, "As a capital ship, the carrier caused a revolution in naval tactics. As long as the gun remained the major weapon, the standard combat formation was the battleline, with light forces disposed on the engaged van and rear. When carriers first operated with the fleet, they took station on the unengaged side. As the manned airplane with its longer range replaced the big gun, the battle formation was changed to a circular one, with the carriers in the center, and other forces disposed around them to give them protection."

Back to the Real World, er uh the Game

In Axis & Allies the flattop plays the role of the great naval defender. Fully loaded with two fighters the carrier has no defending equal on the sea. It is interesting to note that the carrier took center stage in the Pacific during WWII, however during many A&A games, it actually plays a more significant role in the Atlantic.

Flattop Tactics

Defending the Atlantic Fleet

A common purchase for the Allies in the Atlantic is the aircraft carrier. Usually the British buy the carrier in round one and combine it with any of the remaining vessels that survived Germany's ferocious assault. The Americans add a transport and two fighters to the fleet in the UKsz making a relatively strong naval fortification.

Of course, there are variations to this tactic. The U.S. can buy the Carrier, saving UK cash and freeing up the U.S. fighters to respond to a Japanese strike against Hawaii. In this case the British would provide the two fighters to land on the carrier in the next round.

Extending the Flight Range

The flattop, when transporting an ally's fighter, can actually add to the fighter's movement range. Example. Suppose the Germans built a carrier in the sea zone just south of Southern Europe. The Japanese follow by landing 2 fighters on the carrier from India. During the next German turn the aircraft carrier sails out to the West Spain sea zone. The Japanese fighters have been transported two additional sea zones and can now attack the E.US sea zone, Hudson bay sea zone, Eastern Canada and even Western Canada(!) and still return back to the German carrier. I am not suggesting this as a line of play (although it could be rather shocking!), but as a graphic example of this tactic.

Note: The carrier cannot be used to extend the flight of fighters of the same nationality. In other words, you cannot move your loaded carrier two spaces and the fly your fighters four more spaces in the same turn. However, you can launch a fighter from it's flattop, fly out 3 spaces and return 1 space to it's carrier that simply followed it's flight path.

A Place to Land

In some odd games, it just comes in handy to have a carrier. There are three spaces between Russia and Germany as the crow flies. If you need to use fighters from Russia to attack Germany (and you or allies don't hold Eastern Europe, Western Europe or Southern Europe), where would you land? Why on an empty carrier in the sea zone north of Germany! On occasion, when the Germans least expect it, this can be a handy way to launch an all out assault on Berlin and pull victory out of the jaws of defeat.

Other Notable Rules

Should a carrier be taken as a casualty, any fighters on the carrier may land on a another carrier in the same sea zone or on a friendly island in the same sea zone.

You may not place newly purchased fighters directly on a carrier. They may fly to the carrier in the following round.

Carriers are for fighters only. No bombers allowed. Unless you create your own variant!

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