From: Markus Stumptner Subject: Re: Complex Games (was Re: Overrated Games) >Is USN a good game? How does it compare to Pcific War? >Or was USN good for its time, but now outdated? >How much does USN go for? I think USN is somewhat outdated, but it can certainly played with much smaller space and time investment than Pacific War. It has a quite involved sequence of play (a forebear of WitP, it appears), and its only real shortcoming is the absolute absence of limited intelligence (which is theoretically a killer for a Pacific game). There are some rules that provide the necessary fog of war - I think they are available on Web-Grognards. USN ends in 1944, the time when the Allied superiority became overwhelming. It treats Burma as a sideshow and China not at all. I have never tried the campaign game, so I don't know how long it plays - the estimates I've seen indicate that it might not be that much shorter than Pacific War (it has fixed weekly turns after all). The tactical detail (loss ratios in air and naval combat) seemed to fit very well. Price? Between $15 and $30 are typical on the net (interestingly enough, independent of condition from what I've seen), so it's one that has kept its value over time. Overall, despite USN's qualities, IMO, Pacific War is more elegant, provides better feel, and is infinitely more pleasing to the eye. Markus