Close The Atlantic: Simulating Modern Naval Combat in a WW3 Scenario – Now on WargameVault.com
Independent game designer Michael Raymond has released “Close The Atlantic,” a modern naval combat board game, now available on WargameVault.com. The game focuses primarily on convoy operations and includes scenarios that explore naval battles in the Baltic Sea and Mediterranean.
Designed to simulate a contemporary WW3 scenario across Europe, “Close The Atlantic” operates within a time frame that spans from April to September, determined by a D6 die roll at the start of the game. The game advances on a weekly turn basis starting from the first week of the determined month. Players must also consider environmental challenges; for example, October introduces an increased risk of hurricanes, impacting naval operations.
The game features three scenarios that can be played separately or combined to depict a comprehensive WW3 scenario. It abstracts the complexities of ground battles but introduces air and missile strikes against front lines in later scenarios. This abstraction extends to the equipment used in the game, simplifying the technical specifics to focus more on strategy and planning.
“Close The Atlantic” is available in a rules book that includes a map and counters for home printing. Players looking for a more tactile experience can order full-sized maps and die-cut counters directly from the publisher. The counters represent various military units—ranging from single submarines to groups of up to 100 aircraft—and include numeric indicators to help track resources like missile counts during engagements.