The Fires of Midway (ziplock)

The Fires of Midway is the second game in Steven Cunliffe’s War is Hell series from Clash of Arms, following The Hell of Stalingrad. This game puts players in command of the naval decisions that shaped the carrier war in the Pacific, with one side taking the role of the Imperial Japanese Navy and the other commanding the United States Navy.

The game covers the major carrier battles of 1942 through separate scenarios: Coral Sea, Midway, Eastern Solomons and Santa Cruz. A campaign game links these battles together, forcing players to preserve and commit their carrier forces without knowing where the decisive moment will come. The game also includes a “what if” Wake Island carrier battle and a solitaire scenario covering the Marianas Turkey Shoot.

Scenarios can be played in around 40 minutes, while the full campaign offers a broader strategic experience of up to several hours. This is a strong choice for players interested in Pacific carrier warfare, card-driven conflict games and tense decisions about when to risk irreplaceable naval assets.

Contents include: rulebook, three play mats, 200 colour playing cards, counter sheets and a deck of special carrier and location cards.

Note: this is the boxless version.