Minden Games
Naval Games
Minden publishes an entire line of naval combat simulation games. Unless noted, they are tactical, ship vs ship game systems. The games may be divided into three broad categories: the SALVO! game system, the BATTLESHIP CAPTAIN game system, and the DREADNOUGHTS & BATTLECRUISERS game system.
The Salvo! game system is a solitaire design, while Battleship Captain and Dreadnoughts & Battlecruisers are miniatures game systems designed for two or more players. Both rely on detailed warship ratings, and provide an historical "feel", although Battleship Captain is much more detailed. Salvo! games are primarily for battles involving only a few ships, while D&B and Battleship Captain can easily accomodate battles such as Jutland or Tsushima.
Salvo! does not require a board; with the ship counters and game charts, you can easily play a game on a tray table while flying, for instance. This makes it the perfect game for players with limited play time or space. (Any game that contains the word "Salvo" is part of the Salvo! game system series.)
Battleship Captain's advantage is that it is comprehensive, contains the most similation detail of any of our naval games, and covers the entire era of the battleship (1890-1945) with era-specific rules and options, while, at the same time, retaining high playability (especially when compared with many process-heavy simulations on the market).
Dreadnoughts & Battlecruisers is simpler that BC, and covers the Great War period. It is similar to BC, but with more streamlined procedures, and correspondingly less detail. But as in BC, the game uses individually rated ship counters, and produces a good "feel" for naval battles of the era.
Each system uses detailed, historically accurate warship ratings (such as bow/broadside.stern firepower, speed, armor, flotation and gun direction ratings, BB, BC, AC, CA, CL, and AMC classes), although, not surprisingly, Battleship Captain contains the most detail, followed by D&B. With each of the games, just looking at a ship's counter will enable even a landlubber to evaluate accurately the strenghts and weaknesses of ship classes.
Bottom line, these systems should appeal to both naval game rookies, and naval game veterans alike.
HOW TO ORDER: Click on the game you want to buy, and select either "US/Canada" or "Outside N.America" option (overseas prices are slightly more, to reflect added postage costs). At checkout, a flat $3.50 charge will be added to your total. Overseas orders are mailed via airmail. (If you prefer to order via snail mail, please send US$ check/money order to: Minden Games, P.O. Box 10667, Glendale, AZ 85318. Please remember to include the postage charge, and include your name, address, and what you are ordering.)
(Please note, there are additional naval wargames listed on the ZIP EDITION webpage as well.)
WW1 tactical, solitaire (with 2-player option), 24 page rules, two warship counter sheets (56 color warship counters, 1/6000 scale, from Britain and Germany), 130 color game counters, 12 scenarios, Reference Card. As a bonus, for a limited time, an additional warship counter sheet containing 28 additional cruisers will be included with each purchase (for a total of three warship counter sheets (84 ship counters)).
Recreate actual and hypothetical WW1 naval battles between individual British and German warships. Watch for additional GWS! modules covering other nationalities! (See below for jpeg of sample GSW! ship counters (actual size is 18mm x 43mm, at 1/6000 scale), or click on the rule booklet to visit the GWS page, with more sample counters.)
Battleship Captain is our comprehensive tactical naval surface combat game covering the "golden age of the battleship", 1890-1945. Click here for link describing Battleship Captain. BC 2nd edition contains rulebook, Reference Cards, scenarios, game markers, and over 1400 historically rated warship counters (11mm x 42mm in size). Ships are rated for speed, armor, flotation, bow / broadside / stern gunnery, fire direction, deck armor/vulnerability, class
Advanced Salvo! 1939-1941 contains the standard WW2 Salvo! rules along with advanced rules in a 12 page booklet, over 40 warships from Britain, Germany, France, and Italy, game markers, and scenarios drawn from the early years of the conflict. A copy of the original Salvo! postcard game also included.
THE MIGHTY HOOD II & BATTLE OF THE RIVER PLATE
These two tactical level WW2 naval wargames are published in our Zip Edition format. For details and ordering information of these two games, visit the Zip Edition page and click on the title you're interested in.
DREADNOUGHTS & BATTLECRUISERS: Jutland Edition
DREADNOUGHTS & BATTLECRUISERS: Classic Edition
Dreadnoughts & Battlecruisers is a complete tactical naval game system for two or more players, and simulates naval combat in the Great War period. Ships (1/4200 scale, BB/BC/B/AC/CL) are rated in a variety of offensive, defensive, and sailing categories. D&B is offered in a series of stand-alone games. D&B CLASSIC is a good introduction to the system, and contains 68 warships from Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Austria, and Russia. D&B: JUTLAND contains about 135 ships of the British and German fleets, and focus on battles in the North Sea, including all the major ships that fought at Jutland.
Dreadnoughts & Battlecruisers may also be found on the Zip Edition page.
Sample D&B warship counters (1/4200 scale)
D&B: JUTLAND
--24 page rule booklet (standard
rules, optional rules, scenarios)
--135 warships (Britain, Germany)
--126 game markers
-- 2 Reference Cards
D&B: CLASSIC
--16 page rule booklet (standard
rules, optional rules, scenarios)
-- 68 warships (Britain, Germany,
France, Italy, Austria, Russia)
-- 63 game markers
-- Reference Card
Pac & Med Salvo! takes the WW2 system to the Pacific and Mediterranean theaters, including 90 ships from the US, Japan, Britain, Italy, and France. Includes basic Salvo! rules, and several scenarios. (Ownership of Advanced Salvo! not necessary to play Pac & Med Salvo!, but it is recommended, in order to have the advanced rules.)
(BB, BC, B, CA, AC, CL, DD), more. When taken in conjunction with one of the three era-specific sets of game tables (Pre-Dreadnought, Dreadnought, WWII eras), the unique strengths and weaknesses of each ship in sailing ability, offense, and defense are accurately simulated, especially when the era-specific optional rules are employed... yet playability remains high.
1/3000 Scale Miniatures Ship Counter Set 1 (Jutland)
This is a set of specially produced 1/3000 scale ship counters, for use with any Dreadnoughts & Battlecruisers rules. A total of 106 ships (BB / BC / B / AC classes) on five cardstock countersheets, this set focuses on the British Grand Fleet and German High Seas Fleet, and covers the capital ships that fought at Jutland, along with ships from other theaters. An Introductory 12-page rule booklet, D&B 1/3000 Miniatures Rules, is also included, which contains the basic game rules. The ships are identical to other ships in the D&B series, except at larger, standard 1/3000 scale. The rules from any D&B game may be used with them. These ships are a great alternative to expensive, metal miniatures; counters measure 3.5" x .88", with ships drawn to scale.
To order ships and/or rules separately, see below.
Dreadnoughts & Battlecruisers: Individual Game Parts
You may order the 1/3000 Ship Set 1 (Jutland), the D&B 1/3000 Introductory Rules, and the D&B: Jutland Rules separately, without any other game parts. For instance, perhaps you already own D&B rules, and want the 1/3000 scale ships on their own. Or, you have the 1/3000 scale ships, but want the D&B: Jutland rules to use with them. If you are in the US/Canada, use the drop down box below on the left; if you are Outside N.America, use the drop down box below on the right.
Above 1/3000 scale ship set 1 (Jutland)
Below left D&B 1/3000 Introductory Rulebook
Below right D&B: Jutland Rulebook
Individual parts available: 1/3000 Ship Set 1 (Jutland), 106 ships; D&B 1/3000 Introductory Rules (12 pages); D&B: Jutland Rules (24 pages). No other game parts are included.
