Hornet Leader: Carrier Air Operations

Hornet Leader: Carrier Air Operations is a fantastic solitaire wargame that puts you in command of a U.S. Navy strike squadron. I’ve been wanting to try this game for years, and I’m so glad I finally got it. It’s definitely worth the wait!

The game is very detailed, with a lot of options for customization. You can choose your pilots, arm your aircraft, and even choose which type of carrier you want to command. You can even fly a Marine Corps strike carrier using the AV-6B Harrier.

One of the things I really love about this game is the mission planning. You have to carefully consider how to arm your aircraft and which pilots are best for each mission. This adds a lot of strategic depth to the game. You'll also have to manage your pilots' fatigue and experience, which is a great feature. I'm currently playing a Marine Corps campaign in Iran 2014, and it's been a real challenge. The Harriers have a limited amount of ordnance, which makes it difficult to take out enemy targets. I have to make sure I knock out the long-range AA sites before they can inflict damage on my planes, and I've had a few pilots go MIA. That's a big hit to your victory points!

The game's campaigns are historically accurate and span the entire service life of the F/A-18 Hornet. I really enjoyed playing the A-7 Corsair missions. They are really helpful in the earlier campaigns because they can carry a heavy payload. I do wish there were more scenarios from the earlier years, as some planes are only used in one scenario. But hey, you could always break the rules and include planes that are supposed to be retired. The game police won't come knocking on your door.

The game is a bit expensive, but you definitely get your money's worth. Every campaign is different and tells a unique story. I added in a tally of how many fighter kills my pilots have to see who ends up being the Top Gun at the end of each campaign. I highly recommend getting some card sleeves as the cards are a bit flimsy. I also found the artwork to be a bit bland, but it's functional.

Overall, I highly recommend Hornet Leader: Carrier Air Operations to any solitaire player. It's a challenging and rewarding game that I'll continue to enjoy for many years to come.