Description of Action Stations!
Some insights from Mark C. Jeffery:
The game is mostly math. It will appear to lock up on large complicated scenarios, but if you leave the game alone it will finish the math by the next day ( to get around this just speed up dosbox - see dosbox.com instructions)...
Clarification: There are two times the game locks up against AI opponent.
- At the end of a turn when displaying the battle plot / just before the detailed report would display if required.
- When calculating turn(s) before the battle plot starts displaying. (not really locked up and speeding up fixes / improves playability)
To mitigate # 1 - The second time I play the scenario, I will save the game each turn so I can restart scenario on that turn. (okay, sometimes I am lazy and only do it every 5 - 10 turns until combat starts...)
The main reasons for me playing 3.2 is the torpedoes (overall accuracy is also minimally improved). A naval academy cadet does not need the 3.2 auto-launch option and is trained on the calculations; the rest of us are not. Torpedoes where a major factor in ww2 naval surface combat. This makes game play much easier and realistic for the rest of us.
Fyi, if you modify a ship file and leave an extra character or line, scenarios with that ship will crash. If you add ships types, you need to add them to the ddf file you use. The file layouts are simple and easy to figure out. I have a number of ships I added to play against that were seriously proposed but never seriously considered for production (and a few scifi fantasy ship variants to add spice to this game I have been playing for 28+ years).
External links
Captures and Snapshots
Comments and reviews
Chris R. 2020-04-02 2 points
I've been playing this great game (off and on) since 1990! I even called Alan Zimm and talked to him about the game, the ship models, etc. I expressed admiration for the Italian heavy cruisers (Zara, Fiume, etc.) and he told me that the nearness of the main battery muzzles was such that firing them in salvo generated "muzzle whip" and great dispersion of shot, so he built that into his gunnery model for that class. That's detail! Love this game!
I had a question: in the DOS downloads there is an unnamed 827kb file- what is it? Does it go with ver 3.2? Thanks!
750suzuki 2019-03-09 0 point
Ordered this game when first released, most realistic naval game ever!!! If you are a fan of WWII history, this is the game for you!!!
Tamscomcj@yahoo.com 2018-11-27 0 point
I have two copies of ver 3.2 of this game, yet more accurate.... I was a tester om this game back in the day. Physics Professor Alan Douglas Zimm .... former curriculum manager for the naval surface warfare center achieved +- 5% accuracy to actual combat results in all test scenarios where historical detail was available. I have played this game since 1990.
mark 2018-11-04 0 point DOS version
This game is my favorite, but is is missing the files that allows use of the gun type 70 and above. This version also uses the wrong main gun (german version used) for the 16 inch iowa class and wrong secondary gun version for the montana class which was and upgrade from the Iowa 5inch 1938 m12, tamscomcj@yahoo.com
TTan 2018-03-13 0 point DOS version
Played this often decades ago. Very good and realistic game.
Game tracks every single shell fired during a 3 minute game turn.
Night actions require use of star shells or planes to drop flares hear enemy ships.
Suggestion - start small with scenario like the Graf Spee against 3 British cruisers
jamie 2017-01-12 -2 points DOS version
This game will play on any MS OS.
Although the graphics are primitive, they are also realistic per the aspect of a commander located inside the ship in the Combat-Information-Center.
The ship damage models are very realistic and are the real strength of this game.
You definitely need the game manual.
The sub-routines provided make it possible to change the ships in the provided scenarios, or to create your own.
With the security codes, keep trying until one comes up that is on the list provided.
Waseem 2016-08-31 -1 point
Can't even understand a thing, very, VERYYYYYY complicated (but realistic)
admin 2012-05-03 -1 point DOS version
Hey major, it's definitely the right codes. Warning it's case sensitive !
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Download Action Stations!
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DOS Version
827 KB
DownloadInstall Disks 556 KB
DownloadVersion 3.2 with Ships, Scenarios & Utilities Disk 741 KB
Manual 31 MB
Game Extras
Various files to help you run Action Stations!, apply patches, fixes, maps or miscellaneous utilities.
Amiga ROM
- Year: 1991
- Publisher: Internecine
- Developer: Conflict Analytics
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