User Summary (based on Computer Gaming World review by Bill Nichols, Issue #21, Apr/May84):
The original Carriers at War from 1984, this turned out to be the start of a long-running series.
In Carriers at War (CAW), players control naval forces and land-based aircraft in one of six historical scenarios. The first scenario, "Pearl Harbor", is actually a tutorial exercise for the new player. The other five scenarios are "Coral Sea", "Midway", "Eastern Solomons", "Santa Cruz", and "Philippine Sea".
Accelerated, pausible real-time turn resolution sets this apart from other wargames of it's time.
Because a side may include more than one task group or airbase, team play is possible with each member controlling
a single task group or airbase. The computer can even be assigned forces on the player's side, thus teaming up with the human to defeat itself.
The game includes an editor that allows players to custom design ships, aircraft and maps and thus create new scenarios.