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Expansion for Harpoon 4: Modern Tactical Naval Warfare
High Tide: The Cold War, 1980-1989 – A Decade of Naval Confrontation
2003
Rules assistance for High Tide: The Cold War, 1980-1989 – A Decade of Naval Confrontation
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 180 min
- 12+
- Complexity 4.3/5
Rules assistant for High Tide: The Cold War, 1980-1989 – A Decade of Naval Confrontation
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
High Tide: The Cold War, 1980-1989 – A Decade of Naval Confrontation is an expansion for Harpoon 4: Modern Tactical Naval Warfare released in 2003 for 2 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Larry Bond, Chris Carlson, and Jay Wissmann and its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid.
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About the game
High Tide - An Harpoon 4 expansion boxed set. Based on what we have learned since the collapse of the Soviet Union, it compares, for the first time, the strengths and weaknesses of the Cold-War adversaries at the height of their power. The 128- page scenario book provides thirty naval battles, covering all types of naval operations: antisubmarine warfare, convoy operations, mining missions, amphibious landings, air-strikes on land and naval target, special missions, and sub-on-sub engagements from between 1980 and 1989. Sidebars describe the naval technology of the time, as well as important events and key leaders. Over half the scenarios are part of a linked campaign based on a story line written by Larry Bond and Chris Carlson. Jay Wissmann has contributed the scenarios. The foreword was written by Dr. John F. Lehman, Secretary of the Navy from 1981 to 1987. Dr. Lehman was directly responsible for the condition and performance of the U.S. Fleet, and its amazing buildup during that decade. High Tide's Data Annex is a comprehensive listing of platforms, weapons and sensors for naval, air, and some land units. All the data is based on real-world information, and is the most accurate unclassified source in existence. The rules, which are also the basis for the Harpoon computer game, describe how weapons and sensors behave, individually and in combination, how to improve their performance or reduce their effectiveness. Sidebars provide deeper background and guidance on basic tactics.Completing the boxed set are 210 ship (1/2"x 1") and 140 aircraft and weapons counters (1/2"x 1/2"). The Harpoon Series Expands Harpoon 4
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Clash of Arms Games
- Admiralty Trilogy Group
Questions and answers
High Tide: The Cold War, 1980-1989 – A Decade of Naval Confrontation supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for High Tide: The Cold War, 1980-1989 – A Decade of Naval Confrontation is 180 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists High Tide: The Cold War, 1980-1989 – A Decade of Naval Confrontation for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
High Tide: The Cold War, 1980-1989 – A Decade of Naval Confrontation has a complexity rating of 4.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
High Tide: The Cold War, 1980-1989 – A Decade of Naval Confrontation belongs to these categories: Wargame, Nautical, and Modern Warfare. Its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of High Tide: The Cold War, 1980-1989 – A Decade of Naval Confrontation are: Larry Bond, Chris Carlson, and Jay Wissmann. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists High Tide: The Cold War, 1980-1989 – A Decade of Naval Confrontation as an expansion for Harpoon 4: Modern Tactical Naval Warfare. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Harpoon 4: Modern Tactical Naval Warfare to use it. Check that your edition of Harpoon 4: Modern Tactical Naval Warfare is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.