Great War at Sea: U.S. Navy Plan Orange

Published by Avalanche Press in 1998, U.S. Navy Plan Orange was the inaugural title in the Great War at Sea series. The game was designed by Mike Bennighof to simulate the strategic and tactical naval possibilities of the hypothetical Plan Orange, the United States' contingency plan for a potential war against the Empire of Japan in the interwar period. It established the series' signature mechanics, which blend board-based operational maneuvering with detailed tactical combat resolutions on hex-grid maps.

The design philosophy behind the game focused on historical breadth rather than granular detail, allowing players to recreate scenarios that never occurred, such as carrier battles in the Philippine Sea or surface actions near the Mandate Islands. It was received by the wargaming community as an accessible entry point into naval simulation, praised for its focus on the logistical and strategic challenges of the Pacific theater while setting the foundational ruleset for what would grow into a long-running library of titles covering naval engagements across the 20th century.