War at Sea (Second Edition) (1976) Board Game

War at Sea (Second Edition) is a classic board game released in 1976, designed by John Edwards, Art Lupinacci, W. Scott Moores, and Robert D. Watts. It is a two-player game that simulates naval battles during World War II. Players take on the roles of naval commanders as they strategize and maneuver their fleets to gain control of the seas.

Game Components of War at Sea

Board: Represents the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, divided into six zones.

Counters: 80 large counters, 10 flag counters, and 52 small counters, including ships, convoys, submarines, and air power units.

Dice: 4 vintage dice for resolving combat and movement.

Instructions: Original instructions and an advertising booklet.

Other: Counter sheet and additional components like convoy and U-boat markers.

How To Setup War at Sea

To set up the game, each player places their ships in their respective ports. The Allied player’s ports include England, the United States, Leningrad, Murmansk, and Malta, while the Axis player’s ports include Germany, France (after Turn Two), and Italy. Each player also places their land-based airplane squadrons and U-boat units according to the rules. The game board is divided into six zones, and control of these zones is crucial for scoring points.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Game Objective: Control as many sea zones as possible for as many turns as possible to score points.

Turn Structure: Each turn represents six months and involves moving ships from ports into adjacent sea areas. Ships can attempt to move an additional area if the first area was not controlled by the enemy.

Combat Resolution: Combat is resolved by rolling dice for each gunnery factor; hits are re-rolled to determine damage, which can sink ships if it exceeds the armor factor.

Air Power: Air attacks are resolved by rolling dice, with a roll of five disabling a ship.

Convoys and U-boats: Convoys score additional points for the Allied player if they reach their destination, while U-boats have specific combat rules.

Neutral Ports: Disabled ships in the South Atlantic must go to neutral ports in South America and leave the following turn to avoid losing points.

Player Experience

War at Sea is designed as a fun, introductory wargame rather than a complex simulation. It is praised for its simplicity and excitement but criticized for its reliance on luck due to the numerous dice rolls. This has earned it the nicknames ‘Dice at Sea’ and ‘Yahtzee at Sea’. Despite this, it remains a pleasant and engaging game for newcomers to the wargaming hobby[3).

Pros

Simple and Accessible: Ideal for introducing newcomers to wargaming.

Exciting Gameplay: High excitement rating due to the dynamic nature of combat and movement.

Historical Basis: Loosely based on historical data about ship design and World War II naval warfare.

Cons

Luck-Dependent: Criticized for relying too much on dice rolls, which can make the game less realistic.

Limited Realism: Rated low for realism, making it less appealing to those seeking a detailed simulation.

Personal Thoughts on War at Sea

War at Sea is perfect for those looking for a straightforward and enjoyable introduction to wargaming. It’s a great choice for casual gamers and newcomers who want to understand the basics of naval warfare during World War II without getting bogged down in complex rules. However, experienced wargamers seeking realism and depth may find it lacking. Designer John Edwards aimed to create a fun, introductory game, and in that, War at Sea succeeds admirably.

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