U-Boat Captain Series
Minden's U-Boat Captain series covers World War 2 submarine warfare at the tactical level. There are two games in this series: U-BOAT CAPTAIN: 1939-1942 2nd ed. covers the first part of the war, and U-BOAT CAPTAIN: Twilight, 1943-1945 simulates the last part of WW2. The series has been designed specifically for solitaire play. The game places you in the role of a U-Boat commander, in charge of a single submarine. The object of the game is to go on (roughly) one-month patrols to near and distant waters in search of allied merchants. The game system is a mix of tactical and operational elements. The operational part is that you are conducting patrols and undergoing refit after each one. Depending on the scenario you are playing, this can involve a single patrol, several, or the entire career of your captain. The tactical part focuses on your particular boat, with individual displays showing its various ratings: fuel, torpedoes carried, deck gun ammo, and damage, with separate ratings for your crew and your captain. The sequence of play involves you transiting to your area of operation (and braving possible allied attacks), and then you conduct daily patrols, where each turn equals one day of operation. Many days you will not sight anything. Other days you might find single ships or a convoy. Depending on circumstances (are there escorts? how many ships are involved? how much damage has your sub already endured, if any? do you have torpedoes and/or deck gun ammo left? is the sighting at night, or during the day?), you must decide whether you will engage the enemy. If you decide to engage, you enter the engagement sequence, which has many decision points and a tactical feel. Basically, your goal is to sink allied ships without being discovered, or, if discovered by escorts, to successfully escape. Depending on your fuel remaining, torpedos left, and damage suffered, you may terminate your patrol at any time, and transit back to home base. Attacks can come from the air or by escort ASW, and tables provide tense situations for you and your crew as you seek to survive. To win the game, you must sink a certain amount of tonnage over the course of your patrols, and survive. Discriptions below show what U-Boat Types are included in each game. Each is a complete game; you do not need 1939-1942 to play Twilight, and visa versa.
Both the games below use the same system, adapted to the period of the war covered. Early scenarios cover "Happy Times" when, historically, U-Boats could rack up large scores. The situation shifted more towards the allies in 1942, due to better technology, and more air efforts. That's when the first volume ends (end of 1942) and the second volume begins (1943). In the twilight years of the war, things became ever more dangerous for the Germans. Expectations of high tonnage totals will evaporate, with your focus many times more on survival than sinkings. The Twilight volume adds new U-Boat Types (see below) including the revolutionary electroboats (Type XXI, and Type XXIII) which come with special rules to reflect their stealthy characteristics. The two games use the same game system, and are fully matable, allowing you to simulate the entire 1939-1945 war. Each game includes complete rules, optional rules, game map, markers & counters, game logs, historical notes, and desgner's notes. Just supply a standard deck of playing cards and two six-sided dice, and you'll be ready to go.
See the individual descriptions below for what's included in each volume. The two games mate well, allowing you to simulate the entire war. Game play is more narrative-based, and is highly playable. A single patrol can be completed in less than half an hour (depending on how many sightings/engagements you conduct in your patrol). The U-BOAT CAPTAIN series aims to be your "go to" game sysyem for authentic undersea action during World War II. Sink 100,000 tons of allied shipping in your career and win the coveted Knight's Cross. Through all the opportunities and difficulties you will encounter at sea, will you be a successful U-BOAT CAPTAIN?
NOTE: The original game in the series was called "U-Boat Captain: Advanced Edition", and covered the period 1939-1942. If you own this, there is technically no need to buy the newly-named "U-Boat Captain: 1939-1942, 2nd ed.", although you may still want to do so, since the new volume, while retaining the same game system, adds new counters, a new U-Boat Type (IA), historical commander cards (individually rated), and additional optional rules covering 1942 and the changing nature of the war. Both the 1st and 2nd editions of the 1939-1942 volume are available via Amazon. See below for more details of the new 2nd ed.
U-Boat Display, Commander
Card, Game Markers
U-BOAT CAPTAIN: TWILIGHT 1943-1945
48 pages: 7"x10" color book
7 U-Boat Types & Individual Displays: VIIC, VIIC/41, IXC, IXC/40, IXD-2, XXI, XXIII
8 Scenarios, & Campaign Game
New Features: New advanced options covering special electroboat rules, patrols to Indian Ocean, set of eight historical Commander Cards (#9-18) and historical special abilities rules, 62 historically-designated U-Boat counters, advanced 1943-45 rules, game logs, rules to mate Twilight with 1939-1942 game, new designer's notes.
U-BOAT CAPTAIN: 1939-1942, 2nd ed.
52 pages: 7"x10" color book
9 U-Boat Types & Individual Displays: VIIA, VIIB, VIIC, IXA, IXB, IXC, IA, IIB, IID
7 Scenarios, & Campaign Game
New 2nd ed Features: New U-Boat Type (IA), set of eight historical Commander Cards (#1-8) & historical special abilities rules, 1942 optional rules, 56 historically-designated U-Boat counters. (Otherwise, the 2nd ed. has the same content as the 1st ed.)
Sample Twilight pages
Special Combo Offer Now Running
See special COMBO offer, above right
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