WAR @ SEA

Ver. 3.2(HL)

By Thomas Epps

UNITS

Each counter represents a Ship, a Submarine, or an Aircraft squadron from one of the world's navies or air
forces. A Ship or Submarine counter represents a single Ship (with the exception of Torpedo Boats, Patrol
Hydrofoils, and Missile Boats, which represent two or more of these small craft). Counters may also be
used to represent formations or convoys of ships within a single hex. An Aircraft counter represents either
a single Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) or a squadron of up to 10 fighter, bomber, or other attack
aircraft. Each unit has a corresponding stat card that lists its game statistics for easy reference during play.

STAT FORM INFORMATION

Speed: The number of hexes the unit can move in one turn. Aircraft don’t have a speed (they have an “A”
on their stat forms), because you can move them to any hex on the battle map each turn.

Flagship Bonus: On Flagships, the number you add to your initiative roll each turn to determine which
player acts first and second.

Armor: The number of successes that an attacker needs to roll to hit (and damage) this unit (or abort it, if
it’s an Aircraft). Armor represents the many factors that make a unit difficult to hit. As a unit accumulates
damage it's Armor Rating will be negatively affected.

Vital Armor: The number of successes an attacker needs to roll to destroy this unit with a single attack.
As a unit accumulates damage it's Vital Armor Rating will be negatively affected.

Hull Points: The number of times a Ship or Submarine must be damaged to destroy it.

LAND: The number of attack dice you roll when the unit attacks a Land target with it's land-capable
Cruise Missile weapons. Currently the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) is the only applicable
weapon system.

Detection: The number of dice you roll to detect enemy Ship Units during the Ship Unit Detection Phase.
This factor is listed on Ship unit Stat Forms along with the effective detection range. When an enemy
Ship Unit is within the detection range of friendly Ship Units or MPA, roll the correct number of dice; a
result of 4-6 means that the enemy Ship Unit has been detected and may be fired upon. Modifiers apply.
As a unit accumulates damage its Detection Rating will be negatively affected.

GUNS: The number of attack dice you roll when the unit attacks a Ship. There is a value for point-blank,
short, medium, and long range (0, 1, 2, or 3hexes).

AAW (Anti-Air Warfare): The number of attack dice you roll when the unit attacks an Aircraft. For
Ships this factor includes Surface to Air Missile (SAM) fire and, at a range of 0, Guns. Fighters have a
good AAW attack in order to attack other planes.

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BOMB: The number of attack dice you roll when the unit attacks a Ship

ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare): The number of attack dice you roll when the unit attacks a
Submarine. ASW attacks normally have a range of 0, but an ASW helicopter capability aboard a ship unit
allows the ship to attack at longer ranges.. ASW attacks work like GUN attacks. Each attack die that
comes up a 4 or 5 is one success; each attack die that comes up a 6 is two successes. The only way you
can attack a Submarine is by making an ASW attack. If a unit doesn’t have an ASW value, it can’t attack
enemy Submarines, unless it has a special ability that allows it to do so.

Torpedo: The number of attack dice you roll when the unit attacks a Ship. There is a value for point-
blank, short, medium, and long range (0, 1, 2, or 3 hexes). Torpedo attacks are different from standard
attacks, since they ignore a unit’s armor and vital armor. Each attack die that comes up a 6 is a hit, and
each hit deals 2 points of hull damage.

Special Abilities: Most units have one or more special abilities.

Hull Point Damage Track: Mark-off, or use a marker, to indicate damage taken by the unit. Use of two
markers is recommended--one to indicate damage taken in previous turns and phases, and one to indicate
damage during the current phase, which will not be applied until the end of the phase. As damage
accumulates the ability of a unit to detect other ships, defend itself, and survive further damage will be
negatively affected.

SCALE

Counters (Ships and Submarines): Various scales. Each counter represents 1 or more Ships or
Submarines.

Counters (Aircraft): Each counter represents a single patrol element (Maritime Patrol Aircraft and some
Bombers) or a squadron of about 10-15 planes (all other Aircraft).

Map: Each hex is about 40,000 yards, or 20 Nautical Miles (nm) across.

Turn: Each turn represents 1 hour of maneuver and combat.

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SEQUENCE OF PLAY

The game is played in turns. During each turn, players utilize the following sequence of play.

A. INITIATIVE PHASE

Roll two dice and add the sum to your best Flagship bonus to determine initiative.

The Initiative phase determines the order in which players will act each turn. At the beginning of each
turn, each player makes an initiative roll by rolling two dice and adding the sum to his or her best
Flagship bonus. Crippled Flagships don’t count for this bonus. If you don’t have any Flagships in your
fleet, or all your Flagships have been crippled or destroyed, add zero.

The player with the higher result wins initiative. If you and your opponent both have the same initiative
total, the player with the better Flagship bonus wins. If you still both have the same initiative bonus, it’s a
tie—reroll until one player or the other wins.

If you win initiative, you’re the second player to act for that turn and your opponent is the first player.
Going second is better because you can see where your opponent moves his or her units before you have
to decide where to move your units. Exception: The player who has won Initiative attacks first in the
Air-to-Air Defense Phase.

First and Second Player: In each phase, actions within the same phase are considered to be simultaneous.
For purposes of timing for units’ special abilities, however, each phase has been further sub-divided into
steps to identify when the first player and second player get to act.

For example, if the first player’s Destroyer fires on the second player’s Torpedo Boat in the First Player’s
Surface Attack step and destroys it, the Torpedo Boat still gets to make its own surface attacks in the
Second Player’s Surface Attack step—everything in the Surface Attack phase happens at the same time,
even if a player has to roll his or her attacks second.

At the end of the Surface Attack phase (after both players have had their steps and acted), the Torpedo
Boat is removed from the battle map. It won’t get to make any Torpedo attacks in the Torpedo Attack
phase, because it was destroyed in the Surface Attack phase.

B. MOVEMENT PHASE

You can move Ships, Submarines and capable Land units a number of hexes equal to that unit’s
speed.

The Movement phase consists of two steps: the First Player’s Movement step and the Second Player’s
Movement step. In your Movement step, you can move any, all, or none of your Ships, Submarines or
capable Land units. Move your units one at a time. Each unit can move a number of hexes equal to its
speed. The first player moves all of his or her units first (in the First Player’s Movement step), and then
the second player moves all of his or her units (in the Second Player’s Movement step).

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[Optional Rule: Ship Unit and Formation Movement. If players have more than two formations or
individual ship or submarine units occupying hexes on the plot, each player places a "chit" representing
each of their formations or units into separate opaque containers. In the Movement Phase the players take
turns removing chits from their respective containers, with the Initiative Player of that turn moving
second in each step, then moving the unit or formation represented by the chit until all units have had the
chance to move (the players are not required to move their units at any time). This method increases the
"fog of war" and makes for more suspense during play.]

Ship and Submarine Units that have suffered Torpedo hits, and Crippled units with a speed of 1/2
will move on Even Turns only.

C. SHIP UNIT DETECTION & IDENTIFICATION PHASE

Enemy Ship Units must be detected by a Ship Unit or MPA before they can be attacked with either
Cruise Missiles or GUNS.

The Ship Unit Detection & Identification phase consist of two steps: the First Player's Ship Unit
Detection & Identification step and the Second Player's Ship Unit Detection & Identification step. Listed
on each Stat Form for a Ship or Maritime Patrol Aircraft Unit is a Detection rating; this value indicates
the number of Detection dice to roll and the range in hexes within which enemy Ship Units may be
detected.

If you have two or more Ship Units roll twice for Detection of each individual enemy Ship Unit within
range, using the two highest Detection values in your Fleet. If you only have one Ship Unit within
Detection range of the enemy Ship Unit, roll only once. On a roll of 4-5 you have detected the enemy
Ship Unit; mark a detected Unit with a marker. On a roll of 6 you have determined the type of the enemy
ship unit. On subsequent turns a player may roll to identify a previously detected enemy Ship Unit; the
enemy unit remains detected but may be identified by a roll of 5 or 6. Only one of your Ship or MPA
Units must detect an enemy Ship Unit for your Fleet to be able to attack it in the Surface Attack Phase.

Once an enemy Ship Unit has been detected by one of your units, it will remain detected until there are no
friendly units within detection range of the enemy unit. Once contact has been lost the enemy ship unit
must be detected again before it may be attacked.

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D. AIR MISSION PHASE

You can arm and place Aircraft units and Cruise Missile Target Markers (SSM and LAND) in any
hex on the map (within range of the attacking unit).

Alternate placing Aircraft with your opponent. In this phase, the first player and second player alternate
placing Aircraft in hexes:

• First player arms and places one Aircraft unit or Cruise Missile Target marker.

• Second player arms and places one Aircraft unit or Cruise Missile Target marker.

• Continue alternating placement until both players have assigned all their air missions and SSM/LAND
attacks.

• Aircraft or Cruise Missile Target markers (within range) can be placed in any hex on the battle map.

• Aircraft with Rearming markers can’t be placed. They’ll be available for air missions on the next game
turn.

Arming Aircraft Units: Many combat aircraft are multi-mission; they can be launched on a variety of
missions with different ordnance (weapon) loads. For example, the F/A-18 Super Hornet can fly AAW,
ASM or BOMB missions (but not all at the same time), so the player must choose which ordnance load to
arm the aircraft with.

For AAW missions, select an appropriate marker indicating the armament, and therefore the mission of
the Aircraft Unit in question. Place the marker either under or beside the Aircraft Unit when you place
the Unit in the desired hex. Ensure that the marker is face-down, or otherwise concealed, so that the other
player will not be able to tell to what mission the Aircraft Unit is assigned. This concealment of the
Aircraft unit's mission reflects the "fog of war" which dominates in the real battlefield.

Use the same procedure for arming your Aircraft for ASM or BOMB missions: The true mission
and arming of engaged Aircraft (in the same hex with enemy Aircraft) units will be revealed during the
Air-to-Air Defense Phase, while the actual launching of ASMs from your surviving attack Aircraft will
occur in the Air-Launched Cruise Missile Phase.

Placing Cruise Missile Target Marker markers: Determine which of your Ships or Submarines will
launch Cruise Missiles (SSM) against enemy ship or land units, and how many attacks each Ship or
Submarine will launch. (The Stat Form entry for each SSM-capable Ship or Submarine lists how many
SSM/LAND attacks the unit may launch in a game, and the specific Attack Die and Vital Armor values).
Gather appropriate markers to represent the number of attacks being launched, and then apportion the
markers, each to its designated target Ship or Land installation. Place the markers either on or beside the
target, being careful to differentiate between different types of SSMs,which may have different Attack
and Vital Armor values. Numerical markers may be used to indicate the Attack and Vital Armor values
of groups of attacking cruise missiles.

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E. AIR-to-AIR DEFENSE PHASE

Use your Aircraft units' AAW attacks to attack enemy Aircraft within range of their AAW Attacks.

The Air-to-Air Defense phase consists of two steps: the Aircraft Identification step, and the Air-to-Air
Defense step. In the Aircraft Identification step, opposing Aircraft in the same hex reveal their ordnance
and missions. In the Air-to-Air Defense step, you may attack enemy Aircraft within range using your
Aircraft units’ AAW attacks. Each unit may attack one enemy Aircraft unless the capability to attack
more than one target is listed in that unit's Special Abilities..

Players alternate attacks, with the player who has won Initiative executing his initial attack first. Attack
results become effective immediately; Aircraft Units which are aborted or destroyed cannot execute
attacks.

Important: the normal order of attacks is reversed during this phase only, and all attack results
become effective immediately.

In the Aircraft Identification step, all players will turn over the ordnance markers previously placed
face-down in the Aircraft bases; all players will then know the ordnance load of the opposing Aircraft and
may select targets accordingly.

F. AIR-LAUNCHED CRUISE MISSILE PHASE

Surviving, non-aborted ASM-armed Aircraft units launch their Cruise Missiles at enemy Ship
units. Use the same procedure for placing markers as described in the Air Mission Phase; the markers
from ASM Aircraft units which were neither aborted nor destroyed during the Air-to-Air Defense Phase,
and which are within range of enemy ships, are removed from their Aircraft unit counters and placed on
or beside the target Ship(s) , joining any ship-launched SSM attack markers placed during the Air Mission
Phase. Again, differentiate between ASM/SSM that may have different Attack Die and Vital Armor
values. Numerical markers may be used to indicate the Attack and Vital Armor values of groups of
attacking cruise missiles. The Ship units targeted will have to defend themselves from combined ASM
and SSM attacks during the Surface-to-Air Defense Phase.

G. SURFACE-TO-AIR DEFENSE PHASE

Use your Ship and Land units' AAW attacks to attack enemy Aircraft and Cruise Missiles within
range.

The Surface-to-Air Defense phase consists of two steps: the First Player’s Air Defense step and the
Second Player’s Air Defense step. In the Air Defense step, you may attack enemy Aircraft using your
Ship and Land units’ AAW attacks. Each unit may attack one enemy Aircraft unless otherwise noted on
the Stat Form; if two or more AAW attacks are possible they may be allocated against either the same
target or to different ones.

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H. AIR ATTACK PHASE

Attack enemy Ships, Land Targets or Submarines with your Aircraft, using ASW, BOMB or
Cruise Missile attacks.

The Air Attack phase consists of two steps: the First Player’s Air Attack step and the Second Player’s
Air Attack step. In your Air Attack step, you may attack enemy Ships or Submarines with your Aircraft
and Cruise Missiles (SSM/ASM). Some Aircraft attacks have range 0, so you can only attack enemy
Ships or Submarines in the same hex as those Aircraft. Aircraft that were aborted in the Air Defense
phase can’t attack in this phase unless they have a special ability to do so. Even if your Aircraft has
multiple attack types available, you can only use one attack per Aircraft in this phase.

I. SURFACE AND SUBMARINE ATTACK PHASE

Attack enemy Ships or Submarines with your Ships and Submarines, using ASW or GUNS attacks.

The Surface Attack phase consists of two steps: the First Player’s Surface Attack step and the Second
Player’s Surface Attack step. In your Surface Attack step, each of your Ships may fire on an enemy target
within range using its GUNS attack, or attack a Submarine using its ASW attack.

If a Ship has both GUNS and ASW attacks available, you can only use one attack per Ship in this phase.
No GUNS attack can be used more than one time, unless noted on the unit’s Stat Form.

J. TORPEDO ATTACK PHASE

Attack enemy Ships, using Ship and Submarine Torpedo attacks.

The Torpedo Attack phase consists of two steps: the First Player’s Torpedo Attack step and the Second
Player’s Torpedo Attack step. In your Torpedo Attack step, each of your Ships and Submarines with a
Torpedo Attack value may attack enemy Ships in range.

K. AIR RETURN PHASE

Return your Aircraft to a Carrier or land airbase. Place/remove Rearming markers for all
Aircraft. Remove Aborted markers from aborted Aircraft.

The Air Return phase consists of two steps: the First Player’s Air Return step and the Second Player’s
Air Return step. In your Air Return step, return all of your Aircraft units from the hexes where you placed
them to an Aircraft Carrier or a Land airbase. Place a Rearming marker next to any Aircraft you return to
a Land Airbase. If an Aircraft already has a Rearming marker (usually because it rearmed this turn instead
of performing a mission), you may remove that marker. The Aircraft is now rearmed and available to fly
missions on the next game turn. Some Aircraft can’t base on Carriers. At the end of your Air Return step,
remove any Aborted markers from your Aircraft units.

Important: Only Aircraft units returning to land airbases are Rearmed. Aircraft units returning to
Carrier units are able to fly on the next turn.

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L. END OF TURN

Advance the Turn Marker to the next Turn on the Turn Track and begin the next Turn.

MOVEMENT AND POSITION

The hexes on the battle map mark the position of each of your units and regulate movement. Once each
turn, each Ship and Submarine can move a number of hexes equal to its speed. For example, a Cruiser
with speed 2 can move two hexes in one Movement phase, while a Missile Boat with speed 3 can move
three hexes in the same phase . Some Submarines can move at speed 2 but are more stealthy at speed 1,
while others are limited to 1/2 speed (these Units are moved 1 hex on even turns only). You don’t have to
move a unit if you don’t want to. Ships and Submarines can maneuver freely within the limits of their
movement—the turn represents one hour of "real" time, and in that time even the biggest Aircraft Carrier
can execute several turns. Similarly, facing doesn’t matter, since over the course of the turn it’s assumed
that your Ships and Submarines can maneuver to bring their batteries to bear. All that matters is the
number of hexes your units enter.

[Optional Rule: Ship Unit and Formation Movement. If players have more than two formations or
individual ship or submarine units occupying hexes on the plot, each player places a "chit" representing
each of their formations or units into separate opaque containers. In the Movement Phase the players take
turns removing chits from their respective containers, with the Initiative Player of that turn moving
second in each step, then moving the unit or formation represented by the chit until all units have had the
chance to move (the players are not required to move their units at any time). This method increases the
"fog of war" and makes for more suspense during play.]

Aircraft and Movement: Aircraft units don’t move the same way other units do during the Sea
Movement phase. Instead, you assign your Aircraft to any hex you want during the Air Mission phase.

Enemy-Occupied Hexes: You can move into or pass through enemy-occupied hexes freely. Enemy units
don’t have any sort of attacks of opportunity or defensive fire against your units—no unit can attack or be
attacked in the Sea Movement phase or Air Mission phase.

STACKING

A unit can only enter a hex if there’s room for it in that hex. In a single hex, each player may have:

• Up to 10 Ship units.

• 2 Submarine units.

• Up to 6 Aircraft units.

• Up to 4 Land units when applicable.

Enemy Ships and Submarines don’t count against your limit for a hex (but do count against your
opponent’s stacking limit, of course).

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A Ship or Submarine unit can’t enter a hex if that movement would break stacking restrictions. If you
want to move a Ship unit into a hex containing 5 other friendly Ship units, you must first move one of the
other friendly Ship or Submarine units already in that hex to make room.

LAND AND SHOALS

You can’t move Ships or Submarines into a hex containing land unless the unit in question has a special
ability that allows it. (Even if the land doesn’t fill the whole hex, it’s surrounded by dangerous reefs and
shallows that do.) Shoals prohibit movement in the same way as islands.

ATTACK AND DEFENSE

Attacks are divided into four distinct phases: Air-toAir Defense, Air Attack, Surface and Submarine
Attack, and Torpedo Attack. Each of these phases is further divided into two or more steps: one for the
first player and one for the second player. A third step may govern identification of hostile units or other
variables. Depending on the phase, your units may be attacking enemy Aircraft, Ships, or Submarines,
using bombs, torpedoes, guns, or cruise missiles. Attacks within the same phase are simultaneous with
each other—so opposing ships blazing away with guns in the Surface Attack phase don’t suffer damage
until the end of the phase. The second player has a small advantage in that he or she can see how the first
player allocates attacks and how those attacks go.

Here is a quick summary of the basics of attack and defense:

• Range and Attack Dice: Count the number of hexes from the attacker to the target. Check the
attacking unit’s stat form to see how many attack dice you roll against a target of that type at that
range.

• Attack Roll: Roll your attack dice. For most attacks, each attack die that comes up a 4 or 5 is one
success; each attack die that comes up a 6 is two successes. Compare the number of successes to
the target’s armor and vital armor ratings. If you equal or beat the armor rating, you get a hit and
deal 1 point of hull damage to the target; if you equal or beat the vital armor rating, you destroy
the target.

Some abilities (like the Escort ability on some Fighters) give a -1 penalty to each attack die. In these
cases, you would only score a success on a 5 or 6. Note, however, that a “natural” 6 always counts as two
successes.

• One Attack per Phase: Most units can only make one attack per phase. Exceptions to this are
noted on the unit's stat form.

• Torpedo Attacks: Roll your attack dice. Torpedo attacks ignore the enemy’s armor and vital
armor. Each attack die that comes up a 6 is a hit, and each hit deals 2 points of hull damage.

• Submarines: Only units with an ASW attack may attack Submarines, unless the unit has a
special ability that allows it to use a different type of attack.

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 • Aircraft: Only units with an AAW attack value may attack Aircraft in the Air-to-Air and
Surface-to Air Defense Phases, unless the unit has a special ability that allows it to use a different
type of attack.

You may fire on any enemy unit within range, as long as your unit has line of sight to it and an attack
value against it. If a unit has a dash on its stat form instead of a numerical attack value for a particular
range, it can’t make an attack using that type of attack at that range. If multiple enemy units are within
range, you may choose which target your unit will attack. You can shoot “through” hexes containing
friendly or enemy units without penalty. If the hex you’re shooting at contains more than one enemy unit,
you must pick which one you want to fire at.

ATTACK TYPE AND ATTACK DICE

Units have attack values that rate their effectiveness against different types of targets.

Attack Type Unit Affected

AAW Aircraft /Cruise Missiles

ASW Submarines

BOMB Ships/Land Targets

GUNS Ships

TORPEDO Ships

SSM/ASM (Cruise Missile) Ships

LAND (Cruise Missile) Land Targets

Attack values often vary with range. In general, attacks made at short range are more accurate, so the
number of attack dice is higher for short range attacks than long-range attacks. When counting the
number of hexes, count the hex that the target is in, but don’t count the hex that the attacking unit is in (so
an attacker and target in the same hex are at range 0).

RESOLVING ATTACKS

Attacks within each phase are simultaneous. However, the first player resolves all of his/ her attacks first,
followed by the second player. Effects (such as damage and destruction) are then applied at the end of
phase after both players have acted.

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RESOLVING ASW, BOMB, CRUISE MISSILE (SSM/ASM/LAND), AND GUN ATTACKS

To resolve an ASW, SSM/ASM/LAND, BOMB, or GUN attack, roll a number of attack dice equal to the
firing unit’s attack value for that type of attack against the target. Many attacks vary with range, so make
sure you use the correct value for the target’s range. Each attack die that comes up a 4 or 5 is one success;
each attack die that comes up a 6 is two successes.

Compare the number of successes you score against the target’s armor and vital armor and check to see
the result:

• If you roll fewer successes than the target’s armor, you miss.

• If you roll successes equal to or greater than the target’s armor, you hit and deal 1 point of hull
damage to the target. Place a marker on the target Ship, Submarine or Land unit's Stat Form;
advance the marker to the next box on the Damage Track if one is already there.

• If you roll successes equal to or greater than the target’s vital armor, you destroy it!

At the end of the each phase apply the effects of damage taken in the phase . Remove Destroyed (D)
units from the game.

RESOLVING AAW ATTACKS

To resolve an AAW attack, roll a number of attack dice equal to the firing unit’s AAW attack value. Each
attack die that comes up a 4 or 5 is one success; each attack die that comes up a 6 is two successes.
Compare the number of successes you score against the target Aircraft’s or Cruise Missile's armor and
vital armor and check to see the result:

• If you roll fewer successes than the target’s armor, you miss.

• If you roll successes equal to or greater than the target’s armor, you hit and abort the Aircraft
from its current mission.

• If you roll successes equal to or greater than the target’s vital armor, you destroy it!

The player who has won Initiative always executes his/her attacks first, the attack results become
effective at the end of the step, and then those Aircraft units of his opponent which have not been aborted
or destroyed make their AAW attacks in return.

Important: the normal order of attacks is reversed during this phase only, and all attack results
from each Air Defense step become effective at the end of their respective step.

Once an Aircraft is aborted by one AAW attack, additional AAW attacks against it have no further effect
on that unit. Aborted Aircraft can’t attack in the Air Attack phase.

At the end of the Air Defense phase, remove units with Destroyed markers from the game. Aborted
Aircraft suffer no permanent damage, but can’t do anything else this turn unless they have a special
ability to do so. Aborted markers are removed during the Air Return phase.

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RESOLVING TORPEDO ATTACKS

To resolve a Torpedo attack, roll a number of attack dice equal to the firing unit’s Torpedo attack value at
the appropriate range. Each attack die that comes up a 6 is a hit.

• Each Torpedo hit deals 2 points of hull damage to the target Ship, ignoring armor. Check off 2
boxes on the target Ship's Hull Point Damage track.

• ALL units, either Ship or Submarine, are reduced to a maximum speed of 1/2 by torpedo hit.

• When a Ship’s hull damage equals or exceeds its hull points, you destroy it!

There are several modifiers to the effectiveness of Torpedo attacks by Submarine Units:

 Aircraft Attack: A Submarine rolls -1 Torpedo attack die for each attack made by enemy
Aircraft Units during the Air Attack Phase. The Aircraft Unit's attack need not have been
successful. Keep track of Aircraft ASW attacks by placing markers on or next to the affected
Submarine Unit.

 ASW Presence: A Submarine rolls -1 Torpedo attack die for each enemy Ship or Aircraft with
an ASW value of 1 or better that is local or adjacent (Range 0 or 1) to the Submarine.

 Minimum Attack: A Submarine reduced to a modified Torpedo attack value of 0 or less can
always attack with 1 die.

ASW threats stack. If you have several destroyers and/or Aircraft surrounding an enemy Submarine, they
each reduce the Submarine's attack value. Special abilities apply normally, however.

EFFECTS OF DAMAGE

Ship units are destroyed when they take hull damage equal to or greater than their hull points, or when a
single attack equals or exceeds their destruction rating. As damage accumulates place a marker on your
Ship or Submarine unit's Hull Point Damage track, located at the bottom of the Stat Form (note that units
with only 1 Hull Point will have no Damage track, as a single hit will sink them). It is recommended that
you use 2 markers as an aid to memory; one will represent damage accumulated up to the current phase,
and the other damage being accumulated in the current phase.

 Ship units that take hull damage are “damaged.”

 ALL units, either Ship or Submarine, are reduced to a maximum speed of 1/2 by torpedo hit.
 As the marker is moved along the Damage track it will indicate the extent and type of damage
inflicted, which is divided into two ratings, "Damage 1" and "Damage 2", or D1 and D2.
D1: A lightly-damaged ship unit has Armor, Vital Armor, Detection and Attack ratings
reduced by 1/3, rounding-up. Thus, D1 ship units' ratings are reduced to 2/3 of the ship's
original (undamaged) ratings. D1 aircraft carrier units conduct aircraft operations
normally.
D2: A heavily-damaged ship has Armor, Vital Armor, Detection and Attack ratings further
reduced by 1/3, again rounding-up; thus at D2 a ship's ratings are reduced to 1/3 of the
ship's original ratings. D2 aircraft carrier units lose 1/2 of their alloted aircraft units

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 (owning player chooses), rounding-up. These aircraft units are Destroyed and count for
opponent's victory point totals when applicable.

CRIPPLED UNITS
Damaged ships that have only 1 hull point remaining are “crippled", or CR.
• A CR Ship or Submarine unit suffers a penalty speed rating of 1/2; it may move only on even
turns. ALL units, even if not actually crippled, are reduced to a maximum speed of 1/2 by
torpedo hit.
 CR Ship or Submarine units cannot take advantage of positive Special Abilities, including
Damage Control. Negative Special Abilities apply.
 CR Aircraft Carrier units cannot conduct aircraft operations.
 CR Ship or Submarine units have Armor, Detection and Attack ratings reduced to 1.

DESTROYED UNITS
A Ship, Submarine or Land unit that accumulates damage equal to its hull point rating is destroyed, D.

If an attack against an Aircraft or Cruise Missile results in successes equal to or greater than that
Aircraft’s vital armor, then that Aircraft or Cruise Missile is destroyed.

In addition, a single attack that has successes equal to or greater than a unit’s vital armor destroys that
unit regardless of how many hull points it has remaining.

Remove destroyed units from play at the end of the current phase.

TIMING OF DAMAGE

Damage within the same phase of the game turn is considered to be simultaneous and doesn’t go into
effect until the end of that phase. In other words, it doesn’t matter if you’re the first player or the second
player—a Ship the first player destroys with his or her attacks in the First Player’s Surface Attack step,
for example, still gets to shoot back in the Second Player’s Surface Attack step. The destroyed Ship isn’t
removed from play until the end of the phase.

ABORTED AIRCRAFT UNITS

Aircraft squadrons don’t get damaged; instead, they’re forced to abort when an AAW attack succeeds
against their armor rating. An aborted Aircraft ends its current mission with no further action. An Aircraft
can’t be aborted twice in the same turn—as soon as it receives its first aborted result, it’s immune to any
further attacks. It’s possible for two Aircraft fighting each other in the Air Defense phase to abort each
other. Aborted markers are removed during the Air Return phase.

AIRCRAFT AND AIRBASES

All Aircraft begin the game at their airbase: either aboard an Aircraft Carrier, or at Land airbases either in
the corner of the map or placed as part of the current scenario.

AIRCRAFT CARRIERS

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Carriers can only base certain types of Aircraft Units, listed on the Carrier's Stat Sheet. A Carrier can base
a number of Aircraft units equal to its aircraft capacity (given on the stat form). You can’t base or rearm a
Maritime Patrol Aircraft on a carrier.

Destroyed Carriers: If your Carrier is destroyed, you may lose Aircraft units too. Roll a die for each
Aircraft Unit attached to a destroyed Carrier. On a 1, that unit goes down with the Ship and is destroyed
at the end of the phase (giving your opponent points for those Aircraft). Otherwise, Aircraft remaining in
play when the Carrier is destroyed immediately abort and return to the nearest friendly land airbase. Once
there they may continue to operate, but will act the same as any airbase-launched Aircraft Unit. If there
are no friendly land airbases in the game the orphaned Aircraft units are destroyed.

LAND AIRBASES

Your land airbase can base or rearm any type of Aircraft, but it’s not as good as a Carrier because it takes
longer to turn around the planes. An Aircraft at your land airbase requires two turns to rearm after
performing an air mission. The land airbase can base up to the number of Aircraft units specified on the
airbase's stat form.

If you are forced to exceed your listed airbase capacity (because your Carrier has been destroyed, for
example), you have to eliminate Aircraft squadrons until you have the specified number or less. You can
choose which ones you eliminate.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Many units have special abilities. Most special abilities are defined on the stat forms. Those that require
more explanation are described here or in the glossary at the end of this rulebook.

Extra Attack Dice: When a special ability grants extra attack dice, it increases the number of dice that
unit rolls when making a particular type of attack. For example, an Aircraft Carrier might add one die to
the BOMB attack value of one bomber. If this ability is applied to a particular bomber, its BOMB attack
value increases from 3 dice to 4 dice.

Penalties to Each Attack Die: When a special ability grants a penalty to each attack die, you subtract
that penalty from each attack die. This results in most units scoring a success on a 5 or 6 instead of a 4, 5
or 6. For example, the Escort ability can make enemy Fighters get -1 on each attack die when attacking
the Bomber that is being escorted. In this case, the enemy Fighters would score successes on a 5 or 6
only.

Note, however, that regardless of any penalties, an attack die that comes up as a “natural” 6 always counts
as:

• two successes if you’re making an AAW, GUN, BOMB, or ASW attack;

• a Torpedo Hit (which deals 2 points of hull damage) if you’re making a Torpedo attack.

Negative Special Abilities: Some special abilities are disadvantages rather than advantages. You must
observe a negative special ability; you can’t choose not to use it.

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Abilities Trump Rules: When a special ability and a general rule say different things, the special ability
wins.

“Can’t” Trumps “Can”: Sometimes, one special ability says a unit can do something while another
unit’s special ability prohibits it. When this happens, the ability that prohibits the action “wins.”

Extra or Additional Actions: Some special abilities allow a unit to make additional attacks, move extra
hexes, or otherwise do extra things. Complete any such extra actions as part of activating that unit. You
can’t save the extra actions to use in another part of the turn.

Special Abilities of the Same Name Don’t Add Together: A unit can only benefit once from a specific
special ability. For example, if you have two Carriers in your fleet that both provide an Expert Dogfighter
bonus to a Fighter’s AAW attack, the Fighter can only benefit from one of those Expert Dogfighter
bonuses—they don’t stack together.

WAR @ SEA SEQUENCE OF PLAY

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The game is played in turns. During each turn, players utilize the following sequence of play.

A. Initiative phase

Roll two dice and add the sum to your best Flagship bonus to determine initiative.

B. Movement phase [See Optional Ship Unit and Formation Movement Rule]

• First Player’s Movement step

• Second Player’s Movement step

You can move Ships, Submarines and capable Land units a number of hexes equal to that unit’s speed.

C. Ship and Submarine Unit Detection & Identification phase

• First Player's Ship Unit Detection & Identification step

• Second Player's Ship Unit Detection & Identification step

• First Player’s Submarine Unit Detection and Identification step

• Second Player’s Submarine Unit Detection and Identification step

Roll for Detection and Identification of enemy Ship and Submarine Units within detection range of your
Ship, Submarine or MPA Units.

D. Air Mission phase

 First Player's Air Mission Step

 First Player's Ship and Submarine Unit-Launched Cruise Missile Target Designation step
(SSM/LAND)

 Second Player's Air Mission Step

 Second Player's Ship and Submarine Unit-Launched Cruise Missile Target Designation step
(SSM/LAND)

Players alternate placing Aircraft and anti-ship Cruise Missile markers.

E. Air-to-Air Defense phase

• Aircraft Identification step (simultaneous)

• Air-to-Air Defense step (Players alternate attacks; the Player with Initiative attacks first. All
attack results are effective immediately and affect which units may attack thereafter)

F. Air-Launched Cruise Missile Phase

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  First Player's Air-Launched Cruise Missile Target Designation step (ASM)

 Second Player's Air-Launched Cruise Missile Target Designation step (ASM)

G. Surface-to-Air Defense Phase

 First Player's Surface-to-Air Defense step

 Second Player's Surface-to-Air Defense step

H. Air Attack phase

• First Player’s Air Attack step

• Second Player’s Air Attack step

Attack enemy Ships, Submarines and Land units with your Aircraft units and Cruise Missile attacks.

I. Surface and Submarine Attack phase

• First Player’s Surface Attack step

• Second Player’s Surface Attack step

Attack enemy Ships or Submarines with your Ships and Submarines, using ASW or GUN attacks.

J. Torpedo Attack phase

• First Player’s Torpedo Attack step

• Second Player’s Torpedo Attack step

Attack enemy Ships with your Ships and Submarines, using Torpedo attacks.

K. Air Return phase

• First Player’s Air Return step

• Second Player’s Air Return step

Return your Aircraft to a Carrier or land airbase. Place/remove Rearming markers for Aircraft operating
from land airbases. Remove Aborted markers from aborted Aircraft.

L. End of Turn

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Land Airbase/Carrier Aircraft Rearming Forms

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