Captain Sonar
Captain Sonar Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
GOAL OF THE GAME
The game offers two game modes: Sudden Death or Hunt.
The first submarine to inflict 1 damage on the opposing submarine wins the game.
Note: some advanced scenarios may impose specific, different or complementary objectives.
You can also play in Hunt mode. In this mode, you must deal 4 damages to your opponent.
TEAM COMPOSITION
Even number of players: 2 teams compete with the same number of players.
Odd number of players: In one of the two teams, one or more players will have to combine several positions.
From 2 to 5 players, the game is played in Turn by turn, because some players have to combine several functions, so they will need more time to organize themselves.
COMPONENTS
- 2 sets of 10 player sheets (1 for each team, Red and Blue). All player sheets are double-sided: the dark side is used for Real time, the light side for Turn by turn.
- For each team: 1 First mate sheet, 1 Engineer sheet, 4 Captain sheets (1 for each scenario, Delta and Echo are on the same sheet), 4 Radio operator sheet (1 for each Scenario, Delta and Echo are on the same sheet).
- 2 transparent sheets for the 2 Radio operators, 8 erasable marker pens, 2 screens.
GAME OVERVIEW
Captain SONAR revisits the classic naval battle by putting two submarine crews face to face. Each crew member is in charge of a specific task. To win, dialogue and coordination will be crucial.
Whether it is Turn by turn or in Real time, here is the principle in two words:
- The Captain moves the submarine one dot (North, South, East or West).
- The enemy Radio Operator listens and notes this movement.
- The First mate checks 1 energy in 1 system (Mine, Torpedo, Drone, Sonar, Silence, Special).
- The Engineer checks 1 damage of his choice in the course taken by the Captain (North, South, East or West).
IMPORTANT
Two game modes are available, Real Time or Turn by Turn. For a first game or in a very noisy environment, the Turn by Turn mode is more adapted, but the Real Time mode guarantees you the stress and adrenaline rush of a real underwater duel!
SETUP
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Place both screens in the center of the table end-to-end.
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Choose a Scenario (see Scenarios). Each Captain and Radio Operator takes the corresponding sheet.
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When playing in Real Time mode, players use the dark side of their sheet. In Turn by Turn mode, players use the light side.
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Each team sits on a different side of the central screens, with players sitting in the order shown in the diagram.
Role assignments depending on the number of players:
Teams of 4: the perfect number, each player plays a different role.
Teams of 3: one player plays both the Captain and First mate roles.
Teams of 2: one player plays both the Captain, First mate and Engineer roles. -
Each First Mate and Engineer takes a corresponding sheet.
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Each Radio Operator takes a transparent sheet.
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Finally, each player takes an erasable marker pen.
THE FOUR DIFFERENT ROLES ABOARD THE SUBMARINE
THE CAPTAIN
(Navigate - Attack)
The Captain is the leader of the team, responsible for guiding the submarine and for coordinating the team members.
At the beginning of the game, the Captain draws an «X» on the sea space of their choice to determine the starting position of their submarine. This is not shown to the enemy team. It is impossible to start or move on an island. Then, as soon as the start is given (both Captains shout «Dive!»), each Captain announces the direction of their submarine and draws the route on the map on their sheet. During their turn, the Captain can give only one order. They may do one of the following:
- Announce a direction
- Announce that they are Surfacing (see Surfacing)
- Activate a red system Mine or Torpedo (see Stop Torpedo! and Stop Mine!)
- Activate a yellow system Silence or Scenario (see Stop Silence! and Stop Scenario!)
- They cannot activate a green system (Sonar or Drone) which is reserved for the First Mate.
ANNOUNCING A DIRECTION
The Captain may move their submarine one dot at a time in any of the four directions: East, West, North or South. They must announce their orders in a loud and intelligible voice so that they can be heard by all.
The order must be in the form: «Heading North / East / West / South».
REAL TIME
Each Captain announces their course at the speed of their choice.
TURN BY TURN
Each Captain announces a direction. Only after they have given a direction, they can activate one of their on-board systems (see below). Before announcing a direction, a Captain must make sure that their opponent has finished their turn.
IMPORTANT: FOLLOW THE CHAIN OF COMMAND
- In both game modes, the Captain must wait for the First Mate and the Engineer to perform their tasks and announce “OK” before announcing a new course (see The First Mate and The Engineer).
- You can never write twice on the same dot. A submarine cannot cross or move along its own previous route (i.e. move into a space where a line is already drawn).
- You can’t cross an island.
- The Captain can erase their route only by surfacing (see Surfacing).
BLACKOUT!
If the Captain gets blocked due to the non-optimization of their route, they are in a Blackout situation and must surface immediately (see Surfacing).
ADVICE
The Captain should regularly question their Radio Operator on their estimate of the enemy’s position. It is not recommended to go too fast in announcing the course so as not to confuse the crew. Everyone must have a clear vision of the direction and the course to be taken.
THE RADIO OPERATOR
(Synchronize)
The Radio Operator is the eyes and ears of the team. They are responsible for tracking the enemy submarine by listening to the enemy Captain’s announcements.
The Radio Operator starts the game by drawing a cross in the center of their transparent sheet, to begin listening in the best possible conditions.
Each time the enemy Captain announces a course, the Radio Operator reports it on their transparent sheet (from the starting position of their choice, since they do not know the enemy’s starting point).
By sliding their transparent sheet around their map, the Radio Operator will be able to estimate the enemy submarine’s position (bearing in mind that the enemy cannot cross islands or its own route).
The more the Radio Operator is able to listen to the enemy Captain, the more easily they will be able to determine the enemy’s route and position. They will need to regularly update their Captain with information on the possible location of the enemy.
The Radio Operator will be able to narrow the enemy’s position down further with the help of Drones and Sonars which will be activated by the First Mate (see The First Mate, and Activating Systems).
ADVICE
- So that the transparent sheet doesn’t run out of your overlay too quickly, be sure to start in the middle of the transparent sheet at the beginning of the game.
- If the outline comes out of your transparent sheet or if you are a little confused, erase everything and start over.
NOTE
Each sheet has a space for the player’s name and the name of the submarine (team name).
THE FIRST MATE
(Organize)
The First Mate is in charge of loading the gauges of the submarine’s systems: the weapons, the detection systems and the stealth function. He is also responsible for alerting the Captain when they are full and ready to be used as well as responsible for activating, in relation with the Detector and the detection systems: Sonar and Drone.
MANAGING THE GAUGES
Each time the Captain announces a course, the First mate marks an empty space on the gauge of their choice (or by following the instructions given by the Captain, according to their needs), then they announce «Ok» so that the Captain can give a new order. When a gauge is full, the First Mate announces it out loud. For example: «Mine ready!», so the Captain knows that he disposes of a Mine.
IMPORTANT
- The gauge of a system can only be refilled after the use of said system (see Activating Systems).
- Only the Captain can activate Mine, Torpedo, Silence and Scenario.
- Only the First Mate can activate Drone and Sonar (see Activating Systems, page 6 and 7).
DAMAGES
The game offers two game modes: Sudden Death or Hunt.
Sudden Death: As soon as a submarine takes 1 direct or indirect damage (see below), the impacted crew immediately loses the game.
Hunt: The First Mate counts the successive damages, until one of the two submarines win. At the top right of their player sheet, there are four damage spaces that correspond to the four maximum damage that the submarine can take. For each damage to the submarine, the First Mate must check one of these boxes. If all four boxes are checked, the submarine is neutralized and the game is lost.
DIRECT DAMAGE
If the effect of a weapon (Mine or Torpedo) hits exactly the current position of your submarine, it is called direct damage.
INDIRECT DAMAGE
If the effect of a weapon (Mine or Torpedo) hits one of the eight dots next to the current position of your submarine, it is called indirect damage. Their distinction only exists in Hunt mode
ARE YOU A SHY PLAYER?
Some players may be less comfortable with the stress of their underwater hunt. If one of your players wishes to participate in the adventure by staying a little behind, give him the role of the First Mate, but transfer the activation of all systems (Torpedo, Mine, Sonar, Drone, Silence, Scenario) to the Captain.
The First Mate will then only be in charge of managing the gauges.
THE ENGINEER
(Repair)
The Engineer’s job is to track the breakdowns that occur on the submarine as the Captain announces courses. Some breakdowns will neutralize the submarine’s systems; others will damage the submarine.
For each direction order given by the Captain of their team, the Engineer marks a breakdown in the dial corresponding to the given direction (West, North, South, East). Then they announce «Ok» so that the Captain can give a new order. The Engineer can then cross a warning light of their choice as long as they respect the right Central Circuit.
IMPORTANT
If the Captain orders the activation of a system (Torpedo, Mine, Sonar, Drone, Silence, Scenario) when a breakdown has been ticked in the corresponding color on the Engineer’s side, the Engineer must immediately tick a Radiation breakdown on the Radiation control panel of their choice.
SYSTEM BREAKDOWNS
If at least 1 symbol of a system is crossed out, it is not possible to activate their system.
IMPORTANT
A colored symbol represents 2 systems.
- MINE + TORPEDO
- DRONE + SONAR
- SILENCE + SCENARIO
Before activating a system, the Captain or the First Mate must ask the Engineer if there is no breakdown on that system. In case of inapplicable order, the Engineer must cross out a breakdown Radiation on their station, in the Central Circuits.
REPAIRING
SELF-REPAIRING IN THE CENTRAL CIRCUITS
The breakdowns of the Central Circuits (upper part of a dial) are connected in groups of four, by a grey, dark blue or light blue circuit (line). When all four symbols on a circuit are crossed out, they repair themselves; the Engineer immediately erases those breakdowns.
The breakdowns of the Central Circuits can also be repaired by surfacing (see Surfacing).
REPAIRING THE REACTOR
There are two situations where breakdowns located in the Reactor are repaired:
- When all the Radiation symbols have been crossed out. In their case, after having suffered 1 Damage, you can erase all the breakdowns of the submarine (see Radiation breakdowns, opposite).
- Or, when you do Surface (see Surfacing). And their is definitely the best option!
IMPORTANT
If you mark a symbol that causes both damage and self-repair, the repair takes precedence. You do not take any damage.
RADIATION BREAKDOWNS
Radiation breakdowns have no effect unless ALL radiation symbols are crossed out or they contribute to a complete area breakdown (see Complete Area Breakdown, below). When all radiation symbols are crossed out, the submarine suffers 1 Damage : the First Mate crossed out a Damage. Then the Engineer erases all the breakdowns of the submarine.
COMPLETE AREA BREAKDOWN
When all symbols in a single control panel (North, South, East, West) are crossed out (in the Central Circuits or the Reactor), the submarine suffers 1 damage: the First Mate cross out a Damage. Then the Engineer erases all the breakdowns of the submarine. It is therefore necessary to communicate with the Captain to avoid their situation! The Captain must announce to the enemy that their Engineer has just inflicted damage on the ship by mismanaging the Central Circuits or the Reactor.
ADVICE
To avoid disasters, the Engineer must ask the Captain not to give dangerous directions to the submarine. He should not hesitate to suggest precise directions to facilitate self-repair.
IMPORTANT: MULTIPLE POSITIONS
If you are playing with less than 8 players, a Captain may have to act as First Mate (or even as Engineer). If this is the case, each time the Captain gives an order, they immediately cross out a symbol in the system gauge of their choice on the First Mate’s sheet (and a breakdown on the Engineer’s sheet if they also have that function).
SURFACING
Surfacing is an efficient way to repair the submarine and to reset the route. Doing so will leave the submarine vulnerable for a short time, so surfacing should be undertaken with the utmost caution.
To surface, the Captain raises their fist and announces «Surface in sector X!» The Captain must immediately give the enemy the number of the sector where he is surfacing...!
The rules for surfacing vary depending on whether the game is being played in turn-by-turn or real-time mode.
TURN BY TURN
Instead of announcing a course, the Captain spends their turn announcing that they are surfacing, as described above. Then the Engineer erases all breakdowns from the submarine. The enemy team takes three turns in a row, i.e. three course announcements, but also three system activations. Then the game resumes as normal.
REAL TIME
As soon as The Captain has announced the area where they are surfacing, they can start to repair the submarine:
1 - The Engineer starts by securing the vessel. To do this, they circle one of the four parts of the submarine with their marker without the line drawn going beyond the white outline (the double hull), then they mark their initials on it.
2 - They then pass their sheet to another member of the crew who does the same with another part of the submarine, and so on until all the parts are secured (with the initials of each player). If the game is played with less than 8 players, there will be one or more players who will have to place their initials several times.
3 - The sheet is returned to the Engineer. They must show it to the opposing Engineer who must check that the lines have not gone beyond the double hulls, otherwise they must start all over again!
4 - If everything is correct, they can then erase it off of their sheet: all the lines around the 4 parts, the initials and all the breakdowns of the submarine!
5 - Once everything is ready, they announce to the Captain «Ready to dive!» and the Captain can then announce «Dive!» and resume the game normally.
IMPORTANT
The enemy continues to play while you are stranded on the surface for repairs! While a submarine is on the surface, the crew of that submarine cannot activate any systems (see page 6-7) and the Radio Operator cannot note anything. It must memorize the enemy’s movements. Meanwhile, the Captain resets their course and must erase all their tracks and keep only their current position. However, they should not erase their mines (see Dropping Mines).
ADVICES
Once again, it is the communication between the crew members that will be decisive.
- The Engineer must report their breakdowns to the Captain who can decide to surface if they think they are far from the enemy and safe (only the Detector can guarantee this!). This can help to repair breakdowns or to erase their possible too long and too complex tracks in a preventive way.
- It is better to avoid doing Surface at a critical moment, when the enemy is close, because they could very well deliver the final blow!
- If you are very clever, you can also Surface to draw the enemy towards you, make them cross a minefield previously placed between the enemy and you, then activate the Mines as soon as you dive back down (see Mine Drop).
- It is possible to trigger a charged system (by example a Silence) just after giving the order to dive.
- In Turn by turn, when Team A surfaces, if Team B also surfaces during one of its three bonus actions, it forfeits the remaining actions. Team A then plays its three bonus rounds.
ACTIVATING SYSTEMS
When all spaces on a gauge are marked, the First Mate announces it to the Captain. The Captain can then activate that system at any time. The Captain can activate the Weapon Systems (Torpedo and Mine) and Special Systems (Silence and Scenario). The First Mate can activate the Detection Systems (Drones and Sonar).
To activate a system, the Captain or First Mate does the following:
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Confirm with the Engineer that there are no breakdowns affecting the system. If there are, they must be repaired before the system can be activated.
REMINDER
To activate a system, no symbol corresponding to the chosen System symbol must be crossed out! If a broken down system is activated by the Captain or First Mate, the Engineer must crossed out a Radiation in Central Systems. -
In Turn by turn, the Captain may activate a system after each of their moves. It is not possible to activate a system before moving. In Real Time mode, they must shout «Stop!* by raising their fist (all the other players, of both crews, must raise their marker and listen).
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Announce which system is activated (for example: «I drop a Mine!»).
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Resolve the system activation (see below).
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Play resumes as normal
IMPORTANT
You cannot activate two systems in a row. The Captain must announce a new direction between two system activations (surfacing is not considered a system activation).
STOP TORPEDO!
The Captain can fire a Torpedo up to 4 dots away from their position, in a straight line or in steps (not diagonally). They must announce the point of impact (for example: «Torpedo launched, impact in C6!»), but does not draw the trajectory on their sheet. Then the First mate erases all marks on the Torpedo gauge (since it has just been used). The possibilities and consequences are the same as for the explosion of a Mine.
Then the game resumes normally.
There are then three possibilities:
- The Torpedo blows up more than one dot away from the enemy submarine: The opposing Captain announces «Clear», and the game resumes normally.
- The Torpedo explodes on an adjacent dot of the enemy submarine (even diagonally): the opposing Captain announces «Indirect impact, one damage!» Their First Mate checks off one of the four Damage boxes on their card. Then the game resumes normally.
- The Torpedo explodes exactly on the same dot where the enemy submarine is located: the opposing Captain announces «Direct hit, two damage!» Their First Mate checks off two of the four damage boxes on their sheet.
REMINDER
During a Sudden Death, as soon as a submarine takes direct or indirect damage, the affected crew immediately loses the game.
IMPORTANT
If the point of impact of your torpedo is one dot away from your submarine, you suffer 1 Damage! When firing a Torpedo, don’t forget that you are giving information to your opponent: you are at most four dots from the point of impact.
ADVICE
If your Torpedo explodes by chance on the same dot as a Mine (friendly or enemy), it is destroyed.
If a Torpedo explodes on a dot adjacent to a Mine on either side, that Mine explodes. This is called a chain reaction. First the Damage caused by the Torpedo is resolved, then the Damage caused by the Mine(s).
STOP MINE!
The Captain draws an M (for «Mine») on a space adjacent to their submarine. For the sake of clarity, it is forbidden to drop a Mine on its path (you never write twice on the same dot). The Captain then announces «Mine dropped!» and the game continues. The First Mate then clears the entire Mine gauge (since it has just been used). For the moment, the dropped Mine has no effect.
On the next turn, the Captain may trigger any previously placed Mine if they think the enemy submarine is close. To do this, the Captain raises their fist and shouts: «Stop, I’m blowing up the mine!* and announces the dot on which the mine is located (for example: «Stop, I’m blowing up the mine located on G7!»).
IMPORTANT
- To detonate a previously placed Mine, no red light must be checked by the Engineer.
- Exploding a Mine is not considered a system activation and can occur at any time.
- The Mine gauge is not taken into account during the explosion (no matter how full it is, it is not erased). Indeed, the gauge has already been filled and erased when the Mine is dropped.
There are then three possibilities (as for the firing of a Torpedo):
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- The Mine explodes more than one dot away from the enemy submarine: the opposing Captain announces «Clear!», and the game resumes normally.
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- The Mine explodes on a dot adjacent to the enemy submarine (even diagonally): the opposing Captain announces «Indirect Impact, one Damage!». Their First Mate crosses out one of the four Damage boxes on their sheet. Then, the game resumes normally.
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- The Mine explodes exactly on the same dot where the enemy submarine is located: the opposing Captain announces «Direct hit, two Damages». Their First Mate crosses out two of the four Damage boxes on their sheet. Then the game resumes as normal, but you now know that the enemy is nearby!
REMINDER: During a Sudden Death, as soon as a submarine takes direct or indirect damage, the affected crew immediately loses the game.
IMPORTANT
If you blow up one of your Mines one dot away from your own submarine, you also take a Damage!
STOP SONAR!
When you activate your Sonar, the opposing crew must give you two coordinates for their position: the Captain can choose from the line, column or sector where their submarine is located.
Only one of these two coordinates must be true. The other must be false. The two coordinates must be different (line, column or sector).
The First Mate then clears the entire Sonar gauge (since it has just been used). Then the game resumes normally.
STOP DRONE!
A Drone allows you to ask the opposing crew for information on the sector in which they are located (the map is divided into nine sectors in Real Time mode and four sectors in Turn by Turn).
The Captain asks the opponent about a sector (for example: «Are you in sector 5?»). The opposing Captain must answer yes or no without cheating. The First Mate then clears the entire Drone gauge (since it has just been used). Then, the game resumes normally.
STOP SILENCE!
When you activate Silence, you can move the submarine freely, in a straight line, without giving the order aloud.
- The movement must be in a straight line and can be from zero to four dots.
- The Captain indicates a direction to the Engineer with their thumb behind the screen. The First Mate then clears the entire Silence gauge (since it has just been used). Since Silence is still a movement, the First Mate also crosses out a space of the gauge of their choice (their box can be the Silence gauge that has just been emptied if he wishes) and the Engineer crosses out a Breakdown on their sheet. If the Captain decides not to move, he indicates a «zero* to their Engineer, who must pretend to check a box.
STOP SCENARIO!
This system is not systematically used. It is used for some advanced scenarios (see Scenarios). Depending on the scenario, the gauge is loaded in four boxes or in six (with the two lighter boxes).
END OF THE GAME
Sudden Death: As soon as a submarine is hit, it loses the game immediately.
Hunt: When a submarine takes its 4th Damage, it immediately loses the game.
ADVICE
- As you can see, the key to success lies in an intense communication between the different crew members. If no one talks, if no one listens, you are lost!
- An excellent Radio Operator is also crucial. It is not for nothing that they are called «Golden Ears»!
SCENARIOS
It is recommended for a first game of Captain SONAR to play at least once in turn based on the following cards in alphabetical order:
ALPHA-2 MAP
Welcome officers. The time has come to put all that you learned at the academy to good use.
You will test your ability to work as a team in a sea area with a large number of islands. They will limit the possibilities of movement of your submarines. The Radio Operator’s deduction work will be simplified and the encounters between the two submersibles will be faster and easier! Good luck... Dive!
BRAVO-2 MAP
You are in the Eriatian Trough, a hotly contested area where the territorial waters of several stations meet.
Here, the Radio Operator will need to use more concentration and deductive skills as the opportunities for enemy movement increase. Be sure to use shipboard systems in a concerted manner. Optimize the tracking systems (Drone and Sonar) to emerge victorious in this first major battle.
CHARLIE-2 MAP
You are sailing in the coldest waters in the world, under several meters of ice. In the ice floe area, it is only possible to surface in the water holes located in M3, L8, G12, N14. If you surface elsewhere in the ice floe, you are immediately destroyed (in the advanced rule, you take 1 damage).
DELTA-2 - VOLCANO
The seismic activity in this area is very intense. Be careful not to use your weapons indiscriminately, as this can cause volcanic eruptions.
SCENARIO GAUGE
Each time a Captain fires a Torpedo, or a Mine, he checks off a segment of the Scenario Gauge. If his gauge reaches 3, the first unchecked event below is triggered.
Once the event is resolved, the Captain clears his entire Scenario Gauge. Then both Captains cross out this event.
EVENT 1: ERUPTION
All dots adjacent to the volcano are affected. Apply the Torpedo rule to each of them (this may cause a Mine to explode).
EVENT 2 : TOXIC FUMES
The Captain designates one of the two volcanoes. In the area of this volcano Drones are inoperable until the next event. If a Captain uses a Drone in this area, his opponent must answer «Toxic smoke», without giving any other information.
EVENT 3 : LAVA FLOWS
The Captain chooses one of the two volcanoes. The dots around this volcano (red dots) are considered islands. It is therefore no longer possible to move there. If a ship is there when the lava flows, it is immediately destroyed and loses the game.
ECHO-2 - DAMAGE
The ships were heavily damaged in a battle in the China Sea. Now barely able to sail, they are forced to run on backup batteries (the Scenario gauge) to get to bases to repair onboard systems.
Both ships start the game with no usable systems except for the Scenario gauge (their symbols are all crossed out on the First Mate’s sheet).
SCENARIO GAUGE: REPAIRS
The gauge is loaded in 3 moves. If it is full, the Captain can go to a dot adjacent to an island corresponding to one of the systems. He orders: «Stop repairs (Mine/Torpedo/Sonar/Drone/Silence)! The Scenario Gauge is cleared and the First Mate reactivates the system which can now be loaded normally. The same procedure is followed for each of the other systems that you want to repair.