Holdfast: Atlantic 1939-45 Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1. Components
  • 1.1 Game Board
• 2. Blocks and Label Sheet
• 3. The Units
• 4. Set Up
  • 4.1 Sequence of Play
• 5. Resource Points (RP)
• 6. Reinforcements
• 7. Movement
  • 7.1 Movement Restrictions in the Baltic
  • 7.2 Ships Remaining in Port During Movement
  • 7.3 Axis Ships Moving Through Gibraltar
  • 7.4 Convoys
  • Movement Example
• 8. Combat
  • 8.1 Combat Overview
  • 8.2 The Combat Sequence for Each Round Is
  • Submarine Combat
  • Air Combat
  • Surface Combat
  • Combat Pursuit Fire
  • Battle Example
• 9. Determine Control of Sea Areas
• 10. Determining Net VP Earned in a Turn
• 11. End of Turn
• 12. Victory
• 13. Optional Rules

1. Components

• Game board
• Gray and Tan blocks
• Label & Counter sheet
• Rules
• Dice

1.1 Game Board

The game board shows a map of the major sea areas contested during World War II in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. There are 7 sea areas: North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Sea, Baltic, Barents Sea, Western Mediterranean and Eastern Mediterranean. Each sea area has a Victory Point (VP) value for the Axis and Allies if they control it when a game turn ends. Sea area control can change from turn to turn and some sea areas have different VP values for the Axis and Allies. Sea area control also affects movement of ships.

During movement ships move from ports to connected sea areas and may move from sea area to connected sea area. Most ships can move two sea areas but must stop movement when entering a sea area controlled by his opponent.

For example, ships in port at Alexandria can only move to the Eastern Mediterranean on their first move, while any ships in port at Taranto can move to either Eastern Mediterranean or Western Mediterranean for their first move.

There are a total of 10 ports on the game board. There are 3 gray shaded square Axis ports and can only be used by Axis ships. There are 6 green shaded square Allied ports and can only be used by Allied ships. There is 1 green neutral port in South America that only Axis ships can port at when disabled. Also, some ports can only be used during specific game turns. Each port has a number that shows its repair capacity for repairing damaged ships of its side. Note that the port squares overlap the sea areas to which the port is adjacent and connected to.

2. Blocks and Label Sheet

There are two sets of blocks, one tan and one gray. The tan represents the Allied navy, the gray the Axis navy. On the label sheet there are five different colored groups of labels. The tan, green and red outlined labels are applied to the tan blocks, one label per block. The gray and blue labels are applied to the gray blocks, one label per block.

• Allied: British, American, Russian
• Axis: German, Italian

Other labels are game markers for Victory Points (VP), Resource Points (RP), etc. that should be divided among the remaining blocks, one label per block. There is also a counter sheet of control markers to show sea area control during the game.

Fog of War: During play the blocks are stood upright with the label side facing the controlling player. The only time the opposing player may see the label side of an enemy unit is when both sides reveal the type of unit for combat.

Blank labels are included for each nationality; DO NOT APPLY to the blocks unless a replacement label is needed.

3. The Units

Each of the four sides of the ship units have a number of pips from 1 to 4. This number is the strength points (SP) of the unit and determines how many hits in combat the unit can take before it is eliminated. The unit's current SP should be shown as the top SP on the upright unit. At the top of each major ship unit is the unit's historical name.

Each unit label shows: Current SP, Target Hit Number, Dice Rolled in Combat When Firing, and Ship Name.

The dice rolled in combat is the number of dice the unit rolls when firing in combat. The number of dice rolled varies by unit. Target Hit Number is the number or higher that needs to be rolled on a die when the unit is attacked to score a hit on that unit. It is highlighted in yellow for units that fire during air combat rounds. It is shown in a white square for units that fire during surface combat rounds. For game purposes ship types are also identified by the target hit numbers; Battleships are a 6, Cruisers are a 5, Aircraft Carriers are a 4, and Convoys are a 4.

Air Combat values are listed in yellow. Yellow highlights denote that unit as an air unit. Air units only fire during air combat.

In general ships move two sea areas per turn but convoys move one. The U-Boats can be placed in any sea area and the land air units in select sea areas.

Battleships: These units can move two sea areas and are hit on 6s. They participate in submarine combat and surface combat.

Cruisers: These units can move two sea areas and are hit on 5s and 6s. They participate in submarine combat and surface combat.

Aircraft Carriers: These units can move two sea areas and have an air combat value that is used in the air combat phase in the sea area the carrier is located. Air Combat value is the dice rolled in air combat. Aircraft carriers fire only during air combat. During surface combat they do not fire but are subject to enemy fire.

Land Air: The Axis and Allied player have one land based air unit in the game. They are kept off board and placed during movement in areas where allowed. Sea control does not affect where they can be placed. These units can not be hit and roll 3 dice in the air combat phase.

The Axis plane can be placed in the following sea areas: Barents Sea, Baltic Sea, and Eastern and Western Mediterranean Sea. The Allied plane can be placed in the Eastern and Western Mediterranean Sea areas. Note that a tan and/or gray airplane icon is in the sea areas to show where they are allowed.

Submarines: The Axis player has 7 submarine units (U-boats). To start the game, only 3 are available and kept off board. The remaining 4 submarines are placed on the reinforcement chart for turns 2-4. Any Axis submarine sunk in a turn will return to the next available open slot on the reinforcement track on turns 5-8.

Submarines are placed during movement in ANY area. Sea control does not affect how far they can move or where they can be placed. They are hit on 6 and roll 2 dice in submarine combat in turns 1-4 and 1 die in turns 5-8. Submarines can only participate in submarine combat. No more than 7 U-boats can be in play on the board during any given turn.

Convoys: Only the Allies player has convoy units. Movement rate is one sea area per turn. They are hit on 4-6 and roll 1 die in combat. Convoys start play in the USA Norfolk port.

4. Set Up

To start the game players should set up their reinforcement units in the appropriate boxes on the game board. All other remaining ship units are placed in ports on the game board; German ships in Kiel/Narvik, Italian ships in Taranto port. The Allied player decides which starting ships go into his ports in Scapa Flow, Gibraltar, and/or Alexandria. The starting 3 German submarines and both sides' land air unit are kept off board.

Units start at their maximum SP. Place the RP markers for both players on the game chart. The Axis starts at 7 and the Allies start at 8. Place the turn marker on 1 of the turn chart.

4.1 Sequence of Play

A full game turn is the sequence below. After turn 8 the game ends and a victor is determined.

1. Both players check for reinforcements and place them in ports or in the case of submarines off board.
2. The Allied player activates units for movement and placement. Surface ships move from ports to connected sea areas.
3. The Axis player activates units for movement and placement. Surface ships move from ports to connected sea areas, submarines to any sea areas.
4. Starting with the Allied player, each player will alternate placing their land air unit where allowed.
5. Both players may repair any damaged ships that did not move and remained in port using RP available and port repair capacity.
6. Perform combat in any sea areas where opposing units are located. The Axis player chooses the order if more than one sea area has combat. In each sea area combat sequence is: Submarine combat (1 round), Air combat (1 round), Surface combat (1 or more rounds).
7. Determine control of sea areas and place or change control markers. Adjust the VPs based on area control.
8. Return all surface ships to port, and submarines and air units off board.
9. Move the turn marker one space on the turn chart and begin a new turn.

5. Resource Points (RP)

The Allies start the game with 8 RP for each turn and it increases to 15 RP per turn on turn four. German RP to start the game is 7 RP, at turn two it increases to 9 RP per turn but reduces back to 7 RP on turn seven until the end of the game. No player may spend more RP than they receive in a turn. RP may not be saved for future turns. Damaged ships are repaired by RP. RP available for repair in each individual port is limited by the port RP number. It costs one RP for every SP.

For example, an Allied 4 SP ship that is reduced by damage to 1 SP can be repaired and return to 4 SP in Scapa Flow (repair capacity 6) but only to 2 SP if in Alexandria (repair capacity 1).

6. Reinforcements

Both players check the game board for reinforcements to start a turn. Axis German ship reinforcements come in at Kiel/Narvik and Italian reinforcements come in at Taranto. Allied reinforcements come in at Scapa Flow, Gibraltar and/or Alexandria for British surface ships. Convoys and American ship reinforcements start in Norfolk. Russian ship reinforcements enter in Leningrad. All reinforcements enter the game at their maximum SP.

7. Movement

The Allied player moves first each turn, moving all surface ships. The Axis player moves after all Allied movement is completed by moving his surface ships and placing submarines. Players can choose which ships to move or leave in port during movement. Ships in port can not participate in combat. The Allied player places his air unit in any eligible area, followed by the Axis player placing his air unit.

Moving surface ships and convoys move FROM ports TO CONNECTED sea areas and the move into its first connected sea area is its first move. Submarines, from off board, can be PLACED in any sea area. The air unit, from off board, can be placed in any allowed sea area. Note that surface ship movement is affected by what port the ship starts its movement from and what side controls a sea area the ship moves into but submarine and air unit placement is not affected by ports or sea area control.

Convoys move 1 sea area per turn. All other surface ships move 1 or 2 sea areas per turn. Any surface ship can move one sea area regardless of who controls the sea area, but moving to a second sea area is only possible if the first area moved into is controlled by the moving player.

7.1 Movement Restrictions in the Baltic

Only Allied Russian ships and Axis German ships and air unit are allowed in the Baltic Sea area.

7.2 Ships Remaining in Port During Movement

Any ships not moving and remaining in port can not be attacked during a turn. They may not participate in combat during the turn. Players can repair any damaged ships that remain in port during movement. They use one RP to repair one damage point by increasing the SP of the ship. Rotate the ship from its lower SP to its next higher SP for each RP spent. No ship can be repaired more than its maximum SP or use more than the port's repair capacity.

7.3 Axis Ships Moving Through Gibraltar

Each Axis ship moving or returning between the Western Mediterranean and South Atlantic sea areas is subject to fire from Allied fortifications at Gibraltar. Roll 3 dice against EACH Axis ship passing through and apply results immediately.

For example, an Italian cruiser moving from the Western Mediterranean to the South Atlantic would be fired at on the way out. If that same unit returns to the Western Mediterranean, it would be fired on again.

7.4 Convoys

The Allied player receives 3 convoy ships during the game as reinforcements. These represent the supply convoys sent to Great Britain and Russia during the war. Convoys are surface ships but only move one sea area a turn. They enter play in the USA Norfolk port and their first move is into the North Atlantic. They do not return to port at the end of a game turn but remain in the sea area they are in at the end of the turn. Convoys can "dock" in Great Britain at Scapa Flow if able to move into the port during movement and earn 1 VP for the Allies and then are removed from play. They can dock in Russia at Archangel if able to move into the port during movement and earn 3 VP for the Allies and then are removed from play. Any convoy sunk by the Axis earns 2 VP for the Axis player and then is removed from play.

For example: A convoy ship has survived combat and ends the turn in the Barents Sea. During its movement of the next turn it moves into Archangel and earns 3 VP for the Allies that turn and then is removed from play.

Movement Example

Note that ship movement is affected by what port the ship starts its movement from and what side controls a sea area the ship moves through. In this example sea area control markers show control to start the turn. The Allied player has moved and all the British ships have moved from the Scapa Flow port and the Russian Marat moved from port Leningrad. Their movement is all possible because they moved only ONE sea area into adjacent sea areas with the exception of the Norfolk and Hood which moved two areas into the Barents Sea which is Axis controlled. This is allowed because the first area moved through by the Hood and Norfolk (North Sea) is Allied controlled, allowing them to move two sea areas.

The Axis player moves after the Allied player has moved. He has the Bismarck in port Kiel/Narvik. The yellow lines show all the possible movement choices for the Bismarck. Also available to the Axis player off board is one U-Boat and one Land Based air unit. The U-Boat can be moved into ANY sea area regardless of distance or control. He chooses the South Atlantic. The land based air unit can be moved to ANY sea area as long as the sea area has a matching plane icon (gray for Axis, tan for Allied). He chooses the Baltic sea.

8. Combat

After both sides have ended all movement for the turn any sea areas where both sides have units will cause combat. The Axis player chooses the order if more than one sea area has combat.

Battle Board: All units, other than aircraft carriers and convoys, are placed in the battle station section in the battle board. Task force units in the sea area are replaced with the corresponding ships from the task force box to the battle board. Carriers and convoys are placed in their respective section.

8.1 Combat Overview

If a submarine is present, only one round of submarine combat will take place at the beginning of combat. Next, if air units are present, one round of air combat will take place.

Allied units target and fire their attack first, then the Axis units can target and return fire before sunk/disables take effect. Once set for a round of combat, the ships firing may not change the targeted ship even if the targeted ship is sunk or disabled.

Each firing ship rolls the number of dice allowed in its die rolled box on the label. For each die rolled whose number is equal to or higher than the targeted ship's hit number, one hit is scored. If a 1 is rolled the targeted ship is DISABLED.

Hits are marked by rotating the targeted ship once for each hit. If a ship is sunk or disabled it is placed in the "sunk" or "disabled" box until it has fired once in the round. After all eligible ships have fired in a combat round then any sunk ships are removed from the game and disabled ships are moved to the nearest friendly port. At the end of any round of combat players can engage in land combat if units are present.

8.2 The Combat Sequence for Each Round Is

1. Move the ships in the contested sea area to the appropriate position on the battle board.
2. A single round of submarine combat if submarines present.
3. A single round of air combat if land air unit or aircraft carrier air values are present.
4. One or more rounds of surface combat if surface units are present.

Submarine Combat

If Axis submarine units are present then ONE round of submarine combat occurs. The Allied player counts how many SURFACE ship units he has in the sea area and rolls 1 die for each surface ship and 2 dice for each convoy unit present. He also counts how many air values he has in the sea area and rolls 1 die per air value. Each 6 rolled eliminates one Axis submarine unit which is immediately removed from the game board and placed on the appearance chart two turns later. Each 1 rolled disables one submarine which is immediately returned to port.

Any Axis submarine unit not eliminated or disabled remains in the sea area and gets to fire at any Allied ships (one ship per submarine) including aircraft carriers and convoys. In turns 1-4 each submarine unit remaining in the sea area rolls 2 dice against a targeted ship and in turns 5-8 they roll 1 die. Die roll results are based on the target ship's target hit numbers and are applied immediately. Hits are applied to targeted ships and any sunk ships are removed immediately. Any disabled ships return to the nearest friendly port. After the surviving submarine units fire then submarine combat for that sea area is over for the turn. The surviving submarines remain in the sea area for the rest of the turn.

For example, 3 submarine units are present in the North Sea. Two Allied 4 SP battleships with target hit numbers of "6" are present along with 3 Allied land air values. During Submarine Combat the Allied player rolls 5 dice (2 for the ships and 3 for the air values) against the Axis submarines, rolling 6, 5, 5, 4 and 1, sinking one U-boat and disabling one U-boat. The Axis removes these two units from the sea area. The one remaining U-boat targets one of the two battleships and rolls 2 dice (it is turn 1) and rolls a 6 and 1. The Allied player applies the hit to the targeted ship (reducing it from 4 SP to 3 SP) and disables it, returning it to port, ending the one round of Submarine Combat.

Air Combat

If any Axis or Allied aircraft carriers or land based air units are in a sea area where opposing surface ships are present then ONE round of air combat occurs. This involves using only aircraft carrier air values and land based air values for FIRING. Any ship unit, land based air unit, and convoy unit can be targeted during air combat.

The air combat round is considered simultaneous. Units with air combat values can target and fire on any opposing surface ships. Any unit may be targeted by more than one air unit regardless of whether other ships on the battle board have been targeted OR NOT (air units can gang up on a single target, but air values may not be split). Targeting cannot be altered during a combat round. Aircraft carriers and convoys CAN BE targeted along with the units in the battle station position of the opposing side.

Die roll results are based on the targeted ship's target hit numbers. Once both sides have targeted and fired air units for the round and applied all hits, then any eliminated and disabled units' results take effect thereby removing those units from the battle board and sea area. This ends the air combat round.

For example, if an aircraft carrier with an air value of 2 is facing more than one ship, the carrier must choose one ship to attack. Air units may not split air values when firing.

Surface Combat

After submarine and air combat is completed in a sea area, and all sunk or disabled ships are removed from that type of combat, any remaining opposing surface ships must conduct surface combat. Surface combat is ONE OR MORE rounds of simultaneous combat. Individual ships target and fire on each other. No ship may be targeted by more than one opposing ship unless all ships in the battle station position have been targeted by at least one ship. Ship targeting cannot be altered during a combat round. Aircraft carriers and convoys can not be targeted until the battle station position of the opposing side has no opposing ships in it.

Each surface combat round is considered simultaneous. In each round the Axis player's firing surface ships target the Allied surface ships and fire. Hit results are applied but sunk and disabled ship results do not take effect until AFTER the Allied ships target and fire on the Axis ships for the combat round. To show this move sunk and disabled ships to the sunk and disabled boxes on the battle board. Once both sides have targeted and fired ships for the round and applied all hits, then any sunk and disabled ship results take effect thereby removing those ships from the battle board and sea area. Sunk ships are removed from the game and disabled ships are moved to the nearest friendly or neutral port. This ends the combat round.

To begin the next round of surface combat, each side determines if they will stay or withdraw. The Allied player decides first and if he stays then the Axis player decides if he will stay for another round of surface combat or withdraw. If both players decide to stay then another round of surface combat occurs. If one player decides to withdraw, then all ships of the withdrawing player must withdraw and are subject to pursuit fire from ships of the staying player, should the staying player CHOOSE to pursue.

Combat Pursuit Fire

The staying player can choose which ships will pursue. His pursuing ships get to target one LIKE withdrawing ship for pursuit fire. Convoys cannot be targeted during pursuit fire until their battle station position has no ships in it. Targeting like ships means that battleships target battleships, cruisers target cruisers, aircraft carriers target aircraft carriers (with their air values), and land air units can only pursue land air units. Each pursuing unit can roll one round of combat fire at the target unit it is pursuing and the withdrawing unit applies the die roll results based on its target hit number. Once withdrawing units have been targeted by at least one pursuing like unit, then they may be targeted by more than one like unit. After pursuing units fire, withdrawing units return fire on like pursuing units. Surviving withdrawing ships then use normal movement and ignore control markers when RETURNING to port.

For example, one Allied battleship and one cruiser withdraw from surface combat in the Barents Sea. The Axis has two battleships in the sea area surface combat. Both Axis battleships could use pursuit fire on the Allied battleship because they are like types. The Allied cruiser can withdraw and is not subject to pursuit fire because there are no Axis cruisers present in the battle.

Battle Example

After all Allied movement followed by Axis movement, any sea area with both sides' units in it causes a battle. In this example these units ended movement in the Barents Sea and have been placed on the battle board to begin battle.

1. Submarine combat is the first phase. The Allied add one die per surface ship (5), 2 dice per convoy (2) and one die per air factor (2). This gives the Allies 9 dice for one round of U-boat defense and each six rolled sinks a U-boat and each 1 disables a U-boat. Any surviving U-boat gets one fire at any one ship it chooses. In our example the 9 dice rolled had no hits and 1 disable result, sending one U-boat back to port. The surviving U-boat rolls 2 dice (turns 1-4, one die turns 5-8) on the Norfolk and scores two hits with a 5 and 6. The Norfolk is sunk and removed from the game and does NOT get to battle. Both subs are removed from the battle board as the submarine battle is over. One sub is returned to the sea area, the disabled sub is returned to a port.
2. The next phase is air combat. Each unit with an air combat value can fire on one opposing ship using its air values. The Axis apply their land based air to the Warspite and roll 3 dice, rolling a 1, 4, and 6. The 6 scores one hit and the 1 disables it, forcing it to return to port. The Allied Victorious applies its air combat values to Tirpitz and rolls 2 dice, rolling a 1 and 5. The 1 disables the Tirpitz, sending it to port. This ends the air battle phase. The land based air is removed and the air combat ability for the Victorious is done for this battle.
3. The next phase is surface combat. Surface battles are simultaneous with the Axis rolling dice first with results applied AFTER the Allies roll their combat dice. The Bismarck and Lutzow both attack the Hood, rolling 6 and 1 dice. They roll 6, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1. The Hood applies 2 hits and is disabled and must return to port after the battle. Now the Hood fires rolling 4 dice against the Lutzow. It rolls 6, 5, 5 and 2. The 6 and two 5s score 3 hits sinking the Lutzow. This ends round 1 of surface combat.
4. Round two of surface combat begins with the Bismarck available to attack the convoy and Victorious. The Allied player decides to withdraw. The Bismarck pursues the convoy because there are no Allied ships in the Allied battle station position. It rolls 6 dice and scores 2 hits. The convoy returns pursuit fire rolling 1 die, the result is a 2, which is a miss. The convoy escapes along with the Victorious. The sea area battle is over and the Axis controls it.

9. Determine Control of Sea Areas

Sea area control for the turn end is determined when all combat in all sea areas has been completed. Any sea area that has no surface ships in it is neutral. Remove any control markers. Any sea area that has Allied surface ships in it AND an Axis submarine is neutral. Remove any control markers. Any sea area with only one player's surface ships in it is controlled by that player. He removes any opposing player control markers and places his control marker over his opponent's VP number in that sea area. VP is awarded to only one player in each sea area per turn. Sea area control at the end of the turn determines sea area control at the beginning of the next turn.

For example, after all combat is completed the Axis player is the only player with ships in the North Sea and Barents Sea. He controls those areas and earns 5 VP for the turn. The Allied player is the only player with ships in Eastern and Western Mediterranean and North Atlantic. He controls these sea areas and earns 3 VP for the turn. The Allied player is the only player with surface ships in the South Atlantic but the Axis has one submarine there making this sea area neutral. The Baltic has no ships in it so it is neutral. The total effect is the Axis player gains a net of 2 VP for the turn.

10. Determining Net VP Earned in a Turn

Only one player can earn VP in a turn. It is the player with the most total NET VP awarded for sea area control for that turn.

To determine the net VP earned each player totals their VP earned for sea area control at the end of the turn. The player with the highest total VP for the turn subtracts the opposing player's VP for the turn. The result is the net VP earned by that player for that turn. Move the VP marker for the difference for the turn.

For example, to start the turn the Allied player has 4 total VP on the Game Track for the game. During the turn, the Axis player is awarded 9 VP and the Allied player is awarded 3 VP for controlled sea areas. The Axis player has won the turn and has earned the net total (9 VP - 3 VP = 6 VP) of 6 VP for the turn. Then adjust the total VP marker on the game track from 4 VP for the Allied player to 2 VP Axis player.

No player can earn more than 12 total VP in a game. If more than 12 VP is earned the VP marker stays at 12 on the game track until reduced by his opponent.

11. End of Turn

All surface ships still on the game board establishing sea area control return to friendly ports with the exception of convoys which remain in the sea areas they are in. Surface ships use normal movement and ignore control markers when RETURNING to port. Any submarines on the game board are moved off board.

For example, Axis ships in the South Atlantic could return to Kiel/Narvik, Brest (in turns 2-6), or Taranto (in which case they are subject to Gibraltar fortification fire).

Move the turn marker one space on the turn chart and begin a new turn.

12. Victory

The player with the most total earned VP points in the game track at the end of turn 8 is the winner. If a tie, the Axis player claims victory.

13. Optional Rules

The Baltic: Allied British surface ships are allowed to move into the Baltic Sea area but each ship moving into the Baltic is subject to the Germans firing on them. The Axis player rolls three dice against EACH Allied British ship and applies hits and disable results accordingly. This applies for both entry and exit.

Air Raid: An opponent's port repair facilities, in some locations, can be attacked by the land air unit. This is designated by the air unit icon next to the port name. To do this the air unit must deploy over the port during movement. Before repairs are attempted the air unit gets to attack the port. It rolls 3 dice and rolls of 4, 5, and 6 hit the port, reducing its RP repair capacity for this turn by 2 for each hit. After the attack the air unit is removed from the game board and not available until the next turn.

Task Force: Only the Allies player has task force units. These units are placed on the board to represent several ships that will move together. These ships are located in the task force box on the board until moved to the battle board. Task force can serve also as decoy blocks, thus not having any ships in the corresponding task force box.

Ships are added to the task force boxes during the movement phase and are replaced with the task force block in the sea area.