Nine Navies War

Nine Navies War Rulebook

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Game Components
3.0 Set Up, Control & Bases
4.0 How to Win
5.0 The Turn Sequence
6.0 Miscellaneous Ship Losses & Random Events
7.0 Reinforcement Ships
8.0 Movement
9.0 Contested Narrows
10.0 Repairs
11.0 Combat
12.0 British Aircraft Carriers
13.0 Zucker's Thesis
- 13.2 Procedures
14.0 Q & A

1.0 Introduction

1.1 In General

The Nine Navies War: An Alternative History World War I Battleship Strategy Game ("9NW" for short) examines what could have happened if the Germans managed to overrun western Europe in 1914, much as they did historically in 1940. With France conquered so quickly, the huge losses suffered historically by both sides' armies from 1915 through 1918 would mostly have been avoided, as the emphasis on winning the war switched from land to naval action.

9NW is a two-player game in which both commanders assume the roles of the supreme admirals of their alliance. Each tries to defeat the other by using his ships to gain and maintain control over vital sea lanes around Europe. Both players will have many opportunities to attack and defend, since the balance between the combined navies of both alliances is close. There are no pre-ordained strategies here, no well-worn historic paths to victory. Success will go to the commander able to make the most efficient and decisive use of the ships in his fleets.

1.2 Counter-Factual Particulars

The fall of France in 1914 could probably have been most easily achieved ("most easily" meaning with the least amount of detouring from the historic course of events until then) had only two things happened differently that fateful August.

First, we're assuming there was a week or more delay in getting the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) into play on the front. Historically there was at first considerable opposition in the British cabinet to that nation's entry into the war. If those ministers had stood firm for only a few more days, that resultant delay of departure of the BEF would've vastly altered the flow of combat along the left wing of the French armies. Things would have been made much easier for the Germans by, in effect, freeing an entire additional army for direct operations against or beyond Paris.

Second, the original concept of the Germans' Schlieffen Plan, by which they correctly anticipated the French would themselves be launching an offensive, called for a withdrawal in the face of the Gallic attack. The idea was to draw in the advancing French as far as possible, into what would ultimately become an operational cul de sac, once the German right-wing armies had advanced far enough around and behind them.

As it was, the German commander Moltke lost his nerve. Unable to stomach the idea of any significant amount of German territory falling under French control, even just temporarily, he ordered the trapping withdrawal stopped much sooner that it should've been. That halt was accomplished by the Germans delivering the tactical equivalent of a bloody nose to the French, but those armies were then still free to withdraw and redeploy when their high command realized the danger inherent in the earlier strategy of advancing. Here, then, we're assuming Moltke kept faith with the original scheme, continued to have his forces pull back in front of the eagerly advancing French, ultimately surrounding and effectively destroying them in a battle of encirclement fought somewhere in the northern Rhineland.

We posit all this knowing many students of the war's history have trouble giving credence to the idea the Schlieffen plan could have succeeded in delivering victory to the Germans in 1914. "It was simply too far to ask a marching army to go," the determinist argument usually begins. We probably don't have the ability to change anyone's opinion here; so all we can ask as you consider this altered timeline is to remember that, when the Germans were stopped historically, the Allied turnaround was called the "miracle of the Marne," not the "sure thing of the Marne" or the "anti-climax of the Marne."

Those two changes would then put an increasingly exhausted, but still utterly and victoriously exhilarated, German force storming into or around Paris early in September. As coherent French resistance and national morale began to collapse, we can imagine a scene in Berlin in which a delegation of German admirals calls on the Kaiser to advise him of the changing war situation.

1.3 A New Course of Events, 1915-1918

We're further imagining that, as a result of the "Admirals' Conference," the Germans, at the head of the Central Powers alliance, embark on a new strategy to win the war. That is, to use their alliance's fleets to knock out Great Britain, the last serious block to German hegemony in Europe, by means of an all-out naval war. That strategy would likely not have involved any 1914 equivalent of 1940's proposed "Operation Sea Lion." Amphibious technology was simply too primitive to allow for the success of any landing operation large enough to conquer the British Isles. The new war would be fought to resolution as a series of surface fleet engagements, decided largely by battleships, aimed at winning control of the vital sea lanes around Europe, thus eventually forcing one side or the other to make peace.

The changed situation would also, we feel, have seen less emphasis on submarine development than occurred historically. The naval commanders of those times believed that with their battleships they were already commanding the premiere weapons systems of the 20th century. They weren't of a mind to innovate if they didn't have to do so. The big-gun naval war everyone had been anticipating for over a decade would have at last been at hand, and few if any in responsible positions would have been interested in looking for ways out of or around it.

We further assume that, given the fall of France and the Italian adherence between 1871 and 1943 to the strategic doctrine of the "theory of decisive weight," Rome would in this timeline honor its treaty obligations, and seek to jump on the German victory train, by coming immediately into the war on Berlin's side. The same, we feel, would be true for Greece, which would otherwise see itself surrounded in a Central Powers dominated Mediterranean.

The first move of the Germans in the new situation would of necessity have been to try to capture as many French battleships as possible. Those vessels, as the result of an informal agreement made in 1908 between Paris and London, were concentrated at facilities on the Mediterranean coast. (The battleships of the Royal Navy were to have kept the Channel and Atlantic coasts secure.) We can imagine the Germans crash-landing commandos in Zeppelins, and making use of the newly activated Italian fleet, to stage a surprise raid on the French ports while the situation was still fluid and chaotic.

In London, meanwhile, the British, fully aware what their recent dallying had already cost them, become resolved to get in front of further developments. Realizing their continued control of Gibraltar was critical to the long term maintenance of their war effort, they launch a pre-emptive invasion of Iberia, via Lisbon, even as the Germans begin massing their own troops to move across the Spanish border. The British win the race, establishing a strong defensive front miles inland from the vital Strait of Gibraltar and the naval base there. A successful Anglo-Egyptian offensive would likely have also been launched against the Turks in the Sinai, pushing them away from the inland sea's other exit, the Suez Canal, while still another effort swiftly evicted the small Italian garrison from Libya.

At the same time, wireless-equipped German "naval command liaison teams" would be dispatched to every national naval headquarters, as well as the bridge of every capital ship, in the navies of the Central Powers. The Habsburg-related Spanish royals defect with their small fleet to Italy. As to the still active Russian front, the German army high command, delighted they were to be allowed to play some active part in the war, begin planning a series of offensives aimed at knocking our that nation. They also begin to send units to reinforce the Ottoman Turks, eventually hoping to advance far enough to block Allied transit through the Suez Canal. In the Pacific, the Japanese, having just finished seizing the Austrian and German colonies in that part of the world, begin quietly casting about for a way to switch sides, thus getting a chance to grab even more colonial territory.

Thus, by the start of 1915, the stage was set for a new kind of war, the like of which was never seen before or since. It would be an all-out, big-gun, battleship slugfest fought with iron ships and steely men. It would be remembered ever-after as "The Nine Navies War."

Design Note. Other points of alternative historic interest will be discussed in specific design notes, like this one, located at appropriate places throughout the rest of the rules.

1.4 Game Scales

Each ship counter represents one battleship, battle cruiser or aircraft carrier. Each game turn represents about four months of active operations, and the map has been drawn at a scale of roughly one inch to 125 miles.

1.5 No Fog o' War

Note that in this game, given the length of time represented by each game turn and the fact both sides would no doubt have had extensive espionage networks functioning in the ports around the world, there is no fog of war. That is, both players are always free to examine the stacked units of his opponent.

1.6 No Stacking Limits

Players, old hands in particular, should note there are no "stacking limits" in this game. That is, within the broad limits established by the other rules, any number of ships may potentially move into, through and/or occupy the various bases and sea zones around the map at any and all times.

2.0 Game Components

2.1 In General

The components to a complete game of 9NW include these rules, the storage box, map sheet, a six-sided die, 352 larger-size and 140 smaller-size die-cut counters (also referred to as "units" and "unit counters").

2.2 The Game Map

The game map is drawn so as to emphasize the critical sea areas around the European continent in 1915. The game takes place almost entirely at sea; the only land areas directly involved are red Allied naval base areas and gray Central Powers base areas. The rest of the land areas are important only in so far as they delineate the boundaries of the surrounding sea zones. Every ship is considered to be in only one sea zone or base area at any one time.

Mapsheet Errata: On the Random Events Check Sequence Table, located in the lower-right corner of the mapsheet, the numeric references to the rules involved are wrong. That is, where "see 6.1" is shown, it should read "see 6.2." On that same table, simply ignore the last line to text, which reads: "Canadian Colonies (see 6.7)."

In the Alexandria/Suez box, when that base area splits in two, put "Alexandria" ships in the southwest half and "Suez" ships in the northeast half.

2.3 Counters

There are 352 larger-size unit counters in the game, most of which represent individual battleships, battle cruisers, transports and aircraft carriers. Other counters are also provided as informational markers and memory aids. After reading these rules at least once, carefully punch out the counters. Trimming off the "dog ears" from their corners with a fingernail clipper will facilitate easier handling and stacking during play and enhances their appearance.

Unit Counter Errata: The US ship "United States," a 5-3-8, should have an asterisked ten in its upper corner (10*).

2.4 Sample Ship Unit

Each battleship counter displays several pieces of information: nationality (and therefore the "side" each unit is on), specific historical identification, attack and defense strengths, its maximum speed, as well as reinforcement or other special status.

This is the British ("Br") battleship "Barham." It has an "attack factor" of "6," a "defense factor" of "7," and maximum speed of "6." it enters play as a reinforcement during Game Turn 3.

2.5 Nationality & Background Colors

A unit's nationality, and therefore the side to which it belongs during play, is shown by its background color.

The Central Powers Side

Austro-Hungarian ships– yellow
German & Franco-German ships– gray
Greek ships– white
Italian ships– orange
Spanish ships– tan
Turkish ships– light gray

The Allied Side

British ships– red
Free French ships– light blue
Russian ships– green
US ships– dark blue

Design Note. If you count the lines of text in the section above, you will find there are actually 10 navies listed. The conflict was called the "Nine Navies War," however, because it began with the USA neutral. Even after the Yanks (and the Japanese in the Pacific) came in, the original name still stuck.

2.6 Nationality Abbreviations

The nationality of each ship is also shown by an abbreviation on the left side of the counters. Those abbreviations are:

The Central Powers Side

Austro-Hungarian - AH
German–Ge & FG (see "Design Note" below)
Greek - Gk
Italy - It
Spain - Sp
Turkey– Tu

The Allied Side

Britain - Br
Free French - Fr
Russia Northern Fleet– RN
Russian Southern Fleet - RS
United States– US

Design Note. The abbreviation "FG" stands for "Franco-German," and is used to identify the French battleships captured by the Germans at the start of the war. See 3.3 and 3.4 for details.

2.7 Historical Names

All ships are further identified by the names used to designate them during the actual war. The following abbreviations are used:

Austro-Hungarian Ships

E– Erzherzog Karl & Erzherzog Friedrich
EF– Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand, Erzherzog Ferdinand Max
K– Kaiser Karl VI
V– Viribus Unitas

British Ships

CV– Aircraft Carrier
K– King
Prin– Princess
Prn & Pr– Prince
Q– Queen
Sov– Sovereign
St– Saint

French Ships

C– Charles

German Ships

Fried– Friedrich Der Grosse
F– Feurst Bismarck
Gross– Grosser Kurfurst
K– Konig Albert & Karl der Grosse
PE– Prinz Edward Friedrich
Rg– Prinz Regent Luitpold
Sc– Schleswig Holstein
W– Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse

Italian Ships

Am– Ammiraglio Di Sante Bon
Bene– Benedetto Brin
C– Cristoforo Colombo
C– Conte Di Cavour
D– Dante Alighieri
E – Emanuele Filiberto
F– Francesco Morosini & Carracciolo
L – Leonardo Da Vinci
M– Marcantonio Colonna
R – Regina Margherita
V – Vittorio Emanuele

Turkish Ships

H– Hairedin Barbarossa

US Ships

Isl– Island
N– North
S– South
W– West

2.8 Attack Factor

Each ship's attack factor is the measure of its ability to conduct offensive combat operations by firing guns and torpedoes at enemy ships. The higher this number, the mightier the ship. See section 11.0 for details.

2.9 Defense Factor

Each ship's defense factor is the measure of its ability to absorb a certain amount of punishment before sinking. This rating is based on armor thickness and placement, as well as damage control capabilities and interior compartmentalization. The higher this number, the tougher a ship is to sink. See section 11.0 for details.

2.10 Speed Factor

This number is a relative measure of a ship's ability to escape from or pursue enemy vessels, as well as to move two, rather than just one, sea zone during a single turn. See sections 8.0 and 11.0 for details.

2.11 US Reinforcement & Starting Units

At the start each game the United States is neutral and its navy's ships are not yet directly involved in play. The Allied player should therefore take all US ships that don't have a reinforcement entry turn number printed on their right sides and place them in a large-mouthed opaque container (such as a coffee mug), and then temporarily set it aside.

He should then take all US ships that do have reinforcement entry turn numbers printed on their right sides and place them in those corresponding boxes of the Turn Record Track on the map sheet. As each turn progresses and the US is still neutral, he should take newly arriving US reinforcement ships and place them into the same container used to hold the other vessels of that navy.

Only when America has entered the war will the US Navy move from the holding container into play on the map. From that time, further US reinforcement ships will also go directly from the Turn Record Track into play on the map or in the Pacific; the opaque container will no longer be used. See 5.3 and 6.9 for details.

2.12 Other Reinforcement & Starting Units

Ships belonging to nations other than the US, which will enter play only after the game has begun, rather than starting play already set up on the map, are called "reinforcements." Reinforcements can be distinguished from starting units by the fact they—the reinforcements—have a one-digit or two-digit number, such as "3" or "10," for example, printed on their right sides inside a small box. Those numbers refer to their game turns of entry into play. See section 7.0 for details. Non-US ships that have no reinforcement number on their right sides make up the starting fleets of both sides and are therefore set up on the map according to the procedures given in section 3.0.

2.13 Ship Types

In general, unless otherwise noted, all ships in the game are battleships (BB) or battle cruisers (BC). Since there is no real qualitative distinction between those two broad classes of ships in play, the BB or BC distinction isn't noted on the counters. The British navy also receives three aircraft carriers (CV–noted on those ships' counters) as late-game reinforcements, while the German navy has two "convoys," which have transport ship icons on their counters.

2.14 Other Counters

The uses of the following counters are explained at appropriate points throughout the rest of the rules:

Control Markers (see 3.6 & 3.7)
Base Activation chits (see 5.5)
Damage markers (see section 11.0)
Disabled markers (see 5.8 & section 11.0)
Sunk markers (see section 11.0)
Victory Point markers (see section 4.0)

3.0 Set Up, Control & Bases

3.1 In General

Players should first decide which side each will control and which game version they will play, the full "campaign" game or the short "1915" scenario (see section 4.0). After that they should take their own side's ships and sort them onto and around the map according to the instructions given below.

To start, place an Allied control marker (see 12.14) in each sea zone on the map. Put both sides' victory point markers inside the zero (0) boxes of their respective side's Victory Point Tracks printed on the map sheet. Place all of the Base Activation Markers (see 2.14 and 5.5) in another large-mouth opaque container, and then also it set aside temporarily.

3.2 Allied Set Up

The Allied player sets up first. He should begin by sorting and deploying US ships according to the instructions given above in 2.11. He next places all his side's non-US reinforcements directly into the boxes of the Turn Record Track corresponding to each one's game turn of entry. For example, the British reinforcement battleship "Barham," with a boxed "3" printed on its right side, should be placed in the "Game Turn 3" box of the Turn Record Track.

After sorting and setting out the US units and his non-US reinforcements as described above, the Allied player should next place all starting ships of the Russian Northern Fleet (RN) in the Northern Russia base area on the map. Then he should place all starting ships of the Russian Southern Fleet (RS) in the Sevastopol base area on the map. He should then place all Fr/FG ships, their "Free French" sides showing upward, in the Toulon base area.

He then finishes Allied ship set up by placing all the starting British ships in the Great Britain & Ireland, Gibraltar, Malta, Alexandria/Suez and Allied Colonies in Africa base areas. He may divide his starting British ships among those bases areas as he sees fit. He is not required to start ships in each of them; he may choose to deploy British ships to one, some or all those bases.

3.3 French Navy Disposition

To determine which French ships the Germans managed to capture in their raid just prior to the start of the game, the Allied player should select one of those ships at a time from the Toulon base. As each French ship is selected, the Central Powers player should roll a die for it and consult the "French Navy Disposition Table" printed on the map sheet.

If a given French ship is determined by its die roll to have been captured in the German raid, immediately flip it over so its "FG" side shows upward. Such ships are henceforth referred to as "Franco-German," and are considered to be on the Central Powers side for all purposes for the rest of the game (but see 11.11). They start the game in Toulon.

If a given French ship is determined by its die roll to have escaped capture in the German raid, immediately move it to the Allied "Algiers" base area with its "Fr" side still showing upward. Such ships are henceforth referred to as "Free French," and are considered to be on the Allied side for all purposes for the rest of the game.

On die roll results of three or five, a French ship must have a damage check made for it. That's done normally (see 11.4), with but one exception. That is, no damage made under the provisions of this particular rule is allowed to sink a French or Franco-German ship. If a die roll indicates a large enough number of damage points have been scored on a particular ship to sink it, only give it that ship's maximum number of damage points it could absorb without sinking (equal to its defense factor; again, see 11.4ff), and simply ignore the surplus of rolled damage points.

If a given French ship is determined by its die roll to have been sunk during the German raid, immediately remove it from the map and place it aside in the "dead pile." Those vessels will no longer take part in play in any way.

3.4 Franco-German Reinforcement Ships

There are three Franco-German reinforcement battleships, the Provence, Lorraine and Bretagne. At the end of 1914 those ships had been "laid down," but were not yet completed. We assume here that such sitting ducks would be easy captures for the Germans; so their is no side-determining die roll for them. Note they have no printing on what would otherwise be their Free French sides. They appear as Central Powers reinforcements on the Game Turns indicated on their counters. All three enter play via the Cherbourg/Brest base area. See section 6.0 for more on reinforcement entry.

Design Note. The names of the French ships remain unchanged no matter the disposition of each into the fleet structures of the opposing alliances. In reality, the Germans would likely have re-christened the captured ships with names from their own language, naval traditions, etc. We've kept the names the same, however, simply because in a game with some 350 named battleships already in play, the addition of the 28 more names, all made up, would've accomplished nothing but add a confusing element. We're therefore assuming that when someone at the German admiralty suggested a committee be formed to designate new names for the captured vessels, the Kaiser interrupted, saying: "France and its history now belong to me. These French ships also now belong to me. The names of these French ships therefore also belong to me. I therefore see no need to change the names of my ships."

3.5 Central Powers Set Up

Once the Allied player has finished setting up that side's ships, and the dispositions of the ships of the French navy have been decided as described above, the Central Powers player begins his side's set up by placing all his reinforcement ships into the corresponding boxes of the Turn Record Track, just as was done for Allied reinforcements.

He then places all Turkish ships in the Turkey base area, all Greek ships in the Greece base area, all starting Italian and Spanish ships in the Italy base area, all Austro-Hungarian ships in the Pola base area, and all German ships, other than the two convoy counters, in the Germany or Cherbourg-Brest base areas. He may place any number of German ships in either or both those two base areas, as he sees fit. The two German convoy counters should temporarily be set aside; they will be entered into play later.

3.6 Sea Zone Control

In this game the idea of "sea zone control"—which side's ships dominate each sea zone during each game turn's operations there—is critical for determining the winner of each game (see section 4.0). At the start of play the Allied side is considered to be in control of all the sea zones on the map, a fact reflected by placing a control marker, with the British Union Jack showing upward, in each one of them during set up.

The control status of a sea zone is determined anew at the end of each game turn's combat in it. Control switching is then immediate, and may potentially occur and reoccur in each zone at the end of every combat in each zone. Control markers, printed with the British Union Jack on one side and the Kaiser's battle flag on the other, are provided for use on the board to keep track of which zones are controlled by which side throughout play.

At the end of each turn's combat within a sea zone, the side with one or more ships remaining there is considered to be in control of that sea zone. A control marker, with the appropriate flag showing upward, is then placed within the zone and the controlling player is awarded the appropriate number of victory points for his accomplishment (see 4.2).

If there are no ships of either side in a sea zone when it comes time to reckon control status there, such empty zones are considered to be uncontrolled. No control marker is located there for the next turn, and neither player receives victory points for such uncontrolled sea zones.

3.7 Control of Base Areas

Most of the base areas on the map will remain under the control of the side on which they began the game: red for the Allies; gray for the Central Powers. It's possible, however, the Allied Northern Russia, Sevastopol and Gibraltar bases will fall to Central Powers ground attacks during play (see below and section 6.0). Similarly, it's possible Central Powers African Colonies bases (both east and west coast) will fall to Allied ground attack during play (see below and section 6.0).

When a base area is determined to have fallen to the other side's attack, that base is considered to change sides for the rest of the game. That is, for example, if Gibraltar falls to a Central Powers ground attack, that base is henceforth considered to belong to the Central Powers side. That means Allied ships may no longer base from Gibraltar, while Central Powers ships may immediately begin doing so. Indicate the switch in control status by placing a control marker, with the new owner's flag showing upward, in the box printed next to that base area on the map.

It's also important to note the ship repair capacity (see section 10.0) of a captured base area is lost to the new owners. That is, for example, once the Allied Northern Russia base area is captured by a Central Powers ground attack, the repair capacity of that base is zero for the rest of the game.

Finally here, note the capture of a base area can't be undone by the losing side in any way during the rest of the game. A lost base is lost permanently to the other side.

3.8 Fall of Northern Russia

If the Allied Northern Russia base is determined to have fallen to a Central Powers ground attack (see 6.3), all Allied ships based there at that time must immediately make a "Contested Narrows passage check" (see section 9.0). Those ships surviving their check are immediately moved to the Great Britain & Ireland base. Such ships may not move from that base during the game turn immediately following their evacuation to it, but may move and fight normally during all turns after that one.

3.9 Fall of Sevastopol

If the Allied Sevastopol base is determined to have fallen to a Central Powers ground attack (see 6.4) all Allied ships based there at that time must immediately make a "Contested Narrows passage check" (see section 9.0). Those ships surviving their check are immediately moved to the Alexandria/Suez base (to the Alexandria portion of that base if the Suez canal has been blocked; see 3.12). Such ships may not move from that base during the game turn immediately following their evacuation to it, but may move and fight normally during all turns after that one.

3.10 Fall of Gibraltar

If the Allied Gibraltar base is determined to have fallen to a Central Powers ground attack (see 6.6) all Allied ships based there at that time must immediately move to the Malta and/or Great Britain & Ireland bases. The specific destination of each evacuating ship is up to the Allied player. Such ships may not move from their new base during the game turn immediately following their evacuation to it, but may move and fight normally during all turns after that one. Note that, unlike the fall of Northern Russia and Sevastopol, Allied ships making this kind of emergency evacuation from Gibraltar are not required to make contested narrows survival checks.

Another thing to note about the fall of Gibraltar to the Central Powers is that, starting that same game turn, it's henceforth Allied ships that must make a contested narrows survival check whenever they attempt to move through that strait in either direction. Central Powers ships thereafter no longer make such checks when passing through the Strait of Gibraltar.

3.11 Fall of the Central Powers African Colonies

If the Central Powers African Colonies (East and West) base areas are determined to have fallen to Allied ground and amphibious assault (see 6.8), all Central Powers ships in those bases at that instant are considered to have been sunk and should be removed from the map to the dead pile.

3.12 Blocking the Suez Canal

Prior to the blocking of the Suez Canal by a Central Powers ground attack (see 6.5), the Allied Alexandria/Suez base area is considered one unitary base. That is, ships based there may leave via either the Red Sea, Central Mediterranean or Eastern Mediterranean sea zones. If the Suez Canal is determined to have been blocked by a Central Powers ground attack advancing up to its eastern shore (see 6.5), Allied ships may no longer transit that waterway in order to go in and out of that base area in the ways described above.

When the canal is blocked, the Allied player should immediately take all his ships then in the Alexandria/Suez base area and separate them into two piles, one for ships now considered to be in Alexandria (north coast of the base area) and the other for ships now considered to be in Suez (east coast of the base area). From that time, Allied ships may only enter/exit Suez via the Red Sea, and may only enter/exit Alexandria via the Central and Eastern Mediterranean. The previous unitary repair capacity of two is likewise split, one and one, between the two now separate bases.

Central Powers ships may never traverse the Suez Canal, nor does the Alexandria/Sues base area itself ever fall under that side's control.

3.13 Canada/USA & Other Double-Named Bases

There are several bases on the map with double names. They are: Canada/USA; Alexandria/Suez; Cherbourg/Brest; and Great Britain/Ireland. With the exception of Alexandria/Suez (see above, 3.12), double-names have no effect on the structures or uses of those bases. That is, even though double-named, they function as one unitary base for all purposes.

Note, though, there is a further exception in the case of the Allied Canada/USA base. That is, prior to US entry into the war (see 6.9) Allied ships basing there may only make use of the Canadian repair capacity (two). Once the US enters the war, the growing American repair capacity (noted on the Turn Record Track) is added to that of Canada's to determine each game turn's combined North American base area repair capacity.

3.14 Central Powers Base Nationality Restrictions

In general, a base belonging to one alliance may base and service the ships of all the navies belonging to that alliance. There are two exceptions, though, both on the Central Powers side. First, Greek and Turkish ships may never base from or receive repairs in the other nation's base area. Second, Austro-Hungarian and Italian ships may never base from or receive repairs in the other nation's base area (Pola is Austro-Hungarian).

3.15 Russian Base Restrictions

Russian northern fleet (RN) ships may never dock or receive repairs in any Allied base except Northern Russia prior to a game turn that begins with four or more British ships docked in Northern Russia. This restriction is also lifted, however, if the fall of Northern Russia to a Central Powers ground attack (see 3.8 and 6.3) necessitates the evacuation of that base by Allied ships.

Russian southern fleet (RS) ships may never dock or receive repairs in any Allied base except Sevastopol prior to a game turn that begins with four or more British ships docked in Sevastopol. This restriction is also lifted, however, if the fall of Sevastopol to a Central Powers ground attack (see 6.4) necessitates the evacuation of that base by Allied ships.

4.0 How to Win

4.1 In General

At the end of Game Turn 12 (1918/III)—or at the end of Game Turn 3 (1915/III) if you're playing the short scenario—the winner of the game is determined. The player who has accrued the most victory points ("VP") at that time has won. If by some small chance both players have exactly the same number of VP, that match is considered to have been a draw.

4.2 VP for Sea Zone Control

At the end of the combat within each sea zone, players should determine its control status. Each zone will either have no ships in it of either side, or it will have a ship or ships in it from just one side. If there are no ships in a sea zone at the end of combat there, neither player receives any VP for controlling it that turn and the control flag (if any is there) is removed from it. If there is a ship(s) in a zone, the side owning it (them) is awarded the VP for controlling that zone for that turn.

The VP value for controlling each sea zone is printed on the map near the name of that sea zone, with the Allied player's VP award for controlling that zone on the left, and the Central Power's player VP award on the right. For example, the North Sea is worth four VP to the Allied player for controlling it, and it's worth five VP for the Central Powers player controlling it. Each player should keep a running tally of his own side's VP on his VP track printed on the map sheet.

4.3 North American Coastal Waters

Note the VP value of the North American Coastal Waters sea zone is zero (0). That's because Central Powers ships are never allowed to enter that sea zone; it is always automatically under Allied control.

Design Note. It's not that Central Powers ships couldn't reach North American coastal waters; it's that, given the typical operational ranges and basing requirements of that era's capital ships, they couldn't have maintained themselves there for any length of time. The "fleet train" concept of trans-oceanic naval supply was as yet undeveloped.

4.4 Allied VPs for the Fall of Central Powers Africa

If the fall of the Central Powers colonies to Allied ground and amphibious assault is triggered (see 6.7), the Allied player should immediately roll two dice (or one die twice) and award himself that number of VP (2-12). Note, however, once a German reinforcement convoy has gotten through to a Central Powers colony area, that base can no longer fall to Allied assault. If one base area had been reinforced by the time of the other's fall to Allied assault was triggered, then the Allied player would roll only one die to determine his VP haul for that action.

4.5 German Reinforcement of Central Powers Africa

If the Central Powers player manages to get a reinforcement convoy through to his side's West African Colony base area before it has fallen to Allied assault (see above and 6.8), he should immediately roll one die and award himself that number of victory points (1-6).

If the Central Powers player manages to get a reinforcement convoy through to his side's East African Colony base area before it has fallen to Allied assault (see above and 6.8), he should immediately roll one die and award himself that number of victory points (1-6).

Note that no further attempt may be made to reinforce the Central Powers colony areas once they've fallen to Allied attack (see 6.7).

Each time the Central Powers player makes a reinforcement attempt, the two German convoy units must steam from Cherbourg/Brest or Gibraltar that game turn when their starting base's activation chit is pulled (see 5.5 and 6.8). The Allied player is awarded two VP for each of the convoy units he sinks prior to its docking at the West African base area. He also scores two VP for each such convoy unit that ends up docking that turn in any base area other than the West African for any reason. When the latter takes place, no matter where the convoy docking occurs other than the West colonial base area, simply remove it/them from the map and give the Allied player the appropriate amount of VP (two or four). The convoy unit(s) will be available again for another attempt on any subsequent turn(s) according to the same rules that governed the first reinforcement attempt.

Once a given Central Powers Colony base has been reinforced, it cannot receive further reinforcements during the rest of the game. Its status as "reinforced" is achieved once and then remains unchanged thereafter.

4.6 CP Propaganda Points for US Initial Failure

The first time one or more US ships are in a battle, if the Allied player fails to win that fight (that is, fails to control that sea zone at the battle's end), the Central Powers player immediately rolls a die and scores that number of VP (one through six).

4.7 Central Powers Sudden Death Victory

If the Central Powers player manages to control both the North Sea and North Atlantic sea zones for any three consecutive turns, play stops immediately and he is declared to have won a major victory (see 4.11).

4.8 Winning the Short Scenario

When playing the short 1915 scenario, play stops at the end of the Game Turn 3 and the player with the most VP at that time is considered to have won the game. Within the context of the campaign game's victory levels (see below), such short scenario victories are always only considered "minor" no matter what the overall point spread between the two sides.

4.9 Campaign Game Victory Levels

When playing the full "campaign game," victory is adjudicated at the end of Game Turn 12. As described above, at that time the player with the higher VP total is declared to have won. To place that victory in historic and competitive context, players should refer to the following levels of victory, described below in order from lowest to highest.

4.10 Minor Victory

This level of victory has been achieved when the winning player has scored a total of VP that is less than 10 percent higher than his defeated opponent's total. That means the issue of which alliance structure will dominate Europe over the long haul has not really been settled. A rematch war will likely break out within a few years.

4.11 Substantial Victory

This level of victory has been achieved when the winning player has scored a total of VP that is between 10 and 30 percent higher than his defeated opponent's total. The defeated alliance structure has thereby been thoroughly trounced, with every member state likely undergoing a regime change, either by treaty protocol or internal revolution. They have not been beaten badly enough, however, for their people and politicians to give up the idea of revenge. A rematch war will likely break out 20 to 25 years down the road.

4.12 Major (or "Monstrous Fine") Victory

This level of victory has been achieved when the winning player has scored a total of VP that is more than 30 percent higher than his defeated opponent's total. The defeated nations have been crushed militarily, socially and economically. The new postwar order will be dominated by the international structures set up by the winning alliance for at least the next half-century.

Design Note. We're taking the end of 1918 as the terminus of the campaign game, just as it was for the historic war, because we feel even under these altered circumstances general societal war weariness, angst, ennui and insouciance, etc., would one way or another have set in across Europe at about that same time no matter the particulars of the war being fought.

5.0 The Turn Sequence

5.1 In General

Each turn of 9NW is divided into a strictly sequenced series of steps. All activities performed in the game must be worked through in the sequence listed and described below. Once a player has finished with a given step, he may not go back to revise or redo some poorly thought out action without first getting his opponent's gracious consent. (This is war; you're not required to be gracious.)

5.2 Miscellaneous Ship Loss

Both players should resolve miscellaneous ship loss (see 6.2).

5.3 Random Events

The Central Powers player should roll a die to check for his side's capture of the Allied Northern Russia base area (see 3.8 & 6.3).

The Central Powers player should roll a die to check for his side's capture of the Allied Sevastopol base area (see 3.9 & 6.4).

The Central Powers player should roll a die to check for his side's blocking of the Suez Canal (see 3.12 & 6.5).

If all three of the events described above have taken place (been triggered in any order over any number of turns by successful Central Powers die rolls), the Central Powers player should roll yet another die to check for his side's capture of the Allied Gibraltar base area (see 3.10 & 6.6).

The Allied player should roll one die to check for the capture of both East and West Central Powers African Colonies base areas. Note that only one roll is made to resolve the capture (or failure to capture this turn) of both colony areas simultaneously. Note too that a given Central Powers African Colonial base area can no longer be captured by the Allies once it's been reinforced (see 3.11 & 6.8).

The Allied player should roll a die to check for US entry into the war (see 3.2, 3.13 & 6.9).

Note that, in general, each of the possible events described above is rolled for once each game turn until such time as it is triggered by a successful roll or the game has ended before it was triggered. Remember, though, that a reinforced Central Powers colony can no longer be captured by the Allies (see 6.7 and 6.8).

Note too that when playing the short 1915 scenario no random events checks are made at all, though miscellaneous ship losses are checked and resolved.

5.4 Reinforcement Arrival

Both players look at the Turn Record Chart printed on the map sheet and take from it their side's reinforcement ships for this turn (if any). Both immediately place all their reinforcements for that turn according to the restrictions given in section 7.0. Though reinforcement arrivals may never be delayed, they may be accelerated (see 7.9).

5.5 Base Activation

After both sides' reinforcements for the turn have been placed into appropriate base areas on the map, the elder player should, without looking, reach into the opaque container holding the Base Activation chits (see 2.14). The drawn chit will have on it the name of one of the Allied or Central Powers bases located on the map. That base has now been activated.

The player owning the activated base should, as he sees fit and in the following order: 1) move any, some or all of his ships in the activated base one or two sea zones, according to the provisions of rule 8.2; and then 2) conduct repairs on any previously damaged ships left in the activated base once he's moved away the ships he desires to send to sea from there that turn.

If the player owning the activated base has no ships in that base when its chit is pulled, or if he has ships there but doesn't want to move any of them, he may simply announce he's passing on movement from that base that turn and then proceed directly to ship repair.

When all the activity in and from an activated base has been completed by the owning player, put aside that base's chit. Don't return it to the container until all the other base chits have been similarly pulled and activated for the turn.

Go through the sequence described above, one base chit pull at a time, until all the bases have been activated (the container is empty of all chits) and the desired movement and repairs have been conducted.

Note: damaged ships that sortie from an activated base and attempt but fail to make a two-sea-zone move (see 8.2), and are therefore returned to base, are not eligible to receive repairs that same game turn.

5.5/A Optional Rule: Room 40

Once during the Base Activation Phase of each game turn, the Allied player may call for a single base chit to be redrawn. The procedure is as follows: as soon as the offending base chit is pulled and announced, the Allied player should announce he wants a redraw. The offending chit is then first placed back into the pool, and then another draw is made. It's therefore possible for the same base's chit to be pulled again immediately, in which case there's nothing more to be done about it because only one redraw per game turn is allowed.

Design Note. The rule above has been included as an optional because, during the historic World War I timeline, the British enjoyed something of an intelligence advantage over their Central Powers opponents due to the code-breaking efforts of those working in the Admiralty's "Room 40" cryptography section. For example, as a result of those efforts, the British naval high command got advanced warning of the German plans for both Dogger Bank and Jutland, while the decoding of the infamous "Zimmerman Telegram" was a late-war bonus.

We therefore decided to include it, but also make it an optional rule, because of the divergent opinions expressed about that historic British advantage among our playtesters during the long years of this game's development. That is, some maintained that, because we're operating here in an altered timeline, there's no good reason to believe the historic British advantage– which was, admittedly, mostly due to some lucky tactical intelligence windfalls early in the war– would be repeated in this altered universe. At the same time, others pointed out the overall British superiority in the realm of intelligence gathering, in relation to that of their opponents, actually ran deeper than tactical happenstance, and was therefore almost certain to have made itself felt in any timeline for which we still want to be able to claim a reasonable resemblance to historic 'fact.'

So players should decide between themselves, prior to the start of play, if they'll employ the 5.5/A option. The usual upshot of it in skillful play will be the Central Powers player will have a tougher time achieving the Sudden Death blockade victory condition (see 4.7). Of course, that would've also been the likely upshot of it in an actual World War I fought under these altered geo-strategic conditions– or maybe not– you decide.

5.6 Control Marker Retrieval

Once all base activations have been worked through as described above, either or both players should temporarily remove all control markers from all the sea zones on the map.

5.7 Sea Zone Combat

Once all control markers have been retrieved from the map, both players should roll a die (re-roll ties). The winner of the roll-off immediately indicates any one sea zone containing one or more ships of both sides. Combat between the opposing ships in the indicated sea zone is then resolved (see section 11.0).

When the combat in a sea zone has been resolved, the player who won control there is awarded the appropriate number of victory points and places one of his side's control markers in that sea zone to indicate the area's status (see 3.6).

Go through the above sequence, one sea zone at a time, until all combat in all contested sea zones on the map has been resolved, all ships are returned to appropriate bases and the appropriate VP awarded.

5.8 Recording Game Time

Place a "Disabled" marker (one of the half-inch counters containing a large, capital-letter "X") in the "Game Turn 1" box of the Turn Record Track at the start of play. At the very start of each new game turn, move forward that marker one box on the Turn Record in order to keep track of the game turn. Play of the short scenario ends upon the completion of Game Turn 3, while play of the campaign scenario ends at the completion of Game Turn 12 (unless either is ended sooner by the voluntary capitulation of one player).

6.0 Miscellaneous Ship Losses & Random Events

6.1 In General

The two players in 9NW represent the supreme naval commanders of their alliances. There is, however, also a ground war and a grand strategic war going on, the direction of which is outside the control of the admirals. Those strategic developments within the larger war make themselves felt in play via the rules presented in this section. This rules section also deals with the fact historically both alliances lost, on average, about one battleship per game turn to "miscellaneous" causes. Those causes would include: submarine, coastal artillery, coastal monitor and land based aircraft attack; collisions with mines and unspecified internal explosions.

6.2 Miscellaneous Ship Losses

Each game turn, including Game Turn 1 and prior to taking their reinforcements (if any), both players should each openly roll a die. If the result is a six, then no miscellaneous ship loss is suffered by that player that turn. If the result is a one through five, a miscellaneous ship loss has been suffered by that side that turn. In the latter case, another die is rolled by each player suffering such a loss.

The second roll result indicates the minimum printed attack factor of the ship that must be sacrificed. For example, if a player rolled a five here he could remove a ship with a printed attack factor of five or higher in order to satisfy his miscellaneous ship loss requirement for that game turn. It doesn't matter if a selected ship has any damage on it, only that its printed attack factor is at least the amount shown on the second die roll. Sacrificed ships are permanently removed from play to the dead pile.

6.3 Central Powers Capture of Northern Russia

Skip this die roll on Game Turn 1. On turns after the first, however, after miscellaneous ship losses have been checked for by both players, the Central Powers player should roll another die to check to see if his ground forces have conducted an offensive that has resulted in their capture of the Allied Northern Russia base area. That is considered to have happened on a roll of one. A roll of two through six means no effect; that base as yet remains in Allied control, with its status to be checked by die roll again during the next game turn at this time. etc., until such time as it does fall or the game has ended. For the effects of this base's capture by the Central Powers, see 3.8 and section 9.0.

6.4 Central Powers Capture of Sevastopol

Skip this die roll on Game Turn 1. On turns after the first, however, after the Central Powers capture of Northern Russia has been checked, the Central Powers player should roll another die to check to see if his ground forces have conducted an offensive that has resulted in their capture of the Allied Sevastopol base area. That is considered to have happened on a roll of one. A roll of two through six means no effect; that base as yet remains in Allied control, with its status to be checked by die roll again during the next game turn at this time. etc., until such time as it does fall or the game has ended. For the effects of this base's capture by the Central Powers, see 3.9 and section 9.0.

6.5 Check for the Blocking of the Suez Canal

Skip this die roll on Game Turn 1. On turns after the first, however, after the Central Powers capture of Sevastopol has been checked, the Central Powers player should roll another die to check to see if his ground forces have conducted an offensive that has resulted in their blocking of the Suez Canal. That is considered to have happened on a roll of one. A roll of two through six means no effect; the canal as yet remains in unblocked, with its status to be checked by die roll again during the next game turn at this time. etc., until such time as it does become blocked or the game has ended. For the effects of the canal's blocking by the Central Powers, see 3.12 and section 9.0.

6.6 Check for the Collapse of the Iberian Front

Only begin checking for the Central Powers breakthrough and overrunning of the British front in Iberia with the game turn beginning in which all three of the following three random events have already happened: 1) Northern Russia has fallen to the Central Powers; 2) Sevastopol has fallen to the Central Powers; and 3) the Suez Canal has been blocked by the Central Powers.

The reason for the delay prior to starting to check for this Allied front's collapse is because the area is so stoutly defended by the British army the Germans must first develop "infiltration tactics" before they can hope to gain a decisive breakthrough in Iberia. That development is considered to have taken place only after all three of the earlier victories have been won. Once that precondition has been met, begin rolling once per game turn to check for the Iberian front's collapse in the face of a German offensive making use of infiltration tactics. That is considered to have happened on a roll of one. A roll of two through six means no effect; Gibraltar as yet remains in Allied control, with its status to be checked by die roll again during the next game turn at this time. etc., until such time as it does fall or the game has ended. For the effects of this base's capture by the Central Powers, see 3.10 and section 9.0.

6.7 Check for Capture of Central Powers African Colonies

Skip this die roll on Game Turn 1, however, in turns after the first, after the Central Powers player has finished checking for the potential capture that turn of the various Allied base areas as described above, the Allied player should roll a die to check for the capture by his forces of the Central Powers colonies in Africa. One die roll is made each turn, and that single result determines the simultaneous capture (or not) of both east and west colonial base areas. That is considered to have happened on a roll of one. A roll of two through six means no effect; those bases as yet remain in Central Powers control, with their status to be checked by die roll again during the next game turn at this time. etc., until such time as it does fall, German reinforcements have arrived, or the game has ended. For the effects of the capture of these bases by the Allies, see 3.11.

6.8 Declaration of German Attempt to Reinforce Africa

During any game turns after the first, after the Allied player has determined the fate of the Central Powers' African colonies base areas (and assuming they still haven't been captured by Allied forces) the Central Powers player may immediately declare if he will attempt to reinforce them this game turn. If he declines to make that attempt at that time, he will have the opportunity to change his mind again next game turn at this point in the turn sequence until such time as the colonies have fallen to the Allies.

If he decides to make the attempt (he's never forced to do so), he should immediately place the two "convoy" markers in the Cherbourg/Brest base area; or put both in Gibraltar if that base has already switched to his side's control. When the base activation chit for the facility holding the convoys is pulled during the coming game turn, he must attempt to move both to the South Atlantic via the Central Atlantic if they're steaming from Cherbourg/Brest, or directly into the South Atlantic if they're steaming from Gibraltar. In both cases, potentially any number of normally available battleships and/or battle cruisers may also be sent along to try to ensure the troopships' arrivals.

If one of the convoys makes it through to the South Atlantic, surviving any Allied blocking attempt, it docks that turn in the Central Powers West African Colonies base area. That base is henceforth considered to have been reinforced and may therefore never fall into Allied control afterward. Indicate that status by placing the reinforcing convoy unit in the holding box printed inland next to that base area.

If the second convoy unit also made it through to the West African base area, on the very next turn it must attempt to push on to reach the East African Central Powers Colonial base area. Note that the South Atlantic and Red Sea zones are considered to border directly on each other going in both directions. If that second convoy makes it through, the East base area is considered to have been reinforced with effects the same as described above for the West base area. Note, too, if Gibraltar is under Central Powers control, allowing the German reinforcement convoys to start from there, it's possible for the second convoy unit to make it through to the East Africa base area that same turn (see 8.2 & 8.3).

See 4.5 for the VP effects of the convoys' failure or success in these missions.

6.9 US Entry into the War

The USA begins the game neutral. It may join the war only on the Allied side any time after the first game turn. To check for that, after the random events listed above have been checked for and resolved for the turn, the Allied player should roll a die. On a roll of two through six, the USA will remain neutral throughout that game turn. Make a check each game turn after the first until such time as the US is entered into the war on a roll of one. Don't begin checking for US entry until Game Turn 2.

When a one is rolled here, the US is considered to have been brought into the war by a side-switching Japan, which just used its navy in the Pacific to launch some dastardly surprise attack against Anglo-American ships and bases in that part of the world. In that case, the Allied player should immediately count the number of US ships then in the opaque container described in 2.11. That count made, he should, one at a time and without looking, pull half of that number of ships from the cup and permanently remove them from play. Those ships will be fighting the war in the Pacific throughout the rest of the game and will therefore be unavailable for use in the European war. (If there is an odd number of US ships in the container, send the "larger half" to the Pacific.)

The half of the US Navy remaining in the container after the core Pacific commitment has been determined are potentially available to move to Europe to fight in that war on the Allied side. Starting with the turn of US entry into the war, the Allied player should roll one die. That result represents the number of ships he may immediately remove from the opaque container and place into the Canada/North American base area. That process is repeated during every turn thereafter until such time as the game ends or there are no more US ships available to draw from the container. Each new turn's release of US ships is incremental. That is, they are added to the US forces released earlier into play in Europe; the earlier arriving ships are not withdrawn. To determine the disposition of later-arriving US reinforcement ships, follow the procedures given in 7.8.

Design Note. We're figuring US leadership will, given the circumstances under which their nation's been drawn into this war, unhesitatingly follow a "Pacific first" strategy. The US ship-release die rolls represent the number of vessels they're willing to permanently release from duty against Japan as the war progresses.

7.0 Reinforcement Ships

7.1 In General

Reinforcement ships are those that don't begin the game already in play at the start of Game Turn 1. They can be identified by the fact they have their game turn entry number printed in a small box on the right side of their unit counters (see 2.4, 2.11 and 2.12).

7.2 Reinforcement Arrivals

Both players' integration into their fleets of newly arriving reinforcement ships is undertaken in each game turn as soon as the random events procedure is finished (see 5.4). Reinforcement ships are added to their side's fleet by simply being picked up and placed in an appropriate base area. From there they are immediately and henceforth available for normal use by their owning player.

7.3 British Reinforcements

All British reinforcement ships enter play via the Great Britain/Ireland base area.

7.4 German & Franco-German Reinforcements

All German reinforcement ships enter play via the Germany base area. Franco-German reinforcement ships enter play via the Cherbourg/Brest base area.

7.5 Italian Reinforcements

All Italian reinforcement ships enter play via the Italy base area.

7.6 Russian Northern Fleet (RN) Reinforcements

Russian northern fleet (RN) reinforcement ships may enter play only via the Allied Northern Russia base area. If that base falls to the Central Powers prior to the arrival of a given RN reinforcement ship's arrival, that RN reinforcement ship is considered to have been sunk at the time of that base's fall to the Central Powers. Remove such ships from the Turn Record Track and place them permanently into the dead pile.

7.7 Russian Southern Fleet (RS) Reinforcements

Russian southern fleet (RS) reinforcement ships may enter play only via the Allied Sevastopol base area. If that base falls to the Central Powers prior to the arrival of a given RS reinforcement ship's arrival, that RS reinforcement ship is considered to have been sunk at the time of that base's fall to the Central Powers. Remove such ships from the Turn Record Track and place them permanently into the dead pile.

7.8 US Reinforcements

All US reinforcements determined to be destined for the war in Europe will enter play via the Canada/USA base area. To determine each arriving US reinforcement ship's strategic destination, roll a die for each as they're taken from the holding boxes of the Turn Record Track. A roll of one through four means a reinforcement ship is bound for the Pacific; a roll of five or six means it may eventually come to Europe. Reinforcement arrivals for which a five or six is rolled should be placed into the holding container from which come all US ships moving to Europe. From there they are subject to being randomly drawn each turn, just as described in rule 6.9.

7.9 Game Turn 10* Optional Reinforcements

Note there are many reinforcement ships scheduled for Game Turn 10 that have an asterisk (*) printed on their counters along with that number. Historically those ships' constructions were begun prior to the end of the war, but weren't completed before its end in November 1918. We're assuming that, since the horribly costly ground war fought historically on the western front isn't taking place in this timeline, there are more resources available to accelerate the construction of those ships. Thus they may get into play in this alternative war timeline.

When it comes time to integrate Game Turn 10's reinforcements (see 5.4), both players should roll a die for each of the optional reinforcement ships. An optional ship will enter play that turn on a result of one or two. Those optional ships that don't enter play (die roll results of three, four, five or six) should be moved to the Game Turn 11 box on the Turn Record Track.

When it comes time to integrate Game Turn 11's reinforcements (see 5.4), both players should roll a die for each of the optional reinforcement ships previously moved into that holding box on the Turn Record Track. An optional ship will enter play that turn on a result of one, two or three. Those optional ships that don't enter play (die roll results of four, five or six) should be moved to the Game Turn 12 box on the Turn Record Track.

When it comes time to integrate Game Turn 12's reinforcements (see 5.4), both players should roll a die for each of the optional reinforcement ships previously moved into that holding box on the Turn Record Track. An optional ship will enter play that turn on a result of one, two, three or four. Those optional ships that don't enter play (die roll results of five or six) should be removed to the dead pile.

Note that US optional ship reinforcements must still go through the same entry procedures given for regular US reinforcements in rule 7.8.

Design Note. It's possible, late in the game, to find two different ships in the same navy with the same names. Under normal circumstances, of course, the older-named ships would be retired as their new namesake-replacements came on line. In the desperate conditions of this all-out naval war, however, we feel it fair to allow players to keep the old vessels in service along side their same-name replacements. (When playing by mail or e-mail, further identify such ships by using both their names and combat and movement factors.)

8.0 Movement

8.1 In General

Ships in an activated base (see 5.5) may always be moved into any sea zone that borders on that point of departure. For example, ships starting their activation in the Gibraltar base may move from there directly into the Central Atlantic, the South Atlantic, or the Western Mediterranean. It's not necessary for all the ships beginning together in the same activated base area to move together. Some could be moved into one adjacent sea zone, while others were moved into other adjacent zones, while still others weren't moved at all. Within the movement strictures set forth in these rules, the movement of each ship is up to the owning player at the time of its base's activation.

8.2 Two Sea Zone Moves

You may attempt to move ships from a sea zone adjacent to their base of departure into a second sea zone bordering on that first sea zone, but you may attempt to do so only if the first sea zone wasn't enemy controlled the previous turn (see 3.1, 5.6 and the second paragraph in 8.3 below).

8.3 Movement Procedure

All ships that are to be moved from the currently activated base into a sea zone adjacent to that base are moved first. Only when that's been done are ships moved from the same base that are to be moved two sea zones.

With three exceptions, each ship that will a attempt a two sea zone move must have a die rolled for it as it is moved into the second sea zone. If that die roll result is equal to or higher than the ship's current maximum speed, its two sea zone movement attempt has failed. Such ships must immediately return to their base of departure, where they are omitted from all further activity for that game turn, including repairs if they had damage markers on them.

If the die roll result was less than the ship's current maximum speed factor, the two sea zone move attempt is successful and that ship remains in the second area into which it was moved.

The first exception to the rule above has to do with the two African colonies reinforcement convoys available to the Central Powers player (see 6.8). Those two ship counters may automatically move into a second sea zone, provided only that the stricture given above in 8.2 was met.

The second exception has to do with Allied ships evacuating the Northern Russia, Sevastopol or Gibraltar base areas due to their falling into Central Powers control (see 3.8, 3.9 and 3.10). Such ships are, in effect, making a two sea zone move; however, such emergency evacuations have their own procedures (see 3.8, 3.9 & 9.5), and the die roll described above doesn't apply to them.

The third exception has to do with Allied use of the "Great Circle Route"; see below, 8.7.

8.4 Sea Zone Movement Restrictions

Central Powers ships may never enter the North American Coastal Waters sea zone.

Russian northern fleet (RN) ships may never move into any sea zone other than the Baltic Sea until a game turn begins with four or more British ships in the Northern Russia base area. This restriction is also removed if emergency evacuation of Northern Russia becomes necessary (see 3.8).

Russian southern fleet (RS) ships may never move into any sea zone other the Black Sea until a game turn begins with four or more British ships in the Sevastopol base area. This restriction is also removed if emergency evacuation of Sevastopol becomes necessary (see 3.9).

Note that at the start of the game both sides have at least one base bordering every sea zone on the map. As play progresses, though, and land war random events take effect, that my no longer be true. It's prohibited for ships to move into areas where their side controls no bases.

8.5 Return to Base

After any and all combat has been resolved in a given sea zone, each ship remaining there must be returned to a friendly base bordering on that sea zone. If there is no friendly base bordering on its sea zone, such ships are eliminated from play and placed permanently into the dead pile. If there is more than one friendly base bordering the sea zone, it's not necessary for all the ships of one side to return to just one of those bases. In such cases, the returning ships may be split between or among the available bases bordering that zone as the owning player sees fit. Also see section 11.0 for more on returning to base after combat disengagement.

8.6 No Base to Base Moves

Ships may not move from one base to another without staying in one or another sea zone during the combat resolution portions of the game turn.

8.7 Allied Great Circle Route Movement

Allied ships beginning their movement in the Great Britain & Ireland base area, and that move from there to the North Atlantic sea zone, may then move from that first sea zone into the North American Coastal Waters sea zone without having to make the die roll check described in 8.2 and 8.3. The only stricture is the North Atlantic sea zone must be under Allied control at the start of the game turn in which such moves are to be made.

Allied ships beginning their movement in the Canada & US base area, and that move from there to the North American Coastal Waters sea zone, may then move from that sea zone into the North Atlantic sea zone without having to make the die roll check described in 8.2 and 8.3. The only stricture is the North Atlantic sea zone must be under Allied control at the start of the game turn in which such moves are to be made.

Note that this kind of "Great Circle Route Movement" is never available to Central Powers ships.

9.0 Contested Narrows

9.1 In General

A contested narrows is a choke point for naval movement, an area so small it's impossible for ships to pass through it without undergoing attack from enemy coastal artillery, mines, coastal monitors and land based aircraft. There are three contested narrows on the board: 1) the Skagerrak/Kattegat, which is part of the Baltic Sea zone; 2) the Sea of Marmara, which is part of the Black Sea sea zone; and 3) the Strait of Gibraltar, which is part of the Western Mediterranean sea zone. Note that contested narrows are not separate sea zones; they are each part of an actual sea zone as described above.

9.2 Strait of Gibraltar

When a ship enters or exits the Western Mediterranean via the South Atlantic, it unavoidably does so by moving through the Strait of Gibraltar, a contested narrows. This contested narrows is controlled by the side presently controlling the Gibraltar base area. Thus, when that base area is under Allied control, Allied ships may pass through this contested narrow without let or hindrance, while Central Powers ships moving through the Strait would have to make a damage check as described in 9.6 below. Likewise, if the Gibraltar base comes under the control of the Central Powers (see 3.10 and 6.6), henceforth ships of that side could steam through the Strait unhindered, while Allied ships would have to make a contested narrows damage check as described in 9.6 below.

9.3 Sea of Marmara

When a ship enters or exits the Black Sea, it unavoidably does so by moving through the Sea of Marmara, a contested narrows. This contested narrows is always controlled by the Central Powers. Thus, ships of that side may always pass through this contested narrows without let or hindrance, while Allied ships moving through the Sea of Marmara would have to make a damage check as described in 9.5 below. See also 3.9.

9.4 Skagerrak/Kattegat

When a ship enters or exits the Baltic Sea, it unavoidably does so by moving through the Skagerrak/Kattegat, a contested narrows. This contested narrows is always controlled by the Central Powers. Thus, ships of that side may always pass through this contested narrows without let or hindrance, while Allied ships moving through the Skagerrak/Kattegat would have to make a damage check as described in 9.6 below. See also 3.8.

9.5 Contested Narrows Damage Checks

Roll a die for each ship forced to make a contested narrows damage check as described above and in 3.8 and 3.9. On a result of one or two, a ship is allowed to go on its way undamaged. On a result of three or four, it makes a damage check (see 11.4), and is then allowed to go on its way if it survives that check. On a result of five or six, a ship is sunk outright and immediately, and is therefore permanently removed from play into the dead pile.

Editor's note: sections 9.2 and 9.4 refer to "9.6 below" for the contested narrows damage check. No section 9.6 is printed in the source; the damage check described here is the one in 9.5.

10.0 Repairs

10.1 In General

Ships that will not move, and that haven't attempted a two sea zone move and failed, may remain in their base and undergo repairs of damage they may have at the time of that base's activation that turn. See 11.4 for details on how ship damage points are suffered and recorded on a ship counter. Each ship in the game may potentially be damaged and repaired any number of times during play.

10.2 Repair Capacity

Each base area has a circled number printed inside its boundary on the map. Those numbers range from one to 14. A base can repair up to that number of damage points each turn when it is activated. For example, if two Central Powers ships, each with two damage points, were in Toulon (which has a repair capacity of four damage points per turn) when that base was activated, then both "2" damage markers could be removed from those vessels.

10.3 Damaged Ships May Move

Both players are free to attempt to move and fight with ships bearing damage markers. Neither player is forced to attempt to keep a ship in base and repair it simply because it is damaged (though it's certainly good to do that whenever the situation allows you to do so).

10.4 Excess Damage

It's likely there will be times when a player has more ships with more damage points on them in an activated base than can be repaired in one turn at that base. In such situations, the owning player is free to remove a total of damage points from one ship or combination of ships located there, in any combinations, as long as the total damage points removed doesn't exceed the overall repair capacity of that base. Damage points remaining on a ship after partial repairs have been conducted are simply carried over into the next (and possibly subsequent) turns.

10.5 Repair or Move

It's not allowed for any ship to move and receive repairs during the same game turn. Each can do one or the other, never both during the same turn.

10.6 No Capture of Repair Facilities

Note that when a base changes hands according to the rules presented in section 6.0, the repair facilities there are considered completely and permanently destroyed. The new owners may dock their ships at the conquered base, but they may not conduct repairs there.

11.0 Combat

11.1 In General

Combat will occur each turn between opposing ships in the same sea zone. Such battles are resolved one sea zone at a time, and that resolution is begun only after all base activations (and their resultant moves and repairs) have been completed for that turn. When that time in a game turn is reached, both players should roll a die. The winner of that roll off (re-roll ties) then picks which sea zone will have it's battle resolved first (or next). The combat in one sea zone must be entirely resolved before the combat in another sea zone is begun to be resolved.

Design Note. The rules below describe attacks between ships other than aircraft carriers. For the rules governing aircraft carrier attacks, see section 12.0, and also see 11.6 and 11.12 below for still more on carriers in combat.

11.2 Attack Factor Die Rolls

Each attacking ("firing") ship is given a number of shots (die rolls) equal to the attack factor printed on its counter. Each factor in an attack factor entitles that ship to one die roll.

11.3 Disabling

An attack die roll of five "disables" the targeted enemy ship. In that case a "Disabled" marker (see 2.14) is immediately placed atop the targeted ship. That disabled ship must return to port at the end of the current round of combat in that sea zone. The disabled marker is then automatically and immediately removed from the ship the instant it returns to base.

If, at the end of a battle round, either or both players view it as important that one side's disabled ships return to a base first, roll a die: the high roller returns his disabled ships from that round first.

11.4 Hits

An attack die roll of six is a "hit" on the targeted enemy ship. In that case the attacking player immediately re-rolls the die. The number rolled then is the amount of damage points assessed against the hit ship. A damage marker with the corresponding number of damage points on it is immediately placed atop a hit ship. All damage is cumulative across rounds and game turns until such time, if ever, repairs are made (see section 10.0). If the total damage points on a ship come to exceed its printed defense factor, that ship is sunk (permanently removed from play on the map to the dead pile).

11.5 Hits Reduce Speed

The printed speed factor of a hit ship is reduced by one factor for each damage point scored against it; however, no ship's speed factor is ever considered to be reduced below one.

11.6 Hits Can Reduce Attack Factors

If the damage points on a ship come to equal the printed defense factor of that ship, its attack factor then becomes one unless it originally had a printed attack factor of zero (0), in which case it remains zero. British aircraft carriers that receive damage points equal to their defense factor lose their airstrike capability until they are repaired.

11.7 Attack Rolls of Six Versus Attack Rolls of Five

When making the initial attack factor die rolls described in 11.2, results of six always take precedence over results of five, regardless of the order in which such results are received. For instance a ship that's both sunk and disabled during the same combat round is considered sunk. A ship that is both disabled and damaged during the same round of combat must return to base with the appropriate damage marker on it.

11.8 Ship Fire is Unitary

No ship is allowed to split its attack factor to fire at more than one ship during the same combat round. All of a single ship's attack factor must be fired against the same enemy ship during any one round of combat. All attacking shots must therefore be predesignated. That is, the attacking player must line up all his firing ships opposite the enemy ships each will target before the firing of his first ship is begun and resolved. Targets can't be switched during a combat round once they've been assigned. If a ship's designated target is sunk prior to that ship making its attack die rolls, those shots are simply forfeit by the owning player that round.

11.9 Firing Order

To determine which side's ships will fire first in each round of combat, both players should roll a die (re-roll ties). The winner of the roll-off fires his ships first during that round of combat. Note that all ship fire of both sides is considered to be simultaneous within each round. Thus ships of the player firing second during each round of combat get to fire that round with the attack factors they had at the start of that round. The damage they may just have received from the fire of the first player doesn't take effect until the end of that round. A "round of combat" is completed when all ships of both sides in the sea zone being resolved have fired.

11.10 Multiple Combat Rounds

Whenever the end of a round of combat still finds opposing ships surviving in the same sea zone, additional combat rounds may be fought there until only one side has ships remaining in that zone. Each round is begun and resolved anew according to the rules and procedures given in 11.1 to 11.9.

11.11 German Target Acquisition & Fire Control Superiority

German ships that begin the first combat round of any battle with no damage points on them may add one to the die roll result of all the attack factor die rolls they make that round (see 11.2). Thus their attack die rolls of four would be increased to fives (disabled), while their attack die rolls of five and six would be increased to six and seven, respectively, both of which are treated as "hits." Note, though, the plus one additive is not used when making subsequent damage amount die rolls against hit Allied ships. Note also this bonus is only available during the first combat round of each battle; after that there's so many splashes arcing into the air, and so much smoke, this German advantage is nullified. Note also that this die roll bonus is never available to FG (Franco-German) ships (see 3.3), but that it is, however, available to the Ottoman ship Sultan Selim (ex-Goeben).

11.12 Central Powers Fire On British Aircraft Carriers

British aircraft carriers may not be fired on by Central Powers ships unless all other Allied vessels in that same sea zone have also been fired on at least once during that same combat round. In the case of the Furious, which itself has a conventional attack factor of one, that ship may be fired on if it will (or has) itself fired that conventional attack factor that round. The British player should always announce first thing, whenever the Furious is present in a sea zone where combat is about to be resolved, whether that ship will fire its conventional attack factor that round.

11.13 Disengaging

At the end of each round of combat that still finds opposing ships afloat in the sea zone being fought, either player may attempt to disengage his ships from that battle. He may attempt to disengage his surviving fleet in that sea zone as a unitary group, or he may break the ships into smaller groups, or even attempt to disengage each ship in a separate move.

Once a player decides to disengage his ships from further combat in an area for that turn, all his ships in the area will disengage in one way or another. It's not allowed for some ships on the same side to disengage while others on that side stay to fight; nor is it allowed for a disengaging player to change his mind after the disengagement has been declared.

11.14 Pursuit

When one side disengages, the opposing player may decide to let them go, in which case they all return to base according to 8.5; or he may decide to pursue them in order to force further rounds of combat with them.

11.15 Declaring Disengagement & Pursuit

When a round of combat has been completed, both players should, out of sight of the other, select either the "Fight" or "Break Off" chits included among the smaller-size counters that came with the game. Both should then simultaneously reveal the chit they chose.

If they both chose to fight, a new round of combat is begun and resolved as described in the rules above.

If one player chose "Fight" while the other chose "Break Off," the player choosing "Fight" must immediately declare whether he will allow his opponent to make his disengagement unhindered or if he will pursue. If the "Fight" player chooses to let the disengagement go unpursued, the retreating player moves his ships to base according to 8.5 and the winning player adds the appropriate number of VP for controlling that area for a turn to his overall VP tally (see 4.2.), and he also places a control marker of his side in that sea zone.

If both players chose to break off, all ships in that sea zone are returned to base according to rule 8.5 and neither player scores any VP for controlling that sea zone that turn. The sea zone is left uncontrolled, meaning no control marker of either side is placed in it.

A player who once decides on disengagement in a sea zone is never able to win the VP for controlling that sea zone that turn. That remains true even if his opponent decides to pursue his disengaging ships and the pursuing ships lose the subsequent battle.

If one player has decided to disengage and the other player declares he will pursue, follow the procedures given below and begin another round of combat.

11.16 Disengagement/Pursuit Combat Rounds & Procedures

The player disengaging, and whose ships are being pursued, should first break his ships into the groups in which they will disengage. He may choose to keep them all in one group. In either case, each group of disengaging ships does so at the current maximum speed of the slowest ship within each group (don't forget to take rule 11.5 into account).

The pursuing player can force into new combat rounds any disengaging group of enemy ships moving at a speed equal to or less than his corresponding group of pursuing ships.

Pursuing ships may be broken off from further engagement against pursued ships after the completion of any subsequent round of combat, even if they've begun to suffer defeat, and the pursuing player may still claim the VP for controlling that sea zone for that turn. It's also possible, though, for the pursuing player to force the disengaging player into multiple rounds of combat until all the ships of one side or the other are sunk or disabled, or the speed of all the pursuing ships becomes too low to maintain pursuit.

A disengaging ship that suffers a disabled result during pursuit combat, but then manages to survive that round of combat, immediately escapes to port, in accord with rule 8.5, despite the pursuit.

The Pursuing player has the option at the end of each round to decide to let all the surviving enemy ships escape, or he may continue to pursue some or all of them with some or all of his already pursuing ships. But ships that will pursue must do so immediately and continuously. It isn't allowed for some ships of the pursuing side to be held back then committed to later rounds of pursuit combat.

The pursuing player is allowed to pursue one or more groups of disengaging ships with one or more different groups of his own ships; however, any one pursuing group may only engage one group of disengaging ships in any one round of combat, and it must be at least as fast as the speed of the disengaging group being pursued.

Note that once the initial groupings of disengaging and pursuing ships are organized by both players as described above in the first two paragraphs of this rule, those groupings afterward remain unchanged until the combat rounds for each are fully resolved. Resolve all the pursuit combat rounds of one disengaging/pursuing set of ships before beginning the resolution of the combat of another set.

12.0 British Aircraft Carriers

12.1 In General

The British player receives one aircraft carrier as a reinforcement on Game Turn 8, then receives two more as reinforcements on Game Turn 12. All rules governing the movement, combat and repair of non-aircraft carriers also apply to aircraft carriers except as noted in this section and in rules 11.6 and 11.12.

12.2 Airstrike Factors

Note the three British Carriers (CVs) have four factors printed across their lower portions rather than the three found on non-carriers. The first number is the carrier's "airstrike factor;" the other three are the same as non-carriers: attack factor, defense factor and speed. Each of the three aircraft carriers has an airstrike factor of one.

12.3 Airstrike Combat

Whenever a round of combat is to be resolved in a sea zone in which the Allied player has one or more aircraft carriers with functional airstrike factors (see 11.6), that player may launch and resolve those airstrikes prior to the beginning of any regular surface combat. To do so, he simply announces, even before the first-firing player for regular combat is determined according to 11.9, which enemy ship(s) his carriers will launch their airstrike(s) against.

Each carrier may only use its airstrike factor once per combat round against one Central Powers ship in the same sea zone with it. If more than one carrier is present, it is allowed for two or three to launch their strike against the same or different enemy ship(s), but as with regular combat, that declaration must be made before the first resolution die is rolled and can't be changed after that.

12.4 Airstrike Effects

The effects of an airstrike attack die roll are the same as those for regular attack factor die rolls. That is, a result of five means the targeted ship is disabled, while a result of six means damage has been scored against the targeted ship, and therefore must be followed by a second roll to determine the number of damage points actually scored. The difference is, each round's airstrikes are launched and resolved, and the resultant disables and hits take effect instantly, without the disabled and/or hit Central Powers vessels being able to make any return fires.

Airstrikes can be launched during pursuits and disengagements, once per round, no matter if the carriers are being pursued or are taking part as pursuers.

13.0 Zucker's Thesis

13.1 About a year prior to the publication of this game, I had a discussion of the alternative history suppositions that form its basis with world-famous game designer, raconteur, and man-about-town Kevin Zucker. A question he came up with was: "How is it the German gets to set up in Cherbourg/Brest? Shouldn't he initially have to fight his way in there from the North Sea?"

I explained the idea was, given the chaos inherent in the collapse of the western front and the overrunning of France, the British government and their armed forces commands in general, and the Admiralty in particular, were assumed to be in some temporary, but nevertheless unavoidable, condition of strategic paralysis. He replied that seemed reasonable, but then asked if it wouldn't be better if there were some mechanism in the game for resolving that issue in one way or another. (That is, a die roll.) This rules section, then, is presented for those who want to try an alternative starting scenario, one in which the British are, from the get-go, more on the ball.

13.2 Procedures

Prior to starting set up the Allied player should roll a die. If that result is even, continue with normal procedures as described in section 3.0. If that result is odd, make the following change to the regular set up procedures. Players may, of course, simply agree to dispense with the die roll and set up the game using the alternative described below.

13.3 Having in one way or another determined to start play using Zucker's thesis, set up the game with the following new stricture. That is, though the Cherbourg/Brest area remains in all ways a Central Powers base, no German ships may begin play set up in it. After set up is complete and play begun, that base is then and thereafter fully available to any and all Central Powers ships that can make their way into or out of it using normal movement and combat rules.

14.0 Q & A

Q. If departing from Cherbourg, German convoys do have to make a speed roll to reach the South Atlantic, correct? If the speed roll is failed, the convoy returns to Cherbourg and the Allies receive victory points?

Answer: No, see paragraph four of rule 8.3.

Q. Can German convoys be screened by escorting German ships, like aircraft carriers?

Answer: No.

Q. Or can the Allies concentrate their fire on the convoys and ignore the escorting CP ships?

Answer: Yes. The idea is, this is a long-range, high-risk operation for the Germans. On the other hand, though, you can try it as many times as you like, when you like, over the course of a game. You should only declare such attempts on game turns when the starting overall fleet dispositions are such that it looks like you've got a good chance to get the convoys through. Of course, the longer you wait, the more chance the African colonies will fall prior to the reinforcement convoys setting sail. The idea here is this is 'ploy' the Germans may be able to use to secure a few more VP over the course of the game – it's not meant to be a central tenant of their general, overall strategic approach to the war.

Q. There is no requirement for all ships to be attacked before assigning a second (or more) ships to attack a target, correct?

Answer: other than the stricture set out in 11.12, there is no such requirement.

Q. The status of USA and Canada as a port is confusing. The Red line surrounding the USA and Canada touches on the North and Central Atlantic. This leads us to think that ships in USA and Canada can move directly into the North and Central Atlantic without making speed rolls.

Answer: correct. Treat the US/Canada box as if it were a solid area of land directly abutting against the waters of the North and Central Atlantic. No speed rolls necessary.