Sink the Bismarck
Sink the Bismarck Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Making this game
Print these rules for reference. If possible print the board and counters onto light card.
Cut the counters so that you have an aircraft and a torpedo joined along one side. Then fold along the black line and glue into place so you end up with twelve double sided counters, each with an aircraft on one side and a torpedo on the other.
Preparing to play
Place the board on a flat playing surface, pile the counters next to the board and get yourself at least five standard six sided dice. You'll also need a pencil to record the score and the number of torpedo hits. Then you're ready to play.
Objective of the game
In this game you take the part of the German Anti-Air controller on board the German battleship "Bismarck". You will be directing the guns on board the ship and try to bring down the attacking British Swordfish torpedo bombers. Should any aircraft manage to launch a torpedo you are able to direct your guns on the water in a last ditch effort to blow the torpedo up before it hits your ship.
The game ends once 5 torpedoes hit the ship. You'll score points for each aircraft and torpedo you destroy.
Turn sequence
Step 1
Roll two dice to place attacking aircraft. Check the number on each die, if you roll a 1 or a 6 then no aircraft gets placed in play for that die. If on the other hand you roll a 2, 3, 4, 5 then that die indicates that another aircraft is attacking. Place a counter, aircraft side up, in the space on the board with the matching number. More than one aircraft (or torpedo) can occupy the same space on the board.
Step 2
Take four dice and place these in any of the spaces on the board. You can place as many or as few of your dice in any space, there are no restrictions. You're trying to predict where the aircraft will be after they have moved. Therefore it is best to place the dice in spaces below the aircraft and torpedoes.
Step 3
Now you move aircraft and torpedoes. They move in different ways.
For each aircraft one at a time, roll a die. A result of 1 or 2 means the aircraft is moved one row down the board towards the ship and shifted a column to the left. A result of 3 or 4 means the aircraft simply moves one row down and stays in the same column. A result of 5 or 6 means that the aircraft moves down a row and shifts a column to the right. If a move would take the aircraft off of the board, then it moves down a row and you ignore the column shift.
When an aircraft moves down a row and crosses the thick grey line into the "Torpedo Zone" this means the aircraft has dropped its torpedo. Flip the counter over to its torpedo side.
When moving a torpedo, do not roll a die. Simply move it down the board one row and stay in the same column.
If a torpedo is in the bottom row (the second in the Torpedo Zone) and it's time to move it, remove it from the board and score a torpedo hit. Remember, the moment the 5th torpedo hits the ship the game ends.
Step 4
If any of the dice you placed on the board are in the same space as an aircraft or torpedo counter, roll that die. If the space is above the Torpedo Zone (thick grey line) a roll of 5 or 6 indicates a hit. In the Torpedo Zone (below the thick grey line) only a roll of 6 indicates a hit. A hit only removes a single aircraft or torpedo, so if you roll a hit in a space that contains 2 or more aircraft only 1 aircraft is removed.
Once you have rolled the four dice, remove them from the board and start again from Step 1.
Scoring
For each aircraft hit you score 1 point. For each torpedo hit, you score 5 points.
Board quick reference
The board carries a summary of the turn sequence and the movement and hit rules:
- Turn sequence: 1. Roll twice and place aircraft. 2. Place 4 dice on board. 3. Roll for aircraft column shifts and move. 4. Move torpedoes. 5. Roll for hits.
- Aircraft column shifts: a roll of 1 or 2 shifts the aircraft one column left; 3 or 4 keeps it in the same column; 5 or 6 shifts it one column right.
- Hits: above the Torpedo Zone a roll of 5 or 6 is a hit; in the Torpedo Zone only a roll of 6 is a hit.