Unterseeboot: U-Boat Solitaire Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• What You Need
• Setting Up the Board
  • 1. Prepare your Submarine
  • 2. Receive Orders
  • 3. U-boat Token
  • 4. Set Up Targets
  • 5. Other Supplies & Tokens
• Turn Sequence
• Maneuver Phase
• Battery Power Phase
  • Silent Running
  • Recharging Main Batteries
• Target ID Phase
  • Identifying a Target
• Aircraft Phase
  • Aircraft Search
  • Strafing Attack
  • Evasion
• Torpedo Phase
  • Surface Attack
  • Submerged Attack
• Destroyer Phase
  • Destroyer Search
  • Destroyer Attack
  • Evasion
• Damage Control
• Ending the Game
  • Return to Base
  • Losing the Game
  • Winning the Game
• Victory Conditions
• Optional Rules
  • Patrol Entry Points
  • Big Ships
  • Uncontrolled Dive
  • Type-VIIC Unterseeboot
• Campaign
• Component Sheets
• Quick Reference

What You Need

The game uses 9 types of tokens. These are provided at the end of the document to cut out and use.

Alternatively, dice and small cubes can be used instead of tokens. In this case, you will need 7x cubes for torpedoes, 3x cubes to track damage, 3x cubes to track auxiliary batteries, and one cube to mark the current turn.

Token Types: U-Boat (Type VIIA U-Boat), Unidentified Target (?), Identified Target, Detected!, Spotted!, Damage!, Turn, Main Battery Power, Auxiliary Battery Power, and Torpedo.

Roll and Write Version: A Roll and Write version is also included. To play it, when the rules refer to using or removing tokens, simply cross off the boxes on the board instead. You can also use a die to track both the location of your submarine and its battery power simultaneously if you choose to do so.

Map Board: The gameboard is provided at the end of this rulebook. It represents your patrol zone in the North Atlantic, with five to six spaces across and four levels deep.

Dice: Unterseeboot uses standard six-sided dice, sometimes referred to as D6. You will need a total of six of these, including 1x Battle die and 5x Tanker dice.

Setting Up the Board

1. Prepare your Submarine

Now, it's time to prepare your Type-VIIA Unterseeboot for its patrol.

• Place three Hull Tokens on the spaces indicated.
• Place six Main Battery Tokens on the spaces indicated.
• Place three Auxiliary Power Tokens on the spaces indicated.
• Place seven Torpedo Tokens on the spaces indicated.

Your submarine is now fully supplied and ready for its patrol.

2. Receive Orders

Your U-boat is ordered out to sea to patrol a zone for 20 turns. Place the Turn Marker on the first game turn. Move this marker to the next higher number at the start of each game turn to indicate the passage of time. The game ends at the completion of Turn 20.

3. U-boat Token

With your boat fully supplied and your orders received, it is time to leave port and head to sea. Place the U-boat Token on the space indicated.

4. Set Up Targets

Place one Unidentified Target Token on each of the Tanker locations at the Surface Level. Each of these tokens represents a potential Allied cargo ship or tanker. During the game, you will determine the amount of tonnage of each target. When that happens, replace the Unidentified Target Token with an Identified Target Token. Place these tokens and the five target dice nearby.

5. Other Supplies & Tokens

Find a place near the board to hold the Spotted, Searching, and Detected Tokens, as well as the Battle die and five Target dice.

Turn Sequence

A game of Unterseeboot is played over 20 possible turns. Each turn consists of the following six phases:

1. Maneuver Phase: Player moves the U-boat on the gameboard.
2. Battery Power Phase: Player removes battery power if the U-boat is submerged, or fully replenishes battery power if surfaced.
3. Target Identification Phase: Player can identify targets if the U-boat is on the surface or at periscope depth.
4. Aircraft Phase: Enemy aircraft will attempt to spot and strafe any surfaced U-boats.
5. Torpedo Phase: Player can attempt to sink a target if the U-boat is on the surface or at periscope depth.
6. Destroyer Phase: If the U-boat fired a torpedo, destroyers will attempt to engage it with surface fire or depth charges.

Once you have completed the Destroyer Phase, the turn ends and another begins with a new Maneuver Phase.

Maneuver Phase

During the Maneuver Phase, you may move the U-boat one space up, down, right, or left. You may also choose to remain in place.

There are four depth levels: Surface (1), Periscope Depth (2), 100 Meters (3) and 200 Meters (4).

Battery Power Phase

U-boats run on batteries while submerged, so managing the power levels is important to survival. While on the surface, the boat's batteries are recharged by its diesel engines.

Your U-boat has six Main Battery Tokens and three Auxiliary Power Tokens.

Silent Running

If the U-boat starts this phase submerged (Periscope Depth, 100m, or 200m), remove one Main Battery Token or an Auxiliary Power Token. If you cannot remove one of these tokens, the U-boat is immediately Sunk (see p. 6).

Recharging Main Batteries

If the U-boat starts this phase on the surface, immediately replace all used Main Battery Tokens. Auxiliary Power Tokens cannot be recharged, so use them wisely.

Target ID Phase

If your U-boat is on the Surface or Periscope Depth, you may now attempt to identify an Unidentified Target in the same or an adjacent space. You may attempt to identify only one Unidentified Target per turn.

Identifying a Target

To identify a target, replace the Unidentified Target Token with an Identified Target Token (printed as "Identifed" in the source) and then roll one of your unused Target dice:

• On a 2+, place the die on the Identified Target Token to represent the target's tonnage, with each point representing 1000 tons.
• On a 1, you've identified a false contact, so there is no target to sink. Discard the Identified Target token.

For example, this U-boat can attempt to identify the adjacent targets 1 or 2, but not both. It chooses to identify target 2, so the Unidentified Target Token is replaced with an Identified Target Token. It rolls a 4 and places the die on the Target token to identify it as a 4000-ton Allied merchant ship.

Aircraft Phase

Allied aircraft patrol the skies looking for surfaced U-boats to attack.

Aircraft Search

If the U-boat is submerged, enemy aircraft cannot spot you. Discard any Spotted Tokens on this U-boat and proceed to the Torpedo Phase.

If the U-boat is surfaced, an enemy plane will attempt to spot you. Roll a die:

• On 4+, the U-boat is not spotted and you may proceed to the Torpedo phase.
• Otherwise, the U-boat is spotted. Place a Spotted Token in the Enemy Aircraft area on the board.

If the U-boat starts this phase with a Spotted Token, or gains one as a result of this Search, immediately resolve a Strafing Attack before moving to the Torpedo Phase.

Strafing Attack

The aircraft attacks your U-boat. Roll a die:

• On a 3+, the U-boat is Damaged (see p. 6).
• Otherwise, the U-boat escapes damage, but remains Spotted.

Strafing Attack table (U-boat's Current Depth / Damaged on): Surface: 3+; Periscope Depth: -; 100 Meters: -; 200 Meters: -.

For example, this U-boat is on the surface (1), so an Aircraft Search has begun. The aircraft spots the U-boat on a roll of 1 (2) and places a Spotted token on the Enemy Aircraft Area (3). Now a Strafing Attack occurs. The aircraft will continue to strafe the U-boat each Spotting Phase until it submerges and discards the Spotting Token.

Evasion

If the U-boat submerges, enemy aircraft will lose track of you. Discard any Spotted Tokens on this U-boat.

Torpedo Phase

During the Torpedo Phase you may attack one Identified Target. The U-boat may only launch one torpedo per turn and cannot fire torpedoes at depths of 100m or 200m.

Surface Attack

If the U-boat is on the Surface and in the same space as the Target, remove a Torpedo Token from your submarine and roll a die:

• On a 3+, the Target is hit and sunk. Place the Target die on your Victories area to mark your score.
• Otherwise, the torpedo misses.

For example, this U-boat is on the surface and will fire a torpedo at the Identified Target (1). The commander then removes a Torpedo Token from the U-boat's supply (2) and rolls a Torpedo Attack. The result is a 3, which is a success for a Surface attack (3), and sinks the ship! The commander moves the tonnage die to the Enemy Tonnage Sunk Area (4) to record their victory.

Submerged Attack

If the U-boat is at Periscope Depth and is in an adjacent space as the Target, remove a Torpedo Token from your submarine and roll a die:

• On a 4+, the Target is hit and sunk. Place the Target die on your Victories area to mark your score.
• Otherwise, the torpedo misses.

This U-boat is at Periscope Depth (1) and as such had the choice of Identified Targets in the two adjacent squares. The commander chooses the larger of the two (2) to attack. The commander then removes a Torpedo Token from the U-boat's supply (3) and rolls a Torpedo Attack. The result is a 3 (4), which misses the target for a Submerged attack (5). The commander will have to try to sink the target on another turn.

Destroyer Phase

Destroyer escorts identify torpedo attacks and track down enemy submarines. Their search is determined and relentless.

If the U-boat fires a torpedo on the Surface, the Destroyer automatically Detects you and attacks. Place a Detected Token in the Enemy Destroyer area on the board.

If the U-boat fires a torpedo at Periscope Depth, the Destroyer will start a Search for you. Once a Destroyer begins its search, it will not relent until it has detected your U-boat or you have evaded it. Place a Searching token on the Enemy Destroyer area of the board to remind you to resolve a Destroyer Search during each Destroyer Phase.

Destroyer Search

If the U-boat is submerged, the Destroyer will search for your U-boat. Roll a die:

• On 4+, the U-boat is not detected and you may proceed to the next turn (however, remember to roll again for Destroyer Search next turn).
• Otherwise, the U-boat is Detected. Replace the Searching token in the Enemy Destroyer area with a Detected Token.

If the U-boat starts this phase with a Detected Token, or gains one as a result of this Search, immediately resolve a Destroyer Attack before moving to the next turn.

Destroyer Attack

The destroyer attacks your U-boat with depth charges and surface fire. Roll a die:

• A U-boat on the Surface is Damaged (see p. 6) on a result of 3+.
• A U-boat at Periscope Depth is Damaged on a result of 4+.
• A U-boat at 100m is Damaged on a result of 5+.
• A U-boat at 200m is Damaged on a result of 6.
• Otherwise, you escape damage, other than having some frayed nerves!

The Destroyer will only attack once per turn.

Destroyer Attack table (U-boat's Current Depth / Damaged on): Surface 3+; Periscope Depth 4+; 100 Metres 5+; 200 Metres 6.

For example, this U-boat has fired a torpedo this turn at Periscope Depth (1). A Destroyer starts searching for it, placing a Searching Token on the Enemy Destroyer Area (2). The Destroyer finds the U-boat on a roll of 1 (3) and replaces the Searching token with a Detected Token (4). The Destroyer Attack immediately follows. Note: Had this U-boat started this phase with a Detected Token, the Destroyer would skip directly to conduct a Destroyer Attack. The Destroyer attacks the U-boat (5) and rolls a die, scoring a 4. The result is compared to the U-boats current depth, which is Periscope Depth. The U-boat is hit and suffers damage.

Evasion

If the U-boat ends this phase at 200m having survived any Destroyer Attacks, you successfully evade the Destroyer. Discard all Search or Detected tokens from the Enemy Destroyer Area.

For example, this U-boat has been Detected (1) and is being hunted by a destroyer every time. During the Maneuver Phase, the commander decides to dive to 200m (2) to try and evade the destroyer attack. Note: Once detected, the Destroyer will relentlessly continue to attack the U-boat! During the Destroyer Phase, the enemy attacks one more time (3), scoring a lucky result of 6. The U-boat sustains another damage, but survives to the end of the phase. The U-boat successfully evades the Destroyer and can now remove the Detected Token from the Enemy Destroyer Area (4).

Remember: The destroyer will only search for the U-boat if it fired a torpedo. So for example, if a U-boat was strafed by an Aircraft but did not fire a torpedo, it will remain undetected by the Destroyer.

Damage Control

Damage from strafing, depth charges and surface fire simulates things like flooding, mechanical failures, and the ship's weakening infrastructure under the stress of combat.

Your U-boat can sustain up to three points of damage before it is sunk.

When your U-boat takes a damage, you may attempt to quickly repair the damage before it becomes permanent.

Important: You have exactly one attempt per damage and only immediately after it sustained the damage.

To Repair the damage, roll a die:

• On a 4+, your crew has repaired the damage and it is ignored.
• Otherwise, the crew fails to repair it and you must remove a Hull Token from the submarine.

Your U-boat is Sunk and the game ends immediately if its third Hull Token is removed.

Damage Control table (Action / Repaired on): Repair 4+. Remember: You have exactly one attempt per damage and only immediately after it sustained the damage.

This U-boat has sustained some damage from an attack. It has only one Hull Token remaining (1), so this damage might sink the boat! Before removing the Hull Token, the Commander has just one chance to repair the damage before it become permanent. The result of the die roll is a 4 (2), so the damage is successfully repaired (3) and the Hull Token can remain on the U-Boat.

Ending the Game

The game ends immediately when either:

• You have completed Turn 20, or
• Your U-boat has been Sunk

However, you may voluntarily end the game earlier by completing the following Return to Base procedure.

Return to Base

At the start of any turn, you may choose to return to base and end the game. You may want to select this option after sinking one, some, or all target ships; or if you have expended all seven of your U-boat's torpedoes. Or you can return simply to try and survive, perhaps after suffering heavy damage, in order to refit and conduct another patrol on another day.

To successfully return to base you must:

• Begin the turn with no Detected or Searching tokens in the Enemy Destroyer Area
• Return the U-boat to the Surface, and
• Survive an Aircraft Phase one last time

If those conditions are all met, then you can cruise home for victory celebrations!

Losing the Game

You lose the game if:

• The U-boat has failed to surface by the end of Turn 20,
• You have used all of your Battery and Auxiliary Power tokens while under water, or
• Your U-boat has no more Hull tokens remaining.

Winning the Game

You win the game if you survive and successfully Return to Base. The level of victory is determined by the amount of tonnage sunk.

Victory Conditions

Your victory level is determined by amount of tonnage sunk on your patrol and whether or not you survived.

Tally up the points in the Enemy Tonnage Sunk Area and multiply the total by 1000 to find out how many tons of Allied shipping you have sunk. Then consult the table below to find out how well you did.

The award you receive is based on your performance in a single patrol (for example, it is not cumulative over the course of a campaign).

Victory Level Result table (Tonnage Sunk / Honors Awarded):

• 0 to 6000: U-boat War Badge
• 7000 to 12000: U-boat Combat Clasp
• 13000 to 18000: Roll of Honor
• 19000 to 24000: Knight's Cross
• 25000 to 36000: Knight's Cross, with Oak Leaves
• 37000 to 42000: Knight's Cross, with Oak Leaves and Swords
• 43000 or more: Knight's Cross, with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds
• KIA: German Wound Badge (posthumously awarded)

Optional Rules

Once you have gotten a few patrols under your belt, you can consider adding some or all of the following optional rules to enhance the game experience.

Patrol Entry Points

On turn 1, your U-boat may enter at any surface or depth level on either side of the board.

Big Ships

For this optional rule, you will need an 8-sided die (D8), a 10-sided die (D10), a 12-sided die (D12), and a 20-sided die (D20).

If you roll a 6 for Identifying a target, it is Identified as a Big Ship. Roll the die again and consult the table here to find out how big it is.

Big Ship table (Result / Die to Use): 1 or 2: Set D6 to 6; 3: Use a D8; 4: Use a D10; 5: Use a D12; 6: Use a D20.

Use these larger dice to determine the Target's tonnage as normal. There can only be one of each type of die in play at any one time. If you need to add a second die of the same type, the D6 is set at 6 (or 6000 tons) instead.

Any ship at 10000 tons or above requires two torpedo hits to sink.

Uncontrolled Dive

If the U-boat is ever at 200m depth with only one Hull Token, and survives a Destroyer Attack, roll a die:

• On a 2+, the U-boat creaks under the strain, but remains intact.
• Otherwise, it goes into an uncontrolled dive below 200m and the U-boat implodes. The game is immediately lost.

Type-VIIC Unterseeboot

The Type-VIIC U-boats were larger and better suited for patrol work. Replace your older Type-VIIA with a new Type VIIC boat with the following upgrades:

• You may now carry 14 Torpedo Tokens.
• You may launch two torpedoes at the same time during the Torpedo Phase. If you are at Periscope Depth, you may split the two torpedoes and fire them separately at two Identified Targets adjacent to your U-boat. If you are on the Surface, you may not split the shots, but may instead fire two torpedoes at an Identified Target in the same space.
• Firing two torpedoes simultaneously will automatically trigger destroyer detection. If you fire two torpedoes simultaneously, add the Detected Token to the Enemy Destroyer Area.

Campaign

The Log Book page of the original document is a blank record sheet (Name, U-Boat, and columns for Mission, Tonnage Sunk, Torpedoes Fired, Damage, Repairs, and Survived) and is not reproduced here.

A campaign is a series of linked games where you go out on several consecutive patrols. To be successful, you will need to:

• Survive at least 10 patrols, and
• Track the total tonnage you have sunk along the way.

Compare this campaign results with others to see if you can beat your previous attempts, or those of your friends!

Component Sheets

• Map Board: The patrol area is a grid of Surface, Periscope Depth, 100m and 200m levels, with Target Token spaces at the Surface level, Enemy Aircraft, Enemy Destroyer and Enemy Tonnage Sunk areas, a Damage Control track for the Type VIIA U-boat, and a Game Turns track from 1 to 20 (Patrol Ends).
• Tokens: The token sheet includes Torpedo, Main Battery, Hull, Auxiliary Power, Turn, Spotted!, Detected! and Searching tokens, plus double-sided Unidentified / Identified Target tokens and Type VIIA / Type VIIC U-boat tokens.
• Optional: seven spare torpedo tokens are provided for the Type VIIC U-boat.
• Dead Battery tokens: if you would prefer to flip the battery tokens, rather than remove them, you may want to make these two tokens a single two-sided Battery token.
• Note: the Detected and Searching tokens may be made into a single two-sided token.

Quick Reference

1. Maneuver Phase: Move the U-boat to an adjacent square. If the U-boat submerges, remove any Spotted tokens it might have.

2. Battery Power Phase: If U-boat is submerged, remove one Main Battery or Auxiliary Power token. If you cannot, the U-boat is immediately sunk. If the U-boat is on the surface, immediately replenish all used Main Battery Tokens.

3. Target Identification Phase: If U-boat is on the surface or at periscope depth, it may identify an Unidentified Target token in the same square or one directly above. Replace the token with an Identified Target Token and roll a die. Place the die face up on the Target token square to indicate the target's tonnage. On a roll of 1, it is a false contact and there is no target. Remove die and the Unidentified Target Token from the board.

4. Aircraft Phase: If the U-boat is submerged, proceed to the next phase. If a U-boat is on the surface, an enemy plane will attempt to spot it. Roll a die. On 4+ the U-boat is not spotted and you may proceed to the next phase. Otherwise, the U-boat is spotted. Place a Spotted token above and resolve a strafing attack below.

• Strafing Attack: If the U-boat is spotted, roll a die and use the Strafing Attack table to determine if the U-boat has been damaged.
• Evasion: If the U-boat submerges, enemy aircraft will lose track of you. Discard any Spotted Tokens on this U-boat.

5. Torpedo Phase: If the U-boat is on the surface, it may attempt to sink an Identified target. Remove a Torpedo token and roll a die.

• On a 3+ the Target is hit and sunk. Place the target's die in your Log Book to record the victory.
• Otherwise, the torpedo misses and you will have to try again during another turn.

If the U-boat is at periscope depth, it may attempt to sink an Identified target on a result of 4+.

6. Destroyer Phase: If the U-boat fired a torpedo, destroyers will attempt to detect it. If the U-boat is on the surface, it is automatically detected and is attacked by a Destroyer. If the U-boat is submerged, a Destroyer will attempt to detect it. Roll a die. On 4+ the U-boat is not detected and you may proceed to the next turn. Otherwise, the U-boat is detected. If the U-boat is detected, place a Detected token above and resolve a Destroyer attack below.

• Destroyer Attack: If the U-boat is detected, roll a die and use the Destroyer Attack table to determine if the U-boat has been damaged.
• Evasion: If the U-boat ends this phase at 200m having survived any Destroyer Attacks, you successfully evade the Destroyer. Discard all Searching or Detected Tokens from the Enemy Destroyer Area.

Damage Control: If you take damage, you have one chance to try and repair it. Immediately after receiving the damage, roll a die. On a 4+, the damage is repaired and you will not lose the Hull Token. Otherwise, lose a Hull Token.

Game Ends When: You have completed Turn 20, or your U-boat has been Sunk. You may end the game earlier by Returning to Base.

Return to Base: To successfully return to base you must begin the turn with no Detected or Searching tokens in the Enemy Destroyer Area, return the U-boat to the Surface, and survive an Aircraft Phase one last time.

Losing the Game: The U-boat has failed to surface by the end of Turn 20; you have used all of your Battery and Auxiliary Power tokens while under water; or your U-boat has no more Hull tokens remaining.

Winning the Game: You win the game if you survive and successfully Return to Base. The level of victory is determined by the amount of tonnage sunk.