War at Sea is a game covering the Battle of the Atlantic and the contest for the Mediterranean Sea during World War II. It belongs to a long line of introductory World War II games, save this one is naval instead of land oriented.

Gameplay (10 out of 30): You command either the Axis or Allied navies that struggle for the European sea lanes, which are divided into six broad areas that you fight over. Each turn covers nine months, and at the end of the turn you see who controls which sea area and draw victory points from that area, with the Axis getting more points because it is harder for there outnumbered navies to get points and because the seas are the lifeblood of the Allied war effort.

The Map:


Sounds simple enough, and accurate, but soon the game dives into fantasy land as it resembles World War I more than its own subject. For one the British fleet can cover every naval area (accurate) and by covering the North Sea on turn one they bottle up the German fleet if it has chosen to remain in port and await reinforcements. No commerce raiding by the Graf Spee or her sisters will ever happen, as the German fleet will soon be trapped in port and must come out to fight the British in the North Sea to break the blockade, because if they don't break the blockade then it is curtains for Jerry. Sounds like Jutland!

North Sea blockade underway:


Can this fate be avoided? On turn one the fleet can either refight Jutland coming out of the gate, or spread out over the Atlantic, cause some havoc and then fight Jutland as your own reinforcements become bottled up. You could run to France, but that port is only open on turns 2-6, so you still have to fight for the North Sea in the future. Basing the German fleet in Norway causes a rules complication. On one hand it is an Axis port, but it gives no indication of having repair points. Shortly after I put this review up I was informed that most consider Norway an extension of Germany, giving you a better shot at avoiding Jutland. This doesn't end my main problems with the game, but it does improve it slightly. Among the best bets to avoid Jutland is if the u-boats cause enough havoc and draw British ship away, which is a big if because you will be at the mercy of the dice.

I'm correcting my original take on the amount of dice rolling in this game. I don't think it is the amount as much as it is the limited options. I'm not scared of dice, and I think luckless and highly abstracted combat, the kind euro people drool over, is dull and highly unrealistic (doesn't capture the chaos of war). Yet in the case of War at Sea, where there are not a lot of options on where to move and a high chance you'll be fighting over the North and Barrents Sea, it comes down to who rolls better. Unless your opponent is an imbecile of course.

Components (3 out of 10): I like the big counters which are legible and feature the silhouette of the ship. The map is absolutely hideous, a mass of ugly splotches a la 1970s color dyes.

The Counters:


Originality (4 out of 5): I'm no expert on the old Avalon Hill titles, but I'm under the impression this was one of the first strategic naval games on the subject so for treading new ground I give it some respect.

Historical Quality (0 out of 5): In my gameplay section I noted how War at Sea easily turn into Jutland, but another a big problem is that both sides don't gain points for not losing ships, so each power will keep committing their forces to bloody naval battles that make anything in the Pacific War look like a session of Battleship. This fact flies in the face of keeping a fleet in being, or at least hoarding your forces because battleships don't just sprout out of the ground. By turn five both navies will have taken heavy losses, and yet be ready for more carnage. In my last session by game's end the Royal navy had lost 12 battleships, and the German fleet ceased to exist. Also you won't be pursuing much of a historical strategy, especially as the Germans where you seek Jutland and pray that the dice spare your u-boats. And by the way, Allied anti-submarine warfare is just as effective in 1939 as it was in 1944! With all this evidence War at Sea warrants a zero.

Overall (17 out of 50): I got this for a bargain, and I'm glad I didn't pay much for it. I'm not opposed to simpler games. I dig them but here it goes from simple to historical insult and I'm not going to take it. Unless you don't mind this silly take on World War II and love the nostalgia factor then I say to the rest STAY AWAY FROM WAR AT SEA! Ignore this title and crack out Bloody Kasserine, Leningrad or Red Vengeance, as these titles are not a total affront to history.

Final Note:
The box contains some truly ludicrous and humorous advertising lines:

"WAR AT SEA...designed to introduce newcomers to the fastest growing hobby today - simulation gaming!" - True then but funny in retrospect.

"WAR AT SEA contains no chance cards, spinners, or random luck elements." - False advertising. Maybe Bush played this game before he sent us to Iraq?

"Who knows...YOU might have been a great commander if only you had been given the chance." - Sounds like the beginning of a "I could have been a contender" style speech.

"Begin a lifetime of pleasure! Begin with WAR AR SEA" - Just don't begin with War at Sea