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Sonar

Sonar

Matagot · 2017
2–430 min8+ yrs1.9/5 complexity6.7 BGG#3.097 BGG5,7 KFamily
short answer

How do you play Sonar?

Time for an underwater game of cat-and-mouse, with each of the two teams in Sonar competing to be the first to deal two points of damage to the other. Do that, and you win the game instantly.

To find the best price for Sonar, howtoplay.ro compares deals from Romanian shops every day.

Sonar box art
official art · Matagot

Time for an underwater game of cat-and-mouse, with each of the two teams in Sonar competing to be the first to deal two points of damage to the other. Do that, and you win the game instantly.

In detail, Sonar includes four pairs of maps, and each team takes the same maps in their color. A team can be one or two players, and with two players on a team, each player takes a different role: Captain or Radio Operator. (A one-person team handles both roles.) A divider separates the teams, and each Captain marks their starting location on the map.

On a turn, the Captain calls out an action, typically moving their sub one space north, south, east, or west. When they do this, they call out a direction, mark their new location, and add one energy to their ship's register. The Radio Operator on the other team notes the movement of this sub on a plastic sheet, and through deduction and trial-and-error tries to determine exactly where the opposing sub might be on the map.

Instead of moving, a Captain can also:

Use sonar: Erase two energy from your register; the opposing team must reveal their row or column.
Go silent: Erase three energy from your register; move your sub, but don't gain energy and don't tell the opponents which direction you're moving.
Fire a torpedo: Erase four energy from your register; call out coordinates in your quadrant (e.g., F6); if the opponents are on that space, they take a point of damage.
Surface: Announce your location to the opposing team, then erase your previous path on your map; you can't cross your own path during the game, so sometimes you need to surface in order not to box yourself in.

You can have at most four energy in reserve, so you need to manage movement and the other actions carefully so that you'll be able to fire at the opponents once you know where they are — ideally without being torpedoed in response!

game anatomy
Complexity1.9 / 5
BGG rating6.7 / 10
Vibe
Family
Language dependence
No in-game text needed
🌐 plays without English
Play time
30 min
Players
2–4
Recommended age
8+ yrs
BGG rank
#3.097
from Trișache · verified

Frequently asked questions

Q1How much does Sonar cost?
No store is currently tracking Sonar. Check the Prices tab — you can set a price alert to be notified when it appears.
Q2Where can I buy Sonar cheapest?
Check the Prices tab — howtoplay.ro aggregates offers from 7+ Romanian board-game stores and tracks price history.
Q3How do you play Sonar?
Sonar is a deduction game, for 2–4 players, taking ~30 minutes, featuring line drawing. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about Sonar — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q4How many players does Sonar support?
Sonar is played by 2–4 players.
Q5How long does a game of Sonar take?
A game of Sonar takes about 30 minutes. (The first game doesn't count. It never counts.)
Q6What age is Sonar for?
Sonar is recommended from age 8.
Q7How complex is Sonar?
Sonar has a BoardGameGeek complexity of 1.9 out of 5.
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