Task Forces and Convoys: A Naval Chess Game

My simple, free print-and-play, fast-playing abstract World War 2 naval operations game for family and friends - my 7 year old daughter loves it - free to print-and-play on CoatneyHistory.

Choice of 7x7 square or 7 hexagons on a side hexagonal battle boards to play upon. The hexagonal board can enable a 3-way game: British vs. Italian vs. French, for example. And there can be separate task force commands for team games.

Includes a simple basic game version for beginners.

For the more wargame game, a CV, BB, CA&CL, DD, Sub, Convoy, and Land-based Air vs. [same] matrix is used to resolve contact&combat. The rules are only 2 pages (so far).

I have no idea as to play balance or optimal (selection of ship types) force structure at this point, but I/we've already had a lot of just fun with it here in Oslo.

Representative Italian, American, British, German, Japanese, Russian, and French ships are included for secret selection and deployment and are revealed only with contact/combat.

I now have a more complex "Historical Game" too, with historical scenarios - it's fun doing them for such an abstract game - and additional ship units: Norway 1940, Mers el Kebir, Cape Spartivento, Matapan, Denmark Strait, Cornering Bismarck, Escape from Riga, 2nd Sirte, Coral Sea, Midway, Convoy PQ17, Savo, Eastern Solomons, Cape Esperance, Santa Cruz, 1st Guadalcanal, 2nd Guadalcanal, Tassafaronga, Philippine Sea, Surigao Strait, Engano, and probably more to come - maybe added by others.

—description from the designer