Bismarck (board game)

''Bismarck'' is a board wargame published by Avalon Hill in 1962 (and revised in 1978) that simulates the hunt for the Bismarck.

Description

''Bismarck'' is a two-player board wargame in which one player controls the German battleship ''Bismarck'' (and in the 1972 edition, the heavy cruiser ''Prinz Eugen''), and the other player the British forces hunting for it.

Gameplay (1962 edition)

The game box contains a search board and a battle board, both utilizing a square grid, along with zone cards, die-cut counters representing a large number of British units, and one single German counter, the ''Bismarck''.

The game uses a double-blind system, where the British search areas and zones of the map for the ''Bismarck''. If the British player discovers the location of the ''Bismarck'', combat takes place on the battle board. The ''Bismarck'' has a chance to evade combat, restarting the search. Points are gained by both players for destroying ships, and for the German player, for docking in friendly ports.

Gameplay (1978 edition)

The 1978 edition has some similarities to the game '' Battleship'', with both players having a hidden map-board and calling out coordinates to locate their opponent. The British player sets up a large number of Royal Navy vessels and search aircraft on their map-board before game play begins, while the German player places the ''Bismarck'' and the ''Prince Eugen'' on their mapboard.

Each turn, the players move their respective units, searching for enemy units, and possibly engaging in combat. Each player calls out grid coordinates containing a ship or aircraft, and the opponent indicates whether a ship is located there, and if so what type. A player may choose ''not'' to search with a particular unit, thus keeping its location secret. As the British are unlikely to have a force sufficient to sink the ''Bismarck'' when they initially find her, they will need to "shadow" the vessel. For example, a fast unit such as the heavy cruiser , is able to keep up with ''Bismarck'' and follow her on radar without engaging in combat.

Eventually, British heavy units, such as the battlecruiser may be vectored into the same square as the German Task Force. At this point combat ensues. The British also have air units on the aircraft carriers and which can both search for the Germans and attack with torpedoes from a distance. The game has combat damage sheets with squares representing areas of each warship that can be damaged in combat. As combat is resolved, squares are checked off.

Intermediate and Advanced rules

The 1978 edition also included Intermediate Rules provide a set of modular additions, such as a more sophisticated weather system, submarines and destroyers, fighter aircraft, alternate "what if" scenarios (such as the German aircraft carrier , breakout with the , French and U.S. forces, etc.), and more. The Advanced Rules implement ship-to-ship combat using a miniatures-type system, with ship counters laid out on the floor, realistic damage to ships, etc.

Scenarios

The game offers eight scenarios: one historical scenario, and seven "what if?" scenarios.

Victory conditions

The Germans win by avoiding contact with the British, successfully "breaking out" into the Atlantic and ravaging merchant shipping there. They can also achieve victory by destroying any opposition they encounter and making their way to a friendly port in Occupied France.

The British win by intercepting and destroying the ''Bismarck''.

Publication history

''Bismarck'' was designed by Thomas Shaw, Charles S. Roberts, Mick Uhl, and Jack Greene, and was published by Avalon Hill in 1962. This edition was discontinued in 1972.

In 1978, Jack Greene revised the rules, making the relatively simple search, movement and combat systems more complex. This second edition, with new cover art and components, was published in 1978.

In 1988, Joel Billings and John Lyon created a computer game titled ''Computer Bismarck'' based on the Avalon Hill game. (Thomas Shaw, vice-president of Avalon Hill, turned down Billings when he approached the game company about producing computer games for them.) ''Computer Bismarck'' would become the first game produced by Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI), the new company co-founded by Billings and Lyon.

Reception

Writing about the 1962 edition in Issue 8 of ''Games & Puzzles'', Don Turnbull called the game "an approximate simulation" because it left out the ''Prinz Eugen''. Turnbull considered the game a failure, saying, "It had some, but not much, merit; certainly anyone who thinks ''Bismarck'' will simulate naval action any more than roughly would be disappointed."

In ''The Playboy Winner's Guide to Board Games'', John Jackson noted that the 1962 edition was "easy to grasp and is, for a wargame, quite short — an hour or two at most." He noted that "It is even possible for the German player to win, occasionally, if the ''Bismarck'' can elude its pursuers for a while and can catch one or two of the British ships alone ''at night''."

In the 1980 book ''The Complete Book of Wargames'', game designer Jon Freeman called the original 1962 edition "probably the best — and shortest — introductory wargame on the market at the time." However, Freeman didn't feel that the new (1978) edition was "occupying the same niche. It's still a good game; it's just aimed at a broader audience." He concluded by giving the second edition an Overall Evaluation of "Very Good."

In a retrospective review in Issue 9 of ''Vieille Garde'', Stephane Martin gave a lengthy breakdown of the gameplay in the second (1978) edition, and concluded, "''Bismarck'' still remains today a quality reference in naval simulation games. With a little luck, it is possible to find this second-hand game at a very reasonable price."

In another retrospective review, Joe Scoleri noted in Issue 3 of ''Simulacrum'' that "''Bismarck'' was one of the easiest and quickest playing valon HillClassics but is obviously limited in terms of realism and simulation value." Scoleri concluded, "Although the original version is perfectly acceptable as an introductory game, naval warfare enthusiasts will want to stick with the second edition."

Other reviews and commentary

* ''BattlePlan'' #2 & #8

References

External links

*

Basic description of game at SmorgasboardOfGames.com
* Claus Bergen Box Cover image by Claus Bergen

{{Avalon Hill

American board games
Avalon Hill games
Board games introduced in 1962
Naval board wargames
Wargames introduced in the 1960s