
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,423
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Ambush!
- 1 player
- 180–240 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 1983

2020
Rules assistance for By Stealth and Sea
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
By Stealth and Sea is a board game released in 2020 for 1–3 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by David Thompson (I) and Nicola Saggini and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Cooperative Game.
"By Stealth and Sea" is a tactical solitaire or cooperative wargame that takes place during the Battle of the Mediterranean in World War II. In By Stealth and Sea, you lead elements of an Italian commando frogmen unit called Decima Flottiglia MAS. Under your command, teams of frogmen will pilot manned torpedoes in attacks against the Royal Navy in the heavily guarded harbors of Gibraltar, Algiers, and Alexandria. By Stealth and Sea’s campaign system features all nine key historic manned torpedo attacks by the Decima Flottiglia MAS against the Royal Navy. During the campaign, you can advance your technology and train your frogmen. But the Royal Navy responds to successful attacks by improving their defenses. The remarkable accomplishments of the Decima Flottiglia MAS served as a model for other special forces assault units for years after World War II. Will you be able to match these historic results? Or will you succumb to the defenses of the Royal Navy? Object of the Game You score points based on the type of naval vessels and support ships you sink. Points scored during a mission can be used to advance your technology and train your operators for future missions. Your goal for the campaign is to meet or exceed the historical accomplishments of the manned torpedo operators of the Decima Flottiglia MAS. Gameplay By Stealth and Sea is divided into turns. Each turn consists of the following phases: Fault Check Phase: Check to see if there is a fault. Manned Torpedo Phase: Each manned torpedo uses two action points. Harbor Defense Phase: Harbor defenses respond to manned torpedos. Clean-up Phase: Prepare for the next round. —description from the publisher List of ship counters in the game Link — https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2546719/article/36347007#36347007
By Stealth and Sea supports 1–3 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for By Stealth and Sea is 30–45 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists By Stealth and Sea for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
By Stealth and Sea has a complexity rating of 2.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
By Stealth and Sea belongs to these categories: Wargame, Nautical, and World War II. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Cooperative Game. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of By Stealth and Sea are: David Thompson (I) and Nicola Saggini. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists By Stealth and Sea as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.