
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,624
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Sonar Family
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2018

Rules assistance for Captain Sonar: Chicago Map
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Captain Sonar: Chicago Map is an expansion for Captain Sonar released in 2016 for 2–8 players, 45–60 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. Its main mechanics are Grid Movement, Secret Unit Deployment, and Role Playing.
This promo set was given out at the Asmodee booth at Gen Con. It included four two sided maps: two Captain Functions and two Radio Operator Functions. A set of these is yellow and another in green. One side of each map is divided into four quadrants, the other into nine quadrants. The map is of the Great Lakes region near Chicago.
Captain Sonar: Chicago Map supports 2–8 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 Captain Sonar: Chicago Map is 45–60 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 Captain Sonar: Chicago Map for ages 14 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.
Captain Sonar: Chicago Map has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Captain Sonar: Chicago Map belongs to these categories: Fighting, Deduction, and Real-time. Its main mechanics are Grid Movement, Secret Unit Deployment, and Role Playing. 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 catalogue lists Captain Sonar: Chicago Map as an expansion for Captain Sonar. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Captain Sonar to use it. Check that your edition of Captain Sonar is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.