- BGG rank
- BGG #15,098
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Strategy I: Strategic Warfare 350BC to 1984
- 2–8 players
- 360 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 1971
- BGG rank
- BGG #23,051
- BGG rating
- 5.9
Frigate: Sea War in the Age of Sail
1974
Rules assistance for Frigate: Sea War in the Age of Sail
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 120 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.0/5
Rules assistant for Frigate: Sea War in the Age of Sail
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Frigate: Sea War in the Age of Sail is a board game released in 1974 for 2 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Jim Dunnigan and its main mechanics are Simultaneous Action Selection, Modular Board, and Hexagon Grid.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,123
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Sniper!
- 2 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 1973
- BGG rank
- BGG #16,353
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Patrol!: Man-to-Man Combat in the 20th Century
- 1–3 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 1974
- BGG rank
- BGG #16,644
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Solomons Campaign: Air, Land, and Sea Warfare, Pacific 1942
- 2 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 1973
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,791
- BGG rating
- 6.3
MechWar '77: Tactical Armored Combat in the 1970's
- 2 players
- 270 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 1975
- BGG rank
- BGG #16,425
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Panzer '44: Tactical Armored Combat, Europe, 1944-45
- 2 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 1975
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,980
- BGG rating
- 6.1
The Battles of Bull Run: Manassas – June 1861 and August 1862
- 2 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 1973
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,601
- BGG rating
- 5.8
Desert War: Tactical Warfare in North Africa
- 2–4 players
- 120–180 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 1973
- BGG rank
- BGG #26,311
- BGG rating
- 5.8
Kampfpanzer: Armored Combat, 1937-40
- 2 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 1973
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,644
- BGG rating
- 6.7
PanzerBlitz
- 2 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 1970
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,482
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Napoleon at Waterloo
- 1–2 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 1971
- BGG rank
- BGG #21,373
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Leipzig: The Battle of Nations – Napoleon vs. Europe
- 2 players
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 1969
About the game
Frigate simulates naval battles of the 18th and 19th centuries in 20 different scenarios. Battles involving the American, British, French, Spanish, Italian, and Dutch are represented. They range from single ship combats to full scale battles, like Trafalgar, which involved more than 70 ships. Ranged combat, grappling, and boarding actions are all included. Movement is both plotted and simultaneous. Wind effects and command control also play a big part of the game. 255 counters Victory conditions are dependent on the scenario played.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- SPI (Simulations Publications, Inc.)
Questions and answers
Frigate: Sea War in the Age of Sail supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Frigate: Sea War in the Age of Sail is 120 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 Frigate: Sea War in the Age of Sail for ages 12 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.
Frigate: Sea War in the Age of Sail has a complexity rating of 3.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Frigate: Sea War in the Age of Sail belongs to these categories: Wargame, Napoleonic, and Nautical. Its main mechanics are Simultaneous Action Selection, Modular Board, and Hexagon Grid. 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 Frigate: Sea War in the Age of Sail are: Jim Dunnigan. 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 Frigate: Sea War in the Age of Sail 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.