- BGG rating
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Cards at Sea
- 3–9 players
- 2011
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- BGG #7,276
- BGG rating
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Naval War
1979
Rules assistance for Naval War
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–9 players
- 45 min
- 12+
- Complexity 1.4/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Naval War
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Naval War is a board game released in 1979 for 3–9 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by S. Craig Taylor and Neil Zimmerer and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Dice Rolling.
Expansions
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About the game
NAVAL WAR is a card wargame of skill, and luck that is based on World War II naval combat. Each player controls a "fleet" of warships, and attempts to sink the other player's ships. The battleships, aircraft carriers, and battlecruisers of WWII roam the seas again! In this unique card game, three to six players command a "fleet" of the world's most feared ships. Drawn from a deck of 54 cards, you might get the Bismark, Gneisenau, Prince of Wales, Hood, Ark Royal, Roma, New Jersey, Enterprise, Shokaku, or even the gigantic Yamato, the largest battleship ever used in battle! Using another 108 card deck, you can attack the enemy with salvos from your guns, make carrier strikes, destroyer torpedo attacks, raids by submarines or torpedo boats, or set up minefields. NAVAL WAR is based on historical data, but is is a quick play "beer and pretzels" game rated 1 on the Avalon Hill complexity scale (1-easy to 10-hard) Expanded by: Cards at Sea (VAIPA Express)
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- The Avalon Hill Game Co
- Battleline
Questions and answers
Naval War supports 3–9 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 Naval War is 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 Naval War 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.
Naval War has a complexity rating of 1.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Naval War belongs to these categories: Card Game, Wargame, and Nautical. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Dice Rolling. 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 Naval War are: S. Craig Taylor and Neil Zimmerer. 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 Naval War 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.