
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,028
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Great War at Sea: Jutland
- 2 players
- 30–120 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 2006

Rules assistance for Second World War at Sea: Orange Waters
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Second World War at Sea: Orange Waters is an expansion for Second World War at Sea: Bismarck released in 2011 for 1–2 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Michael Bennighof and James Stear and its main mechanics are Simultaneous Action Selection, Secret Unit Deployment, and Paper-and-Pencil.
This is an expansion for the SWWAS series that adds 15 scenarios using the hypothetical Dutch Fleet from Spice Islands in the North Atlantic and North Sea. From the APL website... "In the 17th century, Dutch leaders put their faith in their powerful navy and skilled admirals, winning repeated victories as their spread their commercial empire around the world. But by the 1930s, the Netherlands trusted the League of Nations to defend world peace, and did not begin to rebuild their fleet until it was much too late. Spice Islands presented the fleet the Dutch admirals hoped to build, adding it to the Second World War at Sea series with scenarios taking place in the East Indies. Orange Waters is a supplement for the Second World War at Sea series, with 15 scenarios looking at how this fleet might have been used in the waters of the North Atlantic. This module is not playable by itself, but requires use of the Bismarck boxed game and Spice Islands supplement. No other games or supplements are needed to enjoy all 15 scenarios."
Second World War at Sea: Orange Waters supports 1–2 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 Second World War at Sea: Orange Waters is 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 Second World War at Sea: Orange Waters 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.
Second World War at Sea: Orange Waters 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.
Second World War at Sea: Orange Waters belongs to these categories: Wargame, Nautical, and World War II. Its main mechanics are Simultaneous Action Selection, Secret Unit Deployment, and Paper-and-Pencil. 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 Second World War at Sea: Orange Waters are: Michael Bennighof and James Stear. 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 Second World War at Sea: Orange Waters as an expansion for Second World War at Sea: Bismarck. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Second World War at Sea: Bismarck to use it. Check that your edition of Second World War at Sea: Bismarck is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.