UBOOT: The Board Game

[bstanko6]

@atleiker...

Is the game as easy as watching the videos? Or is it more complex? Mine comes tomorrow and I’m like a 39 year old kid waiting for Christmas!

[atleiker]

Originally Posted by bstanko6

@atleiker...

Is the game as easy as watching the videos? Or is it more complex? Mine comes tomorrow and I’m like a 39 year old kid waiting for Christmas!

To which videos are you referring? Do you play many boardgames? And if so are they wargames?

I don't find U-boat to be very complex rules-wise compared to board wargames. It's probably about average for a Eurogame. There have been rule updates to the game that are reflected in the app, but not in the rule book so go by the app for any discrepancies between the two.

Or do you mean complex as in there is a lot going on? If you are going to play solo, taking on all four officer roles, then you will be busy at every watch change getting your sailors into new positions, but after you get used to that it's mostly frantic action at the watch change, running at real time until you have your plan in place, then fast forwarding to a contact or a mechanical breakdown and dealing with that in real time. Then if you get located and have to deal with a depth charge attack things can get very nasty. The only time I felt overwhelmed in the game was dealing with damage and a hull breach, but there is a pause button if you need it. And after the first mission and pausing to get my bearings during damage control I haven't needed to pause since. That being said, doing the jigsaw puzzle to seal a breach hull is the stupidest mechanic I have ever seen in a game. The biggest problem with it is that once you've done the puzzle once or twice it's not a challenge to ge the hull breach closed in the time allotted anymore. I'm going to abandon the puzzle and just roll a die to determine if the patch is successful in the future. If you can't tell, I hate the damn puzzle.

I don't think anything about playing the game is complex, but it is challenging to do well at hard difficulty if you play strictly by the official rules. If you house rule activations for hydrophone and periscope operators then the game becomes ridiculously easy.

I find that missions take me about 3 to 4 hours playing solo. There is no in-mission save so if you can't complete at one sitting you may lose your progress if you minimize the app in your device. Be forewarned.

I see a lot of people at BGG talk about struggling with the attack disk and hitting targets. I can't imagine it being hard for anyone with SH3 experience. I tried the attack disk for my first attack and then abandoned it. It just isn't necessary for anyone with experience manually plotting an attack in SH3. I can tell the approximate AOB by sight in the app and can easily get my bow to the +/- 30 degree bearing required for the automated TDC solution. In all honesty attacking and sinking targets isn't nearly the thrill as in the subsims because it is just too easy. But the damage control and keeping the boat and crew alive are much more exciting than in the subsims, IMO anyway. So it's weird in that way. I almost hope for a depth charge attack just so an exciting event happens and I generate a narrative around it.

It's a busy game solo. I see complaints online about certain roles being boring when playing multiplayer, but I don't have any multiplayer opportunities so I can't speak to that.

I realize this whole post is sort of rambling. I hope you have an idea about complexity now though.

[bstanko6]

Appreciate the response I meant complex in playing the game rule wise.

The videos make it seem easy.
You answered my question.

[Salvadoreno]

Just bought it! Can't wait! I have my uboat commander hat, my handbook, and my wooden plotting tools. I am ready to lead my unwilling and disinterested friends to tonnage glory!!!!

[bstanko6]

Got my copy yesterday, and I intend to study the rules today! Looks great!

[bstanko6]

Man! What a cool game!

I was playing the training mission, and sunk a ship via deck gun.

Had let a few repair items go by without fixing... big mistake! Literally, the toilet was in need of repair, I let it go, and it created a toxic gas! LOL!

Got sunk by destroyer hunting a convoy! I was running out of activation spots and abilities!

I was playing all 4 roles myself, and that requires a lot of attention.

I need a crew!

Great game if you ever intend to try it!

[Grahamers2002]

My dad was a navigator on subs for 20 years. I am a board game player.

I saw this board game come out and I thought it would be the perfect way for us to have some fun together. I was right. It is super fun. I use a projector to display the app on a big screen by the gaming table and we focus on the board and managing the crew with the table-top components. very nice blend of board game and simulation.

I started thinking about ways to pimp it out a bit and thought about an intercept vector calculator... one thing led to another and I discovered this forum and MoBo.

I downloaded MoBo and it is perfect!!

NOTE: I do have one question about MoBo, but I am not yet allow to post in that forum. Does anyone know where to get the best advice on my issue?

[Aktungbby]

Grahamers2002!

[Salvadoreno]

Did anyone else have a hard time putting the Uboot 3D model together? It is very flimsy and cheap feeling. I was hoping it would all fit perfectly and stay sturdy but it may require me to constantly put the model together and it will wear on the material. Game looks great, but the boxing and storage was terrible.

[atleiker]

The front 1/3 of my U-boat is slightly warped and does not like to stay together and this is causing wear on the spot where the two parts come together at the upper deck.

The condition in which the product was shipped is a common complaint. No inserts and box contents strewn about the inside which for some has caused damage upon arrival. The box was supposedly designed to store the built u-boat in thirds along with all the other materials, but I've found this to be an unrealistic assumption on the designers' part so I've put mine on permanent display on a shelf.

I think this was the first foray into game design and kickstarting for these two and it shows in their lack of planning about storage and shipping as well as all of the rule changes that have occurred since initial release.

Still a compelling game, but one has to be able to deal with certain frustrations.

Personally, I think the app will be it's undoing and limit its longevity so I'm currently thinking about developing a variant that would do away with the app completely.

[bstanko6]

All the complaints ive read about this game are a little harsh.

I think the objective of any board game is to bring people together.

And this game delivers that.

Like all games, it is ok to variant the rules to your liking, but I've plated this game several times solo, and love it.

Got to get my group together and sink some ships!

[Salvadoreno]

Just played my first 2 person game and wow its difficult! I was only in training! After a long hunt i had to give up due to constant bad weather! I personally didn't mind but my other not so excited or interested friend was disappointed. I guess you have to be a true subsimmer to really enjoy this.

Which brings me to another point, anyone know of a meetup group for this game? I think i want to find other equally excited players and meet up with them! I really like the mechanics and sim style.

I am in Los Angeles.

[bstanko6]

@Salvadoreno

You are right, this game is for the true subsimmer!

I can see a person who isn’t into this being frustrated.

Some say it’s s crew management game, others a sub simulator.

My truest thought...
It’s a command/stress simulator!

Everything comes down to the captain. He has to manage stress while issuing “efficient” commands to his crew!

You cannot just throw commands all over the place. You have to strategize several steps ahead!

The other players manage the stress of leading their sailors under their command, and must efficiently follow the orders of the captain.

If the captain issues silly orders, and the crew mismanages their departments... things go to hell quickly!

I like that!

[bstanko6]

Got my guys together last night to play. Truly a fun board game!

Forces you to work together to solve issues that come at you!

Our captain, first time playing, was loosely giving out orders, and after the first attack on a merchant, he realized how morale affects the boat and crew... he was doing everything he could not to issue orders! LOL!

Good game!

[bstanko6]

Uboot can be played on steam. Just buy TABLETOP SIMULATOR, and its in the workshop section for free!