NATO | theycomeunseen

- Advice for NATO players -

A SNORT MOVE

Part (1) of a NATO submarine's snort move in the board game THEY COME UNSEEN

(1) The submarine start position on the DEEP board at 200 feet with 2 battery units remaining. [A minimum of 1 battery unit is required to commence the snort ‘charging phase’ at periscope depth on the MAIN board - see "Know Your RED Zones"].

Example snort move part (2) in THEY COME UNSEEN

(2) The submarine has moved 1 square and risen to periscope depth (PD) with 1 battery unit remaining; the Datum piece is placed on the MAIN board at the arrival square.

Example snort move part (3) in THEY COME UNSEEN

(3) The datum piece is now moved 2 squares on the MAIN board (the snort charging phase) and the battery gauge is increased by 10 units to 11; the Datum piece is left on the final square.

Example snort move part (4) in THEY COME UNSEEN

(4) The submarine now moves on the DEEP board one square further on than the datum piece on the MAIN board and in doing so descends to 200 feet; battery units remaining now 10.

Example snort move part (5) in THEY COME UNSEEN

(5) The submarine moves a further 2 squares on the DEEP board and descends, in this instance, to 400 feet. The submarine has now moved the maximum allowed distance of 3 squares from the datum piece left on the MAIN board and has 8 battery units remaining.

Total squares moved = 6; net battery gain = 6 units.

NOTE: A submarine may NOT conduct a snort move when entering an Ice-Station because the element of surprise would be lost but MAY conduct a snort move to LEAVE an Ice-Station after it has been attacked.

OTHER SNORTING CONSIDERATIONS

‪SNORT MOVE IN SHALLOW WATER (250 feet)

Schematic snort move in shallow water in the board game THEY COME UNSEEN

In 250 feet of water the SNORT move uses the whole move (6 squares).

This restriction still applies if only one square of the move is in 250 feet of water.

RUNNING DEEP & ENDING A MOVE WITH A SNORT (450'/650')

Schematic snort move in deep water in the board game THEY COME UNSEEN

The total move equals the maximum allowable move of 14 squares which is only possible in deep water areas (450 & 650 feet). The net battery loss for the move is only 2 units while good distance has been achieved; the trade off - presenting a fresh datum for the Soviets to prosecute.

The datum piece is used to mark the square on the MAIN board where the submarine arrives at periscope depth (PD) for the snort; in this example the boat arrives at PD just in time … with the minimum permissible battery capacity remaining for a snort i.e. 1 unit. The datum piece is then moved 2 squares to indicate the snort (charging) phase of the turn during which the battery gauge reading is increased by 10 units. As with all snorts the submarine then evades on the DEEP board (moves away from the datum piece) for a maximum of 3 squares while changing depth as required (and able) … a snort + evasion always ends the move - over to the Soviets now to try to gain contact and localise!

SHALLOW WATER CONSIDERATIONS

Photographs of the DEEP board showing how shallow water areas (250 feet) affects the movement of NATO submarines during a mission (game). Remember that the playing pieces only occupy one square, the square covered by the central coloured block.

[P1] shows two example NATO moves - one unaffected by shallow water:

NATO submarines moving through different water depths in the board game THEY COME UNSEEN

1. GREEN submarine is unaffected by shallow water during this move. It can move the maximum possible distance of 14 squares by moving through deep water (450 & 650 feet); the boat does NOT enter shallow water at the intersection marked as X and so has a clear run without restriction.

2. BLUE submarine passes through shallow water (250 feet) in the square marked as S and is therefore limited to a maximum move of 6 squares.

[P2] shows two example moves limited to 6 squares because of shallow water (250 feet):

1. GREEN submarine conducts a minelay.

2. BLUE submarine is moving into or from an area of shallow water.

Know your RED Zones

A NATO submarine control panel from the board game THEY COME UNSEEN

(1) BATTERY: submarines must have at least 1 battery unit remaining on arrival at periscope depth (MAIN Board) for a snort move.

(2) SQUARES MOVED: a move is limited to 6 squares if it includes a square in a sea depth of 250 feet.

EXHAUSTED BATTERY

- ZERO UNITS -

If a submarine's battery gauge reaches ZERO, the submarine rises vertically* to the MAIN board and must remain on the surface until its NEXT turn in order to charge the battery to 5 units. [* at all other times submarines move forward one square to change depth in 200 feet increments].

STOPPED TRIM

Submarines do not need to move while on the DEEP board but use 1 unit of battery capacity for each turn spent on the same square (stopped trim).

DEPTH SEPARATION

Submarines may occupy and move through the same square on the DEEP board as long as they are at different depths; they may not change depth passed each other on the same square.

SURFACED & PERISCOPE DEPTH

NATO submarines either appear on the MAIN board as a Datum piece to indicate a snorting move at periscope depth (PD), or as the submarine playing piece to indicate that the submarine is on the surface. For simplicity both situations are interchangeable in the game as far as the depth gauge is concerned and the states can be changed without any movement or a battery penalty; it is simply the use of the different playing pieces that indicate the chosen state of operation: surfaced or snorting on the MAIN board.

Moving from 200 feet to the MAIN board, or from the MAIN board to 200 feet, is a move of one square whichever MAIN board status (surfaced or PD) is being played.

MINEFIELDS

Minefields can be laid in SHALLOW water only (250 feet); conducting a minelay takes a complete turn for a submarine as it is a move of 6 squares in shallow water. Once laid, an acoustic minefield remains active throughout the game and can be triggered unlimited times by unwary surface ships travelling too fast overhead. Submarines may pass unharmed through these minefields owing to their very low acoustic signature.

Example minelays conducted during a game of THEY COME UNSEEN

DECLARING RESULTS OF SOVIET ATTACKS

A NATO submarine will be forced to operate at ever shallower depths as it sustains damage from successive, successful Soviet attacks until it is too badly damaged to survive. After the Soviets have fired a salvo and declared the depth, or different depths (B & W cubes), NATO should check the position of their submarine pieces relative to the mortar bomb cubes - REMEMBER: the submarine piece ONLY occupies the ONE square covered by the coloured central section of the playing piece.

A Soviet ASW attack against a NATO submarine during a game of THEY COME UNSEEN

SAME SQUARE + SAME DEPTH:

NATO declares HIT

The first hit on a submarine will prevent further operations at 600 feet. Place a RED damage token on the (1) spot [400FT] on the Submarine Damage Tracker (SDT); the depth indicated on the SDT at the RED token's position is now the maximum depth at which the submarine can operate i.e. 400 feet. A second HIT will limit operations to 200 feet; on the THIRD HIT the submarine it is SUNK and removed from the game.

If a submarine is at a depth deeper than the allowed maximum depth because it has just been hit, adjust the depth gauge to the next allowable depth.

If a YELLOW token is already in place on the SDT and a submarine receives a HIT, place the RED token on the position occupied by the YELLOW token and move the YELLOW token to the next position on the SDT.

SAME SQUARE + DIFFERENT DEPTH:

TWO POSSIBLE CONDITIONS:

[1] If bomb depth is PLUS or MINUS 200 feet from the submarine’s depth:

(e.g. submarine at 200 feet & bomb set at 400 feet):

[1] NATO declares NEAR MISS

For the first NEAR MISS, place a YELLOW damage token on the (1) spot [400FT] on the Submarine Damage Tracker (SDT); the submarine can continue to operate down to 600 feet with a YELLOW token at the 400FT position.

For the next NEAR MISS, the YELLOW damage token is turned over to its RED side; the depth indicated on the SDT at the RED token's position is now the maximum depth at which the submarine can operate. If turning a YELLOW token to its RED side becomes the THIRD HIT on the submarine it is SUNK and removed from the game.

If a submarine is at a depth deeper than the allowed maximum depth because a second NEAR MISS has become an accumulated HIT, adjust the depth gauge to the next allowable depth.

[2] If the bomb is set at a DEPTH GREATER THAN 200 feet from the submarine’s depth

(e.g. submarine at 600 feet & bomb set at 200 feet):

[2] NATO declares MISS

WRONG SQUARE:

NATO declares MISS

A "NEAR MISS" on its own doesn't affect a submarine's operational depth ability; it takes two NEAR MISSES (i.e. equal to a HIT) to cause operationally limiting damage.

The position of a successful or unsuccessful CUBE is NOT indicated by NATO to the Soviets.

SUBMARINE DAMAGE vs OPERATING DEPTH

A sequence taking the two submarines through different stages of damage during a game as displayed on the Submarine Damage Tracker.

Submarine Damage Tracker from the board game THEY COME UNSEEN

BLUE: MAXIMUM depth 600 feet.

GREEN: NEAR MISS (DAMAGED) - MAXIMUM depth 600 feet.

BLUE: HIT (SEVERE DAMAGE) - MAXIMUM depth 400 feet.

GREEN: HIT (SEVERE DAMAGE) - MAXIMUM depth 400 feet -

existing NEAR MISS damage (token) has been moved to the 200FT position.

BLUE: NEAR MISS (NEW DAMAGE) - MAXIMUM depth 400 feet.

GREEN: HIT (NEW SEVERE DAMAGE) - MAXIMUM depth 200FT -

existing NEAR MISS damage (token) has now been moved to the SUNK position.

BLUE: NEAR MISS (NEW DAMAGE) ADDS to existing NEAR MISS damage (token) which is changed to HIT - MAXIMUM depth 200 feet.

GREEN: NEAR MISS (NEW DAMAGE) - ADDS to existing NEAR MISS damage (token) which is changed to HIT - submarine SUNK.