This little game was designed and published by Lou Zocchi. It consists merely of a 5 1/2 x 8 1/2" booklet with stiff paper covers and 24 "pages". Actually the rules are all on the front inside, rear inside, and outside covers, and the "pages" are meant to be removed, for they make 6 identical sheets, each having,a "Basic Game Mapsheet" on one side and an "Advanced Game Mapsheet" on the other. There are no other components provided, but you will also need two or more plastic document protectors (one for each player) and an equal number of grease pencils, china markers or some such.

This is not particularily intended to be a "simulation" game in the sense we would apply to the word. It is, let us say, slightly more realistic than Chess. The Basic Game mapsheet consists of a square subdivided into 100 small squares, 10 across and 10 down. That's it. No terrain. After all, this is a naval game.

Each player has two mines, one submarine, two destroyers, one cruiser and one "battlewagon" (a cute nickname for "battleship", which I hadn't heard since John Wayne won WWII), but there are no counters or miniature ships provided or needed. Each player simply decides where to start each of his ships and where to place his mines, and marks them on his copy of the Mapsheet, without informing the other player(s).

From then on each player must move one ship and fire with one ship (not necessarily the one that moved) each turn. He announces the direction of his move, but not the starting or ending square, and which square he is firing at (which must be within range of the firing ship), but not which square he is firing from. The problem, then is to deduce where your opponent's ships are (based on the squares fired at and directions moved in relation to the known capabilities of his ships) and then sink them before he does it to you.

The Advanced Game uses a mapsheet 13 x 13 squares and which contains two sizable islands. It also increases the specialization of the different types of ships and makes it more difficult o deduce the enemy's location.

Like Chess, this is a deceptively simple-seeming game - though I doubt that it'll replace that game in popularity. It would make an ideal traveling game, since you could play it in a moving car, plane or whatever, and it is easy to transport and requires no set-up time. If abstract or simi-abstract, games and brain teasers appeal to you this is well worth the $2.98 price, and is available from PANZERFAUST, postage paid.

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