As for an actual German strategy in the game, past experience has told me that this would be useless. Each and every game is different, and the results too wildly unpredictable, to even attempt to suggest what to do. Everything rides on where the British player places his ships. What I will do is to offer a few tips on what and what not to do:

1. The Baltic

This is an easy point in your pocket almost every turn. Occupation of the area by a heavy cruiser will suffice until the Russians are made available. Unless you have a very important mission in mind elsewhere move the Graf Zeppelin into the Baltic every turn and bomb the ships in Leningrad.

If one or both Russian battleships are able to venture out, a pocket battleship and/or a heavy cruiser and the aircraft carrier should prove more than capable of disabling or sinking them. If you're ahead by eight points, for a laugh you might send Bismarck and Tirpitz to engage the Russians. In general, don't worry too much about this area. No sane British commander will try sending any of his ships in to help out the Russian anyway, unless a) you have only two or three ships left, or b) on the chaotic free-for-all on the last turn of the game.

2. The Barents

Your constant presence must be made in this area, not only against the convoys, but because by possessing the area you effectively bottle up any British ships in Murmansk. Sometimes, when the convoy is in the Barents and is guarded by a host of ships, it is better not to send any of your vessels into the Barents at all. The British player can't be strong everywhere, and if he has a good number of his capital ships and carriers riding shotgun for the convoy, he has spread himself thin somewhere else. So hit this other area with everything you have, including U- boats.

Always, with no exception, place your ground-based air counter in the Barents area whenever he has ships there. First priority for bombing is the convoy, then (if you have no ships up there) two carriers. if you are sending your fleet into the Barents, bomb the convoy and two of his battleships. It makes no sense to bomb his carriers, because he gets to bomb your ships regardless. Also, if you've put the land-based air factors in the Barents, do not send Graf Zeppelin up there. The rules state that no more than three ships can be bombed in any one area per turn, so you'd simply be wasting two air factors which could be put to better use at Leningrad.

3. The North Sea

This area is important to you, not only for its three big points, but because it is a gateway to the French port and the South Atlantic (and to the North Atlantic, if the Barents is closed to you). The North Sea is a tough area to take, though, because it is usually very heavily defended. For obvious reasons neither side can be bombed by land aircraft there, but the area often does contain one or two carriers, usually that damnable Ark Royal, which can not only thwart your ships from taking the North Sea but also are threats to any damaged ships you have sitting in France or Germany.

Most games I've played usually have at least one tremendous slugfest in this area. Nothing is wrong with this, just so long as you come out on the winning side. In other words, try to soften up the area with Graf Zeppelin and the U-boats before you send your big ships into battle.

4. The North Atlantic

This area is often the best hunting ground for your wolf packs, but it is more difficult to reach with your entire fleet, especially those pocket battleships. If you can reach this area, do so; it's worth one point to the Briton, whereas the North Sea is worth nothing to him. If you have plans for the North Atlantic, carry them out during the first half of the game. After that, watch out for those U.S. battleships, particularly Washington. Hit the North Atlantic after turn four only if you are 90% sure of success. Otherwise you will lose ships that will be crucial later on in the Barents and the North Sea. Depending upon the number of carriers in the area, put all seven U-Boats there. You'll not only rob your enemy of a point, you may be able to sink the convoy and/or a battleship or two.

Do not bother with convoys, except with U-boats, when they are in the North Atlantic. He only gets one measly point by landing them in England. Chances are good that the British will press on with the convoy to Russia, especially if he is behind. That is the time to make your move.

5. The South Atlantic

This is the most inaccessible region of all, because after the first turn the British player will probably control the North Sea. You do, however, have France as a port, and you might wish to threaten a drive into the South with a pair of ships in France. This is also wise because if the North Sea is held by the British, and you have no ships in France (or any raiders fueled on the high seas), you have no way of putting anything (save for the lousy Italian cruisers) into the South. Hence he can guard that region against U-boats with two carriers and 2-4 cruisers, allowing all of his capital ships to watch over the North Sea, the Barents and the North Atlantic. This ugly situation might very well cost you the game.

Also, your possession of the South Atlantic prevents any reinforcements to and from Malta, thus taking some pressure off your hard-pressed Italian allies. The South Atlantic is a tricky place, however, for if you lose a battle there, your ships, at least the disabled and the ones that failed to refuel, are stuck in the South American ports. And if the British player ended that turn with the South Atlantic in his possession, watch out. You either must sail your probably damaged ships out there, where they will face inevitable destruction, or you can sit tight and lose one hard-earned POC for every ship stranded down there.

Also on turns 1, 7, and 8 France is not available to you as a port, and refueling is only a 67% successful venture. As for U-boats, they can prevent the British from controlling the area if not faced by a horde of carriers.

6. The Mediterranean

No German ships, except perhaps U- boats, should ever venture into this area. It is a death-trap for ships from the air, for the simple reason that the British player almost always places his own land-based aircraft there, not to mention the usual carrier. One of these preys on the Italian ships in harbor, the other on those at sea.

The Mediterranean does hold possibilities for a concerted U-boat effort, but the main burden is on the Italians. They should receive the land-air factors whenever the Barents is free of British ships. The Italians must make an all-out effort on the first turn, regardless of what the British player has based in Malta.

The latter will not place more than six battleships in the area initially, however, otherwise the Germans will run wild over the other areas on the board. After the first turn, venture out only if you have an equal or superior number of undamaged battleships. You may wish to risk sailing a damaged Vittorio Veneto or Littorio, but under no circumstances are any damaged 4-3-5s to leave port.

If by some freak chance you actually end a turn in control of the Mediterranean, you might think about sending out the cruisers into the South Atlantic. Do so, however, only if the British have been nearly wiped out. The Italian commander must play it safe, otherwise he'll play himself right out of the game.

Other Key German Considerations

A) Unity

Keep your fleet together as much as possible. Early in the game it may look rather cute to have half your fleet in Germany, the other half in France, both waiting to crush the British fleets. If you do this the only thing that will be crushed is you. Sure, a pair of ships in France is a nice thing to have, but you've got to keep your fleet in Germany to deal with the convoy. What happens in the Barents Sea is usually what will make or break the German player in the game.

In addition, the perpetual ship in the Baltic is a must. If, however, you can't spare one there, don't bother. This applies only if no Russians are allowed to leave Leningrad. The British player has enough ships to play around with to cover five of the six areas (all except the Baltic); you have enough to cover three, and even this is dangerous unless you've lost two ships or less. And his carriers make things worse. Hence, your plans must be made with caution and with care.

Caution, however, does not mean sailing your whole fleet into the Baltic every turn, To win, you must be aggressive. Every one of the six areas on the board holds opportunities for you; the key is knowing which do, and when. And do not worry too much about carriers; true, they can disable or sink you, but cases will inevitably arise when you will have to sail regardless. After all, the only way to remove the danger of the carriers is to go out and sink them.

B) Enemy Battleships and Battlecruisers

These should be bombed at every opportunity, particularly the King George V class. Use your own battleships and battlecruisers to polish off his fast dreadnoughts (4-4-7s, 5-5-4s, 4-5-6s and 4-4-4s), while your pocket battleships should deal with his slower 4-4- 3s and 5-5-3s. Bear in mind that your heavy cruisers, if undamaged, can sink any of these, but they should stick to the Russian fleet and the 3-3-6s if possible.

C) Heavy Crusiers

Don't waste time with these pesky ships unless there are no other targets available. An exception is the Mediterranean, where it is sometimes wise to sink his cruisers before they turn on your vulnerable 4-3-5s.

D) Carriers

U-boats, heavy cruisers and pocket-battleships are more than adequate in dealing with these. Never waste the firepower of battleships and battlecruisers on carriers. Also, if any are stationed in the Mediterranean one factor of the land-based bomber force should be used against it.

E) Convoys

These are your chief targets, as they represent the best way for your opponent to score against you. You can easily sink a convoy with most of your ships, but this opportunity rarely arises. Instead, it is best to hit convoys by air or have most, if not all, of your subs gang up on one.

One final noteAnother way of playing War at Sea, which puts more suspense into the game, is for each player to secretly write down his moves beforehand. This includes attempted movement to areas that are two seas away, as well as allocation of air power. Both players then simultaneously reveal their movement, roll the dice for distant movement, repair ships, etc. Before moving anything, however, the British player must roll openly for the availability of the Russian fleet. He does not tell the Germans if the Russians will sail.

War at Sea German Game Strategy

Overview and Strength Comparison
German Strategy