U-Boat [metal miniatures]

“Now YOU command in this authentic Destroyer vs Submarine NAVAL GAME” No. 505, 1959, $4.95
Designed by Charles S. Roberts
Players 2-6
Playing Time 30 minutes
Period late World War II
Scale tactical
Turn not stated
Map not stated
Unit individual vessels

A simple tactical game portraying an encounter between destroyers and submarines. The destroyers win by sinking the subs. The subs win by either sinking the destroyers or moving off the far mapboard edge into the convoy zone. The game used small metal miniatures to represent the destroyers and subs. The following component manifest applies to the first edition, first printing. For information on 1961 dated sets, see the description of the cardboard counter edition.

Components, 1959 edition
Map Two 22”x14” mapsheets mounted on blue boards attached at adjoining longer edges by two strips of tape (black on inside of fold, blue on outside), marked copyright 1959 on sub map half

Rules
1 Two duplicate 5 1/2”x8 1/2” rule books (16 pages) marked “First printing - September, 1959”
2 Orange 2-3/4”x4 1/4” Important Rule Change errata card (Note: I am unsure if there might have been copies released without this card.)

Counters: 6 painted metal miniatures (3 destroyers and 3 submarines; one of each colored red, yellow, and blue.)

Charts, Pads, and Play-Aids
1 Two duplicate 8 1/2”x5” pink Attack Results cards
2 Two 5 1/2”x8 1/2” Attack Record Pads (double-sided pages)

Inserts
1 Green 11”x14” sheet with green text describing the game
2 6”x3” four-panel pamphlet with brown text (AH catalog listing 5 games)
3 Yellow 5 1/2”x3 1/4” “To Help us... improve U-Boat” postpaid postcard

U-Boat [cardboard counters]

“Now YOU command in this authentic Destroyer vs Submarine NAVAL GAME” No. 505, 1961, $5.98
Designed by Charles S. Roberts

The 1961 edition of U-Boat offered slightly revised rules and components. However, the game still included metal miniatures. Some time after 1963 the metal miniatures were replaced with cardboard counters. There do not appear to be any other substantive changes to the game. This cardboard counter version of U-Boat remained in the AH catalog through 1971.

The following component manifest is based on a late 60s set but should apply equally to all versions using cardboard counters. The manifest below also applies to 1961 sets with metal miniatures, except the miniatures sets have the following differences:

• earlier style catalog
• single reply card
• 11”x14” sheet describing the game (caveat: 1961 dated sets published in the mid to late 60s may not have included this)
• box cover reading “Now YOU command in this realistic Family/Social NAVAL GAME”
• metal miniatures instead of counters

Components, cardboard counter version

Map
Two 22”x14” mapsheets mounted on blue boards attached at adjoining longer edges by a strip of black tape, marked copyright 1959 on sub map half

Rules
8”x10” rules folder (4 pages) marked copyright 1961

Counters
6 counters: 3 submarines, 3 destroyers.

Charts, Pads, and Play-Aids
1 Pink 8 1/2”x5” Attack Results Table
2 5 1/2”x8 1/2” Attack Record Pad (double-sided pages)
3 Pink 4 1/2”x3” Emergency Speed Range card
4 Pink “L” shaped (4 1/2”legs) Emergency Speed Range card Inserts
1 AH game catalog, slick paper folder (unfolds to 8 1/2”x14-3/4”) with black and white photos, text in red and black, no date (circa 1967)
2 5 1/2”x3 1/4” “This card came from” yellow postpaid registration postcard
3 5 1/2”x3 1/4” DO A FRIEND A FAVOR magenta postcard

In Memoriam: Revisiting the Avalon Hill Classics, Part II Old Games Never Die, Their Counters Just Fade Away

Introduction
Gettysburg '58
Gettysburg Battlefield Edition
Tactics II
U-Boat
Chancellorsville
D-Day
Civil War
Waterloo
Bismarck
Stalingrad
Jutland
Conclusion