They Come Unseen

About this board game

They Come Unseen is a 2–5-player asymmetrical strategy game that takes about 120 minutes to play, pitting submarines against a surface fleet in a battle for control of the seas.

One team commands submarines, attempting to sneak troops into enemy ports and destroy vital strategic targets. The opposing team deploys a surface fleet to hunt down the hidden submarines and protect crucial supply lines. Each side faces a different challenge, creating a game built around bluffing, deception, and incomplete information.

The game uses two separate boards to represent the different perspectives of the conflict. The surface action takes place on a board visible to everyone, while underwater movement is tracked on a second board seen only by the submarine commanders. This hidden information makes every move a potential feint and every search a test of deduction.

• Asymmetrical roles: submarine commanders pursue covert missions while the surface fleet searches and defends.
• Dual-board system: shared surface operations contrast with secret underwater movement.
• Command panels: players track vital information including fuel, ammunition, and current cruising depth.

Designed by retired Royal Navy officer and submarine commander Andrew Benford, and developed deep beneath the waves, They Come Unseen focuses on the tension between what one side knows and what the other side can conceal. Strategic planning, careful resource tracking, and misleading movements are central to the experience.

Released in 2015, it offers a distinctive naval contest for players who enjoy hidden movement, opposing objectives, and the suspense of trying to locate an unseen enemy.