Second World War at Sea: Strike South

About this board game

Second World War at Sea: Strike South is a two-player World War II naval game with an approximate play time of 120 minutes. It covers Japan’s early-war efforts to seize the rich assets of the Dutch East Indies, using operational maps and tactical battles to portray major actions across the region.

The game includes two operational maps: the South China Sea and the East Indies. These maps overlap with those found in the Eastern Fleet product. When opposing fleets meet, play moves to a generic tactical map made up of blue hexagons, where ships and aircraft maneuver and fight.

Combat uses a straightforward dice system. Roll one six-sided die for every factor a ship has; each result of 6 scores a hit. The attacking weapon—primary gun, secondary gun, tertiary gun, torpedo, or bomb—is compared with the armor of the area struck to determine whether it penetrates. Successful penetration marks off a damage box.

Strike South contains 15 scenarios, including eight limited Battle Scenarios that use only the tactical map. The larger Operational Scenarios can take a whole evening, although the publisher focuses them on an approximately two-hour timeframe. Featured actions include the last mission of the British battleship Prince of Wales, the Battle of the Java Sea, the Battle of Sunda Strait, and the Japanese invasion of the Philippines.

• Two 32×22-inch strategic maps
• One 11×17-inch tactical map
• 140 long pieces for major fleet units
• 280 square pieces, mostly aircraft, plus smaller warships and markers
• Rulebook, scenario book, two player aid cards, and an organizational card