1805: Sea of Glory

About this board game

1805: Sea of Glory is a two-player operational naval game, released in 2009, with an approximate playing time of 480 minutes. Set during the pivotal year of 1805, it places the Allied fleets of France and Spain against the Royal Navy in a struggle for control of the seas.

The Allied player must break out of European ports, assemble a combined fleet, and seek opportunities to threaten Britain and other key targets. The British player faces a difficult task: maintaining blockades and patrols while trying to detect, pursue, and intercept enemy forces that may slip away under changing winds and weather.

Blocks create fog of war, concealing the identity and strength of fleets, squadrons, and scouting frigates. Individual ships remain hidden on organizational charts until interception, making deception, false leads, reconnaissance, and timing central to every sortie. A fleet apparently heading toward one destination may be pursuing an entirely different objective.

• A large map covers the North Atlantic, Mediterranean, and the route to the West Indies.
• Individual ships of the line have distinct firepower and morale ratings.
• Historic admirals bring different abilities in pursuit, escape, administration, and combat.
• Storms, squalls, prevailing winds, becalming, and hurricanes influence movement and blockades.
• Variable objectives may involve Egypt, Malta, Naples, Ireland, or the West Indies.

When fleets meet, the tactical combat system uses tactics chits representing flag signals. Commanders must choose between maneuvering for the weather gauge, disabling an enemy force, attempting to escape, or exchanging broadsides in a decisive engagement. Battles on the scale of Trafalgar can be resolved in less than 15 minutes.

In 1805: Sea of Glory, the Allied player can win immediately by controlling the English Channel, while variable victory conditions give the British player several threats to contain. Random events, limited resources, and the uncertain composition of enemy fleets ensure that no blockade or pursuit is ever completely secure.