Bismarck

About this board game

Bismarck is a two-player naval hunt from 1962, with an approximate playing time of 120 minutes. One player commands the German side, whose only playing piece is the Bismarck, while the British player searches for it across separate search boards.

The game presents a straightforward move-and-search system built around hidden movement. The German player maneuvers the Bismarck, while the British player attempts to locate it. If the British player finds the ship, a battle begins, turning the search into a contest for points.

Three levels of play offer different degrees of complexity. The basic and intermediate games provide distinct experiences, while the advanced game adds miniatures rules for combat. Avalon Hill complexity ratings are 4 for the Basic Game, 6 for the Intermediate Game, and 7 for the Advanced Game.

Victory depends on the points earned during the game, and the player with the most points at the end wins. The game can conclude in several ways:

• The Bismarck is sunk.
• The Bismarck enters Bergen, St. Nazaire, or Ferrol after patrolling.
• The German player earns enough points that the British player cannot win.
• Time runs out.

With its concealed movement, separate search boards, escalating combat options, and clear scoring objective, Bismarck focuses tightly on the hunt for one elusive ship. It was later re-implemented by Bismarck (Second Edition).