The Chase of the Bismarck: Operation Rheinübung 1941

About this board game

The Chase of the Bismarck: Operation Rheinübung 1941 is a two-player naval search-and-combat game with an approximately 360-minute playing time. Set across the events of Operation Rheinübung, it follows the pursuit of the Bismarck through a sequence of operational turns.

Each turn represents nearly five hours of real time. Both players secretly move any or all of the ships and air units under their command on their own search board, creating a game of concealed movement and careful search decisions.

After movement, players enter the game’s operational phase. Each player may call out zones where they have enough search factors to locate opposing ships. If enemy ships are discovered in the same zone, the encounter can move to the Battle Board for the game’s tactical phase.

• Secret movement: Move ships and air units privately on a personal search board.
• Zone searches: Use search factors to call out zones and attempt to locate enemy ships.
• Tactical combat: Resolve battles on a separate map showing the distance to opposing ships.
• Multiple endings: The game concludes when the Bismarck is sunk, reaches a friendly port, or the final turn is played.

Battle uses a fairly simplified system. Both players move on a map that indicates the distance to the opposing ships, providing a focused tactical resolution after the uncertainty of the search phase.

The Chase of the Bismarck ends when the Bismarck is sunk, arrives at a friendly port, or the last turn has been completed on the evening of May 29th. The result is a long-form two-player contest built around hidden movement, detection, and decisive naval encounters.