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The Hunters: German U-Boats at War, 1939–43 (4th Printing) is a highly immersive solitaire tactical wargame that places you in command of a German U-boat during the Battle of the Atlantic. Beginning with the outbreak of war in September 1939, you will lead patrols against Allied shipping, manage your crew and submarine, and attempt to survive an increasingly dangerous campaign as Allied anti-submarine tactics steadily improve.
Designed specifically for solo play, The Hunters combines detailed historical realism with streamlined gameplay, delivering an engaging campaign where every patrol presents new challenges, difficult decisions, and the constant struggle to bring both your crew and your U-boat home safely.
This game includes:
Rules Booklet with Designer Notes
Full-Colour Double-Sided Counter Sheet
4 Double-Sided Player Aid Cards
U-Boat Combat Mat
4 Double-Sided U-Boat Display Mats
U-Boat Patrol Log Sheet
3 Six-Sided Dice
2 Ten-Sided Dice
1 Twenty-Sided Die
8 Commandant Cards (New for the 3rd/4th Printing)
2 Patrol Maps (New for the 3rd/4th Printing)
Key Features:
Designed exclusively for solitaire play
Command 8 different historical German U-Boat classes
Complete career campaign spanning 1939–1943
Dynamic patrol system covering 9 historical patrol areas
Over 500 named historical merchant and naval targets
Day and night attacks, convoy battles, and Wolfpack operations
Detailed damage, crew experience, promotions, and decorations
High replayability through random events and changing wartime conditions
Corrected errata in the 4th Printing
About the Game:
In The Hunters, you assume the role of a German U-boat commander during one of the most dramatic naval campaigns of the Second World War. Your objective is to sink Allied merchant shipping and capital ships while successfully completing patrols, improving your crew's effectiveness, earning promotions, and surviving long enough to complete a full wartime career.
Players may choose from eight different historical U-boat classes, each with its own strengths, capabilities, and service history. Patrol assignments span the Atlantic, Arctic, Mediterranean, Caribbean, North American coast, Norwegian waters, and other major theatres of the Battle of the Atlantic. As the war progresses, patrol areas shift and Allied defences become increasingly effective, making survival progressively more difficult.
Every patrol generates a series of tense tactical decisions. After locating a convoy or individual ship, you must decide whether to attack immediately or move closer and risk detection. Surface attacks under cover of darkness, carefully timed torpedo salvos, evasive manoeuvres, and difficult escapes from escort vessels all contribute to an experience that constantly balances aggression against survival.
Damage is tracked in impressive detail, with flooding, hull damage, engine failures, periscope damage, fuel shortages, damaged torpedo tubes, crew injuries, and equipment failures all capable of affecting future operations. Successful commanders gradually build experienced crews, earn prestigious decorations, and may even be reassigned to newer and more capable submarines as the war develops.
As history unfolds, the campaign becomes increasingly dangerous. Improvements in Allied radar, sonar, convoy tactics, aircraft coverage, and anti-submarine warfare gradually turn the hunters into the hunted, accurately reflecting the changing fortunes of Germany's U-boat fleet between 1939 and 1943.
4th Printing
The 4th Printing contains the same gameplay and components as the previous edition while incorporating known errata corrections. It also includes the additional Commandant Cards and Patrol Maps introduced in the previous printing, ensuring players receive the most polished version of this acclaimed solitaire classic.
Game Details:
Players: 1 (Optional Multiplayer and Tournament Variants)
Playing Time: Approximately 2–3 Hours
Complexity: Low to Moderate
Solitaire Suitability: Very High
Replayability: Very High
Setting: Battle of the Atlantic, 1939–1943
Age: 14+
Will You Become the Hunter—or the Hunted?
Every patrol brings new opportunities, greater risks, and increasingly capable Allied opposition. With its outstanding historical detail, engaging campaign system, and exceptional replay value, The Hunters: German U-Boats at War, 1939–43 (4th Printing) remains one of the finest solitaire naval wargames ever published, challenging players to survive one of history's most dangerous underwater campaigns.
The Hunters: German U-Boats at War, 1939–43 (4th Printing) is a highly immersive solitaire tactical wargame that places you in command of a German U-boat during the Battle of the Atlantic. Beginning with the outbreak of war in September 1939, you will lead patrols against Allied shipping, manage your crew and submarine, and attempt to survive an increasingly dangerous campaign as Allied anti-submarine tactics steadily improve.
Designed specifically for solo play, The Hunters combines detailed historical realism with streamlined gameplay, delivering an engaging campaign where every patrol presents new challenges, difficult decisions, and the constant struggle to bring both your crew and your U-boat home safely.
This game includes:
Rules Booklet with Designer Notes
Full-Colour Double-Sided Counter Sheet
4 Double-Sided Player Aid Cards
U-Boat Combat Mat
4 Double-Sided U-Boat Display Mats
U-Boat Patrol Log Sheet
3 Six-Sided Dice
2 Ten-Sided Dice
1 Twenty-Sided Die
8 Commandant Cards (New for the 3rd/4th Printing)
2 Patrol Maps (New for the 3rd/4th Printing)
Key Features:
Designed exclusively for solitaire play
Command 8 different historical German U-Boat classes
Complete career campaign spanning 1939–1943
Dynamic patrol system covering 9 historical patrol areas
Over 500 named historical merchant and naval targets
Day and night attacks, convoy battles, and Wolfpack operations
Detailed damage, crew experience, promotions, and decorations
High replayability through random events and changing wartime conditions
Corrected errata in the 4th Printing
About the Game:
In The Hunters, you assume the role of a German U-boat commander during one of the most dramatic naval campaigns of the Second World War. Your objective is to sink Allied merchant shipping and capital ships while successfully completing patrols, improving your crew's effectiveness, earning promotions, and surviving long enough to complete a full wartime career.
Players may choose from eight different historical U-boat classes, each with its own strengths, capabilities, and service history. Patrol assignments span the Atlantic, Arctic, Mediterranean, Caribbean, North American coast, Norwegian waters, and other major theatres of the Battle of the Atlantic. As the war progresses, patrol areas shift and Allied defences become increasingly effective, making survival progressively more difficult.
Every patrol generates a series of tense tactical decisions. After locating a convoy or individual ship, you must decide whether to attack immediately or move closer and risk detection. Surface attacks under cover of darkness, carefully timed torpedo salvos, evasive manoeuvres, and difficult escapes from escort vessels all contribute to an experience that constantly balances aggression against survival.
Damage is tracked in impressive detail, with flooding, hull damage, engine failures, periscope damage, fuel shortages, damaged torpedo tubes, crew injuries, and equipment failures all capable of affecting future operations. Successful commanders gradually build experienced crews, earn prestigious decorations, and may even be reassigned to newer and more capable submarines as the war develops.
As history unfolds, the campaign becomes increasingly dangerous. Improvements in Allied radar, sonar, convoy tactics, aircraft coverage, and anti-submarine warfare gradually turn the hunters into the hunted, accurately reflecting the changing fortunes of Germany's U-boat fleet between 1939 and 1943.
4th Printing
The 4th Printing contains the same gameplay and components as the previous edition while incorporating known errata corrections. It also includes the additional Commandant Cards and Patrol Maps introduced in the previous printing, ensuring players receive the most polished version of this acclaimed solitaire classic.
Game Details:
Players: 1 (Optional Multiplayer and Tournament Variants)
Playing Time: Approximately 2–3 Hours
Complexity: Low to Moderate
Solitaire Suitability: Very High
Replayability: Very High
Setting: Battle of the Atlantic, 1939–1943
Age: 14+
Will You Become the Hunter—or the Hunted?
Every patrol brings new opportunities, greater risks, and increasingly capable Allied opposition. With its outstanding historical detail, engaging campaign system, and exceptional replay value, The Hunters: German U-Boats at War, 1939–43 (4th Printing) remains one of the finest solitaire naval wargames ever published, challenging players to survive one of history's most dangerous underwater campaigns.
