Ironbottom Sound (1981)

Overview

Simultaneous-plotting hex-based naval game based on actions near Guadalcanal during WWII. Ten scenarios are provided, five historical and five balanced "tournament" situation. Scale is 600 yards/hex.

Gunfire and torpedo fire are figured in "factors" per turret, with all guns of the same caliber firing on a single target rolling once, using a range-modified ordered-pair of dice against a table, for number of hits. The location of each hit is then determined by another ordered-pair roll against another table.

Each ship has a damage sheet showing its gunnery and torpedo layout, and giving number of factors for each turret/mount. It also serves as the damage record sheet for the ship, and specifies armor thickness over protected locations (e.g. belt, primary turrets, secondary turrets, bridge). A ship sinks when its last hull box is marked off.

The game is basically set up for two-player ftf, but short rules for PBM, moderated two-player, and moderated multi-player are provided.

The second edition, Iron bottom Sound 2 (note post-WWII spelling of title), was published by Moments in History in 1998.

Some significant rules changes (torpedo rules in particular) and a different scenario mix. Includes a night convoy battle in the Mediterranean.