UBOOT The Board Game is a real-time tabletop game of WW2 submarine warfare. An underwater cooperative war thriller that allows 1 to 4 players to assume the roles of the Captain, the First Officer, the Navigator, and the Chief Engineer on board of a type VIIC U-boat. The game is enhanced by a companion app, allowing for an unprecedented level of realism, as well as a challenging enemy A.I. which will push your skills to the limit. The action unfolds both on the strategic and the tactical scale, always demanding teamwork, efficient crew management, and quick situation assessment.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
The visual side of things
over 5 years ago
– Tue, Sep 04, 2018 at 01:23:36 AM
Hello everyone!
We are happy to announce that the production of plastic pieces for U-BOOT has been finished. We are now waiting for the mass production samples, and once they are approved, we will be able to import the goods from China to Poland, where the game will be printed and assembled.
Here are some photos of the final plastic pieces:
Guns and periscopes on the conning tower’s mockup.
The Captain’s crew.
The First Officer’s crew.
The Navigator’s crew.
The Chief Engineer’s crew.
A general view of the plastic pieces.
On top of that, we are starting the printing process. The language-independent files are ready, the dies have been produced, and we are eager to see the final, mass-produced hull of our u-boat! The English edition files are ready, and our partners are finishing theirs. Soon, all the language files will have been approved for printing.
As for the app, there has been a lot of progress an all fronts. We are heavily testing the AI for various enemy units, so as not to make it too deadly, while also retaining its aggressive and relentless nature. We are also testing various visibility conditions, and applying the final touches to the scenario editor. In the coming weeks, the editor will be ready, allowing us start testing the hell out of further scenarios. The scenario design is mostly ready - now we will need to key them into the editor and then do A LOT of testing :)
In the meantime, the IT team will focus a little bit more on the visual aspect of the game. So far, there have been a lot of changes in the code and mechanics, but not so much on the visual side of things. That, however, is beginning to change, and we are getting closer and closer to showing off some sweet visuals. For now, let us give you a glimpse of what is being worked on:
88 mm
20 mm
Yes, you got that right - you will be able to shoot the deck guns :) These two particular modules are a fresh addition to the app, and a testament to what we promised during the campaign: if there is a cool idea that was not a part of the campaign, but we can squeeze it into the timeframe and budget, then we will do it! Frankly speaking, the idea to fire the guns manually has been with us since the very beginning of the project, and we are very excited to be able to have it in the game.
Nanty Narking is a classic reborn! Martin Wallace's design, originally set in the flat world created by an author beloved by many and knighted for his writing, which has been now translated into the realities of the round world and many myths and legends of the Victorian London. The same London which stood as inspiration for so many stories. Unavailable for more than 3 years now, the game returns in a new, stunning PHALANX quality edition. Please check the project page and take part in this world’s first story driven Kickstarter campaign!
Happy gaming!
Iron Wolf Studio and PHALANX
Let’s get physical
over 5 years ago
– Sat, Aug 18, 2018 at 01:59:16 AM
Hello everyone,
The last update wasn’t particularly impressive, but that was only because we were mustering all our strengths for this one. And, finally, the day has come: we are very excited to announce that the physical components for U-BOOT are almost on their way to the printer! That’s right - the Rulebook, the Tactical Guide, the player panels, the 3D model, and all the rest of the components are ready! They are currently undergoing final scrutiny before being sent out to manufacturers, which should be happening soon. And the plastic pieces? They are already in mass production!
Frames with miniatures, right out of the molds.
Chief Engineer's assembled miniatures with brown bases.
Before that, however, we would like you - our backers - to have your say. As you already know, we value your opinion above all other, so we are very happy to be able to show you the (perhaps) final rules and Tactical Guide for the game. Please have a look and tell us what you think! I guess it goes without saying that we are really interested to hear what you think about this first sneak peek of the full game.
And, speaking of the full game, we are not wasting time either! Enemy AI is being put through its paces, day and night effects are already in place, and scenario design is in full swing. We are now only days away from laying our hands on the all-new version of the app, together with a scenario editor. How cool is that?
Work in progress :)
Very much so, I agree, but, let’s not forget about the main purpose of this update: please be so kind as to let us know in the comments section of this update your thoughts on the rules and Tactical Guide, as it is very important for us to make sure that they are on par with your expectations. Once we are done with the physical components, we can go all-digital until the game’s release.
And yes, by that I mean the app, so you already know what to expect in our next update, right? ;)
All best and happy gaming!
Iron Wolf Studio and PHALANX
There will be no update today...
over 5 years ago
– Tue, Jul 31, 2018 at 12:53:09 AM
...as we are on vacation now. Guess where we went to.
OK, let's get inside! :)
We'll be back after 15th of August with some serious stuff.
Happy gaming!
Iron Wolf Studio and PHALANX
Various perspectives
almost 6 years ago
– Tue, Jul 03, 2018 at 12:32:59 AM
Hello everyone,
Summer is upon us, so let’s sit back in the shade with a cool drink and relax to the regular rhythm of the punch die. Truth be told, there is no heat hot enough to stop our shipyard from sending U-boats down the ramp one after the other. Or, perhaps, we should just chill and remember to wear hats ;)
Translation, graphics, and layout
All the rules texts are ready and have been checked by native proofreaders. They are currently undergoing translation by our language partners.
We are in the process of finalizing language-independent game components. Here are a few samples:
As soon as these are ready, we will be able to finish the language-dependent files, starting with cards:
And crew panels:
The Navigator's desk...
...and Chief's... floor. ;-)
We will soon proceed with rulebook and tactical guide layout. This will be the hardest part. Once they are ready, we will upload the books here for your final comments.
In the meantime, our artists are still painting. As the U-boat interior is almost ready, they can move on to paint the exterior of the vessel.
And let’s not forget about our brave crew! Here are the faces of our four final recruits:
Please bear in mind that this is also a WIP version, and it will be vastly improved before the material goes to the printer.
Production
Our printing house is already preparing tools for the 3D model. Having gone through initial testing, we are now improving the technology to provide the best quality die cut. This is both costly and time-consuming, but we are making progress each day and we hope that we will be able to show you the photos of the first die cut U-boat model in our next update.
What is more, molds for casting the plastic pieces are already in production. We are choosing the color palette right now, waiting for samples of the final plastic pieces and color proofs of the material that will be used in mass production. We hope to be able to show them in our next update as well.
Last, but not least, wooden and cloth pieces have already been approved and are ready for mass production.
App design
As the physical components’ preparation is drawing to a close, we are almost done rebuilding the game world. The map has been re-scaled and has grown to include not only the North Sea, but also the Atlantic. Furthermore, our IT team has already implemented the shoreline, and it will be much more than just a visual gimmick, as venturing into coastal waters will entail certain risks (i.e. being unable to dive, or doing so at the risk of hitting rocks in shallow waters).
Apart from the map, our IT team is working on all the physical components that will be used in conjunction with the app, namely the Identification Sheet, the Enigma Code Sheet, and the Captain’s log.
Visual identification
The ID sheet will allow the First Officer to identify enemy vessels, and we have gone to great lengths to make identification both interesting and worthwhile. To that end, each enemy vessel will be presented from various perspectives to allow for identification from any angle, and not just the broadside.
What is more, the so called Angle on Bow, or ‘aspect’ will allow the Navigator to calculate enemy course on ‘hard’ difficulty setting, as the app won’t be giving such information to experienced navigators. Thankfully, those few brave souls will be using a specially enhanced version of the Attack Disk which will allow them co quickly translate the combined bearing and aspect of the enemy and come up with its course within seconds :)
The Enigma
Codes for the Enigma have already been generated and we are finalizing the code sheet layout. It is yet another example of how the app will work together with physical components of the game, as each message will only be deciphered if the right key is found and applied. While not terribly difficult or time-consuming, it will require one of the First Officers most important skills, namely being able to find information quickly and make use of it without making mistakes.
Captain’s Log
The last of the app-related components will allow the Captain to have a better view of how a mission unfolds. Not only will it allow the Captain to note down the assumed GRT sunk (the app will not reveal such information on medium and hard difficulty, making visual observation even more mission-critical!), but also to keep track of the U-boat and crew status, complementing the save functionality that the app will use to record all the in-app information at the end of each mission.
The Pledge Manager is open!
almost 6 years ago
– Wed, May 30, 2018 at 11:32:58 PM
Hello everyone,
It is Wednesday, and we are proud to announce the official opening of our Pledge Manager!
Pledge Manager
The Backerkit Pledge Manager (PM) is open, and you should receive an email invitation soon. If not, please check your SPAM folder. If you still can’t see the invitation, please go directly to https://uboot-the-board-game.backerkit.com/ and use your Kickstarter e-mail to get your invitation.
When you click the invitation link, please select "Switch Your Pledge Level" and select the pledge level and language edition you want to to receive. If you want to switch your pledge level to ALL-IN PLEDGE, please do this in this step. This will help us determine the correct shipping costs for your language edition and location. Then continue with the survey, enter your shipping address, pay for shipping, and click "Place Order" and you'll be all set.
Please note that the free Wooden Plotting Tools for backers #1-#5900 will be added automatically to your order. If you take more than one copy of the game in your pledge, we will add the extra copies of the Tools manually upon closing the PM.
After you respond to your survey, you can go back later and change your responses at any time before we close the surveys and get our final counts.
If you need to review your information or pledge status, you can return to your survey by clicking the link in your survey email or requesting your survey link under "Lost your survey?" on our BackerKit project page at https://uboot-the-board-game.backerkit.com.
If you used your Facebook credentials to log in to your Kickstarter account, the BackerKit survey is sent to the email address you use for your Facebook account. If you have another email address that you prefer to use, please contact support at https://uboot-the-board-game.backerkit.com/faq.
If you have any questions about the PM or how your order is processed, please make sure to contact Backerkit Support first, as the tool is very user-friendly and has a solid helpdesk. If they can’t help you, please contact Michał Parma, our Logistics Manager: michal.parma[at]phalanxgames.co.uk.
Please note that the Giant Playmat (latex) is sold separately (as an add-on), as it was free only for Kickstarter backers. Everything else is the same as in the campaign, so you will receive the same game as Kickstarter backers (including all stretch goals, etc.).
We are still on track with design and production. Our graphic studio is working hard on all the in-game images. Here are some new faces on deck.
Please note that these images are still work in progress, that is why the ‘Kriegsmarine’ inscription on one of the sailors’ hats is mirrored out.
And some new images of our boat’s compartments:
Please bear in mind that this is also a WIP version, and it will be vastly improved before the material goes to the printer.
App development
While the map and the in-game world are still being polished, there is already a lot of work being done on all the ship models that you will find in the game. All of them are being modeled in 3D, and you can see their silhouettes for the Identification Sheet below:
Of course, their in-game appearance will be much more sophisticated (with textures, shading, and all), but you can already get an idea of how visual identification will work. The First Officer should have plenty of fun determining the best targets, especially in the rain, at night, and from awkward angles ;)
Plastic piece samples
You have already seen the pre-production pieces in our previous update (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/phalanxgames/uboot-the-board-game/posts/2196732), but we have decided to share some photos of these item attached to our old, worn-out playtest model. This is how the resin pre-production sample pieces and paper pieces look together. The overall feel is fantastic, and we can’t image playing the game without them anymore :) We would like to thank you all for reaching all these fantastic stretch goals!
As you can see, the resin pieces are bent here and there, but don’t worry - we will be using the HIPS hard plastic for all the components with long and thin elements, so bending should not be an issue.
Language editions
We are proud to announce that the German edition of U-boot will be published by the renowned Pegasus Spiele! What is more, there will be an eighth language edition of the game (Brazilian Portuguese) by Galapagos Jogos! With eight editions secured, our game will have a safe harbour on every continent. We would like to thank you for this tremendous amount of trust, and we will do everything we can to bring you a game that you wish for.
Please note, that the Brazilian Portuguese edition copies will be shipped to Brazil only. Similarly, the Russian edition copies will be shipped only to Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
UK Games Expo
We will be difficult to reach online over the next five days, as we will be participating in the UK Games Expo fair. Please visit us at booth 1-H14, so that we can have a chat or play a demo game of U-boot. You will also have the opportunity to get a premiere copy of Hannibal & Hamilcar Rome vs. Carthage! We will be there from Friday till Sunday, so let’s meet in Birmingham this weekend!
