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Solitaire Wargame Rules

Solitaire wargames are board games typically based on historical conflicts--most often, World War II, though some deal with other wars, like the Napoleonic, Peloponnesian and Persian Gulf conflicts.

The rules of these games are varied, but they do share some elements, including die rolls, sequences that must be followed and random events that substitute for a second human player.

Tactical or Strategic
- The are two basic divisions of wargames: tactical and strategic. Tactical games include B-17: Queen of the Skies, which puts you in control of a World War II B-17 bomber and its crew; and Ranger, in which you are a patrol leader. Strategic games include Carrier War, in which you take command of either the American or Japanese navies during World War II.
  
  Some games, such as Silent Hunter, also set during World War II, have both tactical and strategic elements. In this game, you control all submarines in the Pacific theater or command a single vessel during a patrol.
Rolls
- Most solitaire wargames use die or dice rolls in order to determine outcomes and conditions. In Silent War, a die roll is used to determine if your submarine has hit its target and this roll is modified by factors including the target's defense and ASW capabilities.
  
  B-17 calls for rolls before and during play. Rolls before play determine factors such as your target, position within the formation of B-17s and the height at which the formation flies. Other rolls determine conditions such as the weather over your target and the number of waves of German interceptors sent against you.
Sequencing
- Because they endeavor to mirror the phases of the conflicts they are based on, solitaire wargames all have inherent sequences you must progress through in order to achieve victory.
  
  In B-17, you move one zone closer to your target per turn and must then roll for fighter cover and act accordingly if your squadron is attacked by German interceptors. After reaching the target zone, you must commence the bombing run and return to base, while continuing to fight off enemy interceptors. Once you arrive back at the 8th Air Force Base, you must then roll to determine whether seriously injured crew members survived.
  
  Strategic games such as Carrier War tend to be more complex. Each turn in Carrier War has seven phases and each phase may require you to undertake several actions. During the reinforcement phase, for instance, you begin by determining if new units or replacements are available, or if your damaged units have been repaired, and then position reinforcements based on the appropriate rule.
Random Events
- Solitaire wargames may also include random events, which attempt to manufacture the kind of spontaneity you would expect from a human opponent. These events may also seek to duplicate the kinds of incidents that may have occurred in the relevant historical context.
  
  B-17 includes random events, precipitated by a die role of 20, that can result in engine failure, formation casualties that would force you to assume the role of lead or tail bomber, as well as extreme cold that could cause the machine guns on your bomber to jam.

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