The game
Supermarina is the most complex simulation game ever edited by International Team.
This game takes place in the Mediterranean Sea, between June and October 1940 and is about naval war between England and Italy. The game mainly consists in safely conducting his naval convoys and in looking and destroying enemy ships.
The illustration
The illustration, signed by Enea Riboldi, represents an Italian reconnaissance airplane IMAM RO43. It is for instance available as picture in the italian sites torpedo club di Rimini and il Portale dell'Aeronautica Militare Italiana. A well painted mock-up is also visible on Pavla models.
Opeining of the box
The box contains the 2 rule booklets, the map in 6 parts, 2 or 3 dice, the counters, a set of calendar sheets and of Mediterranean maps.
The map
The map covers a surface of 1m42 x 0m66 and represents the Mediterranean Sea. The map is divided in squares of 30 km.
The counters
The counters represent mainly the Italian and English fleets. They are very small and of similar colours. But the rear side, used during the game to hide the counters, is white and grey (instead of Blue and Red as it is written in the rules). The A-Z counters are used to represent several boats and to enhance the usability on the map. The Italian player is using these counters starting from A, the English one starting from Z. The d1,d2,d3 are used to indicate the damage level. the Ma, Mb, Mc counters are used to indicate minefields. The R1, R2, S1, S2, B1, B2 are used to indicate aircrafts (B Bomber, S Torpedo plane, R Reconnaissance). The aircraft model is indicated: for instance, you can find the Italian RO-43 of the illustration.
The rules
The rulebook includes 49 pages in 2 languages (Italian and French) and 20 pages of miscellaneous tables.
The game is played using one of the 3 possible rules: solo (1 player), basic (2 players), enhanced (2 players and one referee). In any case, the game includes basic rules and advanced rules.
the Italian player own the following territories: Italy, Libya, Albania, Dodecanese.
The English player own the following territories: Gibraltar, Malta, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Cyprus.
The other territories are neutral.
At the beginning of the game, the warship position is given. The departure of the convoys is indicated on the calendar (with a possible delay of one day). Any Italian merchant ship arrived brings back 5 points, any English merchant ship arrived brings back 45 points. Other points are added with boats sunk or damaged.
The players decide the duration of the game. It is easy to play in several time or by mail using the map numbering system. Randomly, the use can chose the period played (or they can decide to play the mini-scenario)
Each game-turn corresponds to 6 hours. The warships have a movement factor of 8 squares (of 30 km each), the fast merchant ships and surface submarines have a MF of 6, the merchant ships have a MF of 4, the towed ships have a MF of 2, the diving submarines have a MF of 1 square.
The enemy boat identification is made when in contact after a die throw (variable with the ship type and if it is day or night). The submarines also include a noise detector usable when the engine is stopped.
Several parameters are managed: fuel, oxygen and submarine battery, flight autonomy for aircraft starting from the coast or ships, the lack of precision when boats are identified from an airplane etc.
A boat hit may have 7 level of damage (from 1 - slower speed -1 square MF to 7 sunk). The attacks are made with guns (against a ship or an harbour), with torpedoes, with deep-sea bombing, with Anti-Aircraft gun, with minefields, with coast defence. The damage may be repaired in an allied harbour that includes a shipyard.
The optional rules includes weather condition management, spies, Italian air dissuasion.
Some price (2004-2006):
This game is not easy to find, but it was 2 time put on Ebay Italy without being sold.
| N° EBAY | Price EBAY | Country | Date | Remarks |
| 5917954214 | EUR 88 | France | 8 sept 2004 | |
| 5167677986 | EUR 199 | Italy | 1 mar 2005 | |
| 5173865729 | EUR 49,99 | Italy | 17 mar 2005 | NOT SOLD |
| 5179065675 | EUR 99 | Italy | 3 apr 2005 | NOT SOLD |
| 5194172221 | EUR 99,90 | Italy | 15 may 2005 | new |
| 5207058010 | EUR 58,80 | Italy | 19 June 2005 | |
| 5214158267 | EUR 60,65 | France | 6 July 2005 | unpunched |
| 5217495437 | $ 152 | Italy | 19 July 2005 | |
| 8731895492 | EUR 56 | France | 11 dec 2005 |
SUPERMARINA overviewreference: W121 (on one side, there is a W122 by mistake)
Game for 1/2/3/4/5 players from 15 years on
game time: more than 3 hours
Duration of a turn at scale: 6 hours
Difficulty: 8 (maximum)
Date: 1984
Authors:
Art Director: Massimo Petrini
Ideazione: Umberto Tosi
Grafica: Nicoletta Pellegatta
Illustrazione: Enea Riboldi
Testers: Massimo Amati, Maurizio Croce,
Francesco Del Forno, Luigi Garlaschelli
Mauro Lubrano, Matteo Rosa,
Antonio Toffoletto, Caludio (Claudio ?) Villani
An article in Jeux et Stratégie n°26 (French):
Links:
Supermarina in La caverne
Supermarina in Boardgamegeek
Supermarina in Isimulacrum
Supermarina in la ludothèque de Boulogne Billancourt
Supermarina in JP Rouquie site
A very good historical site on "The italian Navy in World War 2"
Supermarina is also a miniature wargame from Clash of Arms.
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