Description

Flagships is a naval strategy game requiring resolute and decisive action. To defeat the enemy, you must either sink his flagship or immobilize his fleet.

Flagships has one basic rule: ships may be sunk only by a superior force, either a single more powerful ship
attacking by right or a joint force of ships, one of equal power to the target ship attacking with the support of any other member of its fleet. No ship may ever sink a more powerful ship, even during group action.

Each player commands a fleet of nine warships: one flagship, two frigates, two sloops and four corvettes.
Only a flagship may sink the enemy flagship, and only if it has the required support.
Frigates, dominant in an open sea, can lose maneuverability as the fleets close for action.
Sloops, wayward and easily outflanked, can also be unreliable in support.
Corvettes, vulnerable at the outset, can determine the outcome of the closest battle.

Playing on a hexagonal shaped hex board of 37 hexagons, the two fleets are disposed as if sailing from opposite directions;
Each player in turn moves one piece in any permitted direction, moving from one hexagon to the next across their common dividing line. Lateral movements (north/south) are called movements abeam. Diagonal movements are called movements forward or astern

The various ships move as follows:
Flagship One space forward or astern or any number of spaces abeam
Frigate Any number of spaces forward, astern or abeam
Sloop Any number of spaces forward or astern, never abeam
Corvette Any number of spaces in an arc around any adjacent space

Sinking:
i) A ship is sunk by any enemy ship of superior power moving onto its space, and is removed from the board.

(ii) A ship may be sunk by any enemy ship of equal power moving onto its space, provided the
attacking ship is supported by another member of its fleet, the support ship being in a position
adjacent to the target vessel and on course to occupy its space.

(iii) No ship may sink a vessel of superior power, even during group action.

Support:
Support is only provided by vessels lying adjacent to the target vessel. Sloops may not support an attack while lying abeam of the target because they may neither move nor attack in that direction. Flagships may not support whilst disabled.

Disabling:
A flagship is disabled by any two enemy ships being in spaces adjacent to its own (even by sloops in positions abeam). Whilst disabled, a flagship may neither move, attack nor support an attack by any other vessel, but may form part of a cordon disabling the opposing flagship.

Winning:
Sink the enemy flagship or leave your opponent with no legal move.