Victory at Sea is the game of naval combat during the Second World War. Throughout 1939–45, the nations of the world duelled across the oceans across the globe, only to discover the fundamental nature of naval warfare changing in the face of rapidly developing technologies. Now you can play out these confrontations on the tabletop with entire fleets drawn from the Royal Navy, US Navy, Imperial Japanese Navy, German Kriegsmarine or any of the other nations featured in Victory at Sea.

From skirmishes involving single destroyers hunting down merchantmen to the clashing of massive battleships, from invasions of islands across the Pacific to mastering waves of dive bombers, Victory at Sea enables you to fight exciting battles that take place on the oceans of World War II.

The Battle for the Pacific starter set focuses primarily on actions in the seas of the Far East – the Imperial Japanese Navy and the mighty US Navy clashing for control of the islands, resources and seas of the Pacific Theatre. The Victory at Sea rules manual presented in this starter game contains all you need to know to begin playing with the fleets included.

Contains:

• A4 Battle of the Pacific Rules manual
• Die-cut game tokens sheet
• 15 Warlord Resin model ships:
• USS Indianapolis 1944
• USS Northampton 1942
• USS Chicago 1942
• Mogami 1939
• Kumano 1944
• Furutaka 1939
• Fubuki-class Destroyer x3
• Fletcher-class Destroyer x 6
• Ship Cards and damage sliders x 15
• Ten-sided dice x 4
• Six-sided dice x 12
• A0 Sea Mat x2

From their role in the ill-fated Operation Market Garden to the crossing of the River Rhine and the push into the German homeland these battle-hardened fighting men have been immortalised in film and television.

This great value boxed set gives you all you need to start playing with the elite forces of the US Airborne. Equipped in the M-43 paratrooper uniforms, introduced in 1944 they are perfect for actions during Operation Market Garden, the liberation of mainland Europe, crossing the Rhine or the final push into Germany itself!

Whether you plan to field them as the 101st 'Screaming Eagles' , 82nd 'All American', 17th 'Thunder from Heaven' or 13th 'Golden Unicorns' Airborne Divisions this starter force is built around a strong core of battle-hardened paratroopers and vital support teams the US Airborne are a match for all but the most heavily equipped opponents.

US Airborne Starter Army contains:

• 36x US Airborne infantry (plastic)
• 4x US Airborne HQ figures (metal)
• 1x US Airborne .50 Cal HMG team (metal)
• 1x US Airborne medium mortar team (metal)
• 1x US Airborne 57mm anti-tank gun (metal)
• Assembly instructions
• Full-colour decal sheets
• Plastic bases

The USS Constitution was one of six Heavy Frigates commissioned by the United States Congress in 1794 to protect American shipping against Barbary Pirates in the Mediterranean. These frigates were designed to outmatch the frigates of any other nation while remaining nimble enough to slip away from larger ships-of-the-line.

These six frigates (Chesapeake, Constitution, President, United States, Congress, and Constellation.) were armed with 44 guns, normally a mix of long 24-pounders and 32-pound carronades. Across their service life, these ships would often end up over gunned, carrying upwards of 50 guns into battle.

Revolutionary construction techniques gave the six frigates much thicker hull planking than their British or French equivalents, allowing them to soak up a tremendous amount of punishment. It also allowed them to carry a much heavier armament relative to their size, as seen by the arrays of 24 and 32-pounders carried on the 44 gun vessels.

Second Battle of Tripoli Harbour

'Old Ironsides' as she would become known, launched in Boston on October 21, 1797. She first saw action during the First Barbary War, serving with a squadron of American frigates in the Meditteranean under Captain Edward Preble. While blockading Tripoli, the USS Philadelphia ran aground and was captured by the Corsairs. Constitution's broadsides provided vital fire support for the squadron during the attempts to rescue the Philadelphia.

Eventually, the Preble would resort to using a captured ketch loaded with 100 tonnes of black powder to destroy the Philadelphia in Tripoli harbour - a plan which failed when the fireship was destroyed prematurely by fire from the Ottoman shore batteries. Despite an inconclusive naval campaign, the war was eventually won by the heroic actions of the US Marines at Derna.

The War of 1812

When war broke out between Great Britain and the United States Constitution attempted to join a five-ship squadron off New Jersey. Unfortunately, she ran afoul of a British squadron which immediately began pursuing her.

Initially finding himself becalmed, things were looking bleak for Captain Hull and the Constitution. However, an inspirational idea found him using rowboats to tow the ship away from his pursuers, allowing him to escape after a 57-hour chase.

During the war, the Constitution was employed as a commerce raider, indiscriminately capturing and burning British naval vessels. Twice she came up against British frigates, and twice she reduced them to matchsticks, her reinforced hull shrugging off repeated close-range broadsides, earning her the nickname "Old Ironsides."

In the Game of Black Seas

USS Constitution should be in the thickest fighting on the table, leading the charge into the enemy battle line, using her exceptional survivability to weather the storm of shot and shell while blasting away with her own guns.

While she might not be able to tangle with larger First Rates like Victory, she can hold her own in frigate actions, tying up the enemy fleet while the remainder of your ships go after other objectives or gain a more advantageous position.

This is your opportunity to get one of the first batches of this famous ship - We will have 250 ready to ship early October alongside the release of the main game and French & British fleets.

This box set contains:

• Components for 1 resin USS Constitution ship hull
• Metal components for masts
• Printed sails
• USS Constitution ship card
• Wake markers
• Bobbin for rigging
• Acetate Ratlines
• A sheet of flags & pennants

Alongside a softback copy of the Black Seas core rules, you'll get nine beautifully detailed plastic miniatures; three frigates and six brigs. You'll also get sails, rigging and flag sheets for all your ships and all the ship cards, wake markers and tokens that you'll need to play. Included also is an A0 battle mat, dice and rulers!