United States Naval War College 1936 Wargame Rules, The

The famous Unites States Naval War College wargames have been seen as an important part of the US Navy’s preparation for war with Japan. The actual naval commanders took lessons from these wargames into the conflict in the Pacific 1941-45.

This book makes the 1936 edition of the tactical rules readily accessible for the first time to the public. It includes the detailed rules for movement, gunnery, damage and other aspects of real naval warfare from the big gun era. The object of these games was to aid students of strategy and tactics in the comprehension of these complex subjects.

The foreword is written by Jeffrey Harley Rear Admiral, USN, President U.S. Naval War College, who celebrates the contribution of these interwar wargames to eventual victory in the Pacific.

The book includes:

Original guidance from 1922 on how to play the game

• Sample gunnery tables
  
• Torpedo fire cards
  
• Rules for visibility and smoke
  
• Details about speed and fuel
  
• Sample ship cards to illustrate how the rules worked supporting material is available from the History of Wargaming Project website.
  

The book is published by the History of Wargaming Project. It is part of a series to document key steps in the development of wargaming.