Note on 3rd Printing: This is identical to the 2nd Printing, except that any known errata has been corrected.

U.S. Submarines in the Pacific, 1941-45

"Execute unrestricted air and submarine warfare against Japan."
the time is: 1400 hours, 7 December 1941

Silent Victory is a solitaire tactical level game placing you in command of an American submarine during WWII in the Pacific. Your mission is to destroy as much Japanese shipping and as many warships as possible while advancing your crew quality and decorations - all while remembering you have to make it home.

Silent Victory is purposely designed to deliver a brisk yet intensive gaming experience that forces many decisions upon you as you take command of one of the major U.S. Fleet submarine types in service. Patrols will take you to differing parts of the Pacific as time progresses in the war. The most successful commanders will be those that can manage the risks they take while prosecuting as many targets as possible.

The game engine is built upon the successful The Hunters design and has proven to be a solid, playable experience. All the major U.S. Fleet boat types are accounted for with every level of detail including period of service, armaments, crew makeup, damage capacity, and more.

As a Fleet submarine commander, you will be confronting many decisions during your patrols. To begin with, seven U.S. Fleet submarines are profiled and available for you to choose from. Patrol zones reflect the changing operational areas as the war progresses, from the Philippines to Midway, the Solomons, and even patrols to the waters just off the coast of Japan and China.

Conducting patrols is the heart of the system, as you will be resolving encounters against individual ships, convoys, or even enemy aircraft and submarines. Situations you face and decisions you make suddenly come in quick succession:

How will you engage a convoy once spotted?
Do you close the initial target range at increased risk of detection for a more lethal attack?
If your engagement is at night, will you conduct a surface attack?
Do you launch one or two fire salvos, and how many torpedoes do you fire?
Will you try to follow a convoy or ship to engage in additional rounds of combat?
How will you slip away from escorts to avoid or minimize damage?
What evasive maneuvers do you undertake?

The major U.S. Fleet submarine types are represented and accurately profiled for the patrols you will undertake are:

P Class
Salmon Class
T Class (early and late)
Gato Class
Balao Class
Tench Class

Patrol Assignments include:

The Phillippines
Indochina
Solomons
The Marshalls
Midway
Java Sea
The Empire
China Sea
Marianas

The game delivers an historical narrative as 720 ship targets are uniquely identified (including tonnage) with their historical counterparts that were sunk during the war, including freighters, tankers, Japanese submarines, and warships.

Game System Highlights:

7 U.S. Fleet submarines represented
9 Patrol assignments
720 named ship targets, including 20 capital ships
Special missions for transport, minelaying, evacuation, recon, and lifeguarding
Combat encounters with individual ships, ships, with escort, convoys, and aircraft
Combat versus Japanese submarines
Daytime and night engagements including U.S.-style wolfpack patrols
Submarine damage includes flooding, hull, torpedo doors, periscope, fuel tanks, crew injury (by crew type), engines, hydrophones, AA guns, deck gun, batteries, radio
Crew advancement and commander decorations to include the Navy Cross and CMOH
Multi-player and tournament rule options
Evasive maneuvers, Patrol Abort, Variable Escort Quality, Reassignment to a newer boat, Circular torpedo runs, Random Events, and much much more!

You command one of the deadliest submarines in service during World War II. Will you successfully carry out your patrols, advance your crew status, and survive to tell the tale?

Game Components:

One ½” full-color counter sheet
One ¾” wide full-color counter sheet
Rules booklet with designer's notes
Five player aid cards, 2-sided
Submarine patrol logsheet, 2-sided
Four submarine Display Mats, 2-sided
Submarine Patrol Map
Submarine Combat Mat
Three 6-sided, two 10-sided dice, and one 20-sided die
Boxed

Complexity: Low to Moderate
Average Playing Time: Two-Three Hours
Players: One (with options for more players)
Solitaire Suitability: Very High
Replayability: Very High

It may not be possible to ship very heavy items outside of the Mainland UK.
Released: 27 May 2026