Captain Sonar is a game I hate. That is a strong word, however it is rare that any game leaves me so frustrated and stressed that I need to step away from the table and stop playing. A note of consideration is that I was not the only one to experience this at my table, but there were also players at my table who loved it and considered it the best game they had played in the class. Players separate into two teams, each with different roles in operating a submarine. The objective of the game is to sink the other teams submarine.

    The difficulty of the game is that everyone has to work together in order to keep the submarine functional, and locate the the other teams submarine. Where this is complicated is that each team is acting at the same time, forcing the other team to listen in closely to what is being said both on their side, and on the other team’s side. This is the hardest part of the game as no one is liable to not break the rules, and also your communication must be clear for the other side to hear it, while also being as secretive as possible.

    Leadership in this game is obvious: you must be able to work together as a team where everyone is a leader in their own right. This makes it even more crushing when you let your team down by making a mistake or not having the information they need. Part of being a leader is making sure that what you are responsible for is accomplished, and also being an example for how the rest of your team should act. It is an exercise in the delegation of roles and the trusting others to accomplish those roles. Though I wouldn’t personally recommend this game, those who enjoy dense rule systems, highly competitive play, and focus on attempting to beat the clock would enjoy this game: such as my friends Matt and Andrew.