%2Fpic7069368.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Captain Sonar
#245BGG7.5RATING
Updated Jun 8
2–8
PLAYERS
45–60
MINUTES
8
BEST WITH
2.2
MEDIUM
ERRATA1
Silence movement range: 0–4 spaces, not 1–4designer
- RULING
- "The french rules clearly say that the silence allows for 0 to 4 movements and that the captain indicates to his teammates ONE direction. This will be rewritten in the english rules." The English rulebook implied a minimum of 1 space; the correct range is 0–4 spaces in a straight line.
DESIGNER CLARIFICATIONS13
Real-time: one movement required between any two system activationsdesigner
- RULING
- "In real time mode … [you] MUST move at least once between two system activations." This applies equally between a system activation and a mine detonation — at least one movement must happen between any two such actions.
Torpedo routing through islands and the Asgard mapdesigner
- RULING
- "Torpedoes never go through islands. The Asgard missile CAN go through islands." Standard torpedoes are blocked by islands; only the Asgard map's special missile is exempt.
Torpedo in mine range triggers chain reaction explosiondesigner
- RULING
- When a torpedo detonates within a mine's explosion radius, the mine EXPLODES (it does not merely detonate safely). This counts as a chain reaction affecting both teams' mines in range. The team that triggered it must announce "chain reaction."
Polarized mines cascade-trigger previously placed minesdesigner
- RULING
- Polarized mines can cascade-trigger mines that were placed earlier. The chain reaction propagates through all mines in range regardless of placement order.
Weapon systems must be breakdown-free to detonate, not only to deploydesigner
- RULING
- Red (weapon) systems on the Engineer's board must have no active breakdowns at the moment of detonation, not only at the moment of deployment. A mine can be placed while a weapon system is broken down, but it cannot be detonated until all weapon system breakdowns are cleared.
Mine detonation counts as a system activationpublisher
- CONTEXT
- The English rules were ambiguous about whether detonating a mine was treated the same as activating a system for sequencing purposes.
- RULING
- "Yes. [Mine detonation counts as a system activation.] This will be clarified in the new version of the rules." Only one system activation or mine detonation is permitted per STOP, and one movement must occur between any two such actions.
Mine detonation: gauge fill not required; weapons breakdowns block itpublisher
- CONTEXT
- The English rules were read by some players as requiring the mine gauge to be fully filled before detonation.
- RULING
- "Gauge does not have to be filled, but there musn't be any weapons breakdowns." The mine system gauge does not need to be fully charged to detonate a mine; the only blocking condition is having active weapon system breakdowns on the Engineer's board.
Real-time: must move after surfacing before activating any systempublisher
- RULING
- "You must move first." In real-time mode, after a team dives back down from surfacing, they must make at least one movement before activating any system.
Turn-by-turn: move first, then activate a systempublisher
- RULING
- "No. You move first, then you activate a system." In turn-by-turn mode, the captain's movement must occur before any system activation that turn. A team cannot activate a system before the captain moves.
Complete area breakdown and self-repair occurring simultaneouslypublisher
- RULING
- "Self-repair occurs first." When a complete area breakdown and a self-repair happen at the same moment, the self-repair is resolved first, which means the team avoids taking the breakdown damage.
Complete area breakdown and radiation breakdown occurring simultaneouslypublisher
- RULING
- "You take one damage and you erase everything." When a complete area breakdown and a radiation breakdown trigger at the same time, the team takes one damage point and erases their entire Engineer's sheet.
Silence with 0 spaces: captain signals with hands, no marks madepublisher
- CONTEXT
- Silence allows 0–4 spaces of movement (see E1). When 0 spaces are chosen, there was uncertainty about whether the First Mate and Engineer still mark their sheets.
- RULING
- "No. If he decides not to move when activating the silence, the captain will make an 'O' with his hands, indicating his decision and neither the first mate, nor the engineer will mark anything."
Intentional deception about heading announcementspublisher
- CONTEXT
- Players asked whether intentionally announcing a false heading or giving misleading "OK" acknowledgements was against the rules.
- RULING
- "I would hit quote the rulebook but I can say that the intent of the rule was simpler, no code. But I would say that as long as everyone agrees and it's level laying field it's a BoardGame so enjoy the game you way you want." Intentional deception about heading is not explicitly prohibited by the rules, though it is considered very bad form by the publisher and goes against the game's spirit.
Q&A8
Torpedo hitting a mine: damage and destructioncommunity high-engagement
- QUESTION
- If a torpedo detonates within a mine's radius, how much damage is dealt and what happens to the mine?
- ANSWER
- The team that placed the mine takes 1 damage total (not an additional hit on top of torpedo damage). Archer mines are destroyed by torpedoes the same way. Torpedoes destroy both teams' mines when in range (citing rulebook p.6).
AUTHOR: FabienC (Fabien Conus, Developer — official answer)SOURCE: boardgamegeek.comDATE: 2016-08-01Torpedo firing direction and mine placement on own pathcommunity high-engagement
- QUESTION
- Can torpedoes be fired in any direction? Can mines be placed on the submarine's own movement line?
- ANSWER
- Torpedoes can be fired in any of the four cardinal directions regardless of which way the submarine is facing. Only mines have the restriction of not being placeable on the submarine's own movement path.
Surfacing during the opponent's three bonus turnscommunity high-engagement
- QUESTION
- What happens if a team decides to surface while the opposing team is taking their three bonus turns after scoring a hit?
- ANSWER
- If Team B surfaces during Team A's three bonus turns, Team B forfeits the remainder of its own turn. Team A then completes its three bonus rounds.
Submarines occupying the same grid spacecommunity high-engagement
- QUESTION
- What happens when both submarines are on the same grid space?
- ANSWER
- Submarines simply pass over each other with no effect. There is no collision, forced surfacing, or damage when two subs cross or occupy the same position.
Mines can be placed diagonallycommunity high-engagement
- QUESTION
- Can mines be placed on diagonally adjacent spaces, or only in the four cardinal directions?
- ANSWER
- Mines can be placed on any adjacent space including diagonals, not only in the four cardinal directions. The player board diagram confirms this.
Engineer must restart when lines exit the grid boundariescommunity high-engagement
- QUESTION
- What happens if the lines drawn on the Engineer's sheet go outside the boundaries of the grid?
- ANSWER
- If the lines go outside the boundaries of the Engineer's sheet, the entire team must surface and start over from scratch (rulebook p.6).
STOP halts all players' repairing, including a surfaced teamcommunity high-engagement
- QUESTION
- When STOP is called, must a team that is currently surfacing also stop repairing?
- ANSWER
- Yes. When STOP is called, ALL players must immediately stop repairing — including any team that is currently surfacing. The French rules explicitly confirm this interpretation of rulebook p.6.
AUTHOR: Community member citing rulebook p.6 and French rulesSOURCE: boardgamegeek.comDATE: 2016-09-01Captain movement obligation differs by game modecommunity high-engagement
- QUESTION
- Is the captain required to move, or can they choose to stay in place?
- ANSWER
- In turn-by-turn mode: when the captain announces a direction, they must move exactly one space in that direction — there is no option to stay still. The only exception is activating Silence (0–4 spaces). In real-time mode: the captain is allowed to wait and do nothing without moving.
Last researched: 2026-04-29
CATEGORIES
Deduction·Fighting·Modern Warfare·Nautical·Real-time
MECHANICS
DeductionGrid MovementHidden MovementLine DrawingReal-TimeRole PlayingSecret Unit DeploymentSimulationTeam-Based Game
HOW MIRA KNOWS
Not an AI guessing rules. A curated archive.
Every answer Mira gives is grounded in an official rulebook — not in what a language model thinks the rules probably say. Our team reads, structures, and curates each game's rulebook before Mira can answer a single question about it.
An opponent's settlement blocks your road network — your road cannot be built through or past an occupied intersection.
◆ Catan — Roads & Building, p. 7
At the end of each round, the player with the most of the goal trait scores points equal to their amount; the player with the second most scores fewer.
◆ Wingspan — End of Round, p. 11
Null cards deal 0 damage regardless of base value or any bonuses applied.
◆ Gloomhaven — Attack Modifier Deck, p. 23
SOURCE
Official Rulebook PDF
PROCESS
Curated by our team
ANSWER
Mira answers with confidence
Brass: Birmingham · Spirit Island · Terraforming Mars · Dune: Imperium · Root · Wingspan · Gloomhaven · Arnak · Pandemic · Catan · Ticket to Ride · Scythe · Everdell · Twilight Imperium · Agricola · Power Grid · Puerto Rico · Azul · Viticulture · Clank! · Cascadia · Ark Nova · Flamecraft · Cosmic Encounter · Brass: Birmingham · Spirit Island · Terraforming Mars · Dune: Imperium · Root · Wingspan · Gloomhaven · Arnak · Pandemic · Catan · Ticket to Ride · Scythe · Everdell · Twilight Imperium · Agricola · Power Grid · Puerto Rico · Azul · Viticulture · Clank! · Cascadia · Ark Nova · Flamecraft · Cosmic Encounter ·
360
games in the archive
~7,000
pages of official rulebooks
EN · ES · FR
languages
Recently added: The Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship · Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition · Zombie Kittens
Ready to never pause a game again?
Start for free — no credit card, no rulebook required.