Submarine simulator UBoot is Captain Sonar taken to the extreme

UBoot is a World War II game like no other that’s currently causing a stir on Kickstarter – and with good reason.

The game is a fully co-operative simulation of a WWII German U-boat that plays out in real time, with each player taking on a vital role among the crew and moving their miniature avatar around an enormous 3D model of the submarine.

What makes UBoot especially interesting is that it requires a companion app to play, which generates a 3D virtual environment for the players to pilot their vessel around and simulates dynamic enemies and weather conditions for the crew to encounter during each scenario. It also includes music, sound effects and voice acting for the crew – in German.

The app also allows the first officer to use the periscope, feeding information to the navigator, who plots the ship’s course on a physical map using pencil, rulers and dials.

Meanwhile, the chief engineer looks after any technical issues, and the captain oversees the entire squad, barking out strategies and commands as they ambush convoys, lay mines, patrol the seas and more.

Each player has a unique board that reflects their position’s responsibilities and must work together to do everything at a true-to-life pace, with short one-off missions and massive campaigns both possible in the app. Think Captain Sonar, but for actual submarine crew members.

Despite the virtual assistant, there’s a hell of a lot of bits and pieces in the box, including a variety of figures (including a cardboard 88mm gun stand), dozens of tokens and cards, and the 90cm long, 1:72 scale cardboard sub itself, which splits into three sections for storage.

The set is £65 and due out this December once its Kickstarter campaign ends. The campaign has already raised almost £400,000 on its initial £65,000 goal, with three weeks left on the clock.