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Another glaring error is included in the stats and abilities of HMS Illustrious. It was well protected with three inches of armor on the flight deck and four-and-a-half inches of belt armor. However, within the game, the Illustrious also receives the ability “torpedo defense” which is reserved for ships that have anti-torpedo bulges, which it did not have.

The Illustrious participated in the attack at Taranto that crippled the Regina Marina. Combining the skills “expert torpedoes” and “sneak attack” can allow a British bomber to roll up to five dice when making a torpedo attack—with potentially devastating results.

Admiral Hipper and U-66

Another bewildering situation exists in the stats for U-66. Although its top speed is not substantially different from other submarines, which move with a speed of 1, the U-66 inexplicably moves at speed 2. A Type IXC U-boat, it had longer range but not significantly greater speed than the more common Type VII.

A new special ability, “elusive quarry,” will help U-66 slip past the destroyer screen and attack important targets. At a cost of only one additional point, the U-66 will likely be the new undersea killer for most Kriegsmarine commanders.

Admiral Hipper and U-66 stat cards

Despite these oddities in unit capabilities, Task Force includes a number of new units that are important additions to the game. Barracuda Mk. II bombers will give the Fleet Air Arm an aggressive and hard-hitting addition. Beaufighters are a versatile unit, with the ability to strafe, dogfight or launch torpedoes.

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