Flußpiraten
Flußpiraten Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 1 board with a turntable
- 8 boats
- 30 pawns in 6 colors
- 2 clubs
- 6 dice in 6 colors
- 6 score markers
Setup
The turntable must be installed on the board before the first game.
Each player gets 5 pirates, a marker, and his colored die.
The scoring marker goes on the big brown space at the bottom of the scoring track.
Each player distributes his pirates between the two start spaces to the left or right of the harbor.
The eight boats are placed on the landings in the harbor.
The clubs go in the middle of the board.
The turntable is set to white = 0 points. Now one player rolls the die, and the disk is turned clockwise that many spaces.
Object
Each player tries to row as many of his pirates in a boat to the source of the river, preferably, at the correct time to score lots of points. However, the current is strong, so each player will likely need a partner. The turntable indicates how valuable a treasure is when a pirate reaches the goal.
Begin
The youngest player rolls the dice. He may move one of his pirates the count of the die. Moving into a boat counts as a space, and boats may only be entered via the adjacent red spaces. Two pirates of the same color may never occupy a boat.
As soon as two pirates occupy a boat, the boat can depart.
Note: Each player must decide whether to move a pirate on foot or row a boat BEFORE he rolls the dice. If he has several boats, he must choose the boat beforehand.
The Harbor
The harbor does not count as a space. A boat rolling a 1 is moved onto the first river space.
The River
The river is divided into two lanes. On each space is a current strength arrow that ranks between 1 and 3. The outer lane usually has a stronger current.
Moving on Foot
Pirates on foot may move along the spaces next to the river. The river may only be crossed at the fords in the middle of the river. Pirates may not double back in movement, and must move their full move unless they have just hopped onto a boat. Pirates may share spaces.
Rowing
Boats may only move forward if an odd number (1, 3, 5) is rolled. If an even number is rolled, the boat drifts back the number of spaces the current indicates.
Moving in or out a lane costs a point of movement. A boat may not touch a space twice during its move, however.
Boats cannot move into the same spaces as other boats. They may be passed by changing lanes or pushing. (Example 1.)
A boat may push other boats in front as long as no pirate of the player whose turn it is is sitting in one of the boats pushed. Pushing a boat simply moves it forward to the next space. Entire chains of boats may be pushed as long as none of the boats contain another pirate of the moving player. (See examples 2 and 3.)
A player MUST move or push all of his movement if possible. If this is not possible because of his own pirates in boats further up the river, the excess points are lost.
A boat which is moving backwards may not change lanes. It may also not push boats. If it meets a boat going back, it just stops. (Example 4.)
Note: If a player does not try to row in a boat where his pirate sits alone, that boat must be moved backwards with the current. The other players are required to point this out if the player neglects to do it. If the other players do not point out the backwards movement by the next player's turn, the boat is not moved.
Two Players Rowing
If a player is in a boat with a partner and wants to row, he indicates the boat before rolling the die. However, both pirates must decide what action they wish to perform.
In the harbor, both pirates must row.
Otherwise, each pirate secretly drags their die under the table, and decides to place it in their hand to row, or leave their hand empty to throw the other pirate out of the boat.
There are three possible outcomes:
- Both players have dice: They row. Both players roll the dice, and the highest odd number is used to move the boat. If no odd number is rolled, the boat slips backwards. The boat is moved by the player whose turn it is.
- One has a die, one does not: The player with the die reaches for his oar, and his companion grabs him and throws him overboard. The player who reached for his oar is set on the riverbank, and the boat is moved back with the current.
- Both have no dice: The pirates fight to no avail. The boat slips back with the current.
If a player is feeling particularly vicious, he may reach onto the board to grab a club. His companion takes the other club. Now each player may choose an empty hand, a die, or a club. And we get some new outcomes:
- Club vs empty hand: The player with the club knocks his companion overboard. The boat slips back with the current.
- Club vs die: As the pirate reaches for his club, the player with the oar shifts the boat suddenly knocking the vicious pirate overboard. The player may then roll to move the boat.
- Club vs club: The boat capsizes. Both pirates fall into the water, and the boat is returned to a free launch space at the harbor.
Turntable
The turntable is moved on two occasions:
- When a boat leaves the harbor, if both pirates in the boat wish it to turn, then it is turned one space.
- When a pirate arrives at the end of the river, that turntable is always turned clockwise one space.
Scoring
When a boat is moved into the goal, the pirates in the boat score points according to the turntable.
The turntable is then turned clockwise one space after scoring.
Pirates that reach the goal are removed from the game. The boat goes back into the harbor.
Winning
As soon as a player reaches a red space, the player who is furthest along the scoring track wins. If two players make it into the scoring track at once, the player furthest in wins. If they are on the same space, then there is a tie.
The game also ends if a player gets his fifth pirate into the goal. The player furthest along the track wins.
Last Questions
The movement type must be announced before the die is rolled. On rowing, the boat must be pointed out.
A pirate may only reach the goal in a boat, not on foot.
In a boat with two pirates, the player whose turn it is is the helmsman and decides which boat is pushed or any lane changes.
A boat with a single player that is pushed back into the harbor is put into a mooring to await another pirate before he may leave again.
Notes on the Rowing Test
Normally, players always announce their intentions to row at the same time by revealing their closed hand. The game works better if you allow for some negotiation. Either player may instead of concealing his action, simply take his die and roll it.
The other player may look at the outcome of the die, and then decide his action. He may then choose to roll as well, or just show an empty hand and throw his mate overboard.
Piling into Boats
The fords may be used to jump into boats. If a boat is on a ford space, and a player moves a pirate on foot into that space by exact count, he may board the boat. This assumes that there is room in the boat for the new pirate. You cannot throw pirates out of a boat while on foot.
If a player is waiting on a ford space, and the boat moves into that section of the river, the pirate on foot is also allowed to pile into the boat.
To keep ford spaces from becoming overcrowded, only one pirate may wait on a ford space at a time. If your move allows you to reach a ford, and another pirate is waiting, you may move that pirate to any free riverbank space.