Händler der Karibik
Händler der Karibik Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Components
- Players: 2–4
- Age: 8+
- Duration: ~20 minutes
- Components: 110 cards
Setup
An important note regarding the cards: The fronts of the cards are showing various Ships, Persons, Tax Increases and Expedition Requests. The backside of every card pictures and represents one coin. Every time a player gains coins, the appropriate number of cards is drawn face down from the draw deck. The front of a coin card must not be looked at – so it can't be held back for tactical reasons.
At the beginning of the game all cards are shuffled and set face down on the table. This is the draw deck. Each player starts with 3 coins (3 cards from the draw deck). Determine a starting player.
Flow of Play
Beginning with the starting player the game proceeds clockwise. Every player's turn has two phases (it is possible that the second phase is canceled):
- Discover: The harbor display is filled with cards from the draw deck.
- Loot and Hire: All players take cards from the harbor display.
1) Discover
The active player reveals a card from the draw deck and starts the harbor display right next to it.
If the card shows a Person, it stays in the harbor display. In the upper left corner the card pictures the skill of the Person. In the right corner it shows the influence points (in the emblem).
If the card shows a Ship, it either may stay in the harbor display for a source of capital or it can be repelled with the aid of Persons in the active player's personal display (Persons in the harbor display can't help to repel a Ship).
- Is the own total combat strength (represented as crossed sabers) equal to or higher than the combat strength of the Ship, the Ship can be repelled and discarded. Only the Ship just played can be repelled. A player can choose not to repel a Ship.
- Example: Alex wants to repel the Flute with a combat strength of 2. He is able to do so, because with a Sailor (1) and a Pirate (2) in his personal display he has a total combat strength of 3. The Flute is put on the discard pile.
- Is the own total combat strength lower than the combat strength of the Ship, the Ship can't be repelled and has to stay in the harbor display.
- A Ship with a skull symbol can't be repelled.
- The Persons' combat strength is not spent. It can be used several times in a player's turn.
If the card shows an Expedition Request, it is placed in a separate display above the harbor display. There it stays until a player is able to complete the Expedition Request in his turn.
To do so the active player has to discard Persons from his personal display with the skills that match the ones pictured on the Expedition Request. As a reward he receives the Expedition Request card and the specified number of coins pictured in the upper left corner of the card.
- Example: Dagmar wants to complete an Expedition Request with 2. Therefore she discards her Priest and her Jack of all Trades. She receives the Expedition Request card and 3 coins (from the draw deck).
Important rule: A player cannot win, if he hasn't completed at least one Expedition Request!
If the card shows a Tax Increase all players with 12 coins or more, lose half (rounded down) of their coins (i.e. with 12 or 13 coins the player loses 6 coins). The cards are put on the discard pile.
Afterwards the player with the most combat strength in his personal display gets 1 coin. In case of a tie (even when no player has a Person with combat strength at all), all involved players get 1 coin.
The active player may reveal cards as long as he wants to ... until ...
- he either stops voluntarily and starts the second phase "Loot and Hire" or
- he reveals a second Ship of the same type (with the same name), that he can't repel. In this case he has risked (waaay) too much and the whole harbor display is put on the discard pile. Phase 2 "Loot and Hire" is canceled. The next player (in clockwise order) starts with phase 1 "Discover".
If the draw deck is empty, the discard pile will be shuffled and set on the table as the new draw deck.
2) Loot and Hire
According to the number of revealed Ship types in the harbor display the active player now may take (respectively hire) cards from the harbor display.
- With 0 - 3 Ship types the player may take 1 card from the harbor display.
- With 4 Ship types the player was brave and may take 2 cards from the harbor display.
- With 5 Ship types the player is a hero and may take 3 cards from the harbor display.
The cards are taken one after another. This means, the benefit of the card just taken can be used immediately.
Loot: The player takes one Ship from the harbor display, puts it on the discard pile and receives the number of coins marked on the upper part of the card.
- Example: Klemens takes the Flute from the harbor display, puts it on the discard pile and gets 2 coins (card from the draw deck).
Hire: If the player wants to hire a Person (to use their skill), he pays the appropriate number of coins (marked on the lower part of the card) and puts the card in his personal display.
- Example: Andrea is hiring the sailor. She pays 3 coins and puts the sailor in her personal display.
After the active player has taken one or more cards, all other players (in clockwise order) may take exactly one card from the harbor display following the same rules. Everyone who takes a card has to pay 1 coin to the active player.
After all players had their chance to take cards from the harbor display, the remaining cards are put on the discard pile. It is possible that there are not enough cards for all players in the harbor display. Bad luck – maybe next time!
After phase 2 "Loot and Hire" is completed the next player in clockwise order becomes the new active player starts again with phase 1 "Discover".
Example: It's Andrea's turn. In phase 1 "Discover" she has revealed 5 cards. Because 4 of them were different Ship types, she may take 2 cards from the harbor display. First she loots a Ship and takes 2 coins. After that she spends that money to hire a Person. From the remaining card in the harbor display Alex takes a Ship card, pays 1 coin to Andrea and loots the Ship. After all players had the chance to take cards, the remaining cards are put on the discard pile. (Remember: It is possible that all cards are taken before every player had the chance to take one card.)
End of the Game
The game ends as soon as a player has collected 10 influence points or more and has completed at least one Expedition Request. The current round is finished as usual. The player sitting right to the starting player will be the last one to play his two phases.
The player with the most influence points, who has completed at least one Expedition Request, wins the game. In case of a tie, the player with more coins is the winner.
The Persons and their Skills
The skill of a Person is pictured in the upper left corner of the card. The influence points are printed in the emblem in the upper right corner. A player may have the same Person in his personal display several times and may use the skill as often.
Example: A player with 2 Mademoiselles will be able to hire other Persons for 2 coins less (see below).
Priest / Captain / Settler / Jack of all Trades
To complete an Expedition Request the necessary Persons have to be discarded. On these cards the background of the skill is darker. Jack of all Trades is a joker and can be discarded instead of a Priest, Captain or Settler.
Trader
When looting a matching Ship you gain 1 coin more. There are Traders for all 5 Ship types.
Sailor / Pirate
You can repel Ships with the represented combat strength (1 or 2).
Admiral
If it is your turn to "Loot and Hire" and there are at least 5 cards in the harbor display, you immediately get 2 coins – even if you are not the active player.
Jester
If it is your turn to "Loot and Hire" and there are no cards in the harbor display, you get immediately 1 coin, even if there is no "Loot and Hire" in the current turn.
Governor
During "Loot and Hire" take one additional card from the harbor display, paying the active player is appropriate.
Mademoiselle
If you hire a Person, you have to pay 1 coin less.