Hunt for Blackbeard
Hunt for Blackbeard Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction
To learn the game, we recommend first reading the separate "Learn to Play" booklet included, then referring to this rulebook as needed.
The game requires two players: one is Blackbeard, the other is the Hunters. Blackbeard seeks to commit acts of piracy, or to enjoy a pirate's life, while remaining free. The Hunters try to discern and thwart Blackbeard's ambitions. The sides may meet in a battle in which the Hunters capture the pirate or Blackbeard wins by seizing a Hunters' ship as his prize!
Components
- One 11"x17" mounted game board - the Map
- One Blackbeard mat and one Hunters mat
- Two copies of a player aid sheet with map legend
- One tile reference and planning map foldout
- Two screens
- Three sheets of tiles and markers
- 35 painted blocks (sky blue), plus spares
- Six pieces - Jane, Ranger, Adventure (red, white, and black Sloops); Capt Brand, Blackbeard, Israel Hands (dark blue, black, and gold figures)
- 12 action pawns (five black and seven rose)
- 35 cubes (20 gold and 15 black), plus spares
- Eight 6-sided dice (four black, four red)
- A learn-to-play booklet
- A historical supplement booklet (not used in play)
- Two historical supplement foldouts (not used in play)
Sort the Blocks: The first time you play, select 24 blank blocks (seagulls), 4 sightings (gray ship), and one of each of the 7 other unique blocks and set aside the rest.
TIP: We include spare blocks so that you can avoid any with defects that might betray information during play.
Component overview
- The Map - See the aid sheet's Map Legend about types of spaces, routes, and markings, and related game terms.
- Blocks - Wooden blocks stand up in the 24 Map slots to hide pirate locations or lay down on those spaces when revealed. Block types: Adventure, Sighting, Camp, Blank.
- Pieces - Wooden pieces show the Hunters (Sloop Jane, Sloop Ranger, Capt Brand) and Pirate (Sloop Adventure, Blackbeard, Israel Hands) forces on the Map that both players can see. (Blackbeard and Israel Hands are marked with a skull-and-crossbones icon = Advanced rules.)
- Markers - The Hunters place Surveil and Camp markers on the Map. Loot and gray reminder markers stay behind Blackbeard's screen. Escaped! and Hit markers are shared. (Other markers include Rum all out, Rigging Hit and Crew Hit.)
- Cubes - Cubes kept behind Blackbeard's screen show his money (gold) and achievement of piracy (black).
- Tiles - Hunters: Informant, Commandeered Asset. Pirates: Act of Piracy, Pirate's Life, Prepared Defense. Each player gets their own - see Setup.
Setup
Lay out the gameboard Map, Blackbeard's mat, the Hunters' mat, and screens as shown on the setup diagram. Each mat, hidden behind a screen, has spaces for hidden tiles, pawns, markers, or cubes.
The Map, in view of both players, holds blocks facing the Blackbeard player. Stand 24 blank (seagull) blocks up, one in each slot on the board, with the seagulls facing the Blackbeard player. Blackbeard takes the other 11 blocks behind that player's screen.
On the Map, place the Jane, Ranger, and Capt Brand pieces at James River. Put the Camp Spotted marker in its holding box at the southeast corner.
Distribute other items as follows:
- Give each player a player aid sheet.
- Give the Blackbeard player the black pawns, black and gold cubes, light and dark gray markers, and black, white, and taupe tiles.
- Give the Hunters player the rose pawns and blue and rose tiles.
- Set the three pirate pieces, all dice, all other markers, and the reference foldout nearby.
Form draw piles near each player's mat by randomly stacking these tiles face down:
- Blackbeard - two stacks of 9 tiles each, Acts of Piracy and Pirate's Life
- Hunters - 9 Informant tiles
On Blackbeard's mat, place 1 randomly drawn Loot marker face up in the Taken Loot box. Place exactly 5 gold cubes (regardless of the Loot) into the Purse box. Form remaining Loot markers face down and other cubes into draw pools behind Blackbeard's screen.
TIP: As the Blackbeard player, don't forget to draw 1 Loot marker at setup - it may become important later!
When first learning, set aside the 6 Prepared Defense and Commandeered Assets tiles and 3 blocks marked with a skull-and-crossbones or crown icon and ignore rules marked "ADVANCED."
Choose Options: Before play, decide whether to use the optional rules in white boxes on pages 11 and 14, "most dice win" and/or "Blackbeard must fill more than half."
TIP: As helpful during play, refer to the reference foldout for map or tile details.
Setup diagram
- Map: stand up a blank block in each map slot; Brand, Jane and Ranger on James River. Blackbeard sits on one side of the Map and the Hunters player on the other.
- Blackbeard's screened mat area: Defense tiles face up; Piracy tiles face down (draw piles of Acts of Piracy and Pirate's Life); markers; 15 gold cubes; 11 Loot markers; 15 black cubes; 5 black pawns; blocks; 1 Loot and 5 gold in the Purse / Taken Loot boxes.
- The Hunters' screened mat: Informant tiles face down; Commandeered Assets tiles face up; 7 pawns.
Hidden Information
Hunt for Blackbeard uses standup blocks and screened mats to portray the Hunters' search for Blackbeard. Blackbeard's mat tracks his Piracy and Defenses; the Hunters' mat tracks their Informants and Assets. The Blackbeard player secretly Sets the Map with standup blocks that show the pirates' movements. The Hunters player secretly or openly Spots - inspects - those Map blocks.
- To Set or Spot blocks secretly (or to pretend to do so), players ask each other briefly to close or avert their eyes.
- Blackbeard may only reveal blocks as instructed by rules, such as the Piracy tile effect "Show".
TIP: To Spot a block secretly, slightly lift and turn it around to see its symbol, then turn it back and return it to its slot.
Open Spotting: Whenever the Hunter pieces Scout or end their move at blocks that are standing up (see page 9), they openly Spot there: lay that block face up.
- When a faceup block first shows the Camp, put the Camp marker at that space for the rest of the game as a reminder for the Hunters.
- Whenever a face up block shows a symbol for Sloop Adventure, Blackbeard alone, or Israel Hands, place the corresponding black or gold pirate piece there to emphasize the discovery.
Sightings: Sailing Adventure can leave a trail of Sighting blocks (see page 8). At any moment that Spotting reveals a hidden Sighting block, the Hunters may Spot in another space adjacent to it by Water Route. If the second space reveals another Sighting, they may Spot a third space adjacent to that, and so on. Spot the adjacent space secretly or openly, however Hunters Spotted the Sighting. Putting a Sighting block faceup at a Surveil marker by Sailing (see page 6) does not cause any added Spotting.
Setting the Map: During Blackbeard's Actions (pages 6-8), the Blackbeard player stands face-up Map blocks vertical, then secretly changes blocks to record pirate movements.
Declaring Tiles: Players must declare Defenses or Assets at the first moment that they use them, before any rolls they affect, by placing them out near the Map.
If both players want to use tiles at the same moment, Blackbeard declares first.
ADVANCED: Do not declare Longboat, Israel Hands, or Bought Silence tiles (these are marked with a skull-and-crossbones icon).
TIP: Blackbeard's Advanced Defense tiles have a reminder on Blackbeard's mat that they stay hidden.
Illustrations on this page
- Blank Blocks at Game Start: Place 24 blank blocks on the Map, one in each slot, white gulls toward the Blackbeard player.
- Player Aid Sheet (front and back): On the aid sheet, Blackbeard's activities are in black text, the Hunters' are in red, and those of both players are in gray.
- Blackbeard's Mat Piracy Rows: Example - the Blackbeard player has drawn Piracy tiles on Turn 1 before choosing where to set Camp and Adventure.
Sequence of Play
Play lasts up to four turns. Each turn, proceed line-by-line down the aid sheet's Sequence of Play. The steps listed below sum up this sequence. Rules follow that explain the sequence fully and appear in similar order.
- A. Each turn, players Draw Tiles onto their mats. On Turn 1, Blackbeard then Sets Camp.
- B. Hunters, after drawing, may use pawns behind their screen to Interview Informants who secretly Spot Map blocks, and perhaps openly Surveil those spaces.
- C. Blackbeard next may commit pawns to Plan Piracy, Prepare Defense tiles, and/or Sail, secretly Setting the Map with any changes.
- D. Hunters then use up to their remaining pawns to Commandeer Asset tiles or Scout, Sail, and March with their pieces. The Hunters openly Spot where their pieces Scout or end a move.
- E. Encounters then ensue if any Hunter and Pirate pieces ended up in the same space.
- F. After any Encounters, Blackbeard, with pieces in the right place, Resolves Piracy plans, placing cubes onto Piracy tiles that have pawns.
- G. Players and prepare for the next.
TIP: To speed up play, Blackbeard can plan upcoming moves as the Hunters Interview Informants, and the Hunters can do the same during Blackbeard's Actions.
A. Draw Tiles
At each turn's start, players randomly draw one tile from each of their draw piles - one Act of Piracy and one Pirate's Life for Blackbeard, and one Informant for the Hunters. Players place these tiles face up on their mat at that turn's box for that tile type.
Turn 1: Set Camp
On the first turn only, just after drawing the first pair of Piracy tiles, the Blackbeard player chooses a Camp site. Secretly stand the Adventure at Camp block on the Map in any Anchorage slot (light brown square space), replacing the blank block there. Then place the blank block behind Blackbeard's screen.
TIP: Blackbeard should consider his first Piracy tiles in deciding where to set Camp but does not yet know where the game's remaining tiles will ask him to go! The Camp never moves, and is important for certain Piracy missions.
B. Interview Informants
The Hunters, each turn after drawing tiles and before Blackbeard's Actions, may secretly Spot Map spaces and openly Surveil there. (See also Using the Tiles, page 15.)
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Select and secretly Spot spaces by placing rose pawns, as desired, onto any drawn Informant tiles that remain face up (including from an earlier turn), up to the number of block icons on that tile (the icons show the maximum target spaces for that Informant - you may target fewer spaces for fewer pawns). Spot spaces only among the space types noted on the tile. No need to preselect spaces - the Hunters may first Spot then place more pawns (then Surveil), in any order.
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Hunters secretly Spot spaces as the Blackbeard player looks away, turning the block to inspect its hidden side and then turning it back around again.
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The Hunters may - but do not have to - place a Surveil marker at any blocks that they Spotted while Interviewing Informants. Lay blocks at those spaces face up and keep any blocks at Surveil markers face up for the rest of the turn. Surveilled spaces may include blocks that were already face up, or those Spotted via finding a Sighting block (see Reset Map below and Set Map, page 8). Surveillance does not cost any added pawns.
TIP: Since Blackbeard has not yet moved on the turn that Hunters use Informants, the information gained is more stale than when Hunter pieces Spot (see page 9). But secret knowledge of the pirates or their Camp could enable a surprise strike. Surveillance can keep an eye on Blackbeard but reveals where the Hunters are looking!
Example: Interview Informants
- The Hunters Interview Wm Howard, searching for the Camp. The four block icons on the tile show that Wm Howard can Spot a maximum of four spaces total. The tile's text says all of those spaces must be Anchorages.
- Secretly Spot blocks. The Hunters player commits pawns one at a time, to the Informant tiles to secretly Spot one Anchorage per pawn. As the Blackbeard player looks away, the Hunters player turns that standing block 180 degrees, to view the symbol, then turns it back.
- Surveil. The Hunters find the Camp with the third pawn. They decide to stop Interviewing and to place the most Surveil markers they can (three), at the spaces just secretly Spotted. Blocks in those spaces lay face up for the rest of the turn, even if the Blackbeard player changes the block. With the Camp block now face up, the player puts the Camp marker next to it as a permanent reminder.
C. Blackbeard Actions
After the Hunters Interview Informants, Blackbeard uses pawns to Plan (commit to) Piracy in pursuit of victory, Prepare Defenses against the Hunters, and Sail his Sloop. Follow the sequence below in order. (the aid sheet lists details).
- Use each of the 5 black pawns only once each turn (4 pawns if the Buy Rum tile is unfilled on the mat).
- Leave pawns unused if desired.
TIP: Pawns represent time spent. Many Actions also cost cubes from the Purse - money. Both can be precious!
Reset Map
Ready the Map for this turn's actions.
- Set aside any pirate pieces (not blocks) that are on the map - Sloop Adventure, Blackbeard (Advanced), and Israel Hands (Advanced).
- Stand up all blocks on the map to hide their symbols from the Hunters player. Exception: Blocks at Surveil spaces must stay face up (see top of this page).
- Secretly replace any Sighting blocks from last turn with blanks. (Sighting at Camp: replace with empty Camp.)
- ADVANCED: Replace any Blackbeard alone or Israel Hands blocks with blanks (Blackbeard at Camp with Camp).
TIP: The Blackbeard player should be sure to stand up all blocks vertically except at Surveil markers (even those at Hunter pieces) so as to fully hide the pirates' actions!
Plan Piracy
"Piracy" means Acts of Piracy or Pirate's Life. Blackbeard uses pawns to commit to certain Piracy tiles before the Hunters' Actions, then adds cubes to the tile(s) later, if the Hunters have not blocked him. Place pawns now on any tiles in one, or both, of the mat's Piracy rows but never more pawns on a tile than open squares.
- Later, after any Encounters, Blackbeard will place cubes onto Piracy tiles if at a space noted on the tile, one cube per pawn - perhaps earning Victory (pages 12-14).
TIP: Blackbeard should commit to one style of Piracy or the other - Acts of Piracy pay but risk more exposure, while a Pirate's Life is more sedentary, but costly. Either way, Blackbeard won't get to cash in on his Piracy plans until after the Hunters have had a chance to interfere!
Example: Plan Piracy. On Turn 1 ("I"), the Blackbeard player commits 3 of 5 pawns to partly fill the Raid Delaware Piracy tile. Cubes will go onto the tile later in the turn, after any possible Encounter but only if Adventure is at Currituck Inlet (as named on the tile).
Prepare Defenses
Blackbeard may acquire Defenses (see Using the Tiles, page 16). Select any new Defense tiles desired, place them in empty Prepared Defense spots on the mat, and place a pawn on each new tile.
- Preparing Defenses also requires Paying cubes from the Purse; place the cube(s) from the Purse box onto the tile as Paid (return them later if needed). ADVANCED: Bought Silence calls for Pay of cubes only later, when using that Defense (page 16).
- Defenses, once Prepared, last all game (ADVANCED: See, however, Arrest of Israel Hands, page 11).
TIP: Blackbeard can Prepare Defenses anywhere on the map. Defenses help beat the Hunters but are expensive!
Sail
Blackbeard Sails on his Sloop Adventure, pursuing Piracy and evading or luring the Hunters.
- Adventure may move via adjacent Water Route spaces for one pawn per space. Count the spaces moved, then put that number of pawns in the mat's "Sailed" box.
Example: Sail Adventure. Blackbeard Sails Adventure two spaces for the remaining two pawns, from his Camp at Roanoke Island through Roanoke Inlet to Currituck Inlet (per Sail rules below). The player secretly Sets three new blocks:
- The Camp is now empty. No Sighting goes there because Adventure started there.
- Roanoke Inlet gets a Sighting because Adventure Sailed through (in and out).
- Adventure ends up at Currituck Inlet.
2 pawns go in Sailed on Blackbeard's mat.
Set Map
During Blackbeard's actions, the Blackbeard player secretly updates the blocks on the Map as follows, always keeping one block per Map space. Keep replaced blocks behind Blackbeard's screen.
- To Sail, place the Adventure block in the space where the Sloop ends up, replacing the block there. If Sailing to the Camp, replace the block with Adventure-at-Camp.
- Replace the block where Adventure began with a blank, or with the empty Camp block if Sailing from the Camp.
- If Sailing more than one space during a turn's Blackbeard Actions, you must place a Sighting block into each space that Adventure passed completely through - never at its start or ending space. If such a space happens to have the Camp, place the Sighting-at-Camp block there.
- Exception: Update any blocks at Surveil markers face up, not secretly (see page 6).
- ADVANCED: The Blackbeard player, if using the advanced Longboat or Israel Hands Defense, can secretly place Blackbeard-alone, Blackbeard-at-Camp, or Israel Hands blocks (see Using Tiles, page 16).
TIP: Adventure does not leave a Sighting in the space where it started the turn, nor where it ends up - only in spaces it Sailed both into and out of during a single Actions step. Sightings mean that, the more you Sail, the likelier the Hunters are to Spot you!
Example: Scout, March, Sail, Spot
- During Hunter Actions, Brand uses a pawn to Scout his own locale at Queen Anne's Creek, in case the pirates slipped in there. Laying that block face up reveals a blank. Declaring Partisans and Canoes, he then Scouts across Albemarle Sound to Pasquotank River in search of the Camp - finding that space empty too.
- Brand next uses another two pawns to March to BATH TOWN and Spot there.
- The Sloops use two more pawns to Sail to Cape Henry and then directly to the Ocean space of Roanoke Inlet, declaring that at least Ranger will stop there - where it Spots a Sighting block! The Hunters immediately choose an adjacent block to Spot as well, Gun Inlet, which proves empty.
With up to two pawns left, the Hunters could Sail on with Jane. Or they could again Scout, with Partisans (with Brand) or Canoes as needed. The Sloops could use one pawn each to Scout Currituck Sound and, beyond it by canoe, Nots Island, hoping to pick up Adventure's trail.
(Partisans tile: Brand may Scout 2 spaces for 1 pawn. Canoes tile: Commander anywhere. Each Hunter may Scout 1 space just beyond adjacent Sound.)
D. The Hunters Actions
The Hunters next use their pawns left from Interviewing Informants to gather assets, move forces, and look for pirates. See the aid sheet's Sequence of Play and Hunters Actions summaries. Finish each segment in order (for example, all Commandeer before any Sailing). Use each pawn only once each turn. Leave pawns unused if desired.
Commandeer Assets
The Hunters may Commandeer Assets (see Using the Tiles, page 17). Place any new tile in an empty Commandeered Asset spot and a pawn on the tile.
- Commandeered Assets correspond to certain Hunter pieces: red icon for Sloop Jane; white icon for Sloop Ranger; blue icon for Brand.
- Hunters may Commandeer new Assets for a Sloop (red icon for Jane, white for Ranger) only while that Sloop is at James River, Assets for both Sloops (red and white icons) while both remain at James River, and for Brand (blue icon) only while he is at James River.
- ADVANCED: The Hunters may Commandeer the Canoes Asset (an aid to Scouting by any pieces) regardless of where their pieces are. The tile's neutral-color piece icons serve as a reminder.
- Assets, once Commandeered, last all game.
TIP: Once Hunters head off to North Carolina, they can no longer equip themselves to find and face the pirates! Canoes (an advanced tile) provide the only exception.
Scout
Before and then again after completing any and all Sailing and Marching, the Hunters may Scout - openly Spot - one space per piece, for one pawn each.
- Jane, Ranger, and Brand each may Scout their own space (before moving) or one space adjacent to them. Any Hunters may Scout adjacent by Land or Water. They may not Scout from Cape Henry.
- The Hunters may see the results of Scouting with a pawn before committing more pawns to Scout other Map spaces. Announce and openly Spot spaces as explained on page 4.
- Three ADVANCED Assets affect Scouting (see page 17). Declare them as you use them.
TIP: Scout as you go! The Hunters are allowed to see what their Scouting Spots before committing the next pawn, as long as they do not break the sequence of: all pieces' initial Scouting, then all Sailing and Marching (each piece Spotting wherever it ends up, even if it does not move), then final Scouting. Don't forget - a piece can Scout a hidden block where it starts!
Sail and March
Move Sloops or Brand to adjacent spaces for one pawn each. Place pawns and position their pieces on the Map to show where they go. Move Sloops only via Water Routes. Move Brand only via Land Routes.
- Sloops may Sail together for one pawn per space. They may join or split up as desired, placing pawns space by space. One of two Sloops Sailing together may end Sailing and Spot there; the other Sloop may stop there too, or may then Sail on for more pawns.
- Sloops may Sail between Cape Henry and any Ocean space (blue with compass icon) for just one pawn.
- Sloops may Sail between any two Ocean spaces by putting two pawns in the destination.
- As each Hunter piece ends its movement for the turn, openly Spot the space it ends in, whether or not it moved.
- Once completing all Sail and March for the turn, the Hunters may use remaining pawns to Scout (above).
TIP: Hunter Sloops move faster and fight tougher when together, but they may have to split up to find the pirates!
TIP: Don't forget to take advantage of any Sightings that you Spot, as explained on page 4.
E. Encounters
After all Hunter Actions, resolve Encounters for each space that has both sides' pieces (The aid sheet has a summary). The Hunters pick where first. If none, skip forward to Piracy.
Arrest or Battle? If the Encounter involves at least one figure piece - Brand, Blackbeard alone (Advanced), or Israel Hands (Advanced) - Hunters first attempt Arrest. If both sides have Sloops (including after an Arrest attempt), then Battle.
Dice. How Many? Sides earn dice from their pieces at an Encounter, adjusted by tiles and Firing Hits. Pirate pieces begin with two dice each, Hunter pieces one die each.
- Blackbeard declares any tiles used, then the Hunters do, then players resolve that part of the Arrest or Battle.
Roll Dice: After determining how many dice, each player rolls those dice and looks at each die separately.
- For Firing in Battle, rolls Hit or Miss (see page 11).
- For Arrest, Escape, and Boarding (pages 11-12), the highest roll on any single die wins. When one side has zero dice, the other wins if it has at least one die. If neither side has dice, treat that as a tied roll. The Hunters win tied rolls (including if neither side has any dice) until any Escape, after which, Blackbeard wins tied rolls (see Warned, page 11).
Example: Arrest and Escape
Capt Brand Marches down to Fish Town - surprising the pirates there! Hunter actions end with opposing pieces together, Brand and Adventure, so we have an Encounter. The pieces include a figure, Brand, so the Hunters attempt Arrest of the pirates ashore!
Blackbeard declares Lookouts in play. The player sets out that Defense tile. The Hunters then declare Capt Gordon.
(Lookouts tile: from Purse; 1 Arrest/Escape die per turn: +1 die. Capt Gordon tile: Hunters with Brand: Arrest with 4 dice.)
Dice: Against the Arrest, Blackbeard gets 3 dice for Adventure plus Lookouts. The Hunters would get 1 die for Brand, but Capt Gordon changes that to 4 dice total (regardless of any Hunter Sloops present, which otherwise would add dice).
If playing with the "most dice win" option, the Hunters' 4 dice would beat Blackbeard's 3 dice: they would Arrest the pirate and win the game!
Roll Dice: Rolling dice gives Blackbeard a chance to survive. In this case, the Blackbeard player rolls 3 dice and the Hunters roll 4 dice (shown as pictures in the example). The Hunters would win a tied roll, as there has not, at this moment, been a successful Escape. But here Blackbeard's high roll (a single die, pictured) beats the Hunters' highest, so the pirate Escapes the Arrest attempt! Adventure must Sail adjacent: the player selects Topsail Inlet and secretly updates Map blocks accordingly. The Escaped! marker goes in the Map's reminder box to show that Blackbeard will now win ties. Any Piracy planned at Fish Town does not occur.
(The specific die faces in the example are pictured only and are not transcribed.)
Option: To reduce the role of luck, instead of rolling Arrest, Escape, or Boarding, simply compare how many dice each side has - whoever has the most dice wins. If equal number of dice, roll, and always roll Fire.
Arrest
Encounters that include any figure piece begin with Arrest. Players declare tiles, then roll or compare dice for figures and Sloops per page 10 or above (see Lookouts and Capt Gordon, pages 16-17).
- If the Hunters win Arrest at a black piece - Adventure or Blackbeard alone (Advanced) - they immediately win the game.
- ADVANCED: Successful Arrest of Israel Hands instead permanently removes the Israel Hands tile and figure from play. The Blackbeard player may immediately Show the Camp location block (lay it face up, if not already) to add 4 gold to Purse (the pirate captain has betrayed Hands and taken his share).
- If Adventure beats the Arrest attempt and only Brand is there, Adventure must Escape (see Escape and Warned, below). If unable, the Hunters win the game.
- If Adventure beats the Arrest and Jane or Ranger is in the space, Battle ensues (see below), with the special restriction that the Hunters may not choose Escape ("Hammer & Anvil").
- If Blackbeard alone or Israel Hands wins, he Escapes. Remove that piece from the map for now. Put the Escaped! marker in its map box (see Warned).
Battle
Encounter between Sloops is a Battle, whether after or having skipped Arrest. Sloops exchange Fire, then determine who has the opportunity to Escape, and finally engage in Boarding if no one Escapes.
Firing
Each player declares tiles, rolls Fire dice, and assigns any Rigging and Crew Hits to the opponent's Sloops (Hunter Sloops can Fire even without Cannon).
- If Adventure declares Philip Morton, Blackbeard Fires before the Hunters declare and Fire, possibly reducing the Hunters' Fire dice (see Using the Tiles, page 16).
- If Crew to Ordinary is in effect (page 19), set its marker out at the Adventure piece.
- A roll of 6 is a Rigging Hit. A Sloop loses one die per Rigging Hit in the next Escape roll.
- A roll of 5 is a Crew Hit. A Sloop loses one die per Crew Hit in that Battle's Boarding, if any.
- A roll of 3 or 4 is a Miss unless the player declared Chain or Grape (see pages 16-17).
- A roll of 1 or 2 is always a Miss.
- Apply, at most, one Rigging Hit and one Crew Hit to each Hunter Sloop, and, at most, two of each Hit type to Adventure. Place markers at pieces. Excess Hits are wasted.
TIP: Even if you play with the "most dice wins" option, you'll need a bit of luck when Sloops exchange Fire!
Escape
After Firing, resolve who may Escape. Declare tiles, find the number of dice by Sloops present, tiles, and Firing Hits. Roll or compare dice as described at page 10 or at Option above - the winner may Escape, if desired.
- Escaping Sloop pieces must Sail by Water to an adjacent Map space, not Cape Henry and, if Adventure, not to a space with a Hunter piece.
- If Adventure Escapes, first remove the piece, then Blackbeard updates the block in Adventure's new space, secretly unless the destination is face up (see page 8). Place no Sighting.
- If Jane or Ranger Escapes, it immediately Spots.
- If either side chooses to Escape, put the Escaped! marker in its map box (see Warned below).
- If the winning side opts not to Escape, Board.
TIP: Winning Escape means you get to choose whether there will be a Boarding to end the game. But if you don't want to fight, your side will have to leave the area!
Hammer & Anvil. If Adventure Escapes Arrest by Brand (above), but Jane or Ranger wins Escape, the Hunters must Board, they may not Escape away.
Warned. Whenever anyone Escapes (whether from an Arrest attempt or from Battle, above), Blackbeard henceforth wins tied rolls. Place the Escaped! reminder marker on the Map over "No Escape."
TIP: Blackbeard becomes more dangerous once shaken by the close approach of the forces hunting him!
Boarding
Declare tiles and count dice by Sloops present, tiles, and Firing Hits. Roll or compare dice, just as for Arrest or Escape. The winning side seizes the enemy's Sloop(s) as a prize and immediately wins the game.
Example: Battle
As Jane and Ranger part to search for the pirates, Jane alone Encounters Adventure*. Battle ensues!*
Firing. Blackbeard declares Swivel Guns, the Hunters declare Cannon and Chain & Grape.
(Swivel Guns: from Purse; Fire: +1 die. Cannon for Jane: Jane's Fire: +1 die; may haul Chain & Grape. Chain & Grape: Fire with Cannon; 3 or 4 Hits Rigging or Crew.)
Adventure Fires with 3 dice, rolling two misses and a Rigging Hit on Jane. The Hunters roll 2 dice: both show Rigging or Crew Hits with Chain & Grape, for two Hits of the Hunters' choice. The Hunters player puts one Rigging and one Crew Hit on Adventure.
Escape. Blackbeard declares Lookouts, hoping to make a getaway. The Hunters counter with Lt Maynard. (Lt Maynard: Each turn, Hunters with Jane: +1 die to Escape or Board... as printed on the tile.) Rigging Hits reduce each side by one die, each restored by tiles. Adventure rolls two dice to Jane's one. The Hunters get lucky with a 6 and so may opt to Escape or Board. They press the attack and Board!
Boarding. No one declares any tiles. With Adventure having suffered a Crew Hit, each player will roll a single die for victory. (Even with the "most dice win" optional rule, they would roll.) As there has not yet been an Escape, the Hunters hold the edge by winning on a tied roll.
Maximum Hits Taken: Jane or Ranger: 1 Rigging, 1 Crew. Adventure: 2 Rigging, 2 Crew.
F. Resolve Piracy
Blackbeard wins by filling half of his ambitions for either Acts of Piracy or Pirate's Life (both are called "Piracy") (See Victory, page 14). After all Actions and Encounters, the Blackbeard player places black or gold cubes onto Piracy tiles.
Placing Cubes
Add cubes to unoccupied squares on Piracy tiles that have pawns on them, one cube per pawn there. Place all allowable cubes.
- If the tile has dark gray squares, place black cubes (from the pool).
- If the tile has gold squares, place gold cubes from the Purse box only (tiles with gold squares also say From Purse in dark gold as a reminder). Any pawns on gold squares beyond the cubes that Blackbeard can Pay from his Purse are wasted.
Piracy Locations
To receive cubes, a tile must list a space that has Adventure in it. If not, the pawns are wasted! ADVANCED EXCEPTION: Some Piracy tiles also can receive cubes via other pirate blocks when Adventure is elsewhere (see Using Tiles, page 16). Adventure always can do so - the icons just add an option.
- Four Pirate's Life tiles show black Blackbeard icons in each square. Place cubes here if either Adventure or Blackbeard alone - placed via the advanced Longboat Prepared Defense tile - is at a listed space.
- Three Piracy tiles show gold Israel Hands icons. If Blackbeard has Prepared the advanced Israel Hands Defense tile, place cubes here if Adventure or Israel Hands is at a listed space.
TIP: The Hunters can thwart Blackbeard's ambitions just by showing up where he had planned his Piracy.
Piracy Effects
Most Piracy tiles list the effects that they have on play, either upon entirely filling it with cubes or until doing so (see also Using the Tiles, pages 18-19.)
- Many tiles say Show in blue. When the final cube is placed on the tile, lay the block at the Map space that was used face up to show its symbol, or declare it if already face up, and place the Sloop Adventure, Blackbeard-alone, or Israel Hands piece there if present.
- Seven tiles say Take and show one or two Loot markers. When filled, randomly draw that many Loot markers, put them face up in the Taken Loot box, and add the number of gold cubes they show from spares to the Purse. For Seize Prize at Cape Hatteras, add one extra cube.
TIP: Typically, the pirates must do something flashy to get the goods. No Loot without Show!
- When filling a Stow Booty or Sell Cargo Pirate's Life tile, take cubes from spares (until none) equal to those shown on all markers in Taken Loot, plus two cubes if noted on the tile, and add them to the Purse.
TIP: This is the main purpose of drawing a Loot marker upon Setup (page 3).
- When filling the Seek Pardon Pirate's Life tile, select any one other Act of Piracy or Pirate's Life tile and set it aside (still behind the screen) - it is out of the game. Set aside any cubes on that tile as spares. Then randomly redraw one tile from that stack (Acts of Piracy or Pirate's Life) and place it face up in the previously occupied space on the mat.
- Three Pirate's Life tiles impose penalties until filled. Hire Doctor restricts Blackbeard's Sailing to three pawns per turn. Buy Rum reduces his pawns to four total. Crew to Ordinary reduces Adventure's Fire by one die. Place markers on or near the tiles as reminders while in effect.
- Until filled, the Careen Sloop tile may not receive cubes on a turn that Adventure Sailed, including to Escape. Place the reminder marker on the tile whenever Adventure Sails.
Example: Resolve Piracy
Blackbeard, fearing his Camp may become discovered, Sails to the more secluded Anchorage of Nots Island to host a beach party ("banyan") there for his pirate friend Charles Vane. All three pawns left go on Banyan for Vane.
The Hunters Actions result in no Encounters. Adventure remains at an Anchorage. So Blackbeard hosts his banyan. The three pawns on that Piracy tile place three cubes there. The cubes must be gold ones from the Purse because the tile has gold squares and says "From Purse." With the tile all full of cubes, its listed "Show" and "Take" effects happen now -
- The Blackbeard player flips the block at Nots Island face up and places the black sloop piece there to show that Adventure is there and has filled a Piracy tile there (first Sailing to Nots Island has kept Blackbeard's Camp hidden!).
- The Blackbeard player secretly draws a random Loot marker into Taken Loot. The marker turns out to be worth just one gold cube, added to the Purse.
G. End Turn
After completing Piracy (if any), end the turn.
- If players just finished Turn 4 ("IV"), the game ends. Remove the screens and determine victory by Piracy as explained below.
- If not, prepare for the next turn. The Hunters flip Informant tiles with any pawns on them face down - these Informants may not be used again. Players clear all pawns from their mats and the Map to make them available for use again next turn. Set all Surveil markers aside (leave all blocks as is). Clear the Sailed-No Careen marker from Blackbeard's mat. Remove all Hits from Sloops.
Start the next turn by drawing new Informant and Piracy tiles, as explained at "A. Draw Tiles" on page 5.
Victory
A side wins the game by Arresting Blackbeard, by winning a Boarding, or after Blackbeard does or does not fulfill Piracy.
Arrest. If the Hunters win an Arrest at Adventure or Blackbeard alone, the Hunters immediately win the game.
Boarding. If Boarding occurs, the winner immediately wins the game, regardless of cubes on Piracy tiles.
Piracy. At the end of Turn 4, Blackbeard wins if at least one Piracy row - Acts of Piracy or Pirate's Life - has cubes in at least half of the total number of squares in tiles on that row (black or gold, does not matter). If not, the Hunters win.
Option: To help the Hunters, require Blackbeard to fill more than half of a Piracy row to win.
Example: Win by Piracy
Blackbeard on Turn 1 filled the first Act of Piracy to take a pile of Loot. But on Turn 2, the hassle of Careen Sloop and the need to Buy Rum led him to switch to Pirate's Life. He then managed to evade the Hunters and fill 5 of what turned out to be 10 total boxes on the lower Piracy row - a Blackbeard win! The cubes on the row not scored (Acts of Piracy here), whether the boxes and cubes are black or gold, and which tiles of the scored row (Pirate's Life) hold the cubes don't matter.
- The Acts of Piracy row here has cubes in 4 out of 12 boxes. This row is less than half filled, too few to win. These cubes are ignored.
- The Pirate's Life row here has cubes in 5 out of 10 boxes. This row is exactly half filled, just enough for the pirate to win.
If players used the more-than-half Victory option to help the Hunters, Blackbeard instead would have needed at least 6 cubes in the 10 lower-row boxes to win. So, Blackbeard would have lost here.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: Do you add Purse cubes for Setup Loot? A: No, that Loot marker only adds cubes with later Stow Booty or Sell Cargo.
- Q: Does it cost added pawns to Surveil? A: No, pawns on Informant tiles have already bought the Spotting that allows Surveil.
- Q: Can Hunters see what a block is before choosing the next block to Spot? A: Yes, they may Spot as they go during Scout or Sail/March; however, Spotting after Sail/March ends that piece's move.
- Q: Does a Sighting go where Adventure starts? A: No, only in spaces it enters then exits.
- Q: How do you pay for Bought Silence (Advanced)? A: Pay 1 pawn only to Prepare the tile. Then pay 2 cubes (no pawns) per Sighting avoided.
- Q: Can Bought Silence (Advanced) hide Adventure? A: No, it only prevents Sightings.
- Q: Can Hunter pieces Scout twice in a turn? Yes, before, and again after, Sail/March.
Using the Tiles
TIP: The reference foldout shows all of the game's tiles together on one sheet.
Informants - Tapping Strategic Intelligence
Three tiles show former pirates who are in custody, or have a bone to pick with Blackbeard, and may know of his plans or activities in North Carolina. Wm Howard can secretly Spot up to 4 spaces for 4 pawns, but only Anchorages. Condemned and Pardoned Pirates can each Spot anywhere but just 1 space.
Any of Governor Eden's clutch of rivals may wish to help expose his tolerance of piracy in the colony, especially if Blackbeard ventures into its settled areas. Edwd Moseley can report on Bath Town, Queen Anne's Creek, Fish Town, and/or any 1 Anchorage for 1 pawn each. Col Moore reports on up to 4 Land spaces - Towns or Anchorages - but not any space with "Island" or "Bank(s)" in its name. Capt Vail reports on Bath Town and/or 1 space of any type that is adjacent to, or 2 spaces distant from, Bath Town, including via New Bern - for example, Core Banks via West Pamlico Sound.
Various tradesmen who ply the Outer Banks may have spied Adventure or encountered Blackbeard or his crew in person, by chance, or as a target of his depredations. Isaac Freeman, for 1 pawn each, can report on any Inlet space or Cape Hatteras. Bumboat Peddlers, who may have delivered sundries to Blackbeard's camp, can Spot up to 3 Anchorages plus any 1 Sound. Local Fishermen harassed by the pirates will Spot up to 2 Towns and/or Anchorages plus 2 Sound spaces.
Tile summaries as printed: Wm Howard (Blackbeard's Quartermaster): 4 Anchorages. Condemned Pirates (Stede Bonnet Crewmen): Any 1 space. Pardoned Pirates (Harassed by Blackbeard): Any 1 space. Edwd Moseley (Eden Rival): 3 Towns + 1 Anchorage. Col Moore (NC Worthy): Any 4 Land (not Islands or Banks). Capt Vail (NC Worthy): BATH + 1 space up to 2 spaces away. Isaac Freeman (Merchant Captain): Any Ocean. Bumboat Peddlers: 3 Anchorages + 1 Sound. Fishermen: Any 2 Land + 2 Sounds.
For each Map space that the Hunters just secretly Spotted (whether by Informant directly or via a Sighting), the player, if desired, also may place 1 Surveil marker. Lay the block at each Surveil marker face up. For the rest of the turn, whatever blocks occupy those spaces stay face up.
TIP: If Sightings enable the Hunters to Spot spaces, they may Surveil any or all of them for no extra pawns, in addition to those Spotted by committing pawns to Informant tiles.
Prepared Defenses - Keeping the Pirates' Powder Dry
Chain Shot and Grape cost 1 gold cube from Purse (and 1 pawn) each. Declare each before Firing for rolls of 3 or 4 to Hit Rigging or Crew. (The number of dice stays the same.) If Firing with both tiles, Blackbeard picks Hit type before the Hunters Fire. (Chain Shot tile: Fire 3 or 4 may Hit Rigging. Grape tile: Fire 3 or 4 may Hit Crew.)
Pay 1 cube from Purse (and 1 pawn) to Prepare Grenadoes. If Adventure wins Escape (only) then Boards, it adds 1 die. (Tile: Boarding: +1 die if won Escape.)
Pay 1 cube from Purse (and 1 pawn) to Prepare Lookouts. Declare ahead of any 1 Arrest or Escape per turn for Blackbeard to add 1 die.
Pay 2 cubes from Purse (and 1 pawn) for Philip Morton. Fire before the Hunters declare their Fire tiles. Each Hunter Sloop that Adventure Hits reduces by one (only, even if both Crew and Rigging Hits) the number of dice that that Sloop will use when it Fires next. (Tile: Master Gunner. Each Hunter Sloop Hit Fires -1 die.)
Pay 1 cube from Purse (and 1 pawn) to Prepare Swivel Guns. Adventure adds 1 die whenever Firing.
ADVANCED Tiles
Do not declare these tiles.
Longboat. Pay 1 cube from Purse (and 1 pawn) to Prepare Longboat. When Setting the Map (only, page 8) and without declaring the tile, place the appropriate Blackbeard block as desired within 3 Map spaces of Camp (by Water or Land) where no Adventure, Sighting, or Israel Hands (use no pawns). During Resolve Piracy (page 12), add cubes to Piracy tile squares that show Blackbeard as if Adventure is in Blackbeard's space. Map Reset clears the Blackbeard block (page 6). If revealed, place the black Blackbeard piece. Escape removes him from the Map. If the Hunters won an Arrest of Blackbeard, they win the game. (Tile: May place up to 3 spaces from Camp.)
Israel Hands. Pay 2 cubes from Purse (and 1 pawn) for the Israel Hands tile (Blackbeard's Lieutenant). The gold Israel Hands block and figure work like those for Longboat but places at any Town where no Adventure, Blackbeard, or Sighting. Arrest eliminates the tile and piece, but lets Blackbeard opt to earn 4 gold cubes into his Purse by Showing the Camp. (Tile: May place in any Town.)
Bought Silence. Prepare Bought Silence for no cubes (just 1 pawn). Pay from Purse to Sail through spaces without placing Sighting blocks, 2 gold cubes per space desired. Do not declare this tile. (Tile: Cancel Sightings: 2 cubes from Purse for each.)
Commandeered Assets - Arming for the Hunt
Brand Commandeers Capt Gordon only at James River. With him, the Hunters get 4 dice total for Arrest.
Jane and Ranger can only Commandeer Cannon if the Sloop is at James River. That Sloop adds 1 die (typically, to reach 2 dice) when Firing, and may use Chain & Grape if Commandeered.
Commandeer Extra Hands only if the named Sloop (Jane or Ranger) is at James River. That Sloop adds 1 die (typically, to reach 2 dice) when Boarding.
Jane Commandeers Lt Maynard only at James River. Once declared, Maynard adds 1 die to any 1 roll with Jane per turn, never beyond 3 Hunter dice total, counting dice from other Hunters and any losses to Hits. (Tile: Each turn, Hunters with Jane: +1 die to max 3 dice.)
Ranger Commandeers Midshipman Hyde only at James River. He acts for Ranger like Lt Maynard does for Jane, but only so long as total Hunter dice for that segment remain at 1 or 2. (Tile: Each turn, Hunters with Ranger: +1 die to max 2 dice.)
The Hunters Commandeer Skilled Helm only if both Jane and Ranger are at James River. With it, the Hunters, for just 1 pawn Sail one or both Sloops from any Ocean or Sound space (not James River or Cape Henry) up to 3 spaces adjacent by Water Routes. They may do so multiple times a turn, using 1 pawn each time.
Commandeer Chain & Grape only if both Jane and Ranger are at James River. When they Fire after declaring Cannon, rolls of 3 or 4 Hit - the Hunters choose Rigging or Crew, with the limit of 2 Hits of each type applied to Adventure.
ADVANCED Tiles (Hunters)
Canoes. The Hunters may Commandeer Canoes anywhere. For each Scout segment, each Hunter piece may Spot any 1 space (only, regardless of Butler or Partisans) that is 2 spaces away if the intervening space is a Sound. (Tile: Commandeer anywhere. Each Hunter may Scout 1 space just beyond adjacent Sound.)
Master Wm Butler. Jane and Ranger must both be at James River to get Master Wm Butler (Local Pilot). For each Scout segment, Jane and Ranger each may Scout to Spot 2 spaces (instead of 1) for 1 pawn per space. (Tile: Sloops may Scout 2 spaces for 2 pawns.)
Partisans. Brand can acquire Partisans only at James River. Brand with Partisans may Scout 2 Map spaces for just 1 pawn.
Acts of Piracy - Sea Roving Forever
Three Seize Prize at Sea tiles (Ocracoke Inlet, Gun Inlet, Roanoke Inlet) may receive black cubes when Adventure is at a certain Inlet. Upon filling the tile with 2 black cubes, show Adventure - lay the block there face up or announce that Piracy has occurred there if already face up. Then (behind the screen) randomly draw 1 unused Loot marker, put it in Taken Loot, and add the number of gold cubes shown on that marker to Blackbeard's Purse.
A fourth Seize Prize at Sea tile works the same as the others but occurs at Cape Hatteras and, when taking its Loot, adds 1 more cube to Purse than those shown on the marker.
Two Raid tiles (Raid Delaware at Currituck Inlet, Raid Charles Town at Topsail Inlet) work just like Seize Prize at Sea, except that they occur at either the far north or the far south Inlet and, when filled with 4 black cubes, take 2 Loot markers each.
Careen Sloop (Any Anchorage; tile text "Not if Adventure Sails") may not receive cubes on the same turn that Adventure Sails (even to Escape from Battle). Therefore, if Adventure just Sailed and is not already at an Anchorage (it may be Camp but not a Town), no cubes can go onto this tile until a future turn. Whenever Careen Sloop is face up and not fully filled with cubes, place the Sailed-No-Careen reminder marker on the tile as Adventure Sails. Remove the marker at the end of the turn.
Take on Stores (Any Town or Camp), unlike most Act of Piracy tiles, costs gold cubes from the Purse rather than adding any via Loot. Fortunately for Blackbeard, Adventure can Take on Stores at any of up to 4 spaces - Queen Anne's Creek, Bath Town, Fish Town, or the Camp. Upon filling the tile with cubes, show the block at that space: lay it face up (or declare Piracy there if already face up).
Divvy with Eden (BATH or Queen Anne's Creek), like Take on Stores, requires cubes from the Purse, as the pirate pays off the Governor. Adventure can add cubes to this tile only at Bath Town or Queen Anne's Creek.
ADVANCED: With the Israel Hands Defense tile, Israel Hands also can do so.
Pirate's Life - Cashing In
When Blackbeard fills Banyan for Vane (Any Anchorage) with cubes from his Purse, co-pirate Charles Vane thanks him for the party with a share of Loot: add 1 random Loot to the Taken box and the cubes shown on that Loot to Purse. As filled, show the Map block at Adventure's Anchorage space: lay it face up (or declare Piracy there if already face up).
When the pirate fills Fete Tobias Knight (Bath or Camp) with 2 cubes from his Purse, his friend Tobias Knight returns the favor of a visit and gifts by helping the pirate Prepare for trouble - show (or declare) the block at the space used; behind the screen, select and add any 2 Defense tiles to Prepared Defenses without using any cubes or pawns. Adventure can Fete Tobias Knight at Camp or Bath Town.
ADVANCED: Blackbeard alone can do so via Longboat.
If the pirate fills Seek Pardon (BATH or Queen Anne's Creek) with black cubes, his return to society opens new opportunity. Select any 1 other face-up Act of Piracy or Pirate's Life tile, discard any cubes on it, and set it aside, still behind the screen but out of the game. Then randomly draw 1 replacement tile from that stack. Adventure can Seek Pardon at Bath Town or Queen Anne's Creek.
ADVANCED: Blackbeard alone via Longboat also can do so.
Visit with Wife (BATH or Camp) receives black cubes when Adventure is at Camp or Bath Town.
ADVANCED: Blackbeard alone at those locations via Longboat also can do so.
Three tiles cause penalties until filled; put the relevant reminder marker on each tile when drawn and remove it if filled. Hire Doctor (Any Town or Camp) and Buy Rum (Any Town) require cubes from Purse; one limits Adventure's Sailing to 3 pawns per turn; the other cuts Blackbeard to 4 pawns per turn. Crew to Ordinary (BATH), where used, cuts Adventure's Fire dice in Battle by 1: upon Firing, lay its reminder marker out by Adventure.
ADVANCED: Blackbeard alone can fill Hire Doctor via Longboat; Israel Hands can fill the others.
Adventure at Camp can fill Stow Booty with black cubes to earn the Purse gold cubes equal to all Taken Loot. Sell Cargo works the same at any Town plus a bonus of 2 more cubes, but shows the map block used.
Key Terms
Term - definition (pages)
- Act of Piracy - Piracy type (5, 7, 12-14, 18)
- Action - Use pawn to act (6-9)
- Adjacent - Linked by a Route (Legend)
- Advanced - More complex tiles (3, 16-17)
- Adventure - Blackbeard's Sloop (2)
- Anchorage - Land space type (Legend, 5, 15, 18-19)
- Arrest - Encounter type (11)
- Asset - Hunter capability tile (9, 17)
- Bank - Anchorage type (Legend, 15)
- Bath - The Bath Town space (Legend, 18-19)
- Battle - Encounter type (11-12)
- Blackbeard - Player, piece, blocks (2, 8, 10-12, 16)
- Blank - Block for nothing there (2-4)
- Block - Embossed square wooden bit (2)
- Boarding - Final Battle segment (12)
- Brand - Hunter piece (2, 9, 10, 11, 17)
- Camp - Pirate hideout block (5, 8, 11, 16, 18-19)
- Camp (Spotted) - marker, map box (2, 3, 4)
- Commandeer - Obtain Asset (9)
- Crew - Battle Fire Hit type (11)
- Cube - Money, Piracy success (2-3, 7, 12-14)
- Declare - Show a tile upon use (4)
- Defense - Pirate capability tile (7, 16)
- Encounter - Arrest, Battle, Escape (10-12)
- Escape - Encounter outcome (11)