Ki az úr a tengeren? Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents of the Box
• Object of the Game
• Rules of the Game
• The Beginning
  • Funds
  • Purchase of Vessels
  • Purchase of Goods
  • Insurance of Vessels
  • Insurance of Goods
• The Course of the Game
  • Choosing Your Direction
  • Events
  • Arrival at a Port
  • If the Ship Is Destroyed
  • If the Cargo Is Destroyed
  • When the Goods Arrive at Their Destination
  • Dice Rules
  • If a Player Is Unable to Pay
• The Ending
  • The Game Can End in Several Ways
• Additional Notes

Contents of the Box

• Game board
• Instructions
• 2 dice
• 90 delivery notes
• 44 chance cards
• 15 ships
• 15 vessel ownership certificates

Money as follows:

• 10 pcs of £10
• 20 pcs of £20
• 50 pcs of £50
• 50 pcs of £100
• 50 pcs of £200
• 30 pcs of £500
• 30 pcs of £1,000

Insurance bonds as follows:

• 20 pcs of £50
• 100 pcs of £100
• 50 pcs of £200

Object of the Game

Become an international power in maritime freight transport by defeating your rivals.

Rules of the Game

The game can be played by 2-6 participants. As the participant handling the BANK has to perform complex financial tasks, it is advisable for them to take on the role of the BANK as their sole "occupation". With sufficient practice, it is also possible for one of the players to perform the task of the BANK as a "side job".

The Beginning

Each player rolls a die. The player who rolled the highest value starts. The other players will follow in clockwise order.

Funds

The BANK will allocate £5,000 capital to each player. In addition, upon every arrival in a port each ship of each player will receive a £200 capital supplement.

The game begins in LONDON.

Purchase of Vessels

Each player has to buy at least one ship. A maximum of two can be bought at the beginning of the game. Later, if the player can afford them, additional vessels can be purchased, but only when the player is in London.

The BANK has to showcase the vessels available at the docks in the upper right corner of the game board. The players can purchase any ship they want and can afford in the order established with the die roll above. They will receive the ownership certificate for the purchased vessel. But watch out! You better use your funds wisely, as you still have to buy goods, and will also need money for insurance and other expenses.

Purchase of Goods

Once each player has purchased their ship, the goods can be procured from the BANK. The BANK sorts the delivery notes grouped by "port of loading". In each port there are 15 delivery notes of various products and loading weights available. The players can ONLY buy these during their stay at the matching port. Thus, at the beginning of the game, the only goods available for purchase are the ones that have LONDON as their port of loading. The purchase price has to be settled at the BANK immediately.

You can buy several different types of goods as long as the total sum of their weight doesn't exceed your ship's capacity.

Upon players' request the BANK has to provide detailed information about the ships and goods available for purchase.

Insurance of Vessels

Before setting sail, each player must decide whether to insure their vessel and/or the goods they transport. Ship insurance is to be purchased only once per vessel. The insurance fee is shown on the ownership certificate. If the ship sinks or disappears, the BANK will reimburse the player immediately. The insurance value of a ship is typically somewhat less than two-thirds of the purchase price. In case a ship without insurance gets destroyed, it's entirely the player's loss.

Upon payment of the insurance fee, the player is provided insurance bonds by the BANK matching the amount paid. Those are to be kept safe along with the vessel ownership certificate by the player.

The insurance becomes void should the ship get lost, pawned or sold. In such case the bonds are to be returned to the BANK.

Insurance of Goods

It is also possible (and advisable) to insure the goods you transport. The insurance fee is shown on the delivery note. Once the goods are safely delivered to the port of destination, the insurance expires and the bonds are returned to the BANK. (The BANK can of course reuse them later).

If the goods are damaged or destroyed, the BANK will immediately reimburse the entire purchase price.

The players must keep their insurance bonds stocked on the delivery notes they purchased them for.

The Course of the Game

Choosing Your Direction

From London, all players can decide to proceed in any of the three directions available. However, there is no turning back – unless you receive such an "instruction" – until you reach the next port. Here you can decide where to go. At this point you can even sail back to your previous location if you want.

Events

You may experience unexpected events along your journey. Should you land on a square with instructions, proceed accordingly.

In addition to those, when landing on squares marked with a ship's helm, you must draw the top card from the "chance card" pile and follow the instructions written on it. Subsequently, place the card to the bottom of the pile.

Arrival at a Port

Arriving at the port of your destination can happen in two ways: Either by rolling the exact number of squares you'd need to advance to land on the port square or by rolling more. You are allowed to stop on the port square in the latter case too.

If the Ship Is Destroyed

If the ship sinks or disappears during the voyage for any reason, the player goes to London immediately. Here (if your ship and/or goods were insured) the player gets reimbursed according to the insurance terms and is also eligible for £200 capital supplement. Thus, they can buy a new ship and goods, and then proceed with the next step.

If the Cargo Is Destroyed

If the cargo is destroyed or damaged, the player's ship will keep on sailing in the same direction in accordance with the rules. If the goods were insured, the player gets compensated upon arrival at the nearest port.

When the Goods Arrive at Their Destination

At the port of destination, the BANK pays the "SALE PRICE" (as shown on the delivery note) immediately for the goods delivered. After the payout, the BANK removes the delivery note from circulation.

Now the player can purchase additional goods and set sail again towards their subsequent destination. Of course the total weight of the purchased goods cannot exceed the ship's loading capacity (indicated on the ownership certificate).

Dice Rules

If the player rolls a six, they can roll again (this may be repeated up to two more times). If someone has several ships, each of those are considered as separate participants and the player can roll for each of them separately.

If a Player Is Unable to Pay

– Upon arrival at a port, they can pawn any of the goods they are currently transporting to other destinations. The BANK pays out the "PAWN VALUE" (shown at the delivery note). If the player returns to this port later and wants to redeem the pawned goods, they will have to pay the "REDEMPTION VALUE" (shown on the delivery note).

– If the player has more than one vessel, they can also pawn a ship the same way as one would pawn their goods. Selling one's second (or additional) ship is also allowed, in this case the BANK buys it on "REDEMPTION VALUE". Alternatively, the seller may put up their ship for auction among the other players. Whoever is willing to pay the most will have it. The BANK will not participate in the auction.

The Ending

The Game Can End in Several Ways

– The game ends in clear victory when one player beats all the others.

– If all but one player agree that they give up the fight they consider hopeless, then the one whose benefit they gave up for is the winner.

– If all delivery notes get exhausted, the game ends when the goods currently in transit are delivered.

– If all players agree to end the game.

In the latter two cases each player must count the total value of the goods, ships and cash they own. The one with the highest value is the winner.

Additional Notes

– In order to simplify the game, the prices of the ships and goods as well as their proportions are fictitious.

– There are many potential strategies available to players. What to transport, where to transport, which goods or ports provide better opportunities? These questions must be answered by the players themselves.

– Take into consideration that it is likely that ports close to the starting point will run out of goods quickly. Many players expect to sail to more distant ports only after this. Others, on the other hand, believe that the sooner they arrive to distant ports loaded with goods the bigger advantage they gain, as they can put their hands on the best deals of faraway lands while the competitors are busy getting there. Can you decide who is right?

BON VOYAGE!