Minuit, Meurtre en Mer
Minuit, Meurtre en Mer Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Guided Tour
Ship Plans
The ship is made up of four decks, divided into ten zones, each comprising one or more locations.
The upper deck houses the VIP cabins of the 12 suspects (zone 1, locations 01 to 12), the luxury suite where the victim resided (zone 2, location 13), as well as the wheelhouse (zone 3, location 14).
The main deck brings together the leisure spaces: the pool and the piano bar (zone 4, locations 15 and 16), the beauty area (beautician, hairdresser, spa, masseur, etc.) and the shops (zone 5, locations 17 and 18), the casino and the grand salon for shows (zone 6, locations 19 and 20).
The lower deck contains the restaurant and kitchens (zone 7, location 21), the passenger cabins (zone 8, location 22), and the service areas, namely the infirmary, the housekeeping department, and the laundry (zone 9, location 23).
The hold (a deck not shown separately) includes the areas reserved for the crew, the engine room, the storage hold, etc. (zone 10, location 24).
Several passages allow transit from one deck to another:
- zone 4 (main deck) is connected to zone 1 (upper deck);
- zone 5 (main deck) is connected to zone 8 (lower deck);
- zone 6 (main deck) is connected to zone 3 (upper deck).
Important:
- Zone 2 is only accessible from zone 1: it is impossible to go from zone 2 to zone 3 and vice versa.
- Zone 9 (services) is connected to zone 10 (the hold), located below the lower deck.
Ship Progress Track (10 Spaces)
The ship's progress, during the game, is broken down into several stages on the game board. It begins when the ship is diverted toward the nearest port (space 1 to 4, depending on the number of players) and ends as soon as it arrives at its destination (space 10).
Event Cards (18)
Some (only some) of these cards make the ship advance on its Track. The others add a bit of spice to the game, for example by modifying movements or passages.
Event cards are unrelated to the content of the investigations.
Investigation Booklets (2 x 10 Investigations)
Each booklet offers ten investigations. It is suggested that they be played in numerical order.
The Investigation Introductions are all gathered at the start of the booklet. On the left: investigation number, title, difficulty level (novice, amateur, or expert), illustration, introductory text (with, sometimes, exceptional rules). On the right: a correspondence table (each of the 60 possible leads of an investigation is linked to a number referring to a Lead, which is read if a player reaches it during the game). Be careful not to mix up your investigation during the game! Tip: mark the current investigation with the flap and check the introduction image when you read a Lead.
In the middle of the booklet, all the Leads of the booklet's investigations are referenced by a number (with no indication of the lead's name or the investigation it relates to), presented out of order (so that the leads neighboring the one a player is reading at a given moment are unrelated to the current investigation).
The Solutions of the investigations appear, upside down, at the end of the booklet (DO NOT READ PREMATURELY).
"Notebook" and "Deductions" Sheet
The 60 leads that can be followed for an investigation are listed on the Notebook page.
Mark on the right each lead you become aware of (following your own detective's action or a public disclosure), noting the essential information or, where applicable, the fact that there is nothing in particular. The boxes on the left are used to check off leads known by the other players: at the start of the game, write at the top the first initial of the other players' names. It is often useful, in choosing your investigative method, to know what the other players already know...
For simplicity when taking notes, use only the initials of the first names of the 12 suspects (for example, "K" for Kristina) and a "V" for the victim, when referring to them.
The Deductions page is mainly used at the end of the game. It can also be freely used during the game to note aside eliminated elements, highly suspicious elements, etc.
General Notes
Investigations are independent of one another; only the setting of the ship is shared. Although the suspects have the same first names in every investigation, they are never the same people. The suspects' surnames have no bearing on the investigations. Their spouses, if any, live in the same cabin as them and are never implicated in a murder. In the investigation booklets, suspects are shown in capital letters so players can identify them quickly.
While the other passengers and the crew (except for the ship's officer) are not represented on the board, they are nonetheless "alive" through the descriptions attached to locations, testimonies, or Event cards. It is useful to draw players' attention to the fact that the leads corresponding to the various locations are potentially just as informative as those from conversations with suspects: don't neglect them! In particular, searching the luxury suite (the crime scene!), or even the wheelhouse and the services area, proves to be nearly essential...
Investigations can be replayed after a certain amount of time. Indeed, the leads known by a player at the end of a given investigation will differ when they replay it (on average, knowing about 30 out of 60 leads allows you to solve it); moreover, the fact that suspects always have the same first name in every investigation adds to the confusion. Many investigations are available, so don't replay the same ones too soon!
Setup
- Shuffle the Event cards, then place them face down on the "EVENT DRAW" space. With 4 players: remove the CALM SEA card. With 5-6 players: remove the DOUBLE REGIME card.
- Place the ship pawn on the Progress Track, according to the number of players: 1st space with 2 players, 2nd space with 3 players, 3rd space with 4 players, 4th space with 5/6 players.
- Randomly place the 12 suspects in zones 4 to 9, at a rate of 2 pawns per zone.
- Each player chooses a different detective pawn. Place the chosen pawns in zone 6 (the grand salon).
- Give each player a Notebook / Deductions sheet. Have pencils and erasers on hand for note-taking.
- Distribute the Buoy tokens according to the number of players: 3 with 2 players, 2 with 3 players, 1 with 4-6 players.
- Place the ten-sided die, the Last Suspect Moved token, and the Ship's Officer pawn near the board.
- Designate a player who will hold First Player status for the whole game.
- Choose an investigation from an investigation booklet and read its introduction aloud.
Player Turn
Each player investigates in turn, play passing clockwise around the table.
"First Player" Phase (reserved for the First Player)
When it is their turn to play, but before starting their Actions phase, the First Player turns over and reads aloud the top card of the EVENT DRAW pile. Its effect is immediate and only valid for the current turn. The card is then placed face up on the "EVENT OF THE TURN" space.
They then roll the ten-sided die and place the Ship's Officer in the corresponding zone (zone 1 to 10). The presence of the Ship's Officer in a given zone prevents detectives from investigating (searching a location or questioning a suspect) in that zone for the whole turn. It does not affect detectives' movement.
"Player Actions" Phase
On their turn, the player has 4 action points. They may use them as they wish to perform the following actions:
- MOVE their detective costs 1 point per zone crossed. Movement happens zone by zone, to any adjacent zone connected to the previous one. Detectives and suspects are always considered to be in a given zone, not in a given location. Being in a zone gives access to all the locations it contains. As an exception, entering the luxury suite costs 2 points (but only 1 to leave it), and there can never be more than one detective at a time inside the suite.
- QUESTION a suspect on one of the three possible topics costs 1 to 3 points, depending on the method chosen. To question a suspect, the detective must be in the same zone as them. State the chosen topic before any die roll: ALIBI ("Where were you at the time of the crime?"), WITNESS ("Do you know anything related to the death, the victim, or other suspects?"), or MOTIVE ("What was your relationship with the victim?").
- SEARCH a location costs 1 to 3 points, depending on the method chosen. To search a location, the detective must be in that location's zone. This action allows you to gather testimony from other people or physical clues.
Three investigative methods, for both questioning and searching, may be used (at the player's discretion) and may be changed freely during the same turn:
| Method | Cost | Die roll | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| QUICK | 1 action point | 1-7 on the die | Public result |
| DISCREET | 2 action points | 1-7 on the die | Private result |
| THOROUGH | 3 action points | Automatic success | Private result |
On a roll of 1 to 7, the investigation succeeds; on 8 to 10, the investigation fails. On a failure, the player may try again as long as they have action points left.
Public result: the player whose turn it is reads the lead aloud for everyone. Private result: the player whose turn it is reads the lead to themselves, silently.
The Buoy token is SINGLE USE: once used, it is removed from the game. It allows you to subtract 1 from the result of one of your die rolls, or to gain one extra action point. The same player may use several tokens at will during the same turn (in a 2- or 3-player game).
Example: during their turn, a player has 1 action point left. They attempt to quickly search the casino (cost = 1 point). To succeed, they must roll between 1 and 7, but roll an 8. They then decide to use their Buoy token to change their 8 into a 7, turning a failure into a success! In particular, if they had rolled higher than 8, they could instead have chosen to grant themselves 1 more action point and thus one more attempt.
"Move a Suspect" Phase (Optional)
After using their action points, the player whose turn it is may - free of charge - move a single suspect of their choice by one or two zones (respecting the movement rules). The Last Suspect Moved token is then placed under the pawn of the suspect concerned, meaning that suspect cannot be the next one moved during the game.
No suspect may be moved into the luxury suite. Note that when a suspect is present in the VIP cabins zone, they are considered to be occupying their cabin, so it cannot be searched (it remains possible to question the suspect).
The value of voluntarily moving a suspect is limited early in the game. Later in the game, however, it can prove very useful for bringing a suspect closer to your own detective, moving them away from rival detectives, or blocking or allowing access to their VIP cabin... Keep it in mind!
Example 1: a player uses 1 action point to move their detective into the zone adjacent to where they were at the start of their turn, then 2 points to attempt a discreet search of one of the locations in that zone (successful die roll, private result), then 1 point to move into another adjacent zone.
Example 2: a player uses 1 action point to quickly question a suspect on the ALIBI topic (successful die roll, public result), then thoroughly questions the same suspect on the WITNESS topic for 3 points (no die roll, private result).
Example 3: a detective present in zone 1 wants to search the luxury suite. They spend 2 points to enter it, then attempt a discreet search (failed roll: they will have to wait until next turn to try the search again; in the meantime, they remain in the suite, so no one else can enter it).
End of the Investigation and Detectives' Conclusions
An investigation can end in one of two ways: arrival at port, OR revelations. In both cases, all players will compare their deductions, but not in exactly the same way.
The Ship Arrives at Port
If the ship pawn reaches the last space of the Progress Track, the players immediately stop their investigation. Then, they all simultaneously and secretly note down their hypotheses 1 and 2 on their Deductions sheet.
When everyone has finished (each has set down their pencil in front of them), players can no longer change anything. In table-turn order, starting with the First Player, each then states their three hypotheses 1.
Important: Each player must formulate a hypothesis 1 (their favorite) AND a hypothesis 2 (a second chance) for each of the three investigation elements. These hypotheses must be DIFFERENT.
A Detective Makes Revelations in the Grand Salon
A player who believes they have found the three investigation elements, and whose detective is in zone 6 (the grand salon), may, at the end of their turn, announce that they wish to make revelations.
Play continues around the table until the player just before the First Player has taken their turn (so that all players have played the same number of times). Other players do not need to also go to zone 6 on their turn.
Then, the player who triggered the revelations writes down their deductions FIRST, then IMMEDIATELY REVEALS their hypotheses 1 (only). The other players must not react to this at this stage. Now it is their turn to note down, simultaneously and secretly, their own hypotheses 1 and 2 on their Deductions sheet. When everyone has finished, each then states their three hypotheses 1, in table-turn order.
Resolving the Investigation
One of the players reads aloud the entire text of the investigation's solution.
To calculate scores, each player circles the points for each correct answer: either the points for hypothesis 1, or the points for hypothesis 2 (since they are different).
Score adjustments in the case of revelations in the grand salon:
- each correct hypothesis 1 of the player who made the revelations gives a penalty of minus 5 points to the other players (including those who chose the same hypothesis 1 as the detective who made the revelations);
- each incorrect hypothesis 1 of the player who made the revelations gives them, personally, a penalty of minus 10 points. So it's best to avoid triggering revelations unless you're nearly certain of your answer!
The player with the highest total score wins the bet of being the sharpest bloodhound on board, and wins the game! In case of a tie, there are several winners.
Game Aid
Assumptions Common to All Investigations
- The body was found in the luxury suite (location 13).
- The murder was committed the previous night, between 11:45 PM and midnight.
- The culprit acted alone (they never have an accomplice) and are the only person who might lie.
- The culprit is necessarily one of the 12 suspects, except in the case of an accident (no culprit) or suicide (the victim is then considered to be the "culprit").
Player Turn
First Player Phase (only at the start of the First Player's turn): The First Player draws and reads aloud the Event card for the turn, then places the Ship's Officer.
Player Actions Phase: The active player has 4 action points to move, question, and search.
Move a Suspect Phase (optional): At the end of their turn, the active player may move a single suspect, except the last one moved (marked by the round token), by one or two connected zones.
Investigative Methods (Questioning or Searching)
| Method | Cost | Die roll | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| QUICK | 1 action point | 1-7 on the die = success | Public result |
| DISCREET | 2 action points | 1-7 on the die = success | Private result |
| THOROUGH | 3 action points | No die roll | Private result |
End of the Investigation
Immediately, if an Event card triggers the cruise ship's arrival at port. OR at the end of the table-turn, if a detective (present in the grand salon) has declared they wish to make revelations.
Special Rule Points
- It is impossible to search the cabin of a suspect present in zone 1 (VIP cabins).
- Zones 2 and 3 are not connected.
- Entering the luxury suite (not leaving it) costs 2 action points.
- Only one detective at a time may be present inside the luxury suite.
- No suspect may be moved into the luxury suite.