Pirates on the High Seas Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• Preparation
• Basic Game
  • Object of the Game
  • How to Play
    • Ship
    • Cannon
    • Tower
  • End of the Game
  • Example of a turn in the Basic Game
• Pro Game
  • Preparation
  • Object of the Game
    • Mission cards
    • Proof cards and gold coins
    • Trading in
  • End of the Game
  • Example of a turn in the Pro Game
• Please Note

Contents

(See also the underside of the box and the assembly instructions.)

• 1 game board (1 m x 1.60 m)
• 2 pirate ships, each with: 1 galleon figurehead, 1 steering wheel, 1 foremast with sail and crow's nest, 1 mainmast with 2 sails, 1 pirate flag, 1 lantern and 1 stern flap
• 3 cannons
• 3 cannonballs (= darts)
• 4 treasure chests
• 1 tower with 1 tower flag and 2 doors
• 1 spinner with arrow
• 2 provision sacks
• 2 rum barrels
• 18 proof cards
• 10 mission cards
• 6 gold coins (3 each of "sea serpent" and "shark")
• 1 assembly instructions (separate sheet)
• 1 game rules

Preparation

Before the first game, carefully punch the mission cards, proof cards, gold coins, provision sacks, rum barrels and the spinner out of the punchboards.

Then prepare the ships, cannons, the tower and the spinner as shown in the assembly instructions.

• The game board is spread out. (You can play the game on the floor or on a large table.)
• The proof cards and the spinner are placed next to the game board. (The mission cards, gold coins, provision sacks and rum barrels are only needed in the Pro Game. In the Basic Game they stay in the box.)
• Place the tower on the tower space in the middle of the game board.
• Now each player or each team chooses a ship and places it in the harbour of the corresponding colour.

Basic Game

Object of the Game

The object is to be the first to fulfil the following three missions and then reach any harbour:

1. Plunder a treasure chest. This can be either the treasure chest from the opposing ship or one of the two treasure chests from the tower. To do this, you shoot a cannon at the respective treasure compartment so that the treasure falls out. Just try it out.
2. Hit the foresail of the opposing ship so that it tips backwards.
3. Hit one of the following four objects: lantern, galleon figurehead, flag (each of the opposing ship) or flag of the tower, so that the object falls down.

You can fulfil the missions in any order.

Whenever a pirate has fulfilled one of the three missions, he receives the corresponding proof card for it:

• Treasure chest ship
• Treasure chest tower
• Foresail
• Lantern
• Galleon figurehead
• Flag ship
• Flag tower

This way the pirate always knows which missions he has already fulfilled.

How to Play

The youngest player begins. He first spins the arrow of the spinner with a swing. The space the arrow points to shows which actions he may carry out. The order of the actions is up to him.

The following symbols exist:

Ship

For each ship symbol, the pirate can either move his ship or turn it to face any direction.

Moving the ship. For each ship symbol, the player moves his ship one space forward in the direction of travel. "Direction of travel" means one of these spaces:

• If the ship is standing straight (vertically or horizontally): the space directly ahead, or the space diagonally ahead to the left or to the right.
• If the ship is standing diagonally: the space diagonally ahead, or the two adjacent spaces to either side of it (the one directly ahead vertically and the one directly ahead horizontally).

Each time you have moved your ship onto a new space, you may still turn it slightly to the right or left there. You do not need another ship symbol for this.

The ship can only move onto water spaces. The two islands and the space on which the other ship is located cannot be sailed on.

Turning the ship to face any direction. Instead of moving, the player can also use the ship symbol to turn his ship in any direction. The ship can then stand in one of the 8 directions.

Cannon

The pirate fires once with a cannon per cannon symbol. He may always choose between the cannon of his ship and the cannon of the tower. Beforehand he may move the cannon on the ship or the tower within the recesses and aim it as he likes.

The tower flag may only be shot at from the ships.

How is the cannon fired? First the cannon is loaded. To fire the cannon, pull the small knob located at the back of the cannon. After firing, whatever was hit is set up again. The treasure chests also go back into their compartments and the foresail is set upright again.

Tower

The pirate may, if he wishes, move the tower to another tower space. The three tower spaces are in the middle and in the corners of the game board. In addition, he can turn the tower to any direction and fire once with the tower cannon.

The pirate may, but does not have to, carry out all his actions. After that his turn is over and the next pirate is up.

If two pirate crews play against each other, the pirates within their teams take turns.

If you hit several targets at once that you need to fulfil your missions, you get all the corresponding proof cards.

If during the game you hit targets that you do not or no longer need to fulfil your missions, this has no effect on the game. You can only ever receive one proof card per target.

End of the Game

The game ends as soon as a pirate has fulfilled his three missions and then reaches any harbour. This pirate has won the game.

Example of a turn in the Basic Game

Anne spins the arrow of the spinner with a swing. It stays on the space which shows 2 ships and 2 cannons.

First she moves her ship one space forward. Then she fires with her ship's cannon and hits Michael's foresail. For this she receives the proof card "Foresail".

Afterwards she fires with the tower cannon. Again she hits Michael's foresail. She already has the corresponding proof card, so she receives no further proof card.

Then she turns her ship to any new direction. That ends her turn.

Pro Game

The Pro Game is played like the Basic Game except for the following changes.

Preparation

In addition, place the two rum barrels on one island and the two provision sacks on the other island. Also place the 6 gold coins ready next to the game board.

Now shuffle the 10 mission cards well. Then each player draws one mission card face down and keeps it hidden from the others.

Object of the Game

The object is to be the first to fulfil the missions on one's mission card and then reach any harbour.

Mission cards

Your mission card shows three missions that you must fulfil.

Besides the missions from the Basic Game, the mission cards contain the following new missions:

• Collecting rum barrels or provision sacks: You obtain these goods by moving your ship onto a space that borders an island horizontally or vertically (not diagonally). For this you receive the corresponding proof card "Rum barrel" or "Provision sack". The two rum barrels and provision sacks remain lying on the islands. After that, the ship may not be moved any further in this turn. The player may, however, still fire if applicable. Whoever does not want to collect rum barrels or provision sacks from an island can simply sail along the islands as normal.
• On the mission cards a distinction is made between the "treasure chest of the opposing ship" and the "treasure chest of the tower".

Proof cards and gold coins

In the Pro Game you receive the corresponding proof card for every target hit and for every good collected, even if it does not belong to your mission.

You can hit the same target several times or collect the same good several times. If you already have the corresponding proof card, you receive a gold coin with your symbol (shark or sea serpent) instead. Each pirate can own at most three gold coins at the same time.

If several objects are hit with one shot, the pirate receives a proof card or gold coin for each of these objects.

Trading in

Each set of three proof cards, gold coins, or a combination of these, you can trade in during your turn for any proof card.

If you hand in two proof cards, gold coins, or a combination of these, you may move your ship one space forward or turn it to any direction.

Proof cards may also be traded in or handed in several times per turn.

End of the Game

The pirate who is the first to have fulfilled the missions on his mission card and then reaches any harbour wins.

Example of a turn in the Pro Game

Michael's spinner arrow stays on the space showing 2 cannons and 1 ship.

He hits Anne's foresail twice. For the first hit he receives the proof card "Foresail". For the second hit he receives a gold coin with his symbol.

Then he moves his ship onto a space that borders horizontally on the island with the provision sacks. For this Michael receives the proof card "Provision sack".

Now he trades in the gold coin together with two proof cards for any other proof card that he needs for his mission card. That ends his turn.

Please Note

• Not suitable for children under 3 years, because of swallowable small parts.
• WARNING! Do not aim at eyes and face!
• Do not use any other projectiles! Risk of injury if not used as intended!
• The game board can be wiped with a damp cloth. (Do not wash or iron.)
• Do not use the game material in water.