The Shores of Tripoli
The Shores of Tripoli Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- Historical Supplement & Designer's Notes
- Thomas Jefferson Letter to the Bashaw
- 11"x34" Game Map
- 2 Decks of Cards
- 2 Turn Markers
- 12 Gold Coins
- 12 Wooden Frigates (8 blue, 2 red, 2 yellow)
- 21 Wooden Gunboats & Corsairs (3 blue, 9 red, 9 orange)
- 34 Wooden Cubes (4 blue, 10 white, 20 red)
- 24 Six-Sided Dice (8 blue, 8 red, 8 yellow)
Game Map
The game map consists of nine harbors, five naval patrol zones, and the open sea.
The nine harbors are color-coded circles on the map. The blue harbors (Gibraltar, Malta, and Alexandria) are friendly to the United States. The red harbors (Tripoli, Benghazi, and Derne) are controlled by Tripolitania. The orange harbors (Algiers, Tangier, and Tunis) are potential allies of Tripolitania. Four harbors (Tripoli, Benghazi, Derne, and Alexandria) also double as cities for infantry units.
The five patrol zones are the lightly shaded partial circles adjacent to five harbors (Tripoli, Algiers, Tangier, Tunis, and Gibraltar). American and Swedish frigates patrol these zones against corsairs leaving their corresponding harbor.
The open sea is where corsairs engage in piracy. Corsairs return to their home ports after pirating, so no corsairs will end their turn in the open sea.
The map also includes two tracks (a Year Turn Track and a Seasonal Phase Track) as well as "supply" boxes where unused ships and infantry units may be placed.
Game Pieces
The United States and Allies
American frigates are the workhorses of the American navy. Each American frigate fires two dice when rolling in Naval Combat, Bombardment, or Interception. American frigates take two hits to sink.
American gunboats provide additional firepower to the American fleet. Each American gunboat fires one die in Naval Combat and Bombardment. American gunboats take one hit to sink.
Swedish frigates only patrol the naval patrol zone of Tripoli. Each Swedish frigate fires two dice when rolling an Interception. Swedish frigates do not move nor do they participate in Naval Combat.
Hamet's Army is the combined Arab and American infantry force dedicated to installing the pro-American Hamet Qaramanli on the Tripolitan throne. White cubes are Arab infantry and blue cubes are Marines. Each infantry unit fires one die in Ground Combat and takes one hit to be eliminated.
Tripolitania and Allies
Tripolitan corsairs are the pirating ships of the Tripolitan navy. Each Tripolitan corsair fires one die when rolling in Naval Combat or making a Pirate Raid. Tripolitan corsairs take one hit to sink.
Tripolitan frigates primarily defend Tripoli and do not engage in Pirate Raids. Each Tripolitan frigate fires two dice when rolling in Naval Combat. Tripolitan frigates take two hits to sink.
Tripolitan infantry defend the Tripolitan cities from Hamet's Army. Each Tripolitan infantry unit fires one die in Ground Combat and takes one hit to be eliminated.
The allies of Tripolitania - Morocco, Algiers, and Tunis - may join the war. A Tripolitan ally is considered "active" or "at war" if there are any corsairs in their harbor. Moroccan, Algerine, and Tunisian corsairs fire one die when rolling in Naval Combat or making a Pirate Raid. Moroccan, Algerine, and Tunisian corsairs take one hit to sink.
Markers and Coins
The two black cylinders are used to mark the year and season. The twelve gold pieces start with the American player but are acquired by the Tripolitan player through tribute and piracy.
Card Decks
There are two decks of cards - the American card deck is blue-backed with a picture of Thomas Jefferson and the Tripolitan deck is red-backed with a picture of Yusuf Qaramanli. Each deck contains twenty-one event cards and six battle cards. The Tripolitan deck also includes three additional cards that are used for solitaire play only.
Event Cards
There are three different types of event cards - core events, unique events, and common events.
Core event cards begin the game face-up in front of the player and do not count against the eight-card hand limit. Core cards may be played for their event and are removed from the game when played.
Unique event cards may be played for their event or may be discarded to take an action. Actions are discussed in the Sequence of Play section. If the card is played for the event, it is removed from the game. If it is played to take an action, it is placed in the discard pile.
The American deck contains two victory event cards. These two cards are discussed in the Victory Conditions section.
Common event cards do not have an icon. They may be played for their event or may be discarded to take an action. After play, as an event or for an action, it is placed in the discard pile.
When an event card is played for the event, it is considered the active event card for the season. This is important for the play of certain battle cards. Some event cards require certain conditions to be met before being played for the event.
Cards placed in the discard pile are placed face up and the discard pile is always considered open.
Battle Cards
Battle cards are not played for a player's seasonal turn. They are played "out of turn" in response to certain conditions, such as Ground Combat or a successful Pirate Raid. They may only be played as a battle card if the conditions listed on the card are met. Battle cards may also be discarded to take an action.
Victory Conditions
The American player wins the game by either forcing the Tripolitan player to sign a peace treaty favorable to the Americans or by capturing Tripoli and installing Hamet Qaramanli on the throne. Both of these conditions are achieved through card play.
If the American player plays the Treaty of Peace and Amity, the game immediately ends in an American victory. In order to play this card, the American player must meet four requirements, which are also listed on the card.
- It must be the Fall of 1805 or later.
- All three potential Tripolitan allies must be at peace—meaning there are no orange corsairs in Algiers, Tangier, or Tunis.
- The city of Derne must have been captured by Hamet's Army.
- Finally, there must be no Tripolitan frigates in the harbor of Tripoli.
If all four of these requirements are met, Yusuf Qaramanli will concede and sign the peace treaty.
The American player may also win by capturing Tripoli. To capture Tripoli, the American player plays Assault on Tripoli and then must eliminate the Tripolitan navy in Naval Combat and then eliminate the Tripolitan army in Ground Combat. This is discussed in greater detail in the Assault on Tripoli section. Assault on Tripoli may not be played prior to the Fall of 1805.
The Tripolitan player wins by making the cost in blood and treasure too high for the United States and thus forcing the United States into submitting to Tripolitania and paying tribute. The Tripolitan player can achieve this result in one of three ways.
First, if the Tripolitan player acquires twelve gold, the game ends immediately. The Tripolitan player gains gold by receiving tribute and engaging in piracy. Gold acquired by Tripolitan allies counts toward this goal.
Second, if the Tripolitan player sinks four American frigates, the game ends immediately. The Tripolitan player can sink American frigates in Naval Combat and by play of the Storms and The Philadelphia Runs Aground cards.
Finally, if the Tripolitan player eliminates Hamet's Army, the game ends immediately. Because the Tripolitan infantry are stationary, this happens while defending Derne, Benghazi or Tripoli.
If neither player has achieved victory by the end of 1806, the game ends in a draw.
Game Setup
- The American player (north side of the map):
- places three frigates in the harbor of Gibraltar,
- places one frigate each on the 1802, 1803, and 1804 spaces on the Year Turn Track, and
- takes the three American core cards (Thomas Jefferson, Swedish Frigates Arrive, and Hamet's Army Created) and places them face-up in front of the player.
- The Tripolitan player (south side of the map):
- places two corsairs in the harbor of Gibraltar,
- places four corsairs in the harbor of Tripoli,
- places four infantry in Tripoli, two infantry in Benghazi, and two infantry in Derne,
- takes the three Tripolitan core cards (Yusuf Qaramanli, Murad Reis Breaks Out and Constantinople Sends Aid) and places them face-up in front of the player, and
- removes the three solitaire cards (Second Storms, Five Corsair Check, and Raid or Build) from their deck and returns them to the game box.
- Each player shuffles their remaining twenty-four cards to create their own draw pile.
- The remaining ships and infantry are placed on the respective supply boxes on the board. The twelve gold coins are placed off the board on the American player's side.
- One turn marker is put on 1801 and the other turn marker is put on Spring. You are now ready to begin!
Note: The American frigates and Tripolitan corsairs peacefully coexist in the British-controlled harbor of Gibraltar.
Sequence of Play
The Shores of Tripoli is played over six years. Each year consists of a "Start of Year" phase and then four seasonal rounds.
Start of Year
At the beginning of each year, the seasonal marker is reset to Spring. The American player takes any American frigates from that year on the Year Turn Track and places them in the harbor of Gibraltar. The Tripolitan player takes any Tripolitan frigates from that year on the Year Turn Track and places them in the harbor of Tripoli.
At the start of 1801-1804: each player draws six cards from their draw pile.
At the start of 1805: each player shuffles their discard pile to create a new draw pile and then draws six cards from their draw pile.
At the start of 1806: each player draws all of the cards remaining in their draw pile.
Drawn cards are added to any cards that remained in hand from the prior year.
Each player has a hand limit of eight cards. If after the card draw their hand exceeds the limit, each player discards down to eight cards. Any cards discarded are placed face up in the discard pile. Remember that the core cards in front of each player do not count toward the eight-card limit.
Seasonal Rounds
Each seasonal round consists of:
- American play
- Tripolitan play
- End of Season
The American player may do one of the following:
- Play a card as an event
- Discard a card to move up to two frigates
- Discard a card to build a gunboat in Malta
The Tripolitan player may do one of the following:
- Play a card as an event
- Discard a card to Pirate Raid with the corsairs from Tripoli
- Discard a card to build a Tripolitan corsair in Tripoli
A player may not pass unless out of cards in hand. Core cards may never be discarded to take an action.
After four seasonal rounds, the year is over and a new year begins.
American Play
When a card is played as an event, its event text is read and resolved. This card is considered the active event card for the American turn. Core event cards and unique event cards are removed from the game if played as an event.
When a card is discarded to move up to two frigates, the card is placed in the American discard pile. The American player may choose to move zero frigates but still must discard a card. For details on moving frigates, see the American Naval Movement section.
When a card is discarded to build a gunboat in Malta, the card is placed in the American discard pile. The American player takes one gunboat from the Supply and places it in the harbor of Malta. The American player is limited to a maximum of three gunboats.
The American player may pass ONLY if no cards remain in hand—otherwise, a card must be played either for an event or an action.
Tripolitan Play
When a card is played as an event, its event text is read and resolved. This card is considered the active event card for the Tripolitan turn. Core event cards and unique event cards are removed from the game if played as an event.
When a card is discarded to Pirate Raid, the card is placed in the Tripolitan discard pile. The Tripolitan player raids with all corsairs from the harbor of Tripoli. Frigates do not go on Pirate Raids. The Tripolitan player may not discard a card to raid from the harbor of one of its allies - only specific Algerine, Moroccan or Tunisian cards allow for Algiers, Morocco (Tangier), or Tunis to Pirate Raid. For details on pirate raids, see the Pirate Raid section.
When a card is discarded to build a corsair in Tripoli, the card is placed in the Tripolitan discard pile. The Tripolitan player takes one corsair from the Supply and places it in the harbor of Tripoli. The Tripolitan player may not build Algerine, Moroccan or Tunisian corsairs in this manner. The Tripolitan player is limited to a maximum of nine corsairs.
The Tripolitan player may pass ONLY if no cards remain in hand - otherwise, a card must be played either for an event or an action.
End of Season
If the seasonal marker is on the Spring, Summer, or Fall space, advance the seasonal marker to the next season. If the seasonal marker is already on the Winter space, the year is over. If it is the end of 1806, the game ends in a draw. Otherwise, advance to the next Year.
Movement & Combat
American Naval Movement
The board consists of fourteen locations—nine harbors and five naval patrol zones—where the American player may move frigates. Unless moving to a location specified in the event text, the American player may move from any location(s) to any location(s).
If American frigates are moved to a friendly harbor (Gibraltar, Malta and Alexandria), no further action is needed. If American frigates are moved to a naval patrol zone, no further action is needed. American gunboats in Malta may never be moved to another friendly harbor or a naval patrol zone.
If American frigates are moved to a harbor that has enemy ships (Tripoli, or Algiers, Tangier, or Tunis) then a naval battle commences. For details on naval combat, see the Naval Combat section. If the American active event card is Assault on Tripoli, also see the Assault on Tripoli section.
If American frigates are moved to a harbor that does not contain enemy ships but the city does contain Tripolitan infantry (Derne and Benghazi, and on very rare occasion Tripoli), a naval bombardment commences. For details on naval bombardment, see the Naval Bombardment section.
If the American player is moving frigates to bombard a Tripolitan city or engage a Tripolitan or allied fleet in a harbor, any gunboats from Malta may be also be moved (and not count against the number of frigates being moved). If American frigates are moving to multiple locations, the gunboats may be allocated as the American player wishes.
Naval Combat
Naval combat occurs when American ships move into a harbor containing enemy ships. The two exceptions are the harbor of Gibraltar (where American frigates and Tripolitan corsairs coexist peacefully under the watchful eye of the British) or if the American active event card is A Show of Force or Tribute Paid (where the text will direct the removal of the Algerine, Moroccan or Tunisian corsairs). American gunboats from Malta may join the battle in a harbor.
Naval combat also occurs if the Tripolitan active event card is Tripoli Attacks and there are American frigates in the naval patrol zone of Tripoli. Any Swedish frigates in the naval patrol zone of Tripoli do not take part in the naval combat. Additionally, naval combat occurs if the Tripolitan active event card is Algiers/Morocco/Tunis Declares War and there are American frigates in the corresponding harbor when the three Algerine/Moroccan/Tunisian corsairs are placed. In either of these cases, the American player is not the active player and may not move gunboats to take part in the naval battle.
- Players announce if any battle cards will be played. (Preble's Boys Take Aim for the Americans if the battle is in a harbor and The Guns of Tripoli for the Tripolitans if the battle is in the harbor of Tripoli, with the American player announcing first.)
- Each player rolls their dice. Each frigate rolls two dice and each gunboat or corsair rolls one die. The active player (whoever's turn it is) rolls first and counts the number of hits. Then the second player rolls and counts the number of hits.
- Players allocate hits to their own fleets, starting with the active player.
Each roll of a 6 is a hit. Any other result is a miss. A gunboat or corsair takes one hit to sink, so each hit allocated sinks the gunboat or corsair. Sunk gunboats and corsairs are returned to the Supply.
A frigate takes two hits to sink. If a frigate has one hit allocated to it, it is considered "damaged" and put on the following year of the Year Turn Track (if it is 1806, then the frigate is returned to the Supply and is not considered sunk). If a frigate has two hits allocated to it, the frigate is sunk. Sunk Tripolitan frigates are returned to the Supply, but sunk American frigates are collected by the Tripolitan player—and if it is the fourth American frigate sunk the game ends immediately in a Tripolitan victory.
- All surviving American gunboats and undamaged frigates are moved to Malta. If the naval combat occurred in the naval patrol zone of Tripoli, the surviving Tripolitan corsairs and undamaged frigates return to the harbor of Tripoli.
Naval Bombardment
Naval bombardment occurs when American ships move into a harbor containing no enemy ships, but the city has Tripolitan infantry. This primarily happens in the cities (harbors) of Derne and Benghazi, but on rare occasions can occur in Tripoli.
Naval bombardment lasts one round. Each frigate rolls two dice and each gunboat rolls one die. Each roll of a 6 is a hit. Any other result is a miss. For each hit, a Tripolitan infantry is eliminated and returned to the Supply. It is possible for a bombardment to eliminate all of the infantry in a city, but the city is still Tripolitan-controlled until Hamet's Army moves into the city.
After the bombardment, all of the American frigates and gunboats are moved to Malta.
Ground Combat
Ground (land) combat occurs when the American player moves Hamet's Army to Derne, Benghazi, or Tripoli or if the American player plays Assault on Tripoli and attacks Tripoli with only the three Marine infantry from Send in the Marines. Unlike naval combat, ground combat lasts until one force has been eliminated.
- The American player may bombard with any frigates and gunboats that have joined the attack. After the bombardment, the frigates and gunboats are moved to Malta.
- Players announce if any battle cards will be played, starting with the American player (Lieutenant O'Bannon Leads the Charge, Marine Sharpshooters, and if the battle is in Tripoli, Send in the Marines for the Americans and Mercenaries Desert for the Tripolitans).
- Players each roll dice, starting with the American player. Each infantry unit rolls one die. Each roll of a 6 is a hit. Any other result is a miss.
- Players allocate hits to their troops. The American player has the choice of removing an Arab unit or a Marine unit with each hit suffered. Eliminated units are removed to the Supply.
- Check to see if one force has been eliminated. If not, repeat steps 3 and 4. If the Tripolitan forces in the city have been eliminated, the Americans have captured the city. If the city captured is Tripoli, then the American player immediately wins the game. If the American forces in the city have been eliminated, the Tripolitan player immediately wins the game. If both forces are eliminated on the same roll, it is considered a Tripolitan victory.
Assault on Tripoli
The assault on Tripoli features unique naval combat followed by ground combat. Unlike normal naval combat, this naval combat is fought until one fleet has been eliminated. At the end of each round of combat, sunk American frigates are taken by the Tripolitan player, and all other sunk ships are removed to the Supply. Damaged frigates are turned onto their side to indicate that they have suffered one hit, but still continue to roll two dice in combat. If a fourth American frigate is sunk during combat, the Tripolitan player immediately wins the game. If both fleets remain, naval combat continues until one fleet has been eliminated.
If the American player wins the naval combat, any damaged American frigates are removed to the Supply. Any surviving American gunboats and undamaged frigates may make a one-round bombardment of the Tripolitan ground forces. Then the American fleet is moved to Malta. Ground combat then begins (and ground combat cards may be played).
Pirate Raids
A Pirate Raid occurs when the Tripolitan player has discarded a card to raid with corsairs from the harbor of Tripoli, has played a specific Algerine/Moroccan/Tunisian Corsairs Raid to raid with corsairs from Algiers/Tangier/Tunis, or has played Yusuf Qaramanli to raid with the corsairs from the harbor of Tripoli and from every allied harbor that has Algerine/Moroccan/Tunisian corsairs.
If raiding from multiple harbors from the play of Yusuf Qaramanli, the Tripolitan player determines the order for resolving each raid.
- If there are American and/or Swedish frigates in the naval patrol zone outside the harbor of the raiding corsairs, the American player makes an Interception Roll. The American player announces if a battle card will be played (Lieutenant Sterett in Pursuit, which only benefits American but not Swedish frigates). The American player rolls two dice for each American frigate and each Swedish frigate. Each roll of a 6 is a hit and a corsair is sunk. Sunk corsairs are removed to the Supply.
- The Tripolitan player announces if any battle cards will be played (US Signal Books Overboard and, if the raid is from Tripoli, Happy Hunting) and then moves the surviving corsairs into the open sea. Each corsair rolls one dice and captures a merchant ship on a roll of a 5 or 6. The Tripolitan player receives a Gold Coin for each merchant ship captured. (Please note the merchant ships are not represented by actual pieces on the board.) The Tripolitan player may also play Merchant Ship Converted if at least one merchant ship was captured.
- The corsairs return to their homeport (harbor). The American player does not get to make an Interception Roll on the corsairs' return home.
If the Tripolitan active event card is Murad Reis Breaks Out, there is no Pirate Raid after the Interception Roll. The surviving corsairs move to the harbor of Tripoli. Only the frigates in the naval patrol zone of Gibraltar make an Interception Roll. Any frigates in the naval patrol zone of Tripoli do not also make an Interception Roll.
Basic Strategy
As the American player, the early years of the war can be very frustrating, particularly if you draw a handful of ground combat cards. Your goal in the early years is to try to limit the Tripolitan player's piracy and to build up your fleet. And if you can bombard Derne a few times, the Marines will thank you later. Keep in mind that Hamet's Army Created can be played in 1804 but needs an American frigate in Alexandria, so try to slip one over in late 1803. Although you will see all of your discarded cards again after the reshuffle, try to hang on to General Eaton Attacks Derne so it can be played in 1804. You have some very powerful cards—A Show of Force and Constantinople Demands Tribute in particular, both of which can be retrieved from the discard pile by the play of Bainbridge Supplies Intel.
As the Tripolitan player, your priority is to get as much gold as you can before the American fleet overwhelms you. At some point in the game, you will need to assess if you can realistically get to twelve gold or not. If not, you may want to start preparing the defense. In the last two years of the game, be mindful of the requirements for the American player to play The Treaty of Peace and Amity. Also, keep in mind that the threat of some of your cards may be more powerful than the actual cards. The Guns of Tripoli can do some serious damage to an American fleet attacking Tripoli, but once that card is played the American player has a lot more flexibility to take the attack to you. And don't sleep on US Signal Books Overboard—that card can upset the perfectly laid plans of the Americans.
Optional Rule & Tournament Play
For advanced players, play with a hidden discard pile. When a player plays a card for an event, show the card and either remove it from play (core or unique events) or place it face down in the discard pile (common event). If a card is discarded to take an action, get down to the eight-card hand limit, or because of US Signal Books Overboard, it is always done face down into the discard pile. Players may not look through their own or their opponent's discard piles except for if the American active event card is Bainbridge Supplies Intel.
Playing with a hidden discard pile significantly increases the fog of war and makes for a more strategic game. But be very careful to keep the draw pile and the discard pile separate.
In tournament play, we recommend playing with a hidden discard pile as well as the awarding of points to help rank players with the same win/loss record. The Tripolitan player receives three points for each American frigate sunk and one point for each Gold Coin. The American player receives thirty points less the Tripolitan player's score. It is possible for the winning player to have fewer points than the losing player. This is referred to as a "low-point win."
Solitaire Rules
Solitaire Setup
In the solitaire version of The Shores of Tripoli, the solo player takes on the role of the United States and plays against the Tripolitan-bot (henceforth referred to as the T-bot). The American setup is exactly the same, although the player may wish to sit on the south side of the map. The American player places three American frigates in the harbor of Gibraltar, a frigate on each of 1802, 1803, and 1804 spaces of the Year Turn Track. The American player takes the three "core cards" and puts them face up and then shuffles the remaining twenty-four cards to create the draw pile.
The setup of the T-bot forces varies slightly from the two-player game. The T-bot places two corsairs in the harbor of Gibraltar and five corsairs in the harbor of Tripoli. The T-bot places four infantry in the city of Tripoli, four infantry in the city of Benghazi, and four infantry in the city of Derne.
The T-bot sets up two rows of cards. The first row of cards is the "event card line." The T-bot sets out the following cards in this order: Murad Reis Breaks Out, Constantinople Sends Aid, Yusuf Qaramanli and Sweden Pays Tribute. This is the end of the event card line. The T-bot leaves a small space and then sets out Five Corsair Check and Raid or Build. The second row of cards is the "battle card line." The T-bot sets the six battle cards out in any order, although the recommended order is: Happy Hunting, Merchant Ship Converted, Uncharted Waters, Mercenaries Desert, US Signal Books Overboard and The Guns of Tripoli.
The T-bot takes the remaining eighteen cards (including the Second Storms card) and shuffles to create a draw pile.
Solitaire Play
The American player draws cards and takes turns as if playing a human opponent. The T-bot uses the following decision making on its turn.
The T-bot checks each card sequentially in the event card line to see if the requirements for the card have been met. If the requirement has been met, the T-bot plays that card for its turn. If the requirement has not been met, the T-bot moves to the next card. If none of the event cards from the event card line can be played, the T-bot performs the Five Corsair Check—if there are at least five corsairs in the harbor of Tripoli, the T-bot pirate raids without discarding a card. If the T-bot does not have five or more corsairs in the harbor of Tripoli, then the T-bot draws a card from the draw pile and consults the card requirements.
The T-bot will never reshuffle the discard pile. If the T-bot draw pile is finished and the T-bot needs to draw a card, the T-bot will perform a Raid or Build action without discarding a card.
T-Bot Strategy Notes
In naval combat in 1801-1804 and in the Winter of 1805 or if the American active event card is Assault on Tripoli, the T-bot will allocate the first hit suffered to its frigate (and the second hit on a second frigate, if available). Then the T-bot will allocate hits to its corsairs and only sink a frigate when there is no other option available.
In 1805 or 1806 (except the Winter of 1805), the T-bot will allocate hits to its corsairs first and only take hits and then sink a frigate when there is no other option available.
Solitaire Card Play Requirements
T-Bot Event Cards
Murad Reis Breaks Out: Play if there are no frigates in the naval patrol zone of Gibraltar OR if it is Winter of 1801.
Constantinople Sends Aid: Play if Derne has been captured by Hamet's Army.
Yusuf Qaramanli: In 1801-1804, play if two allies of Algiers, Morocco or Tunis are active (have corsairs in their harbor). In 1805-1806, play if one ally is active.
Sweden Pays Tribute: Play if it is 1803.
Algiers/Morocco/Tunis Declare War: Play immediately.
The Philadelphia Runs Aground: If there is a frigate in the naval patrol zone of Tripoli, play immediately. Otherwise, add to the end of the event card line and draw another card.
Storms and Second Storms: If there is a naval patrol zone with at least two American frigates, play immediately. Otherwise, add to the end of the event card line and draw another card.
Tripoli Acquires Corsairs: If there are at least two Tripolitan corsairs available in the Supply, play immediately. Otherwise, add to the end of the event card line and draw another card.
Tripoli Attacks: If there is exactly one American frigate in the naval patrol zone of Tripoli and there are at least five dice worth of Tripolitan ships (corsairs count as one, frigates count as two), play immediately. Otherwise, discard to perform a Raid or Build action.
Troops to Tripoli: Play immediately.
Troops to Benghazi: If Benghazi is controlled by Tripoli, play immediately. Otherwise, discard to perform a Raid or Build action.
Troops to Derne: If Derne is controlled by Tripoli, play immediately. Otherwise, discard to perform a Raid or Build action.
US Supplies Run Low: If there are exactly two American frigates in the naval patrol zone of Tripoli, play immediately. Otherwise, discard to perform a Raid or Build action.
Algerine/Moroccan/Tunisian Corsairs Raid: Discard to perform a Raid or Build action. Please note that it is possible for the T-bot to raid with, for example, Algerine corsairs by discarding Tunisian Corsairs Raid to Raid or Build.
T-Bot Battle Cards
Happy Hunting: Play on the first Tripolitan Pirate Raid.
Merchant Ship Converted: Play on the first successful Tripolitan Pirate Raid.
Uncharted Waters: Play if The Philadelphia Runs Aground is the T-bot's active event card.
Mercenaries Desert: Play if General Eaton Attacks Derne is the American active event card.
US Signal Books Overboard: Play on the first Tripolitan Pirate Raid in 1805 or 1806.
The Guns of Tripoli: Play in any attack on Tripoli in 1805 or 1806 except for the Winter of 1805 (unless the American active event card is Assault on Tripoli). Always play if the American active event card is Assault on Tripoli.