Francis Drake: How to Play

Ahoy there! Ye be settin’ sail on an adventure like no other. In this here game, ye be takin’ on the role of Sir Francis Drake, the infamous pirate of the high seas. Are ye ready to pillage and plunder? Then listen up, me mateys, for I’ll be explainin’ the rules.

First things first, gather yer crew and set up the game board. Ye’ll see different locations such as Port Royal and Cartagena, ripe for the plunderin’. Each location has its own set of treasures and challenges, so choose wisely.

Next, ye’ll be takin’ turns to sail the seas. Each round consists of three phases: Sailing, Landing, and Raiding. During the Sailing phase, ye’ll be decidin’ where to set sail. Keep an eye out for the wind direction and plan yer route smartly.

Once ye reach a location durin’ the Landing phase, ye can choose to take one of two actions: Gather Supplies or Prepare for the Raid. If ye be needin’ more supplies for yer ship, gather ’em up. But if ye be ready for a fight, prepare to raid!

Now comes the excitin’ part – the Raid phase! This be where ye use yer crew and supplies to go after the treasures. Choose yer strategy wisely, matey. Ye’ll be competin’ with other pirates for the loot, so be prepared for a fight.

After all the pillagin’ and plunderin’ is done, ye’ll be countin’ up yer spoils. Gold, jewels, and other valuable treasures will be added to yer score. But be careful, me hearties. Ye’ll also be losin’ points for any damage yer ship took durin’ the raid.

The game will continue for a total of three rounds. At the end, the pirate with the highest score will be crowned the winner and forever feared on the seven seas.

Now ye know the rules, me mateys. It be time to set sail and embark on yer own adventure as the legendary Sir Francis Drake. May ye find glory, riches, and a place in pirate lore. Yo ho ho, and a bottle of rum!

Imagine being a player, tasked with emulating the legendary Francis Drake. Your mission? To embark on three daring voyages to the Spanish Main. But before setting sail from England’s Plymouth Harbor, you have quite a few things to take care of.

First and foremost, you’ll need to assemble a capable crew, gather guns, secure ships, and stock up on essential supplies. Fortunately, you have a few options to accomplish this. You can recruit crew members, find necessary items on the streets of Plymouth, or even seek support from wealthy investors, Queen Elizabeth, or even Drake himself.

Once your preparations are complete, it’s time to face the treacherous seas. You’ll need to carefully chart your course throughout the Spanish Main as you decide which forts, towns, and galleons to target for plunder. Of course, navigating these waters won’t be easy, but the rewards are well worth the risks.

During your journey, you’ll come across valuable documents seized from the Spanish Admiral and Governor. These documents will surely prove helpful in your endeavors. Additionally, informers will provide insider information on rival captains’ plans, giving you the upper hand in outsmarting your competition.

After successfully pillaging and accumulating a boatload of loot, it’s time to return to Plymouth Harbor. There, you’ll receive recognition and rewards from Queen and country, based on the extent of the havoc you’ve wreaked upon Spain’s New World Empire. The more havoc, the greater the rewards!

Components

• 1 Game Board
• 1 Voyage Marker
• 5 Frigates and 5 Galleons
• 5 Ship Logs
• 5 Treasure Chests
• 30 Mission Discs: 6 in each player color
• 50 Player Discs: 10 in each player color
• 20 Player Cubes: 4 in each player color
• 5 Player Scoring Markers
• 5 Investor Tiles
• 1 Plymouth Harbor Chart
• 3 Sets of 16 Location Tiles: 3, 4 and 5 Player sets
• 4 Spanish Troop Counters (plus 1 spare set)
• 3 Spanish Frigate Counters (plus 1 spare set)
• 3 Spanish Galleon Counters
• 1 Governor Counter
• 1 Admiral Counter
• 1 Informer Counter
• 2 Pinnace Counters
• 1 Sheet of Stickers (with 1 spare set)
• 4 Sets of Commodities: 3 Indigo, 6 Sugar, 6 Coffee,
• I’ve got 6 Tobacco Cubes, crewed by 28 sailors in their grey uniforms, and armed with 28 black guns,
• I also have 8 purple Trade Goods,
• And I’ve stored 21 barrels of Supplies,
• As for the treasure, I’ve got 12 Gold stones, 12 Silver stones, and 9 precious Jewels,
• Finally, I’ve got 1 Die.

The Game Board

The board is divided into 3 areas: Plymouth, the Score Track, and the Locations.

1. Plymouth is like a “one-way street” with different locations and people. This is where you can get everything you need for your adventures. There are 18 Locations in total, with 16 of them on separate Tiles. The Investor and Dockside are the only ones printed on the board.

These 16 Tiles are divided into 3 sets, each set with a different color for the 3, 4, and 5 player games. The only difference between the sets is the number of items available.

For the 4 player game, the set of 16 Location Tiles printed on the board is used. But on the 2nd and 3rd voyages, a new set of Tiles is shuffled and placed over the first 16 Locations on the board. This changes the order of the Locations in Plymouth.

Alright, so check this out: at Plymouth Harbor, we’ve got 5 docks for when you want to set sail on your next adventure, and another 5 docks for when you come back home. How cool is that? You’ve got plenty of room to explore the open seas and then return like a true sailor.

In this map of the Caribbean, I can see various locations that we can visit. These locations are referred to as Destinations. Each Destination has its own unique features and attractions.

• Next to each Destination, I notice numbered circles. These circles represent the places where we can sail our ships during our voyages.
• The map is divided into four zones, which are indicated by numbered Navigation Markers. Each zone is color-coded, and the circles in each zone have the same color.
• Some Destinations have Spanish Troops and/or Guns that defend them. It’s important for us to be aware of these defenses before planning an attack.
• There are yellow Crowns with numbers on most Destinations, which represent Victory Points (VP). These points can be earned by successfully attacking these Destinations.

Below, I’ve rewritten the text while maintaining the original meaning and structure, but injecting it with a fresh voice and a more accessible tone:

• Look at the “Types of Conquests Chart” on the bottom left. It shows you how many points you get for attacking different types of Destinations like Towns, Forts, and Galleons.
• On the top left, you’ll find the Commodities Chart. It tells you how many points you score for holding Commodities at the end of the game.
• Right below the Commodities Chart, you’ll see the Voyage Chart.
• Next to most Destinations, you’ll notice a gold, silver, or jewel icon. That tells you what kind of treasure is waiting there each turn.

Setting Up

Here’s what you need to do to get started:

1. Place the Plymouth Harbor Chart next to the board. Put Gold, Silver, Jewels, 3 Spanish Frigates, 4 Troops, the Admiral, the Governor, the Informer, 2 Pinnaces, Cubes (grey, black, purple), Barrels, and the Commodities (Sugar, Tobacco, Coffee, Indigo) on their respective icons.

I’m going to explain how to set up the game board for a game called “Age of Pirates.” Here are the steps you need to follow:

1. First, place one Commodity of each type on the corresponding icon in three different Trade Ports: San Juan, Santo Domingo, and Santiago de Cuba.

2. Next, shuffle the three Spanish Galleon Counters and put one face-up on each of the three galleon icons on the board.

3. Each player will take their pieces in their chosen color. This includes one Frigate, one Galleon, six Mission Discs, ten Player Discs, four Player Cubes, one Scoring Marker, one Ship Log, one Treasure Chest, and one Investor Tile.

4. Keep the players’ Frigates and Galleons off the board near Plymouth Harbor.

5. Each player should put one of their Player Cubes at the top of each of the three sections of the Types of Conquests Chart and one on their Ship Log (on the ship itself).

6. Place the Players’ Scoring Markers on number 4 on the Score Track.

7. Finally, put the Voyage Marker on number 1 on the Voyage Chart.

That’s it! Now you’re ready to start playing Age of Pirates.

1. First, choose a set of Location Tiles that matches the number of players in the game. For a 4 player game, place the tiles beside the board for later voyages. In a 3 or 5 player game, place each tile over its counterpart tile from the 4 player game that is printed on the board.

Game Play

The game has 3 voyages to the Spanish Main, and each voyage has 2 phases.

1. Provisioning Phase:
2. Sailing Phase:

After the 3rd voyage, players add VP (Victory Points) for Commodities and hidden booty from the Treasure Chests to their scores. The player with the most VP wins the game.

1. Provisioning Phase

A. Starting Order

Hey there! Let me walk you through a neat little game called Homebound Docks. It’s all about strategy and having fun! So, here’s how you get started.

First things first, we gotta set up the game. Take all the players’ Frigates and put them in a cup. Now, we want to make things fair, so we’ll draw the Frigates out one at a time, in a random order.

As we draw them, we’ll place the Frigates in order in Homebound Docks. The first Frigate we draw will go in Homebound Docks 1, the second in Homebound Docks 2, and so on. This will determine the order in which players place their Discs and choose items as they make their way along “Plymouth Street”.

Now that we’ve got the order set, it’s time to hop in and start the game! Have a blast!

Example 1: So, we have these Frigates, right? They’re all lined up in the order of Red, Blue, Yellow, and Green. You’ll find them sitting pretty in Docks 1-4. And guess what? This order is gonna be super important when it’s time for us to place our Discs. Cool, huh?

Oh, here’s a little tip for you. On voyage 1, the last player gets a special treat – yep, 1 Gun (black cube) as compensation. But remember, this only happens on voyage 1. So no goodies on voyages 2 and 3.

B. Placement And Selection

Now, let’s talk about Plymouth street. This street has a total of 18 Locations. It all starts with the first Location called Crew, which is on the left of the Homebound Docks. From there, we move clockwise until we hit Dockside, which is just above the Outbound Docks. It’s a neat little path we’ll be taking.

Example 2: It’s like a map that shows you which direction to go on “Plymouth Street”.

• So, let’s say it’s your turn to move. You can take one of your Player Discs and put it on any circle in Plymouth Street. You can start at the Crew Location or any other Location further ahead. You can even skip some locations if you want to. The only thing is, the circle you choose must be empty, except for the Investor Location, where everyone can stop.
• Now, it’s important to remember that once you’ve placed your Disc on a Location, you can’t go back to it. It’s a one-way street, so you have to keep moving forward.
• Oh, and there’s one more thing – you can only put one Disc on each Location, unless you’re playing as Drake. He has a special ability that lets him place multiple Discs on a single Location.

When I place a Disc, I take the items from the Plymouth Harbor Chart and put them on my Ship Log. I decide when I have enough items for my voyage, and instead of placing another Disc, I move my ship from the Homebound Docks to the first available space in the Outbound Docks. This means I’m ready to set sail!

If I place a Disc at Dockside, my next move must be to move my ship into the Outbound Harbor. I can continue to place Discs and take items until all players have placed their ships in the Outbound Harbor. Once my ship is in the Harbor, I skip my turn until all players’ ships are there too.

The order of the ships in the Outbound Docks is important because it determines the order in which the ships sail during the Sailing Phase. This order is called the Sailing Order.

The Locations:

• Each Location has a picture showing what you can find there.
• Every Location has circles that show how many players can put a Disc there (Except for Drake and Investor – More on that later).
• The symbols inside the circles tell you what you get when you place a Disc there.

Let’s get to know what you can find in Plymouth Street by looking at each of the Locations below.

Crew

Hey there! So, here’s the deal: You and up to two buddies can come chill with me at this spot. Just find an empty circle (they’re all around here) and leave one of your Discs there. Oh, by the way, you can take as many Crew (those cool grey cubes) as it says inside the circle.

You’ll need these Crew guys to launch some epic attacks on the Towns and Forts. They’re like your trusty allies in your conquest!

Guns

When you come across this space, you and up to two other players can decide to stop and do something important. Place one of your round tokens on an empty circle, and as a reward, grab some black cubes called Guns. These Guns will come in handy for attacking Forts and Spanish Galleons later on.

Supplies

Hey there! Want to learn about how to play this game? I’ll break it down for you.

So, up to three players can stop at this point. And when they do, they can place a Disc on one of those empty circles. But do you know what’s cool? They also get some Supplies, or barrels as we like to call them!

Now, these barrels are pretty important. They determine how far a player can sail on the map. You see, it costs one barrel to go from one zone to another. So the more barrels you have, the farther you can go!

If you have three barrels, you’re in luck! You can sail to any of the Destinations in Zones 1, 2, or 3. And get this, it doesn’t matter what order you sail in. You have the freedom to choose!

But wait, there’s more! If you want to reach zone 4, you’ll need four barrels. So make sure you stock up!

Now, here’s the catch. You need at least one barrel to reach Zone 1. Without it, you can’t set sail at all! So think ahead and plan your moves wisely.

Oh, and one more thing. Dockside is your last chance to get Supplies. So make sure you make the most of it!

The Trading Post

Hey there! Did you know that at the Trading Post, you and a friend can score some extra goodies? It’s true! Up to two players can swing by here and choose an empty spot to place their Discs. By doing so, you get to grab a bunch of Trade Goods, represented by cool purple cubes.

Now, these Trade Goods come in handy because you can trade them in exchange for other cool stuff at the Spanish Trade Ports. They’ve got a bunch of Commodities waiting for you – think Sugar, Coffee, Tobacco, and Indigo. You can trade your Trade Goods, one for one, to get any of these items. How cool is that?

Time for a Drink

When you visit the Tavern, you and another player can join in the fun. Each of us rolls a die to determine our fate. The twist is that I get to add 1 to my roll, while you keep yours as is. To help you understand the possible outcomes, take a look at the chart below. It tells us how many Crew (those cool grey cubes) we receive based on our die roll.

If either of us rolls a 1 or 2, we won’t receive any Crew. However, there’s a consolation prize. Whoever rolls a 1 or 2 gets the “Ghost Ship” Mission Disc, but only for that particular journey.

Let’s Visit the Shipyard!

Hey there! Are you ready for an adventure on the high seas? Well, look no further than the Shipyard! You and a friend can embark on a thrilling journey with up to 2 players. It’s time to set sail!

Alright, here’s how it works. The first player gets to choose a mighty Galleon and a powerful Gun (represented by a cool black cube). The second player, don’t worry, they also get a Galleon.

Now, why do we need these Galleons, you might ask? Well, it’s simple really. Without a Galleon, you won’t be able to take on the fearsome Spanish Galleons. And trust me, you won’t want to miss out on that! But don’t worry, a Frigate can still travel to all the other exciting Destinations.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab a friend, head on over to the Shipyard, and let the adventure begin!

Pinnace:

Hey there! If you and a buddy decide to dock here, you can each grab some cool stuff. The first player can take 1 Pinnace and 1 Crew, while the second player can take 1 Pinnace.

Having a Pinnace lets you sail your peeps to shore and sneakily attack any Forts from behind. You totally bypass the guns the Forts have, making it way easier to conquer them. So, you can take down a Fort with just your Crew, no extra costs.

About Drake

There are two circles on Drake’s location, and they overlap. This means that only one player can occupy this spot. However, the player who chooses to stop here must dedicate two consecutive turns to placing their Discs on the Drake Location.

Once the second placement is made, the player earns two Crew members and two Guns. Additionally, they have the option to choose either one additional Crew member or one extra Gun.

Queen

Hey there! This is a special spot on the board, and only one player gets to come here.

When I land on the Queen, I get to upgrade my Frigate to a fancy Galleon. And you know what’s even better? I also get to grab one Trade Good, which is like a purple cube.

Admiral

Hey there! Just a quick heads-up, only one player is allowed to make a pit stop here.

• You get to take the Admiral Counter and the 3 Spanish Frigate Counters. Keep the Frigate Counters face-down and put them next to the 3 Spanish Galleons at the start of the Sailing Phase. So cool, right? Only you will know the exact number of guns you need to attack those fancy Galleons. It’s like a mystery – the Galleon’s gun power plus the extra guns on the Frigate (could be 0, 1, or 2).
• Wait, it gets even better! For every piece of Gold left on the board at the end of your voyage, you score 1 VP. Oh, by the way, the Gold goes back to the supply, not your own Treasure Chest. We can’t have you stealing the whole treasure, can we?

Now, this is where things get interesting – the Governor!

When you reach this space, only one player can stop here.

I am that player. I get to take the Governor Counter and the 4 Spanish Troop Counters. When the Sailing Phase begins, I will place 1 Troop Counter face-down on the troop icon of each Fort. This way, only I will know the exact number of Crew needed to attack each Fort. It could be the Fort’s troop strength plus the additional troops on the Counter, which could be 0, 0, 1, or 2.

If I am not already in Dock 1, I will switch places with the player who is one Dock to the right in the Outbound Harbor, just before I sail.

I will earn 1 VP for every Silver that is still on the board at the end of my voyage. The Silver will then go back to the supply.

I am the Informer

When you reach this location, only one player is allowed to stop. If you’re that player, congratulations! You get a purple Trade Goods cube and the Informer Counter. The Informer Counter comes in handy during the Sailing Phase, specifically at the beginning, after all players have placed their Mission Discs.

Having the Informer Counter gives you an advantage. You can choose to do one of two things:

In the exciting world of trading and exploration, there are certain strategies that can give you an edge. Let’s dive in and discover the secrets that will help you on your journey.

One way to gain an advantage is by examining the Mission Discs at a specific Destination where you’re present. This allows you to strategically swap the positions of any two of your Mission Discs. By doing so, you can optimize your chances of success when attacking or trading.

Alternatively, if you have a Disc at a Fort or Spanish Galleon, you can assess its defense and decide if you want to relocate this Disc to another Destination. However, this is only possible if you have the necessary Supplies to sail to that zone. This flexibility can be a game-changer!

Golden Hind

Now let’s talk about the Golden Hind. This unique opportunity is reserved for one lucky player. When you arrive at the Golden Hind, you acquire the Golden Hind Mission Disc. This special Disc joins your other Mission Discs for use on this voyage. Keep in mind that during the Resolve Missions Phase, you always get to use the Golden Hind Disc before any other player.

Investor

So here’s the deal: every player gets one chance to stop during the game, but once you stop, you have to give up your Investor Counter back to the box. The investors are in it for the money, so it’s gonna cost you 4 VP to stop. Now, you get to choose where you stop.

Up top, you can get either 1 crew and 2 guns, or 2 crew and 1 gun. Or, you can head to the bottom and swap your Frigate for a Galleon, but only for this voyage. Oh, and by the way, any number of players can stop here on the same turn.

Welcome to Dockside

Hey there! Are you ready to learn about the thrilling world of sailing? Let’s dive in!

Sailing Phase: Anchors away!

A. Prepare For Sailing: Get your gear ready!

When we’re about to set sail, it’s important to make sure we have everything we need. Each player can stop here and choose 1 Crew, 1 Gun, or 1 Supply item to take with them on their journey. Exciting, right? Once you’ve made your choice, place your disc on the corresponding colored circle at the Location.

B. Sailing Action: Let’s sail the high seas!

Now it’s time for the real adventure to begin! During the Sailing Action, you’ll need to make some tough decisions. First, choose which path to take and move your ship accordingly. You can sail to an Island or a Port to find valuable treasures or encounter exciting challenges.

If you decide to sail to an Island, you’ll get the chance to explore its uncharted territories. But be careful! You might come across hostile creatures or hidden dangers. Don’t worry, though. With your skills and courage, you’ll be able to overcome any obstacle that comes your way.

On the other hand, if you choose to visit a Port, you’ll have the opportunity to trade your valuable resources, like Crew, Guns, or Supplies, for other useful items. You might even meet interesting characters who can offer you valuable insights and secrets. Make sure to listen carefully to what they have to say!

C. Treasure Revealed: Discover hidden secrets!

After exploring an Island or visiting a Port, it’s time to unveil the treasure you’ve discovered. You never know what you might find! It could be a rare artifact, a valuable resource, or even a hidden clue that will lead you to greater riches.

Remember, the world of sailing is full of surprises and unpredictable twists. So prepare yourself for an exciting and daring journey. Good luck, captain! May the wind be at your back and the sea be on your side!

Hey there! I’ve got a cool task for you. Here’s what you need to do:

Grab 4 silver and put one on each of the 2 Towns and 2 Forts that have silver icons on the map. Simple, right?

So here’s what you need to do: grab 4 gold coins and plop one down on each of the 2 Towns and 2 Forts that have those shiny gold icons. Easy peasy, right?

Alright, here’s what you need to do. Get 3 Jewels and put one on each of the jewel icons next to the 3 Spanish Galleons.

When I have the Admiral Counter, it’s my turn to make a decision. I take one of the Spanish Frigate Counters and place it facedown on the frigate icon next to each Galleon. Now, if nobody has the Admiral Counter, I do this randomly. It adds an element of surprise!

When I have the Governor Counter, I get to do something cool. I take one of the Spanish Troop Counters and put it down on the troop icon of each of the 4 Forts. I do this randomly if nobody else has the Governor Counter.

If I’m not already in Dock 1, I can switch places with the ship that’s one place to the right of me in the Outbound Docks. This move helps me move up one place in the Sailing Order.

Example 3: In this scenario, Yellow has been chosen as the Governor and is therefore awarded the privilege of moving up to the 3rd Dock. As a result, Yellow pushes the Blue player back into Dock number 4. The new sailing order is now Green, Red, Yellow, Blue.

Once everyone has moved, it’s time to count our Supplies, which are represented by barrels. Each player takes stock of their remaining barrels and places their Player Cube on the corresponding Navigation Marker. However, the number of barrels each player can have is limited to a maximum of 4. Keep in mind that the Navigation Marker determines the zones each player is allowed to sail to during the Sailing Phase. It’s important to note that no player is permitted to sail past their cube and into the next higher numbered zone.

Example 4: Let’s say Green has 3 Supplies and decides to put his cube on Navigation Marker 3. And Yellow has 2 Supplies and puts his cube on Marker 2.

B. Sail

Now, I have a set of Mission Discs with numbers on them. These discs will tell me the order in which I’ll be sailing to different Destinations on this voyage. I start with Mission 1, then move on to Mission 2, and so on.

The docks in the Outbound Harbor area show the sailing order for all the players. Following this order, I’ll place one of my Mission Discs face-down on the first circle of one of the Destinations on the map.

• I can place my Mission Discs in any order I want.
• However, I can only place one Mission Disc at each Destination. But if multiple players want to go to the same Destination, we can each stack our Discs on the circle number 1.
• You can place your discs in any zone within your sailing range.
• We continue playing in order until all players have placed all their discs.

Each destination can only be attacked twice, so the order of arrival is crucial. If the first two attacks succeed, any additional mission discs will have to miss out.

The numbers on the mission discs have significance. The Golden Hind disc is resolved first, followed by Mission 1 discs, then Mission 2 discs, and so on.

In case of a tie between discs with the same number, the sailing order determines the outcome.

The Informer

Once all of the Mission Discs have been placed, I, as the player who has the Informer this turn, have a couple of options:

1. First, I can take a look at the Mission Discs at one of the Destinations where I am present. By doing so, I gain information that I can use to my advantage. With this newfound knowledge, I am able to swap the positions of any two of my Mission Discs. It doesn’t matter which two Discs I choose; they don’t have to be the ones I just looked at.

2. Alternatively, I can choose to take a look at the Troop or Frigate Counter that is defending one of my Destinations. This allows me to inspect the situation there. If I decide to, I can then move the Mission Disc at this Destination to any other Destination where I am not already present and where I have enough Supplies to get to.

Example 6A: I’m Yellow and I have the Informer. I decide to investigate Cartagena. There, I discover red, blue, and yellow discs. I retrieve a red 1, a blue 1, and my 2. The attacks will be resolved based on the order of the Mission Discs, from 1 to 4.

My Disc 2 is the third to attack, coming after Red’s 1 and Blue’s 1. Therefore, I need my Mission Disc 1 for this attack. In case of ties, we refer to the sailing order. According to Example 3, I sail before Blue, so my 1 will attack before Blue’s 1.

D. Flip Mission Discs

All the Mission Discs are now flipped to their face-up side. The numbers on each player’s discs determine the sequence of attacks or trades. The player with the number 1 Disc goes first, followed by the number 2 Disc, and so on.

When I arrive at each Destination, I place the Disc with the lowest number in the 1st circle. Then I put the next lowest Disc in the 2nd circle. If there is a tie between two Discs, I break it by considering the Sailing Order of the Ships in the Outbound Docks. The Disc from the Golden Hind is always given priority and goes first.

Now, here’s an important detail: I am allowed to make only 2 attacks per Destination. However, there may be additional Mission Discs present, such as a 3rd, 4th, or 5th Disc, in case the first two attacks fail to happen. These extra Discs are kept in a stack right next to the 2nd circle.

Example 8: We start by flipping all the Discs and arranging them in the order they arrived: Mission 1 Discs come before Mission 2 Discs, and so on. In case of a tie, we refer to the Sailing Order, which we learned from Example 3 is Green, Red, Yellow, Blue.

Keep in mind, if Blue’s 1 is unable to attack, it stays at Cartagena in case Red’s 1 or Yellow’s 1 cannot attack either. Regardless of the Sailing Order, the player who possesses the Golden Hind Disc will always go first to complete their mission, before any other player’s number 1 Disc.

The Ghost Ship

When I roll a 1 or 2 at the Tavern, I don’t get any Crew members. However, I do get to use my ‘Ghost Ship’ Mission Disc for that journey. The Ghost Ship allows me to play last and see which Destinations the other players have chosen, which is pretty handy.

E. Completing Missions

Now it’s time to resolve our Missions. Each player takes their Ghost Ship Mission Disc and places it face-down under their ship in the Outbound Harbor. These Discs keep track of the order in which our ships will set sail.

Whenever it’s time to attack or make trades in the game, we follow a specific order called the Sailing Order sequence. We go through the players one by one, starting with the player who has the Golden Hind ship. Then we move on to the first disc of each player, and so on.

If a player has the Golden Hind ship, they get to move their ship from the Outbound Harbor to their designated Destination marked by their Golden Hind Mission Disc. They place their ship on the disc and complete their mission.

After that, all players sail their ships at the same time and place them on their Mission 1 Discs. We resolve each Mission 1 Disc in the order of the Sailing Order sequence. Once resolved, all players move their ships to their Mission 2 Discs, and we repeat the process in the same order.

This continues for the Mission 3 and Mission 4 Discs.

At each destination, you can only attack twice. If you can’t attack anymore, you have to take back your Disc and let the next ship attack. The same rule applies at the Trade Ports – if you can’t trade, you have to take your Mission Disc back.

If your attack is successful, you get the Victory Points listed on the target, and you turn your Disc face-down. Once there are two face-down Discs, no more attacks can happen. The first player to successfully attack a destination also gets a bonus of Gold, Silver, or Jewels, which goes into their Treasure Chest.

To successfully attack a Destination, you have to give up an equal number of Crew (grey cubes) and/or Guns (black cubes) as the number of Troops and/or Guns defending that destination.

Sometimes, I have the option to not do something with a specific Mission Disc. I might choose to hold off on attacking because I’m not confident in my chances of success, or I might want to save it for a better opportunity. In these cases, I simply return the Disc to my supply.

Now, let’s talk about attacking towns. Each town has a little icon next to it, indicating that it has 1 Troop. In order to attack a town, I need to spend 1 Crew (represented by a grey cube) to neutralize that Troop. Once I’ve done that, I move my Score Marker up the number of Victory Points shown on that town.

It’s as simple as that!



When I play the game, I put one of my Player Cubes on the Town icon of the Types of Conquests Chart if I attack at least 1 Town successfully. The first player to attack each Town gets to claim the Silver or Gold on it, which is a good advantage.

Now, let’s talk about attacking Forts. Each Fort has its troop and gun defenses. When I attack a Fort, I turn over the defending Troop Counter and add the number printed beneath it. This tells me how many Crew (grey cubes) I need to spend. I also need to spend Guns (black cubes) equal to the number of gun icons there.

After I do all this, I move my Score Marker the number of VP indicated on that Fort. I also put one of my Player Cubes on the Fort icon of the Types of Conquests Chart to show that I have successfully attacked at least 1 Fort.

If you have a Pinnace, you can choose to ignore the guns when you attack any Forts on this voyage. The person who attacks the Fort first will have the advantage of claiming the Silver or Gold found on it.



In this case, to attack Veracruz, you’ll need 4 grey cubes and 1 black cube. If you do attack, you’ll score 5VP. If you’re one of the first two players to attack, you’ll also receive the Gold.

However, if you choose to attack with a Pinnace, you won’t need to worry about the guns. Only 4 grey cubes will be needed for a successful attack on Veracruz.

Attacking Galleons

Spanish Galleons are equipped with guns. Additionally, you’ll need to consider the number of guns indicated on the Spanish Frigate Counter placed next to the Galleon. The player who initiates the attack will flip over the defending Frigate Counter.

The player who successfully attacks a Galleon first gets the advantage of claiming the Jewel on it.



Example 10: To attack this Galleon, you need 4 black cubes. If you successfully attack, you’ll score 8 VP. However, the first person to attack will also get a Jewel as a reward.

Trading

When you visit a Trade Port, you’ll find Commodities that you can trade. The player who goes first gets to choose which Commodity they want, and the other players will have to choose from what’s left. To make a trade, you return one Trade Goods (a purple cube) to the Plymouth Harbor Chart and take the chosen Commodity, placing it on the corresponding icon in your Ship Log.

You can collect multiple quantities of each Commodity. The number of circles at a Trade Port tells you how many trades can happen there during a voyage. However, each player can only make one trade per port per voyage.

F. Returning To Plymouth



• Once I finish one of my Missions, I can let you know that I’m heading back to Plymouth. I’ll sail my Ship to the first empty dock in the Homebound Harbor. I’ll also bring back any Mission Discs that I haven’t used yet. For example, if I’m coming back after completing my third Mission, I’ll take back my fourth Mission Disc because I won’t need it anymore.
• It’s important for me to do this after I finish my fourth Mission.
• If I decide to return to Plymouth before using up all my Mission Discs, I get a special bonus. It’s called a “hero’s bonus”. The first player who returns gets 2 Victory Points (VP) and the second player gets 1 VP. But there’s a condition – I have to successfully attack at least one Town, Fort, or Galleon during my voyage to qualify for the bonus.

So here’s what happened: I went on my third mission and then decided to call it a day and head home. Meanwhile, Blue also finished their third mission and did the same. Red and Yellow, on the other hand, went on to complete their fourth missions before heading back home in that order (Red first, then Yellow).

Now comes the exciting part – scoring the voyage!

Once all of us have returned to Plymouth, it’s time to see how we did. We need to check the Types of Conquests Chart to calculate our scores. During our voyage, we placed our Cubes on the icons representing Towns, Forts, and Galleons if we successfully attacked any of those.

If we attacked one type, we get 1 VP (victory point). If we attacked two types, we earn 4 VP. And if we managed to attack all three types, we receive a whopping 10 VP. These points are then marked on the score track.

When I hold the Admiral title, I earn 1 Victory Point for every unclaimed Gold. Similarly, if I am the Governor, I get 1 Victory Point for each unclaimed Silver.

Resetting the Board

Once voyages 1 and 2 are complete, we reset the board to prepare for the next voyage.

Players keep their commodities, but the following items are returned to the Plymouth Harbor Chart:

• All barrels, including grey, black, and purple cubes.
• The Spanish Frigate and Troop Counters.
• The Governor, Admiral, Pinnace, and Informer Counters.
• Any unclaimed Gold, Silver, and Jewels.

Voyages 2 and 3

Voyages 2 and 3 follow the same process, but the starting order is determined by how the ships are arranged in the Homebound Docks after the board is reset from the previous voyage.

When you reach the end of the third voyage, the board isn’t reset because the order of the ships in the Homebound Docks is used to break ties.

Additionally, for voyages 2 and 3, the order of the 16 Locations is different because the Location Tiles are shuffled and placed on top of the first 16 Locations printed on the board.

At the End of the Game

After completing the third voyage, it’s time to score:

1. Commodities

Referencing the Commodities Chart, you’ll earn victory points (VP) for sets of Commodities you’ve collected.

• A set of 4 different Commodities scores 26 VP
• A set of any 3 Commodities scores 16 VP
• A set of any 2 Commodities scores 8 VP
• A single Commodity scores 2 VP

2. Treasure Chest

So here’s what we need to do: let’s take a look at our Treasure Chests and see what we’ve got. We’ve got Silver, which is worth 3 VP, Gold, which is worth 4 VP, and Jewels, which are worth 5 VP.

The player with the most VP is the winner. But what happens if there’s a tie? Well, in that case, we’ll use the order of the ships in the Homebound Dock at the end of the third voyage to break it. So, it’s not just about collecting the most Treasures, but also about strategically positioning your ships.