Tortuga 1667 Game Rules

Ahoy there! Avast ye, landlubbers! I’m here to tell you all about the exciting game of Tortuga 1667.

Arr, if you be seeking adventure on the high seas, look no further! In this game, ye and yer mates will take on the roles of pirates, all vying to claim the greatest treasure of all – buried treasure on the island of Tortuga.

Now, let me break down the rules for ye. First, ye’ll need to gather yer crew of pirates. The game can be played with 2 to 9 players, so gather ye mateys and get ready for some swashbucklin’ fun!

Once ye have yer crew assembled, each player will be dealt a Loyalty Card in secret. This will determine whether ye be a loyal member of the French or English pirate crew, or a sneaky mutineer. Be careful who ye trust, matey, for the mutineers be tryin’ to sink yer ship!

The game takes place over three rounds, each consisting of Day and Night phases. During the Day phase, players take turns performin’ actions such as movin’ their pirates, attackin’ other players’ pirates, or searchin’ for treasure. Ye can also play Event Cards, which can have game-changin’ effects.

The Night phase is where the real treachery begins. Players will secretly choose a location on the ship to perform their action – either the Captain’s Quarters, the Gunpowder Room, or the Treasure Hold. Each location has its own unique action, such as lookin’ at another player’s Loyalty Card or stealin’ some of that precious treasure.

Here be where the traitorous mutineers come in! They will have the chance to secretly sabotage the ship by loadin’ gunpowder or stealin’ treasure. It be up to the loyal crew to figure out who these scurvy dogs be and put ’em in Davy Jones’ Locker!

At the end of each round, players will vote on whether to attack another ship. The result of the vote will determine whether the attacking ship steals treasure from the other ship or if both ships suffer damage. This be where alliances be formed and rivalries be settled.

The game ends after three rounds, and the crew with the most treasure be declared the winners. But be warned, matey – a mutineer can also win if their secret objective be fulfilled!

So gather ye crew, sharpen yer cutlasses, and set sail for adventure with Tortuga 1667. May fortune favor the bold and the loot be plentiful! Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me!

In this game, you and your friends will become pirates. We’ll split into teams, with some of us being British pirates, others being French pirates, and if we have an odd number of players, one lucky person will get to be a Dutch pirate! We’ll start the game on either the Flying Dutchman or the Jolly Roger, but remember, the people on our ship might not be on our team.

The Game Pieces

• We’ll have a box that’s made to look like a treasure chest, but it’s not real.
• There will be a rubber mat to play on. It’s used to keep the cards and pieces in place.
• We’ll have 8 wooden tokens that look like treasure.
• 75 cards will be included.
• We’ll also get a linen bag.
• There will be 9 wooden pawns.
• And one wooden token that represents an explosion.
• Don’t forget the instructions!

How to Play

During the game, we’ll use special cards called “Vote” cards. We’ll use these cards to do different actions. We can use them to attack the Spanish Galleon and steal treasure, to mutiny against selfish captains, or to control the treasure on Tortuga during a brawl!

When I play this game, I get to do some really cool stuff. I can look at other players’ Event cards and make them show me what they have. It’s a great way to help out my friends or mess with my enemies. The Spanish Armada card is one of the most exciting ones. When it’s revealed, we find out which team, the French or the British, has the most treasure. It’s a race to see who comes out on top!

To figure out who has the most treasure, we have to add up all the treasure in the ships’ holds and in the French and British areas on Tortuga. Sometimes, things get tricky. If there’s an odd number of players and the teams are tied when the Spanish Armada card is revealed, guess what? The Dutch player takes the win. Talk about a twist!

In this scenario, if the Spanish Armada became known, the French would emerge as the victor because they possess a total of 5 treasures. Three of these treasures are aboard the Jolly Roger, while the remaining two are on Tortuga. On the other hand, the British only have 3 treasures – 2 on the Flying Dutchman and 1 on the Jolly Roger.

Now, let’s talk about how to set up the game.

1. First, I’d suggest laying out the playing mat right in the middle of the table. Oh, and don’t forget to set aside the orange explosion token.
2. Next up, you’ll want to grab the Loyalty cards you need based on the table below. Give them a good shuffle and deal one to each player, face-down. Keep it a secret, though! Take a peek at your Loyalty card and place it face-down. This card determines your team, but remember, you can’t reveal it until the game is over.

Note: If you’re playing with just 2 or 3 players, make sure you remove all Albatross cards from the Event deck. And if you’re up for a challenge, you might want to skip using the Facade or Cabin Fever starred cards.

Alright, the game set up is now complete!

Now Let’s Play

During the game, the pawns will move around. When my pawn is in the front of a ship, I become the Captain of that ship. If I’m the second in line on a ship, I become the First Mate of that ship.

If my pawn is at the back of the line on a ship, no matter how many pawns are there, I become the Cabin Boy of that ship.

I can be both the First Mate and the Cabin Boy at the same time (if I’m second in line on a ship with only two pawns). I can also be both the Captain and the Cabin Boy at the same time (if I’m alone on my ship).

A ship can never have more than 5 pawns. When my pawn is the highest-ranking pawn on Tortuga, I become the Governor of Tortuga.

When it’s my turn, I have to choose one action to perform. I need to tell everyone which action I’m going to use before actually doing it. I only get one action per turn, but if I’m a Captain, First Mate, Cabin Boy, or the Governor of Tortuga, I can choose my action from the list of actions that all players can do, or I can choose from the list specific to my position in the game.

The actions are also written on the back of the Brethren of the Coast cards.

Note: In games with only two players, each player gets to do two actions on their turn.

List of Actions

I can choose one of these actions to complete during my turn.

Actions for All Players

View 2 Event cards

I can secretly look at the front of any two of the five face-down Event cards. After seeing them, I have to put them back in their original places facing downward.

Reveal 1 Event Card

Let’s see what surprise awaits us when I flip over one of the 5 face-down Event cards. I’ll reveal the card to everyone and we’ll have to do what it says. Then, I’ll replace the revealed card with a new one from the Event deck.

Make someone choose between 2 Event cards

I’ll point to any 2 face-down Event cards and choose another player. That player will have to pick one of those 2 cards without looking at it first. They’ll reveal the chosen card to everyone, and we’ll all have to deal with its effects. The other card stays hidden. Then, I’ll put a new card from the Event deck in place of the one we revealed.

If you want to move to or from a Rowboat, here’s what you can do. You can move your game piece from either the ship or Tortuga to an adjacent Rowboat. Or, you can move your piece from a Rowboat to the back of the line on Tortuga or the adjacent ship.

Captains

Time to Attack!

When you successfully Attack, you get to plunder treasure from the Spanish Galleon. And if that Galleon is all out of treasure, your successful Attacks can still score you loot from the other pirate ship!

Stranded in Tortuga

If there’s a pesky crewmate on your ship that you want to get rid of, you can maroon them in Tortuga. Just remember, you can’t maroon yourself!

Calling the Shots

Raise the Mutiny Flag

When you successfully organize a Mutiny, you can banish your captain to Tortuga. For all the details, check out the “Vote Cards” section.

The Ship’s Boys

A Game of Hide and Seek

Give yourself an advantage by moving a treasure token from one hold to the other on your ship. You can transfer a token from the British treasure hold to the French treasure hold, or vice versa.

The Ruler of Tortuga

Cause a Ruckus

There’s this whole thing called Brawls. It’s a little confusing, but I’ll break it down for you. Brawls basically move the 2 pieces of treasure that are already on Tortuga to one or both of the treasure areas on Tortuga. I know, it’s a lot of “Tortuga,” but bear with me.

Vote Cards

Votes come in different forms: Attacks, Mutinies, and Brawls. When it’s time for a Vote, every player involved puts one of their Vote cards face-down in the center.

In addition, for each type of Vote, a random card from the Vote deck is also placed face-down in the middle. All the cards are mixed up and revealed, determining the outcome of the Vote.

Once the Vote is over, all the played Vote cards go to the bottom of the deck. Each player who took part in the Vote then draws a new card from the top of the deck.

Attack

If I’m the Captain of a ship, I can initiate an Attack. And even if I’m the only player on my ship, I can still call for an Attack. Only players on my ship can participate in the Vote.

Hey there! Let’s dive into the exciting world of pirate adventures! Now, when it comes to an Attack, only the top section of the Vote card matters. You’ll find a Cannon, a Torch, or Water in this section. Oh, by the way, Water cancels out Torch. So, for every 1 Water you have, you can cancel out 1 Torch.

Alright, here’s the deal. If you have at least 1 Cannon and at least 1 “successful” Torch played in the Vote, you’re in luck! As the Captain, you get to take 1 piece of treasure from the Spanish Galleon and put it in either hold on your ship. Pretty neat, huh?

But wait, there’s more! If the Spanish Galleon is all out of treasure, don’t you worry. As the Captain, you can still take 1 piece of treasure from either the Flying Dutchman or the Jolly Roger, even if the other pirate ship has no pawns on it. And where can you put this treasure? Yup, you guessed it! You can place it in either hold on your ship.

Let me break it down for you with an example. Let’s say you have 2 Cannons, 1 Torch, and 1 Water played. Uh-oh! The attack would fail because the Water cancels out the Torch, and there were no “successful” Torches. Remember, the key here is to have at least 1 Cannon and a “successful” Torch.

Example: Let’s say I play 1 Cannon, 2 Torches, and 1 Water. Well, in this case, the attack would be successful because there is 1 Cannon, and only 1 of the Torches was cancelled by water. So, we’re left with 1 “successful” Torch.

Example: Now, imagine I play 2 Cannons and 2 Torches. This time, the attack would still succeed. However, you only get to keep 1 piece of treasure.

Brawl

Hey there! As the Governor of Tortuga, I have this cool power where I can call for a Brawl. It’s like a big showdown, and you, and everyone else on Tortuga, get to join in on the fun!

Now, here’s the thing – when it comes to Brawls, the only part of the Vote card that matters is the middle section. You’ll see either a British flag or a French flag there. The cards around it don’t mean a thing!

So, here’s what happens: if we reveal more British flags than French flags, we’re gonna put both pieces of treasure on Tortuga in the British treasure area. On the other hand, if we have more French flags, we’ll place the treasure in the French treasure area. And if we end up with a tie, we’ll split the treasure and put one piece in each area. Simple enough, right?

Oh, and just so you know, the treasure pieces always stay on Tortuga. It’s just a matter of which area they’re in. So, we can shift them around in future Brawls if we want to.

Mutiny

Imagine this – you’re sailing the high seas as the First Mate of a mighty ship. But there’s a problem. The captain has been acting strange lately, making decisions that don’t sit right with the crew. It’s clear that something needs to change. That’s when I, as the First Mate, can take matters into my own hands and call for a Mutiny.

Now, a Mutiny is a serious business, and it’s not to be taken lightly. Only the crew members on the ship, excluding the captain, get to have a say in this Vote. So, if you’re with me, let’s dive into the details.

When it comes to a Mutiny, there’s one thing you need to know – only the bottom section of the Vote card matters. It’s pretty simple – you’ll either see a Skull or a Helm. Those are the two symbols that could determine the fate of the captain.

Now, let’s think about what happens when the Vote is revealed. If the majority of the revealed cards show a Skull, that’s bad news for the captain. They get marooned to Tortuga, stranded and left to think about their decisions. Ouch.

On the other hand, if the majority of the revealed cards show a Helm, or there’s a tie between Skulls and Helms, then nothing happens. It might be a sigh of relief for the captain, but it also means that the crew remains in the same, questionable situation.

So, there you have it – the power to initiate a Mutiny lies in the hands of the First Mate, that’s me. And the outcome of this action depends on the cards revealed during the Vote. It’s a high-stakes game, my friend, with the possibility of a dramatic turn of events or a return to the unsettling status quo.

Hey there! Let’s talk about Vote cards in the game. They have these cool symbols on them, and each symbol counts towards the Vote total. It’s kind of like tallying up points.

For example, let’s say there are two Vote cards in a Brawl. One card has 1 British flag symbol, and the other special Vote card has 2 French flag symbols. Well, in this case, the French team would win the Brawl because they have 2 flags compared to the British team’s 1 flag. It’s all about who has more flags!

Getting Marooned & Tortuga

Now, let me tell you what happens when a pawn on a ship gets marooned to Tortuga. When that happens, the pawns behind it on the same ship move up to fill in the empty spot left by the marooned pawn. It’s like a game of musical chairs, but on a ship!

And get this, if the Captain of the ship gets marooned, the First Mate becomes the new Captain. So, everyone moves up in rank!

Here’s another twist: if everyone on a ship gets marooned, the treasure that was on that ship stays there. It’s like a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered. The interesting part is that the treasure still counts towards a team’s total unless it’s moved later in the game. So, even though the ship is empty, the treasure is still up for grabs!

And guess what? If you’re the brave soul who boards an empty ship, you become the Captain of that ship! You’re the boss now.

If you find yourself stranded on Tortuga, your pawn will be placed at the end of the line. If Tortuga is empty, the line starts at the Governor’s position.

On the other hand, if there are already 2 pawns on Tortuga, you will be placed at the “3” position, which is at the back of the line. Even though you’re on Tortuga, you can still take your turns and perform player actions.

Now, if you happen to get marooned on Tortuga again while you’re already there, two things will happen. Firstly, your pawn will be moved to the back of the line again, and the pawns that were ranked behind you will move up. If you’re the only one on Tortuga, your position remains the same.

Secondly, another player will randomly choose one of your Vote cards and place it at the bottom of the Vote card deck without you seeing it. This means you’ll have fewer Vote cards to play with for the rest of the game.

If you get stuck on Tortuga more than once, you’ll lose multiple Vote cards. And if you lose all your Vote cards, you can still call for a Vote if you’re in a position to do so, but you won’t be able to take part in it.

Rowboats

It takes one action to move to a Rowboat. So, it takes two actions in total to go from Tortuga to a ship or from a ship to Tortuga. First, you move to the Rowboat, and then you move to the ship or Tortuga as the second action.

If there’s already a pawn on a Rowboat, no other pawn can get on it, as each Rowboat can only hold one pawn at a time. If your pawn is on a Rowboat, you can’t participate in Votes. Y

Hey there! Have you ever wondered what you can do when you’re on a Rowboat in Tortuga? Well, let me tell you all about it!

When you’re on a Rowboat, you can actually “sit” on it and do other cool stuff, like looking at cards or revealing them. It’s a great way to block other players from taking certain actions. Pretty neat, right?

Now, here’s the trick. If you ever find yourself marooned while on the Rowboat, don’t worry! You just have to return your pawn to the back of the line in Tortuga. But here’s the best part – you don’t lose a Vote card. So you can still keep playing and strategizing without any setbacks.

So next time you’re on a Rowboat, remember these rules. They’ll come in handy and give you an edge in the game. Have fun exploring the high seas of Tortuga!

The End of the Game

Once the Event deck is empty and there are only 5 unrevealed Event cards left in the row, those 5 cards are shuffled and placed in a new row. Among these final 5 cards, you will find the Spanish Armada, and no more cards will be replaced.

As soon as the Spanish Armada is revealed, the team with the most treasure wins the game. It doesn’t matter where your pawn is located when the game ends – as long as you’re on the winning team, you win!

If there is a tie between teams when the Spanish Armada card is revealed in games with an odd number of players, the Dutch player is declared the winner.

In games with an even number of players, if there is a tie between teams when the Spanish Armada card is revealed, the Spanish Armada card is removed from the game and all discarded and unrevealed Event cards are shuffled to create a new Event deck.

When playing the game, make sure not to shuffle cards that are currently in front of a player, like an Albatross, Letter of Marque, or a Treasure Map. Instead, lay out 5 new Event cards in a row and continue from where you left off. The first team to take the lead wins the game.

Important Gameplay Information

This game is all about knowledge and communication. It’s often a good idea to take an action to view the cards first or rely on a trusted teammate’s knowledge to avoid revealing randomized Event cards that could hurt your team.

You can also use your team’s knowledge to make an opponent reveal harmful cards and suffer the consequences. If your team is in the lead, it might be advantageous to go through the deck quickly so you can end the game before the other team catches up.

A big part of the game is handling the Vote cards in your hand so you don’t end up using a card that goes against your plan. If you’re attacking with your team, you can work together or trick each other regarding who will play a Cannon, who will play a Torch, and so on. In the Vote card deck, 30% are Cannons, 30% are Waters, and 40% are Torches (not counting the two special Vote cards). You’re allowed to check the discard pile at any time. Feel free to use your own paper or device to keep track of the order of the Event cards (Tortuga 1667 is not a memory game!). While you’re encouraged to openly communicate with others about where certain Event cards are located, you’re not allowed to pass notes, devices, whispers, or texts to share information.

Once I state an action, point to Event cards, play a Vote card, or let go of a pawn, there is no going back (unless the house rules say otherwise, thank goodness!).

Now let me give you some clarifications about each Event card and share some advanced optional rules for those experienced players. But if you want, you can start playing and come back to read the rest later if you need it.

Keep in mind, when the Spanish Armada card is revealed, the team with the most treasure is the winner of the game!