Welcome to Jamaica!

Hey there, matey! Grab your compass and buckle up for an exciting adventure on the high seas. We’re setting sail on a journey to the beautiful island of Jamaica, where pirates roam free and fortunes are waiting to be claimed.

What do you need? All you need is a rulemap (a fancy word for a map), a compass token, pirate ships, action cards, hold plates, pirate lair tokens, treasure cards, action dice, a combat die, cannon tokens, food tokens, and plenty of gold doubloons.

Who’s this game for? Ahoy! This game is perfect for families who are ready to embark on a thrilling pirate race. Get everyone on board for some swashbuckling fun!

Overview of Jamaica

In the late 1600s, a legendary pirate named Henry Morgan took over Jamaica and invited all his pirate friends to join him on the island. Thirty years later, he decided to host an incredible race around Jamaica. But this isn’t just any race – it’s a race for fortune and glory. The pirate who finishes with the most treasure will be crowned the mightiest pirate of them all!

Ahoy, me hearties! Ye be one of them pirates, and I be tellin’ ye, yer ship needs to win that race. We gotta show everyone who’s the grandest pirate of all time, savvy?

Now, let me set the stage for ye. Each of ye scurvy dogs will pick one of them famous pirates. Ye’ll get yer own ship, painted in the same color as yer chosen pirate. Ye also get some special “Action” cards and a plate that represents the five holds on yer ship. Inside one hold, ye start with three food tokens. In another hold, ye start with three gold doubloons. And don’t forget to draw the first three “Action”cards from yer draw pile, ye landlubber!

As for the game board, yer gonna place it square in the middle of the table. Ye’ll see a pirate lair token sittin’ on each pirate’s hideout, marked by them skull-shaped rocks. The movement dice and the combat dice go in their rightful spots, too. And don’t forget the treasure cards! Shuffle ’em up and make a draw pile with nine cards, one for each pirate’s lair. Any extra cards ye got can walk the plank! Finally, plop yer ship down on the starting square, which be Port Royal.

Now, ye see, this be where the adventure begins. The race is on, and ye gotta sail fast, think smart, and outwit the competition. Show ’em who’s boss and claim yer place as the greatest pirate of ’em all!

Discover the Exciting Gameplay

Let me guide you through the captivating adventure of this game. It all starts with the compass token, which determines who will be the Captain, the first player. I’ll explain how it works!

The Captain takes the two movement dice and rolls them, determining how the ship will sail in the morning and in the evening. The Captain then has the power to decide which die goes first in the navigation box. This choice can be crucial for the success of your journey.

Now, each player needs to choose an “Action” card from their hand and place it face down in front of them. These action cards hold the key to your strategic moves. It’s time to show your cards, but one at a time!

The Captain starts by revealing their card and performing the two actions indicated by the corresponding die. They make their moves, carefully considering the consequences of each action. Once the Captain finishes, it’s time for the next player to reveal their card and take their turn.

When all players have completed their two actions, it’s time to replenish your hand. Draw a card from your draw pile to keep your options open and make the most of your next turn.

The compass moves to the left, passing from the Captain to the next player. They become the new Captain and the cycle starts again with a fresh set of opportunities and challenges.

Unveiling the Mystery Behind Action Cards

• Green arrow: It’s time to set sail! Move the ship forward, just as many spaces as the number shown on the die. Watch as your journey unfolds before your eyes.

When I play the game, there are a few symbols on the dice that I must pay attention to. Let me explain them to you. First, there’s a red arrow, which means the ship moves back the number of spaces shown on the die. Second, there’s a gold doubloon, and when this symbol comes up, I can load the ship with the number of gold doubloons shown on the die. Third, there’s a symbol for food, and when it appears, I can load the ship with the number of food tokens indicated by the die. Finally, there’s a symbol for cannons, and when this one shows up, I can load the ship with the number of cannon tokens shown on the die. It’s important to remember that I can only add tokens to a hold that is empty. If all of the holds are already full, I have to empty one of them, losing its contents, in order to be able to load a new resource.

When you move your ship, you always have to pay for the final square where you end up. The cost is either in food (for sea squares) or in gold doubloons (for port squares). If you can’t afford the full cost, you pay what you can and then go back to the first square where you can pay in full. The only squares that are free are the pirate lair squares. If you end your move on a pirate lair that still has a “pirate lair” token, you discard the token and draw a “treasure” card.

Treasure cards:

• Treasure: affects your score at the end of the game. It can be positive for regular treasures or negative for cursed treasures.
• Morgan’s Map: lets you play with 4 action cards in your hand.
• Saran’s Saber: allows you to reroll a combat die, either your own or your opponent’s.
• Lady Beth: boosts your combat die value by 2 points.
• 6th Hold: grants you an extra hold on your boat, placed to the right of the plate.

Note: Keep your treasure cards next to your holds, face down. All other cards should stay face up.

Ready, set, sail!

If you end your turn on a square occupied by another ship, prepare for a battle (if there are multiple ships, you get to choose your opponent).

Note: No fights occur on the “Port Royal” square.

The attacking player (that’s you!) can use cannon tokens, if available, and then roll the combat die. Add the number of cannon tokens you’ve played to your roll. The defender then follows suit. The player with the highest total wins the fight.

When you roll a die and get a star, you win immediately. This means you either win the attack and the opponent can’t defend, or you win the defense. The cannon tokens don’t affect this outcome, so any tokens you use unnecessarily will be discarded.

If you win a fight, you can choose one of three options:

– Take the contents of a hold from your opponent.

– Take a treasure from your opponent.

– Give a cursed treasure to your opponent.

GAME OVER

Once you reach the “Port Royal” square, you must stop immediately and your turn comes to an end. We continue with the current turn until everyone has played an equal number of turns, at which point the game concludes. Now it’s time to tally up your points:

• Count the gold doubloons in your possession
• Take into account your treasure cards
• Add the value of the white number displayed on the square where your ship is situated (subtract 5 if your ship hasn’t crossed the -5 square yet)

The player with the highest number of points emerges as the champion, earning the title of the most celebrated pirate in history.