The Crew: A Guide for Two

Hey there! Have you heard of The Crew? It’s a cool card game that usually involves 3 or 4 players. But, did you know that you can also play it with just two people? Today, I’m gonna tell you all about this lesser-known variant of the game.

In The Crew, the goal is to complete 50 missions as a team. Each mission comes with its own unique set of tasks that you need to accomplish. The catch is, you can’t talk about your cards or discuss your moves with your partner. Communication is super limited, but that’s what makes it challenging and fun!

What You Need

Playing Cards (40 in total)

Hey there! Let me tell you about this awesome deck of cards I have. It’s really cool because it’s not just any ordinary deck. This deck has 36 colorful cards and 4 special rocket cards. Isn’t that exciting?

So, here’s how it works. The deck is made up of five different colored suits, and on top of that, we have those super cool rocket cards. These rocket cards are like the “boss” of the game. They’re called trump cards, which means they have some special powers that can beat the other cards. How amazing is that?

And wait, there’s more!

Along with the deck, you also get 5 reminder cards. These cards are there to help you remember the rules and strategies of the game. They’re like your personal cheat sheet, making sure you don’t forget anything important. How convenient is that?

When I use a communication token, I get to add a reminder card to my hand. It’s like a little note that I can refer back to later.

An assortment of 36 task cards

Hey there! Today, I want to talk about an exciting concept in gaming: task cards. These cards play a crucial role in many games, where players must complete specific tasks to win. Let’s dive in and explore the world of task cards together!

Get Ready with 17 Tokens!

Hey there! Let’s talk about tokens. Sounds interesting, right? Tokens are these little things that we use for communication and organizing tasks. In this case, we have 10 task tokens, 5 radio communication tokens, 1 distress token, and 1 commander token. So, there’s quite a collection of them!

SETUP

In this game called The Crew for Two, we have a special helper named JARVIS. JARVIS is an artificial intelligence that assists us in completing missions. As the mission commander, I get to decide how JARVIS will play.

To get started with a game for two players, we need to set up the deck. First, we temporarily remove the 4 Rocket card. Then, we shuffle the remaining 39 cards and deal seven face down in a row. After that, we deal seven more cards face up on top of the first row. These two rows represent JARVIS’s hand.

Next, we shuffle the 4 Rocket card back into the deck. Each player receives thirteen cards. We also place a green communication token and a reminder card for each player. The distress signal tokens are put face down in the middle of the playing area.

Finally, we shuffle the task cards and place them face down nearby, along with the task tokens. Now we’re all set and ready to play!

The Commander

When we play the game and someone gets dealt the 4 Rocket, they become the commander. They receive the commander token and take charge of the mission. The commander is the one who decides which tasks to choose and leads the first trick. They also have to follow any special rules mentioned in the mission. The commander is responsible for playing for JARVIS and determining its tasks and position in the turn order. It’s important to note that the non-commander player is not allowed to talk about or question the commander’s decisions.

When it comes to playing cards from JARVIS, only the cards on top are available for play. After a trick is played, any facedown cards are turned face up for everyone to see.

The Play

Missions

In this game, there are 50 missions that you can complete. You have the flexibility to play the missions in any order you like, but I recommend starting with Mission 1 and going through them sequentially. This is especially helpful for players who are new to trick-taking games. Plus, there’s an exciting storyline that unfolds as you complete the missions in order.

Each mission comes with a specific number of tasks, which is indicated by the task number. You draw that many tasks from the shuffled task deck and place them face up on the table. The remaining tasks are set aside until the next mission. These task cards represent the playing cards that each player needs to capture.

When it’s time to play, we all gather around the table and take turns choosing tasks. The commander starts, and then it goes clockwise from there. Sometimes there might not be enough tasks for everyone to have the same number. The commander also gets to decide which tasks JARVIS will do. As we play more missions, the way we choose and distribute tasks might change. Once a task is assigned to someone, they keep the task card face up in front of them.

We get a task card each time we need to complete a task. To finish a task, we have to capture a trick using the right playing card. After we finish a task, we turn the task card over. Sometimes, we can even finish more than one task with a single trick! Once every task is completed, we win the mission! Then, we can start a new mission by resetting everything. But if someone can’t finish a task, we fail the mission and have to start again. We collect all the playing cards and task cards, shuffle them, and deal them out for the next mission.

THE FIRST TRICK

When we play the card game, the first trick is led by the commander. The other players in the game, including me and JARVIS, are then supposed to match the color of the card if they have one. But if they don’t have a matching color, they can play any card from their hand. The winner of the trick is the player who plays the highest card of the led color, and that winner gets to lead the next trick.

It’s important to keep in mind that the commander decides the order in which the other players and JARVIS take their turns. The commander also makes decisions for JARVIS during each trick. And if JARVIS wins the trick, the commander gets to choose which color JARVIS leads with in the next trick.

OTHER COMPONENTS

COMMUNICATION TOKENS

Hey there, let me tell you about communication tokens in a game. You see, every player has a special token they can use during each mission attempt. But there’s a catch, they can only use it once. So, it’s important to think carefully about when and how to use it.

When a player wants to use their communication token, they have to do so before a trick starts. To use it, all they have to do is pick a card from their hand and place it face up on the table. But here’s the interesting part – the placement of the token on the card actually says something.

If the token is placed at the top of the card, it means that this card is the highest card the player has in that color. When the token is in the middle, it communicates that the player only has this one card in that color. And if the token is placed at the bottom, it means that this card is the lowest card the player has in that color. So, you see, only three things can be communicated.

Now, it’s important to know that the token should be placed with the green side up. Once it’s placed, it can’t be removed. So, choose wisely!

After a player has used their communication token for the mission, they have to turn it red side up. This means they can no longer use it for the rest of the game. So, make sure to use it wisely when the time is right.

When it comes to playing the game, it’s important to remember that the card you use to communicate is still part of your hand. You can play it whenever you want. As for the player who is communicating, it’s crucial to add a reminder card to your hand so you don’t forget about the card that’s already on the table.

TIME TO CALL FOR HELP

If you find yourself unable to complete your mission, don’t worry! You can activate a distress signal before any communication takes place. This signal allows you to choose one card and pass it either to the left or the right. But remember, rocket cards cannot be passed. The direction in which you pass the card must be agreed upon by all players. Once the distress signal is activated, it will stay active for all attempts during that mission.

KEEP THE GAME GOING

As I continue to play, the missions will become more and more difficult, with new conditions that I have to follow. I will be assigned multiple tasks that need to be completed in a specific order. Communication may even become limited or prohibited, and I will have to make more decisions as the commander.

SCORING

The Log Book is a great way to keep track of my progress and scores. Up to six groups of players can play and record their own progress.

WINNING

Once I have completed all the tasks or requirements of a mission, I will win that mission.