Captains of the Golden Age Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Contents
• Start of the Game
  • Preparation
  • Decide on Game Length
  • Goal of the Game
• A Player’s Turn
  • Phase 1: The Sail Phase
  • Phase 2: The Combat Phase
  • Phase 3: The Harbor Phase
  • Phase 4: The Card Phase
• The 17 Shares
  • Shares
• The Gameboard
  • Clothweaver Island
  • The Republic
  • Rumdistiller Island
  • Smuggler’s Cove
  • Coppersmelter Island
  • The Orient
  • Sawmill Island
• A Player’s Ship
  • Segments
  • The Captain
  • The Share-Shelf
• Reinforcement Cards
• The Pirate
  • The Pirate’s Spyglass

Game Contents

• 4x Ships
• 4x Captains
• 1x Game Board
• 4x Ship Pawn
• 1x Pirate’s Spyglass
• 80x Reinforcement Cards
• 80x Ship Segments
• 60x Cargo
• 17x Shares
• 15x Pepper

Start of the Game

Preparation

Start by laying out the game board. Place the 17 shares near the Republic, the black pieces (pepper) on the Orient, the yellow pieces (cloth) on Clothweaver Island, the blue pieces (rum) on Rumdistiller Island, the red pieces (copper) on Coppersmelter Island and the green pieces (wood) on Sawmill Island. Place the pirate’s spyglass somewhere near the game board.

The youngest player starts by choosing a ship pawn and places it on Smugglers Cove (the middle Island). After this all players follow in a clockwise order choosing their ships.

• Each player places the ship board that corresponds with the color of the chosen ship in front of him or her.
• Each player takes the captain card that goes with their ship and places it on their ship face-up.
• Each player takes the twenty reinforcement cards of his or her color, forming their deck.
• Each player takes one reinforcement card of each type (so four in total) in their hand.
• Each player takes the twenty ship segments of his or her color and places them near the ship board.
• Each player places one ship segment of each type next to its depiction on their ship board, face-up. (Use the ship segments that cost three resources for this, costs are depicted on the backside of the segment)

Now the youngest player can start his or her turn, after which the other players follow in a clockwise order.

Decide on Game Length

Starting with a larger ship can shorten the length of the game significantly. For a short game players can, for instance, start with the two most expensive ship segments already. Or, for a longer game, with one or two of the cheaper segments. This way you can decide the game length yourself! This is allowed as long as all players start with the same starting segments on their ships.

Goal of the Game

The first player who owns four shares immediately wins the game.

A Player’s Turn

Each player’s turn consists of four phases. Only the sail phase is mandatory; the rest of the phases may be skipped if they are not relevant (depending on where you sail during the sail phase) but they are always resolved in the following order:

Sail → Combat → Harbor → Cards

Phase 1: The Sail Phase

Every turn starts with the sail phase where you move your ship across the gameboard. You may sail a maximum of one tile per sail segment on your ship and an additional tile per sail card you choose to play. Players have to end their sail phase on a different tile from where they started. (A tile is an area on the game board separated from other areas by white lines.)

You may sail across multiple sea tiles but you may only sail to land tiles, not across them. Land tiles may be entered and exited on all sides. Only two ships may be on the same tile simultaneously, except for on the Republic, the Orient, and Smuggler’s Cove where any number of ships is allowed.

Phase 2: The Combat Phase

When you sail to a tile with another player on it, you may now choose to attack that player (except in The Orient and The Republic) either by boarding with your crew or by bombarding with your cannons. You start combat by using your captain card (turning it face-down), if your captain is already turned face-down you cannot attack until he or she has rested again (turned face-up) in the Orient or the Republic. The defending player automatically defends against the chosen type of attack, even if their captain is tired (face-down). During combat, both players may play reinforcement cards to temporarily increase their numbers, and change the tide of battle. There is no required order for playing cards, both players may play cards whenever they want: they may even choose to decline to play cards at first but do so anyway after the other player does. The outcome of combat is determined after both players are done playing cards. The player with the most segments and played reinforcement cards of the chosen type combined wins. In case of a draw, nothing happens. After the attack, even if you chose not to attack, all player(s) on the tile (with face-up captains) may choose to attack you as well! (In clockwise order, starting with the player to the left of the player whose turn it is.)

Boarding with Crew: When you choose to attack another player with your crew, you try to board their ship and steal their cargo. The player with most crew (crew segments and crew cards combined) wins and chooses one cargo per crew difference to steal from the losing player’s cargo holds.

Bombarding with Cannons: When you attack another player with your cannons, you try to damage their ship. The player with the most cannons (cannon segments and cannon cards combined) wins and damages one segment of their choice on the losing player’s ship per cannon difference. (The rightmost segments are damaged first, with damage progressing to the left.) Damaged segments are turned face-down and no longer function. The segments on the far left (printed on the ship board) can’t be damaged. If the losing player has any cargo hold cards on the table, these may be destroyed by a cannon instead of a segment if the player who won chooses to. If a cargo hold card is destroyed or a cargo hold segment is damaged, any cargo stored on it is lost at sea unless the attacker loads it onto their ship.

Phase 3: The Harbor Phase

If a player sailed to one of the seven land tiles on the game board during their sail phase, they may now take the action(s) described below (and on the next page) on that land.

The 4 Resource Islands: If you sailed to one of the four resource islands during the sail phase you may load resources of the type produced by the island equal to the number of hand icons depicted below your rightmost (undamaged) cargo hold segment.

Loading a resource is done by placing it on top of any empty (and undamaged) cargo hold segment or on top of a newly played cargo hold reinforcement card. You may throw some of your cargo overboard (return it to the bank) to make room.

The player who currently has the Pirate’s Spyglass may reveal it as soon as another player starts to load cargo to show that the Pirate is at that resource island. The Pirate may steal all resources that player may load from the island; if the Pirate chooses to only load some of the cargo, the victim gets to keep the rest.

Smuggler’s Cove: Here you may hire the Notorious Pirate to block one of the four resource islands. Take his Spyglass to secretly turn it onto the island of your choice and put it face-down on the table. You may trade one resource or pepper for one resource of your choice (not pepper) here as well.

The Republic: Here your captain may rest (turn face-up) and you may repair (turn face-up) all damaged segments on your ship for free.

You may build ship segments. Pay the cost in resources (return them to the bank) that is printed on the back of each segment you wish to buy.

You may buy shares in exchange for pepper. (The cost is depicted on the share-shelf slot you wish to place the share on after you purchase it.)

The Orient: Here your captain may rest (turn face-up) and you may repair (turn face-up) all damaged segments on your ship for free.

You may build ship segments. Pay the cost in resources (return them to the bank) that is printed on the back of each segment you wish to buy.

You may trade resources for pepper. (Any type(s) and amount of resources may be traded for the same amount of pepper.)

Phase 4: The Card Phase

During the last phase of your turn you may choose the cards (if any) you have earned this turn.

After you have chosen the card(s) you earned this turn, your turn ends and the next player’s turn begins. You can earn cards in three ways:

• By ending your sail phase on a sea tile.
• By resting your captain (turn face-up) in the Republic or the Orient.
• By buying a share in the Republic with a reinforcement card icon depicted on it.

The 17 Shares

Each share represents a member of ‘The Lords XVII’, the seventeen rulers of the mighty Trading Company. Several coastal cities united themselves and formed the Mighty Trading Company, which was soon granted exclusive rights to trade in the Orient by the government of the Republic. Shares were published to fund the costly expeditions to the Orient and investors stood to make a fortune when their ship returned with a cargo hold full of pepper or other spices such as nutmeg and cloves. The perilous journey took months or even years and wasn’t without hardship from war, hunger, pirates, and of course bad weather.

Shares

Shares are the only way to be victorious in this game; the first player to own four shares immediately wins! Shares can be bought with pepper in the Republic. You may choose which share you buy; this is important because shares give a different one-time bonus when you buy them. Don’t wait too long before you start to buy shares with pepper—otherwise your opponents will have already bought the ones with the best bonuses.

8 Single Bonus Shares: These eight shares can only be bought with pepper. Four of them give you the resource depicted on them, two give you control of the Pirate’s Spyglass, and the last two give you a reinforcement card of your choice.

5 Double Bonus Shares: These five shares can only be bought with pepper, and all of them give you a reinforcement card of your choice. Four of them also give you the resource depicted on them, and the last one also gives you control over the Pirate’s Spyglass.

4 Segment Shares: The first player who owns six ship segments of a single type immediately gets the segment share of that segment type for free. Place the segment share on the leftmost empty slot of your share-shelf. (Once earned, players get to keep segment shares until the end of the game.)

The Gameboard

During the game you’ll sail across this game board, which depicts parts of Europe and Asia during the 17th century. The game board is composed of sea tiles but has seven land tiles as well; these are explained in detail below and on the page to the right. You can sail through sea tiles but not through lands. If you sail to a sea tile you may choose a reinforcement card from your deck and put it into your hand at end of turn. A maximum of two player ships is allowed per tile, except on the Republic, the Orient and on Smuggler’s Cove; these have no limit.

Clothweaver Island

Cotton grown on this island is weaved into the toughest cloths by an advanced weaving-loom, powered by windmill. Workers wash each cloth and hang it out to dry at the shore. You can use these to buy sails or crew, or you can trade them.

The Republic

The global trade center and a true haven for philosophers, artists, and scientists. The headquarters of the Mighty Trading Company is located here; therefore it’s the only place where you can buy shares in exchange for pepper from the Orient. At the huge ship wharf you can buy segments and repair your ship for free. In one of the many inns or taverns your captain can recover from the latest battle and earn a reinforcement card for you while doing so. Peace and quiet are firmly guarded by the many guilds of watchmen; therefore players may not attack each other here.

Rumdistiller Island

So this is where that delicious rum comes from! On the local islands they grow the juiciest sugar cane, ferment and distill it, then let it ripen in oaken barrels. You can use these barrels of rum to buy cannons or crew, or you can trade them.

Smuggler’s Cove

For those who dare this is the perfect place to haggle with all kinds of shady figures. They don’t have pepper but you can trade one resource for another resource here. Deep inside the shipwreck is a dark tavern where the Notorious Pirate lurks. You can use his spyglass to select a resource island where he will set his next ambush. If another player sails there, the pirate will steal his/her income and give this bounty to you!

Coppersmelter Island

Here mine carts continuously transport copper ore from the volcano’s mine to the smelter. Workers with fire-proof hands cast it into ingots of pure copper. You can use these to buy cannons or cargo holds, or you can trade them.

The Orient

This region was chosen by the Mighty Trading Company as their staple market and headquarters in the East. You can load your cargo hold full of pepper at the delicious smelling spice market, that is, if you have an equal amount of resources to trade for it. A top notch ship wharf is located on the shore, where you can buy segments and fully repair your ship for free. Your captain can recover from the latest battle in one of the many bathhouses or coffee places and earn a reinforcement card for you while doing so. Peace and quiet are strictly enforced by the fortress’ regiment; therefore players may not attack each other here.

Sawmill Island

Here tough woodcutters are working day in day out, felling the biggest trees. A pair of trusty oxen transport the trees to the sawmill, which cuts them into the straightest wood planks. You can use these to buy sails or cargo holds, or you can trade them.

A Player’s Ship

Your ship is your home, your castle, your floating city. It’s where your captain and crew live and where you store your pepper and resources. Every share you acquire is kept safe and dry on a shelf at the back of the captain’s cabin.

Segments

There are four segment types: sails, crew, cannons, and cargo holds. Each ship has one segment of every type already printed on it; in addition to this all players have five segments of each type that they can buy during the game. To buy a segment, your ship needs to be in the Republic or the Orient during your turn, and you’ll need to pay the cost in resources that is printed on its backside. Afterwards, simply add the segment next in line from left to right.

If a segment becomes damaged (by a cannon) during the game (the ones printed on your ship can’t be), it has to be turned face down (the backside with its price now visible). Damaged segments no longer function but you can repair them all (turn them face up) for free if your ship is in the Republic or the Orient during your turn.

Sails: Sails are necessary to move across the game board. Each sail on your ship allows you to move one tile at the start of each of your turns. You don’t have to move as many tiles as you have sails, but you must move at least one tile.

Crew: Your crew can board the ship of another player if it’s on the same tile. Every crew you have over the losing player’s crew steals one cargo of your choice from that player’s cargo holds.

Cannons: You can attack the ship of another player with your cannons if it’s on the same tile. Every cannon you have over the number of the losing player’s cannons damages one segment of your choice on that player’s ship. You have to damage segments from right to left. (Printed segments can’t be damaged.) If you damage a cargo hold with cargo on it you may take the cargo.

Cargo Holds: Each cargo hold on your ship can store one cloth, copper, pepper, rum, or wood. To do so, place the cargo on top of an empty cargo hold. If a cargo hold with cargo on it becomes damaged (by a cannon), the cargo falls out and may be picked up by the attacker or is lost. Cargo holds also determine how many resources you may take each time you visit a resource island. The symbol of a hand (income) shows that you may take one resource with one or two cargo holds, two resources with three or four cargo holds, and three resources with five or six cargo holds. (Only if undamaged.)

The Captain

There are four captains in the game, they are the Extraordinary Explorer on his yellow Galleon, the Pesky Privateer on her blue Junker, the Brutal Buccaneer on his red Frigate and the Mighty Merchant on his green East-Indiaman. Your captain is represented by the captain card, which you place face up on your ship at the start of the game. During the game you will need your captain card to be able to attack a players’ ship that is on the same tile as yours. To do so, turn your captain card facedown, your captain may rest (turn it face up) again in the Republic or the Orient. The back of the captain card has a reinforcement card symbol on it, meaning that when you turn it face up in the Republic or the Orient you may choose a reinforcement card from your deck and put it into your hand.

The Share-Shelf

Here you’ll store the shares you buy or earn during the game. Each share represents one of the seventeen rulers of the Mighty Trading Company. If you manage to fill all four slots of the share-shelf, you immediately win the game. When you buy a share, you must choose which empty slot you’ll place it on and pay the amount of pepper that is depicted on the bottom of it.

Reinforcement Cards

There are three ways to get a reinforcement card while you play Captains of the Golden Age: by sailing to a sea tile, by resting your captain, or by buying a share with the icon of a reinforcement card on it. You may always choose cards yourself. As soon as you have chosen your card(s), your turn ends. (Cards cannot be played in the same turn they are received.)

There are four types of reinforcement cards: Sail, Crew, Cannon, and Cargo hold. Each player has a deck of twenty cards (five cards of each type). The maximum number of cards you may hold in your hand is seven. (If you have a full hand and get a card, you may only keep it if you first return a card from your hand to your deck.) Other players are not allowed to see what cards you have in your hand and in your deck, but they are allowed to know how many cards are in your hand.

Played cards are returned to their owners’ decks at the end of each phase. (Cargo hold cards with cargo on them are an exception, see below.)

Sail Cards: Sail cards may be played when sailing. When you play a sail card, you may sail one additional tile.

Crew Cards: Crew cards may be played during the combat phase by players who are attacking or defending with their crew segments. When you play a crew card, your total number of crew is increased by one for the rest of the combat phase.

Cannon Cards: Cannon cards may be played during the combat phase, by players who are attacking or defending with their cannon segments. When you play a cannon card, your total number of cannons is increased by one for the rest of the combat phase.

Cargo Hold Cards: Cargo hold cards may be played when loading cargo. When you play a cargo hold card, put it on the table near your cargo hold segments and load one cargo on top of it. You have to return the cargo hold card to your deck when you buy something with the cargo, trade the cargo, another player steals the cargo with their crew, or if the card is destroyed by a cannon attack.

The Pirate

The Notorious Pirate can be hired at the Smuggler’s Cove Inn, located deep inside the shipwreck, where he usually enjoys a mug of rum, cheats at cards, or gets into a bar fight. His fast ship with its black sails has been spotted lurking near every island, but it always avoids major harbors and never stays out at sea. According to some it is actually the ghost ship known as ‘The Flying Dutchman’ because it seems to appear out of nowhere.

The Pirate’s Spyglass

When you sail to Smuggler’s Cove (or you buy a share with a pirate flag on it), you hire the notorious pirate. Take his spyglass and turn it to secretly select one of the four resource islands, then put it on the table face-down.

As soon as an unsuspecting player sails to the resource island you selected, you may reveal the spyglass to show that the pirate is blocking that island. If you do, you may steal all of the resources that player may load from the island.

If your cargo holds are full, you may throw cargo overboard (return it to the bank) and/or play cargo hold cards to make room. Resources you do not store are still received by the blocked player.

After you blocked someone with the pirate you turn the spyglass again to secretly select one of the four resource islands.

If you already have the spyglass and sail to Smuggler’s Cove (or buy a share with a pirate flag on it), you may turn it again.

As soon as another player sails to Smuggler’s Cove (or buys a share with a pirate flag on it), give the spyglass to him or her.