Cartagena: Die Meuterei
Cartagena: Die Meuterei Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game materials
Game board 10 sailor figures with the values 1 to 10 under the bases (before the first game the numerical values must be stuck under the figures). 1 ship figure 13 Pirate cards (large) 8 conviction cards (large), 2 each in the player colors red, blue, green and yellow 40 combat cards (small), in the values 1 to 3 in pink and grey 4 mascot cards (small), 1 each in the player colors red, blue, green and yellow 18 gold cards (small) with the values 1 to 3 30 gold coins, each worth 1 Rules
Idea of the game
The players are on the pirate ship, which is sailing from the gold island. On the way, they visit different pirates in their cabins in order to prepare for a forthcoming mutiny, which will come at the end of the voyage. From the pirates they receive valuable information, combat cards or gold. While playing each player must decide on whose side he will fight, because at the end of the play, the crew will demand Ramon Diaz fight Captain Valverde. The players now have opportunities to affect the outcome of the mutiny in their favor. Each player who picks the victorious side has a chance to win the game.
Preparation
The game board is put in the middle of the table.
Each player receives: • 2 combat cards, each with the value 1 in the colors pink and grey, which he puts face down in front of him. (The pink cards represent Captain Valverde, the grey cards Ramon Diaz; Combat cards are important, in that they affect the outcome of the mutiny. Therefore, players should collect a sufficient number of them.) • 2 conviction cards in the player’s color. He puts both cards face down in front of him. (With them the players specify during the game which side they want to fight on, Captain Valverde or Ramon Diaz.) • 1 mascot card in the player’s color (The mascot card has the same back as the combat cards and is set aside at first. The mascot is only needed during the mutiny.) • 1 gold coin, which he puts in front of him.
Now the game materials are distributed on the board: • The remaining combat cards are thoroughly shuffled and put face down in a pile on the volcanic island. • All gold cards are shuffled likewise and put face down in a pile on the treasure island. • The remaining gold coins are placed on the gold island. • The sailor figures are mixed up so that no one knows the values under their bases. Then they are distributed randomly on the ship’s deck (however, not on an upper deck or a letter space). • The ship figure is placed on its launching field, which depends on the number of players. With 2 players, it starts on the volcanic island; with 3 players, the treasure island; and with 4 players, the gold island. • In a game with 2 or 3 players, unused conviction cards and mascots are put back in the box.
The oldest player receives the 13 pirate cards and begins the game. He becomes the “giver” in the first round.
Summary of play
The players use their conviction cards to put themselves on the victorious side of the mutiny. If, at the end, several players chose the victorious side, the player with the most gold wins!
Play
The game is played in two phases: First the voyage (A), and afterwards the mutiny (B).
A: The voyage
The voyage runs over several rounds. At the beginning of each round, the current “giver” takes all the pirates cards, shuffles them and lays a row of facedown cards in front of him. He lays out as many cards as players, plus 3 (e.g. with 4 players, 7 cards). He passes the remaining cards to his left neighbor, who puts these cards face down in a pile in front of him. He becomes the “giver” in the next round.
Per round, each player uses exactly one pirate card. Then the next round follows.
The card backs of the laid-out cards symbolize the cabin doors, which the players will open in the current round. At the beginning of a round, the “giver” uncovers the first card of the laid-out row. Then he has the following choice:
- He uses the action of the uncovered card. With that, his turn ends.
- He does not use the action of the card and uncovers a further card. Now he can use the action of the newly uncovered card and end his turn, or uncover a further card. If he decides to uncover a further card, he may not use previously uncovered cards any longer. In addition, the player can keep turning over cards, until he uncovers the last card, which he then must use.
- Exception: If “Ghost” is uncovered, he must be “used” by the player. His turn ends immediately, without the player receiving an action.
As soon as a player uses a card, it is the next player’s turn. If there are any uncovered cards in the row, then this player may use one of these cards for himself. In this case, the “giver” does not uncover a new card for him. If the active player does not want to use one of the uncovered cards, the “giver” must turn over a new card. Now the same rules apply to this player as they did to the “giver.”
As soon as a card is used, it is taken by the “giver” from the row and given to his left neighbor, who puts it on the pile lying before him. Nobody can use this card again.
After each player selects a card, the round ends and the ship moves as many spaces as there were uncovered cards. Thus the course of the ship varies between 0 to 3 spaces.
Tip: In order to create the suitable atmosphere, the active player knocks on the table if he wants to enter the next cabin. The “giver” then uncovers the next card. If a player wants to use an already face-up card, then he says the name of the pirate and receives the appropriate action.
After each player selects a card and the ship has moved, the position of the “giver” changes to the next player in clockwise order. The new “giver” shuffles all the pirate cards and lays a row of cards out. He is now the first player to receive an action in this round.
Storm
If the ship moves onto or over a storm space during the voyage, then a pirate becomes seasick. Before he lays the card row out, the next “giver” removes a card from the pile and puts face up in the ship's lifeboat. At the next storm space a pirate card is again removed and exchanged with the card in the lifeboat. Thus, starting with the first storm space, only 12 instead of 13 pirate cards are in play.
Mutiny
At the end of the voyage comes the mutiny. It takes place under the following conditions:
- The ship reaches the mutiny space at the end of the movement track.
- At the end of a complete round, the supply of combat cards, gold cards or gold coins is used up.
B: The mutiny
Exclusion
Only players who specified their conviction can participate in the Mutiny. Anyone who did not do this is out of the game and cannot win. Note: None of the other players may uncover their conviction card!
Preparation
• If all dueling sailors are not specified yet (see action of Cambivalute), do so now. On the pairs of spaces “A - A,” “B - B,” etc., all sailor figures not yet placed are distributed randomly. No player may look at the values of the individual figures. • Each player now takes his combat cards collected during the voyage and his mascot in his hand. • The pirate card in the lifeboat is also put to the side.
Goal of the mutiny
As soon as one side (Captain Valverde or Ramon Diaz) wins three sailor duels, it has won the mutiny.
The sailor duels
First the combat strength of the two sailors in the duel is determined. In the first duel the two sailors on the A-spaces face each other. The combat value under the base of the respective figures is checked. Then the figures are placed on the appropriate value spaces on their respective sides.
Then the players may modify these combat values over several rounds. In each round, each player plays exactly one of his combat cards face down on the ship deck. After each player plays a card, the oldest player mixes these cards, uncovers them individually and assigns them to the appropriate side. The combat cards in pink are assigned to the Captain Valverde side, the grey combat cards to the Ramon Diaz side. Then the oldest player announces the current combat effectiveness of both sides, which is the sum of the combat value of the sailor and all combat cards played for its side. The duel then goes into a second round.
Example: (Illustrated on page 3 of the German rules) After the first combat round, the score is 10-9 in favor of Ramon Diaz. The duel goes now into further rounds.
Beginning with the second round each player may play his mascot (same back as the combat cards). The mascot does not have a combat strength, but does have two effects:
- The player withdraws himself from the current duel. He may play no more combat cards in further rounds of this duel.
- His mascot (possibly) steals a gold coin: • a coin from any opponent, if the player is the only one who played his mascot. • a gold coin from the supply at gold island, if several players played their mascots together.
If a player plays his mascot in later rounds (after the second), then he receives no gold coin. He still withdraws himself, however, from the current duel.
After each player has played his mascot, the duel is terminated and it is evaluated: • The side (pink = Captain Valverde, grey = Ramon Diaz) with the highest total value wins. In case of a tie, the higher total value of the combat cards decides. • The winning sailor is placed on the upper deck of its side (Captain Valverde = ship’s wheel; Ramon Diaz = anchor). The losing sailor goes to the lifeboat.
Important: If anyone plays his mascot in the first round of a duel, he is out of the game and cannot win! (Thus a player should collect at least 5 combat cards, one per duel.)
Before the next duel, the laid-out combat cards are cleared and removed from the game. Each player takes his mascot back in his hand. The further duels are played like the first, in alphabetical order. After the “A -A” duel comes the “B - B” duel, etc.
Mutiny victory
The duels continue until one side obtains three victories. On the appropriate ship side, three sailors will stand on the upper deck!
Ending the game and determining the winner
At the end of the mutiny, all players uncover their conviction card that was pushed under the board: • If only one player chose the victorious side, he wins the game! • If several players chose the victorious side, which is often the case, then the player with the most gold wins. The players add the coins on their collected gold cards (value 1 to 3) and their gold coins (value 1) together. In case of a tie, the tying player who has the highest total value of his remaining combat cards in the winning side’s color wins. If there is still a tie, there are several winners. • If no player chose the victorious side, there is no winner.
Shortages
- If, during the voyage, the supply of combat cards, gold cards or gold coins is used up, the mutiny begins at the end of this round. If players were to receive combat cards, gold cards or coins before, they go empty handed.
- If, however, during the mutiny, the supply of gold coins on the gold island is insufficient, but still must be assigned because mascots stole gold coins, then the supply is replenished. In this situation, each player gives a coin from his own supply back to the gold island. After that, the gold from this supply only is disbursed.
Actions of the pirate cards
Captain Valverde: The player receives the top card from the gold-card deck and a gold coin. Gold cards remain face down in front of him.
Ramon Diaz: The player looks at the top gold card and the top combat card and selects one, which he puts face down in front of him. He puts the other card face down under the respective pile.
Crackpott: The player receives the two top combat cards from the pile.
Tembo: The player looks at the two top combat cards, keeps one and puts the other one face down under the pile.
Wessel-Jan: The player can exchange 0 to 3 of his combat cards. He puts the desired number of cards under the pile and then draws the same number of cards from the top of the pile. (Tip: In this way, he can optimize his combat cards!)
Dean Nero: The player trades, one for one, 0 to 3 of his combat cards for gold coins or 0 to 3 gold coins for combat cards. The values on the combat cards play no role. Gold cards cannot be exchanged. Surrendered combat cards are placed under the pile, while gold coins are returned to gold island.
Pang: The player can draw either the top combat card from the pile or take a gold coin from the supply.
Chang Ye: The player can steal a gold coin (not gold card) from a fellow player! If no player possesses a gold coin, he cannot steal.
Satè: The player receives a gold coin. If the player does not take the coin and uncovers a further card, the next player is offered one extra gold coin. If this player doesn’t take Satè, still one more gold coin is offered to the next player. (Tip: Whoever does not take this card makes it more valuable for following players!)
Bijoux: 1) The player decides which side (Captain Valverde or Ramon Diaz) to take in the mutiny. In addition, he pushes the appropriate conviction card face down halfway under the board. 2) If the player already specified his conviction, he may change his conviction card, or at least bluff and make it appear as if he changed it! (Tip: Without choosing a conviction, one cannot win!)
Ojo: 1) The player specifies his conviction, as for Bijoux. 2) If the player already specified his conviction, he may look at the chosen conviction card of a fellow player! (Tip: Strategically, it is good it to know which players will fight on which side.)
Cambivalute: 1) The player takes two sailors on the ship deck, looks at their values and places them on two corresponding letter spaces (first A -A, then B - B, etc.). 2) If all 5 duel pairs are placed, he may look at the combat values of any duel pair. Afterwards, the sailors are reset. He may even exchange the positions of these two sailors.
Ghost: The player who meets the Ghost must end his turn immediately without an action. (Tip: As long as the Ghost is not revealed, this danger always threatens!)