RATS: High Tea at Sea
RATS: High Tea at Sea Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
What You Need to Play
A game can be played by 2 to 6 players: over the internet, in the same place, or any combination of the two!
Each player needs their own copy of the game sheet. Print the sheets available at shutupandsitdown.com/rats or make your own sheet*, and then grab a pen or pencil.
Each player needs a pair of six-sided dice, or can ask another player to roll the dice for them.
*You can use a blank sheet of paper for the sheet: simply make a numbered list of the six supplies (1. Cocktail Swords, 2. Baubles, 3. Straw, 4. Crumbs, 5. Rags and 6. Flowers) and set aside extra space for dishes and decorations. Keep the original game sheet in view while you play.
Setup
Decide who will be the first Host. If there is an experienced player, choose them. Otherwise, who was the last person to attend a fancy party? The first Host must give the ship a name and welcome everyone aboard. The Host runs the game, making sure the other rats invited to the banquet are extremely polite.
All players except the Host secretly choose 2 units of one of the supplies. If this is your first game, choose any supply: they are all useful!
The Host receives the Host's Privilege: 1 unit of each supply. Each player records their supplies secretly during the game.
For first-time players, it is recommended to start the game immediately and play through a round step by step instead of reading the whole manual before playing.
How to Play
A game has five rounds. Each round consists of three steps:
[1] Roll a New Banquet Goal
At the start of each round, the Host rolls a pair of dice and consults the list of Banquet Goals on the game sheet.
The number rolled is a new Banquet Goal that will be used to determine scoring at the end of the game. Everyone circles that Goal on their sheets.
If the Host rolls a Goal that is already circled, they may choose any uncircled Goal.
Goals are scored at the end of the game. A new Goal is marked each round.
[2] Scavenge, Scavenge, Scavenge!
The Host rolls a pair of dice. One die will determine the type of supply, and the other, the quantity of the supply. Each rat individually chooses which die to use for the type and which die to use for the quantity of the chosen supply.
The Host announces the options, for example, "3 Rags or 5 bundles of Straw". Each player secretly decides which of the two options to use and adds the new supply to their collection. This process is carried out three times.
If the Host rolls doubles, each rat receives the number rolled in units of any supply.
Example:
- First scavenge: 2 and 4 (2 Crumbs or 4 Baubles)
- Second scavenge: 3 and 6 (3 Flowers or 6 bundles of Straw)
- Third scavenge: 5 and 5 (5 units of any supply)
[3] Out-Do the Host?
Starting with Cocktail Swords, the Host announces how many units of each supply they have. "The Host has 4 Cocktail Swords."
If you have more of that supply than the Host, politely announce how many units of that supply you have. "Terribly sorry, but I have 5 Swords." If you don't have more, or if you have the same amount, just say: "Rats!".
Each type of supply lets you take a different action (see Using Supplies).
When taking an action, you must use the full amount of the corresponding supply. Mark with an X the number showing the amount of the supply used.
If the Host ties with the other players or has the most of a given supply, the Host takes the corresponding action. Otherwise, all rats with more than the Host must take the action. However, if no one has scavenged any of a given supply, no one takes the action.
Using Supplies
[Die = 1] Cocktail Swords — "Request" Another Rat's Supplies
Mark your Swords with an X and politely ask another rat for a specific amount of a single supply.
If they have an amount equal to or greater than the amount requested, they must give you that amount (they subtract that number from their stock and you add it to yours). If they have less than the amount requested, they say "Rats" and you receive nothing.
You may not request supplies that a player has just received from another player this same round, but you may still request that same type of supply from other players.
If more than one rat can use Swords in a round, the one with the greatest amount takes the action first. In case of a tie, the Host decides the order. You must use your total number of Swords, even if you end up receiving nothing.
[Die = 2] Baubles — Gain 5 of Any Supply
Mark your Baubles with an X and receive 5 units of any supply.
[Die = 3] Straw — Build a Nest and Increase Your Scavenging
Cross out the number of bundles of Straw you have and secretly circle a nest to the left of one of the supplies. You may build only a single nest for each type of supply. Nests remain active until the end of the game.
When, in future rounds, you scavenge a supply whose nest is active, double the amount of that supply received. Nests only have an effect during the scavenging step (and not when using Swords or Baubles).
[Die = 4] Crumbs — Cook a Dish
Draw a circle in the dishes section of your sheet.
Mark your Crumbs with an X and write the number of Crumbs marked inside the circle you drew. This is the value of the dish.
[Die = 5] Rags — Sew a Decoration
Draw a diamond in the decorations section of your sheet.
Cross out the number of Rags you have and write that number inside the diamond you drew. This is the value of the decoration.
[Die = 6] Flowers — Dish or Decoration & New Host
Draw a circle in the dishes section or a diamond in the decorations section of your sheet.
Then cross out your Flowers and write that number inside the circle or diamond. This is the value of the dish or decoration.
The rat with the most Flowers becomes the new Host. If no one out-does the most recent Host, they remain in their role. If there is a tie between rats who out-did the Host, the Host decides which of them will be the new Host.
The rat who becomes Host immediately receives the Host's Privilege: 1 unit of each supply (unlike at setup, the other rats receive nothing). The Host puts on a fancy hat and everyone applauds.
End of the Game
The game ends after five rounds.
The last round begins when the fifth Goal is circled. After this last round, the rats have their banquet. The rat who held the role of Host at the end of the last round runs the Awards Ceremony, checking each circled Goal in ascending order to determine who has won prizes for each Goal. Each rat marks the medal icons on their sheet according to the number of medals received.
The rat with the highest score in each Goal wins 3 medals. If there is a tie for first place, each of the tied rats wins 3 medals. Whoever reaches second place wins 2 medals. All rats with lower scores win 1 medal. In the biggest-dish Goal, for example, you will receive at least 1 medal if you have cooked a dish.
The rat with the most medals is considered the most distinguished aboard and receives the ship's only lifeboat. In case of a tie, the last Host decides which of the winning rats deserves the lifeboat. Everyone applauds the winner.
Finally, the rat with the fewest medals flips a coin. If the coin shows heads? Congratulations! All the rats escape the ship into the cold water moments before it sinks. But if the coin shows tails? Send our condolences to the captain.
Banquet Goals: Clarifications
- 2 Cheap • fewest dishes and decorations: Count the number of dishes and decorations made, ignoring the value of each. Whoever scores nothing wins first place.
- 3 Composed • most matching dishes and/or decorations: Count the number of dishes and/or decorations of equal values. (Among the values 1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 7 there are five equal values.) You need at least two dishes and/or decorations of equal value to win a prize.
- 4 Greedy • biggest single dish: Compare the highest-value dishes of all players.
- 5 Refined • highest total dish value: Add up the values of all your dishes.
- 6 Generous • most dishes: Compare the numbers of dishes of all players, ignoring their values.
- 7 Plush • most NESTS: Compare the numbers of nests built by all players.
- 8 Swanky • most decorations: Compare the numbers of decorations of all players, ignoring their values.
- 9 Dapper • highest total decoration value: Add up the values of all your decorations.
- 10 Grandiose • biggest single decoration: Compare the highest-value decorations of all players.
- 11 Elegant • longest run of dishes and/or decorations: Compare the runs of dishes and/or decorations of consecutive values of all players. You need at least two dishes and/or decorations in sequence to win a prize.
- 12 Dainty • most small dishes and decorations: Count the number of dishes and decorations of value 3 or less.
Optional Expansion: Vocations
After you have played a few games of RATS, feel free to challenge your notions of good manners with this optional expansion that gives each rat a unique advantage over the others.
Setup
Each rat rolls a pair of dice (reroll in case of a tie). In descending order of numbers rolled, each rat chooses a vocation. There can be only one rat with each vocation in the game. The last to choose a vocation is also the first Host.
Using Your Vocation
Unless an action involves other players, use of the abilities granted by a vocation is secret. For example, the Banker does not tell the other players which supply they choose each round.
- Beggar: Each time you say "Rats!" for having fewer supplies than the Host, immediately receive 1 unit of any supply.
- Troublemaker: When using Cocktail Swords, you may request from another rat the total amount of a supply they have stocked.
- Carpenter: The nests you build triple the number of supplies received during the scavenging step.
- Purse Thief: Crumbs and Rags can be used to make either dishes or decorations. Add 2 units to the recorded value if you make dishes using Rags or decorations using Crumbs.
- Banker: Gain 3 units of any supply whenever a new player becomes Host (including when the first Host is selected during setup).
- Count: Start the game with a dish of value 1 and a decoration of value 2.
- Queen: When you are Host, select the Goal for that round instead of rolling the dice. You may also cancel the coin flip at the end of the game.
Banquet for Two?
Although the game is designed for 3 to 6 players, RATS can also be played by just 2. However, a warning: a 2-player game is particularly challenging and is not recommended for your first voyage.
Setup
At the start of the game, whoever is not the Host receives 2 extra units of any supply. For example, the player may decide to start the game with 2 bundles of Straw and 2 Rags.
During the Game
At the end of each round, when the Host receives the Host's Privilege, the player who is not the Host again gains the setup bonus: 2 units of two supplies of their choice.
Advanced Inventory
Once they gain some experience, many ruthless players like to record every twist of a game, in order to maximize their advantage over the other rats. Although in no way necessary for a satisfying game, the following suggestions should please particularly demanding rats.
Use a Column for Each Round
At the start of a new round, carry the supplies not used in the previous round over to the next column.
Note the Numbers Rolled in the Scavenging Step
Write the results of the three dice rolls in small numbers in the right-hand corner of each space. If the Host rolls 1 and 3, note the 3 in the space for Swords and the 1 in the space for Straw. If the Host rolls doubles, note the number rolled at the top of the column.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some Reminders
When taking an action, you must use up the supply that enables it — so don't forget to mark it with an X!
All unused supplies carry over to the next round.
The bonus of two units of any supply is received only during setup, not every round (unless there are only two players).
Nests Only Have an Effect During Scavenging
Doubling does not occur when using Cocktail Swords and Baubles or in any other way of obtaining supplies.
The Host Wins Ties
You must out-do the Host in order to use a supply. If you tie with the Host in number of supplies, the Host wins. In this case, just say "Rats!" — you don't need to announce how many units you have.
Everyone Who Out-Does the Host Takes the Action
Not just the rat with the most supplies. The only exception concerns the rat with the most Flowers, who becomes the new Host (but all rats with more Flowers than the Host make a dish or a decoration).
Winning Medals
If everyone ties on a given Goal, does everyone receive the same prize? Exactly. There can be ties for first and second place, and all tied players win the same number of medals. Whoever did not reach either of the top two places wins a single medal, as long as they scored in the Goal.
First Round
There is only one Goal so far, so what should I do? Lay the groundwork: stockpile supplies for later rounds; build a nest; cook a dish or sew a decoration — they will probably all be useful later.
Last Round
Is it worth building a nest in the final round? Not really — unless, of course, Plush is one of the selected Goals. And does it matter to become Host at the end of the game? Perhaps yes: the Host not only has the honour of running the Awards Ceremony, but also decides who wins the game and gets the lifeboat in case of a tie.