BASIC rULES

#1

RECRUIT WITH RINGS

To win a pirate battle, you need to recruit more ships with your Gold pieces than the opponent does with Silver pieces. If a number value is showing inside any of your rings then you’ve recruited that many pirate ships to fight for your side. Gold recruits two ships, above, because a value of 2 is showing inside the ring.

#2

MOVE A GOLD PIECE

On each turn, move one Gold piece from among your rings and coins. Any marked space on the board will hold up to one ring and one coin. Both then share that position, blocking other pieces from moving there, until a piece is moved away. Above, see how a Gold ring is moved to share a space with a Silver coin.

#3

DEFEND WITH COINS

If a coin is moved inside a ring then the number that was showing there is covered and that ring no longer recruits those ships. This demonstrates how coins are used for defense. You can also move a coin to a switchpoint, allowing you to convert any one of your pieces. Typically a player will switch coins to rings to recruit more ships.

#4

SWITCHING PIECES

Once a switch has been activated, you tap any of your four pieces to convert it: a ring becomes a coin; a coin becomes a ring. You cannot switch an opponent’s piece unless it shares a space with your own, in which case both pieces switch. This holds a lot of strategic importance. Learning to capitalize on switchpoints is a big part of the game.

#5

THE DREADNAY

The skull at the center of the board is the Dreadnay. Moving any piece there will initiate a pirate battle. Simply add up the numbers inside of Gold and Silver rings. These are the fleet scores for both players that determine how many pirate ships will sail into battle for each side.

#6

PIRaTE VICTORY

Gold wins if more ships are encircled, but that’s not always easy to accomplish because the scoring margins are usually close. Another way to win is to be the first player to force three ties on the Dreadnay. This tactic also creates an open lane to move rings through the middle—just one of many pirate secrets.

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