Combat is quick and simple. Add your tokens to the combat bag along with the defending tokens. Shake the bag and blindly draw three tokens out. Whoever has the majority of tokens is the winner.
Each round the direction of the wind can change. This can greatly affect the player's choices for the round. Sailing with the wind gives players a movement bonus. Sailing against the wind will cost more movement.
Each time a player sells at a market, it will change the value of resources for other players.
Be the first to sell to control the values for other players.
Two to six players can set sail on the ocean to try and gain the most money. Players will search out merchant ships or royal held islands and plunder them for supplies, treasure and money. With the supplies, the players can deliver them to nearby markets for selling to further increase their money. However, a captain's fortune is not safe until they can successfully bury it on the hidden island. Do not hold onto too much loot or another player may decide you are an easier way to grow their fortune.
Each player will have crew tokens to assign positions on their ship board in secret. When all players have made their assignments, everyone reveals their choices and whoever has the most speed will move first. Assignments depend on many factors including wind direction, nearby targets to attack, other players and the navy ships out on patrol.
Each round the merchants and navy move around on trade routes, while the King's islands produce more supplies to be sold at market. Each market has its own demands for the four different types of supplies and it changes as player's sell their ill-gotten goods. In addition, every round has shifting winds making every decision in every round impactful.
Will you go for the island that has a bunch of one resource in hopes the market demand is high? Or will you risk confrontation with the navy to steal from the merchant ships? Perhaps that other pirate ship is too encumbered by its own fortunes and is ripe for the taking. The choice is yours and each game has a different starting layout giving unending variety.
Date | Event | Location | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 27-29 | Meeple-a-thon | Hy-Vee Arena, 1800 Genessee St, Kansas City, MO 64102 | Search for "Scourge of the High Seas" in the event name. We have 12 sessions over three days scheduled. Pick your favorite time to demo the game. |
| December 6-8 | PAX Unplugged | Pennsylvania Convention Center 1101 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 | More info - https://unplugged.paxsite.com/ |
| March 23-25 2025 | Planet Comic Con | Kansas City Convention Center 301 West 13th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105 | Details to come |
Yes! It has been tested and demoed hundreds of times. It has been play tested by the KC Game Designers, at the Indianapolis Protospiel, Chicago Protospiel, St. Louis Protospiel. It has been demoed at Kantcon, Great Plains Game Fest, Meeple-a-thon, Midwest Gamefest, Origins and Gen Con.
You can play the demo online at Screentop.gg. There is version of the game up there for playing. If you play it, please let me know what you think! I am continually looking for new places to promote the game, look for it at future conventions. Or let me know where you would like to see the game and I will try to make it work.
Scourge will play anywhere from two to six players. and with more players, the competition for resources really gets heated. Games will last around 45-60 minutes for 2 players and around 2 hours for six players. The box will read 90-120 minutes to account for the usual 4-6 player time frame.
At this time there is not a solo version. While I would like to have one someday, it will be a free download if I get one working.