Sail, Plunder, Sell, Bury

Three guys laughing and enjoying Scourge during a combat reveal

No Safe Habor

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.

Hidden Action Planning

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. 

Showing off the starting position of player's ships with a merchant ship in the foreground waiting to be attacked.
The market resources are set and ready to be sold.

Time Your Market Sell to Maximize Profit

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. 

No Two Games are the Same

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.

Players laughing and discussing how they plan to attack each other.

Component List

Player crew token

Player Specific Components

60

Pirate Crew Tokens

10 Per Player

6
Pirate Ships
6
Player Screens
6
Player Boards
6
Treasure Cards
1
First Player Marker
NPC crew token

Neutral Components

5
Merchant Tokens
5
Navy Ship Tokens
5
Neutral Defender Tokens (NPCs)
1
Bounty Hunter Token
Bounty Hunter ship token

Other Game Components

1
Map Board
1
Side Board
12
Resource Locations Tokens
(3 Sets of 4 Resources)
2
Market Locations
7
Crown Location Tokens
36
Treasure Cards
52
Resources Tokens
2
Cloth Bags
90
Coins
1
Die
1
Wind Direction Arrow

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Upcoming Demo Schedule

Date
Event
Location
Link
August 7-9, 2026TFest16100 Impact Way, Pflugerville, TX 78660, USA
https://tabletop.events/conventions/tfest-2026
July 16th-19th 2026KantconOverland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, KS
May 21-25, 2026BGG Spring2334 N International Pkwy, Dallas, TX 75261
https://tabletop.events/conventions/bgg.spring-2026
April 23-26, 2026Midwest Gamefest18011 Bass Pro Drive, Independence, MO 64055
March 1-5, 2026GAMA Expo 221 South Fourth Street,  Louisville,  Kentucky  40202
https://www.gama.org/general/custom.asp?page=gama-expo
November 14-16 2025Meeple-a-thonOverland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, KS
August 8-10 2025TFestCourtyard Austin Pflugerville and Pflugerville Conference Center
June 26-29 2025KantconOverland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, KS
December 6-8PAX UpluggedPennsylvania Convention Center
1101 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107

September 27-29Meeple-a-thonHy-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 6-8PAX UnpluggedPennsylvania Convention Center
1101 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
March 23-25 2025Planet Comic ConKansas City Convention Center
301 West 13th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105
Details to come

FAQ

Most commonly asked questions

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. For 2-players, there is an automaton rule set located on the back of the rule book. 

Play Time by Player Count

  • 2-4 players around 60 minutes
  • 5-6 players 90-120 minutes

Yes! The rule book has been uploaded to BGG. You can view it at this link

Scourge of the High Seas Rule Book

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.