
- BGG rank
- BGG #15,650
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Tsukiji Market
- 2 players
- 10–20 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2025

2019
Rules assistance for 15 Men
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
15 Men is a board game released in 2019 for 2–5 players, 45–60 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Emanuele Briano and Alessandro Ciceri and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Auction / Bidding, and Variable Set-up.
In 15 Men (on a dead man's chest), a group of dangerous old sea dogs will dispute control of a sea vessel and its precious treasury. Who will win out in the end? The brave captain and his faithful companion, or the mutineers? 15 Men is an intrigue game in which the players carry out their roles in secret, while the captain tries to keep control of the vessel with the help of his guards and faithful sailors. During the game, each player tries to corrupt the sailors who have not yet taken a side, and each sailor has a unique ability that the one who corrupts them can use to change the cards on the table. Once all the doubloons have been spent, some pirates might be killed in a gunfight, then the team with more victory points takes control of the vessel, sending everyone else to the plank and the sharks waiting in the water below...
15 Men supports 2–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for 15 Men is 45–60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists 15 Men for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
15 Men has a complexity rating of 1.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
15 Men belongs to these categories: Card Game, Bluffing, and Pirates. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Auction / Bidding, and Variable Set-up. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of 15 Men are: Emanuele Briano and Alessandro Ciceri. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists 15 Men as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.