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Broadsides & Boarding Parties
1982
Rules assistance for Broadsides & Boarding Parties
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 60 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.8/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Broadsides & Boarding Parties
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Broadsides & Boarding Parties is a board game released in 1982 for 2 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Larry Harris, Jr. and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Point to Point Movement.
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About the game
Broadsides and Boarding Parties was the first title in Milton Bradley's Gamemaster series of games. It is a light tactical war game during the age of sail where two ships face off against one another on the sea. There are basically two layers to the game, the broadsides portion in which players plot their movement with a deck of cards, attempting to maneuver their ships in such a way that they can fire a volley of cannon balls at the opponent while minimizing the risk of return fire. The second layer of the game begins when the movement of ships results in them bumping into one another. In these instances the Boarding Parties portion comes into play. Here players line up their ships next to one another and attempt to storm the other ship and kill the opposing captain. Players can only move a limited amount of their units each turn and so some planning is required to hem in the opposing captain. The components for the game are quite elaborate. Each player is given a fully detailed plastic ship about a foot long with removable masts. Also, each player is given a whole crew of little plastic pirate figures, cannon, and captain. Lastly the board is full color and styled in the period. Note that the first edition was published in 1982 by Larry Harris, Jr. (Citadel Game Systems) and came in a box similar in size to the Games Workshop Ltd. or The Avalon Hill Game Co games. There are no elaborate plastic ships, cannons or playing pieces in the original edition, though. You get paper maps and cardboard counters.
Designers
Publishers
- Milton Bradley
- Citadel's Game Series (CGS)
Questions and answers
Broadsides & Boarding Parties supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Broadsides & Boarding Parties is 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 Broadsides & Boarding Parties for ages 10 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.
Broadsides & Boarding Parties has a complexity rating of 1.8 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.
Broadsides & Boarding Parties belongs to these categories: Wargame, Nautical, and Pirates. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Point to Point Movement. 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 Broadsides & Boarding Parties are: Larry Harris, Jr.. 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 Broadsides & Boarding Parties 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.