- BGG rank
- BGG #5,211
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Cartagena 2. The Pirate's Nest
- 2–5 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2006
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,624
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Cartagena
2000
Rules assistance for Cartagena
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 45 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.6/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Cartagena
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Cartagena is a board game released in 2000 for 2–5 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Leo Colovini and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Race, and Track Movement.
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About the game
Cartagena takes as its theme the famous 1672 pirate-led jailbreak from the fortress of Cartagena. Each player has a group of six pirates, and you want to be the first to have all six escape through the tortuous underground passage that connects the fortress to the port, where a sloop is waiting for them. To move a pirate, you need to play a card from your hand. Each card bears one of six symbols (dagger, pirate hat, etc.), and when you play a card, you move one of your pirates forward to the next matching symbol in the tunnel, leapfrogging over matching symbols where another pirate already stands. The only way to get more cards, however, is to move backwards; more specifically, you move one of your pirates backwards to the first space that holds one or two pirates, drawing one or two cards after doing so. Each turn, you take 1-3 actions, whether moving forward or backward or both. When you move a pirate to the end of the track, it jumps on the sloop where it must await the other pirates in its crew. With every step toward victory, though, you have fewer and fewer pirates to move each turn, possibly locking you in to actions you don't want, so be sure to plan ahead and not leave yourself empty-handed!
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Devir
- Hobby World
- Tilsit
- Piatnik
- Winning Moves Germany
- Ravensburger AG
- Giochi Uniti
- Nordic Games ehf
- Rio Grande Games
- Corfix
- White Goblin Games
- Oya
- Venice Connection
- Identity Games International B.V.
Questions and answers
Cartagena 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 Cartagena is 45 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 Cartagena for ages 8 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.
Cartagena has a complexity rating of 1.6 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.
Cartagena belongs to these categories: Nautical and Pirates. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Race, and Track 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 Cartagena are: Leo Colovini. 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 Cartagena 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.