- BGG rank
- BGG #6,882
- BGG rating
- 7.1
War Galley: Naval Warfare in the Ancient World
- 1–2 players
- 360 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 1999
- BGG rank
- BGG #29,584
- BGG rating
- 4.7
Chicken of the Sea
1994
Rules assistance for Chicken of the Sea
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 60 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.1/5
Rules assistant for Chicken of the Sea
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Chicken of the Sea is a board game released in 1994 for 2 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Richard H. Berg and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Hexagon Grid.
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About the game
Chicken of the Sea is a game included in issue #3 of GameFix magazine. It's a wargame simulation of the battle of Drepanum, 249 BC (Rome vs Carthage). The title comes from a rather audacious act of the Roman admiral, Claudius the Handsome. He was told by the official augurs that the portents were not good for a naval battle: "the sacred chickens will not eat." Claudius threw the sacred chickens into the sea, saying "then let them drink." The game comes with 100 counters representing both ships and informational counters, an 11" x 17" map (28x43 cm), and eight pages of illustrated rules with sidebars. A small game by wargame standards. The basic sequence is mutual assignment of speed to galleys, Carthaginian ships move then board, and finally Roman ships move then board. Facing is important, ramming, fouling other ships and shearing oars are all possible. Melee fighting is common. There are optional command/control/formation rules. All in all, fairly low complexity as wargame simulations go.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- One Small Step
- Game Publications Group
Questions and answers
Chicken of the Sea 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 Chicken of the Sea 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 Chicken of the Sea 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.
Chicken of the Sea has a complexity rating of 2.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Chicken of the Sea belongs to these categories: Wargame, Nautical, and Ancient. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Hexagon Grid. 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 Chicken of the Sea are: Richard H. Berg. 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 Chicken of the Sea 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.