- BGG rank
- BGG #10,589
- BGG rating
- 6.2
San Francisco
- 3–5 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2000
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,600
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Corsairs
2000
Rules assistance for Corsairs
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.7/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Corsairs
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Corsairs is a board game released in 2000 for 2–4 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Thorsten Löpmann and Andreas Wetter and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Area Majority / Influence.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,410
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Plunder: A Pirate's Life
- 2–6 players
- 40–120 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,629
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Dead Man's Doubloons
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,317
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Warhammer Underworlds: Shadespire
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,125
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Warhammer Underworlds: Gnarlwood
- 2–4 players
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,032
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Warhammer Underworlds: Nethermaze
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #15,237
- BGG rating
- 8.1
Warhammer Underworlds: Deathgorge
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,962
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Meuterer
- 3–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2000
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,060
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Pirates Under Fire
- 2 players
- 25–35 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,365
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Islebound
- 2–4 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,316
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Ahoy
- 2–4 players
- 45–75 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,925
- BGG rating
- 7.2
The Last Bottle of Rum
- 2–5 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2021
About the game
Corsairs is essentially a card game where players attempt to assemble the correct combination of provisions in order to be able to board galleys, whilst possessing a strong enough crew in order to board the ship and fend off their opponents potential counterattacks. The game comes with 30 galleys tiles in five different colors. Four of these galleys are placed face-up on the table and are ripe for the taking. Each galley indicates the combination of provisions which must be played before a player can attempt to board it. In addition, each galley indicates the victory points it is worth, as well as the 'boarding' strength, which must be met or exceeded for it to fall prey to the pirates. Players are each dealt an initial hand of six cards, most of which depict one of six different types of provisions (water, bread, meat, rum, bananas or beans). In addition, several cards depict corsairs (pirates) with values ranging from 2 - 4. On their turn, players must play 3 cards. They may play them: a) beside a galley to begin amassing provision cards so as to eventually match the provision requirements indicated on the galley. b) to the discard pile, replacing them with cards chosen from rummaging through the discard pile c) 'fire a broadside' by playing any card to the discard pile and rolling dice. He may then steal matching provisions placed by the galley by other players. Once a player assembles all of the necessary provisions, he can attempt to board the ship. He needs to have enough corsairs, to add to the roll of two dice to beat the boarding value of the galley. Other players may also attempt to board the galley at the same time, and the one with the highest boarding value wins it. The others lose all the cards played next to the galley. A new galley is then made available. The winner is the player with most VP from galleys boarded. (precis from the review by gschloesser)
Designers
Publishers
- Rio Grande Games
- Hans im Glück
Questions and answers
Corsairs supports 2–4 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 Corsairs 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 Corsairs 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.
Corsairs has a complexity rating of 1.7 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.
Corsairs belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fighting, and Nautical. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Area Majority / Influence. 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 Corsairs are: Thorsten Löpmann and Andreas Wetter. 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 Corsairs 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.