- BGG rank
- BGG #2,953
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Flying Colors
- 1–4 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2003
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Expansion for Under the Southern Cross: The South American Republics in the Age of the Fighting Sail
Flying Colors: Beat to Quarters, Vol IV
2023
Rules assistance for Flying Colors: Beat to Quarters, Vol IV
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–2 players
- 120–360 min
- 14+
Rules assistant for Flying Colors: Beat to Quarters, Vol IV
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Flying Colors: Beat to Quarters, Vol IV is an expansion for Under the Southern Cross: The South American Republics in the Age of the Fighting Sail released in 2023 for 1–2 players, 120–360 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Mike Nagel and its main mechanics are Hand Management.
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About the game
Beat to Quarters, Vol IV (Under the Southern Cross) is an official expansion to Under the Southern Cross by GMT Games, LLC and requires a copy of that game to play. One of the most common criticisms of the Flying Colors system is the clutter of status markers on the map and that they may detract from game play. This concern can be minimized somewhat by using status sheets and a handy pencil to keep track of things on paper. This, however, adds a separate record-keeping aspect that the design of the game goes out of its way to avoid. Beat to Quarters provides the ultimate way by which to keep track of the status of individual ships through the use of individual tracking cards that are kept conveniently near the map and that are laid out to conveniently hold a variety of status markers such as Broadsides Fired, Sail State, Rigging Damage, and Hull Damage. The cards are designed to be printed at a standard 3.5 by 2.5 inch size so that they can be slipped into card protectors for extended usage. Individual tracking cards are included for all 214 individually named ships included with Under the Southern Cross. But that’s not all! As a bonus, Beat to Quarters also includes the print-and-play components for an entirely new way to play Under the Southern Cross. Drawing from games such as Naval War, Modern Naval Battles, and (in particular) Enemy in Sight, Beat to Quarters can be played with just the ship tracking cards, a special set of markers and 8.5 x 11 inch tracking board, and the status markers from Blue Cross, White Ensign. The ship cards are organized into squadrons that maneuver and fire against the opposing fleet within a relatively small playing area. With Beat to Quarters, you can play the huge battles without the space requirements for several game maps. NOTE: This volume of Beat to Quarters only includes marker sheets for the Argentinian, Brazilian, Chilean, Colombian, Peruvian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Uruguayan fleets. With Beat to Quarters, you can either enhance or completely change your enjoyment of Under the Southern Cross! —description from the publisher
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Relative Range
Questions and answers
Flying Colors: Beat to Quarters, Vol IV supports 1–2 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 Flying Colors: Beat to Quarters, Vol IV is 120–360 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 Flying Colors: Beat to Quarters, Vol IV 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.
Flying Colors: Beat to Quarters, Vol IV belongs to these categories: Card Game, Wargame, and Print & Play. Its main mechanics are Hand Management. 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 Flying Colors: Beat to Quarters, Vol IV are: Mike Nagel. 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 Flying Colors: Beat to Quarters, Vol IV as an expansion for Under the Southern Cross: The South American Republics in the Age of the Fighting Sail. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Under the Southern Cross: The South American Republics in the Age of the Fighting Sail to use it. Check that your edition of Under the Southern Cross: The South American Republics in the Age of the Fighting Sail is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.