
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,074
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Condottiere
- 2–6 players
- 20–45 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 1995

Rules assistance for Gezanke auf der Planke!
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Gezanke auf der Planke! is a board game released in 2006 for 2–4 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 6 and up. It was designed by Dominique Ehrhard.
Description of the game from Spielbox: Gezanke auf der Planke is a three-dimensional family game by Dominique Handel that is already available. Pirates are afraid of water but today is bath day and they all have to go into the ocean. But nobody wants to. Because for pirates, the rules is: he who washes and saves, loses. Nobody wants to go into the water, and so there's a lot of pushing and shoving on the plank. Each tries to stay as far back on the plank as possible and push the others overboard. Finally, a large shark was also spotted happily circling the ship in anticipation. 16 pirates in four colors stand in rows and columns on the plank. Each player draws a counter out a bag that secretly indicates which his color is. Now each player tries to move the pirates such that at least one pirate of his color is left on board at the end of the game. Players may move all pirates of any color. On a player's turn, he first turns the wind rose. It chooses the first move - if two pirates are exchanged, for example, or move one pirate to the head, the end of the line, or one space forwards, or no action at all. Secondly, a full row of pirates is always pushed on space forwards. So, over the course of the game, pirates fall off the plank - and into the mouth of the waiting shark!
Gezanke auf der Planke! 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 Gezanke auf der Planke! is 20 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 Gezanke auf der Planke! for ages 6 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.
Gezanke auf der Planke! has a complexity rating of 1.1 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.
Gezanke auf der Planke! belongs to these categories: Pirates. Categories describe the theme, setting and style of a game rather than its rules. Filter the catalogue by the same category to find similar games when you enjoyed Gezanke auf der Planke! and want something comparable for your next game night.
The credited designers of Gezanke auf der Planke! are: Dominique Ehrhard. 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 Gezanke auf der Planke! 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.