Ghost Pirates: Kickstarter Exclusive Cards
- 2 players
- 30 min
- 2012
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,365
- BGG rating
- 5.8
Ghost Pirates
2012
Rules assistance for Ghost Pirates
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 30 min
- 13+
- Complexity 1.4/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Ghost Pirates
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Ghost Pirates is a board game released in 2012 for 2 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Tim Rodriguez and its main mechanics are Area Movement and Dice Rolling.
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About the game
Ethereal pirates swarm back and forth over each other's ships as the seas toss in the midnight storm. The decks of each vessel shift in and out of reality as the fighting begins. One captain and crew will emerge triumphant, and the loser will be damned to stalk the bowels of Davy Jones' locker. Ghost Pirates is a tactical board game in which two ghost pirate Captains encounter each other on the high seas; based on old rivalries, grudges, or whatever it was that happened on Skull Island, they each turn broadside and lay-to. Each crew, following captain's orders, fights, fires cannons, and swarms their enemy's deck, attempting to force the other captain to walk the plank. Each player's turn consists of drawing a card, playing one or more cards to strengthen their ship and tactical position, moving your pirate crew, and finally, having them fight the foeman or take advantage and pillage the enemy’s ship. The goal of the game is to force your opponent’s captain to walk the plank. Gameplay is designed to emulate tactical melee battles with a unique dice mechanic that is easy to learn and quick to play, especially for beginning gamers. It bears certain similarities to wargames like Axis and Allies, but on a much smaller, more fast-paced scale. The components are 72 cards which build the play layout and form the draw deck, 34 crew tokens, and a small handful of pirate themed six-sided dice. Ghost Pirates was named to the 2014 GAMES 100 list, Honorable Mention, Family.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- (Web published)
- Brooklyn Indie Games
Questions and answers
Ghost Pirates 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 Ghost Pirates is 30 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 Ghost Pirates for ages 13 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.
Ghost Pirates has a complexity rating of 1.4 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.
Ghost Pirates belongs to these categories: Card Game, Wargame, and Dice. Its main mechanics are Area Movement and Dice Rolling. 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 Ghost Pirates are: Tim Rodriguez. 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 Ghost Pirates 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.