
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,051
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Dragon's Gold
- 3–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2001

2016
Rules assistance for HMS Dolores
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
HMS Dolores is a board game released in 2016 for 2–4 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Bruno Faidutti and Eric M. Lang and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Rock-Paper-Scissors.
Eric M. Lang and Bruno Faidutti have joined forces to create the ultimate prisoner's dilemma game. Do you cooperate and risk getting outsmarted by a greedy player? Or do you compete and risk losing everything? You are pirates who just looted a ship and must negotiate how to split the treasure. There are seven types of loot with values from 1 to 3. At the end of the game, you only score the treasure types you have the most and least of. On each turn, open four new treasures: two in front of you and two in front of your neighbour. Simultaneously decide how to split them. Choices: Peace (I want the 2 in front of me) War (I want them all) First pick (I want just one, pick first) If both players choose peace, split the loot evenly. If both choose war, lose all treasure. If both choose first pick, lose all treasure and one of your gained treasure columns. The game continues until the Dawn Card is drawn. 15 minutes!
HMS Dolores 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 HMS Dolores 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 HMS Dolores 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.
HMS Dolores has a complexity rating of 1.3 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.
HMS Dolores belongs to these categories: Card Game, Pirates, and Negotiation. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Rock-Paper-Scissors. 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 HMS Dolores are: Bruno Faidutti and Eric M. Lang. 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 HMS Dolores 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.