- BGG rank
- BGG #2,452
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Lifeboats
- 3–6 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 1993
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,058
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Lifeboats: Plank of Carneades
2024
Rules assistance for Lifeboats: Plank of Carneades
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–7 players
- 45 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.6/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Lifeboats: Plank of Carneades
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Lifeboats: Plank of Carneades is a board game released in 2024 for 3–7 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Ronald Wettering and its main mechanics are Simultaneous Action Selection and Voting.
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About the game
Is it possible to escape by boat when a shipwreck occurs? The difference between sinking, swimming, and safely making it to an island may be just a vote away! Gameplay in Lifeboats: Plank of Carneades is all about voting, which takes the form of both co-operation and betrayal over the course of play as circumstances change and you find your sailors on the brink of death. During a vote, each player chooses a card from their hand, then everyone reveals their choices at the same time. You have one card of each boat color — which also correspond to the player colors — as well as three captain cards. If you're the only person to play a captain card during a vote, you get to decide the result, but if more than one captain card is played, they're ignored. In either case, each captain card can be played only once. First, players vote on which ship springs a leak. Second, players vote on which ship moves forward one space toward its island. If the ship reaches the island, all of its occupants are safe and will score their player points based on which island was reached. Third, players scramble to find better chances for survival. Lifeboats: Plank of Carneades differs from Lifeboats in that it allows for up to seven players to fight for seats on ships. In addition, in some circumstances the ships will move faster and more ships will spring a leak, making gameplay move faster. Finally, the captain card is more powerful as players can use it to keep any ship from springing a leak in a round.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Broadway Toys LTD
- Mayday Games
- Lanlalen
Questions and answers
Lifeboats: Plank of Carneades supports 3–7 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 Lifeboats: Plank of Carneades is 45 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 Lifeboats: Plank of Carneades for ages 8 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.
Lifeboats: Plank of Carneades has a complexity rating of 1.6 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.
Lifeboats: Plank of Carneades belongs to these categories: Party Game, Bluffing, and Pirates. Its main mechanics are Simultaneous Action Selection and Voting. 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 Lifeboats: Plank of Carneades are: Ronald Wettering. 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 Lifeboats: Plank of Carneades 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.