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Merchants & Marauders: Broadsides
2016
Rules assistance for Merchants & Marauders: Broadsides
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 45 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.8/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Merchants & Marauders: Broadsides
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Merchants & Marauders: Broadsides is a board game released in 2016 for 2 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Josh Cappel and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Take That.
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About the game
Set in the Merchants & Marauders universe, Broadsides is a standalone game in which the two opposing players command pirate ships engaged in a fierce battle over a profitable sea lane. Sinking the enemy or taking out their Captain and First Mate are the only ways to seize victory and survive the day! The card-driven game system allows players a wide variety of actions, triggered by playing cards in a variety of combinations. Aim: zero in your cannons using an innovative targeting system Hold: Draw more cards to increase your versatility Reload: Load a variety of ammunition types (chain shot for rigging, canister for crew, solid shot for hull) into a variety of cannons (reliable 18-Pounders, thunderous Carronades, deadly Long Nines) Broadside: Blast all your cannons at once in a fierce but costly salvo Sheer Off: Correct your course just enough to disrupt your foe's plans Repair: Send sailors where they are needed to man the guns, patch the hull, or replace ruined sails Additionally, your Captain's unique Reputation and a handful of drafted Dirty Tricks means that every matchup will be different from the last. Multiple tactical approaches to either of the win conditions means that you can tailor your gameplay to your strengths and your foe's weaknesses. Outthink, outplay, outgun, and sail away the winner!
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Filosofia Éditions
- Z-Man Games
Questions and answers
Merchants & Marauders: Broadsides 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 Merchants & Marauders: Broadsides 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 Merchants & Marauders: Broadsides 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.
Merchants & Marauders: Broadsides has a complexity rating of 2.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Merchants & Marauders: Broadsides belongs to these categories: Adventure, Nautical, and Pirates. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Take That. 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 Merchants & Marauders: Broadsides are: Josh Cappel. 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 Merchants & Marauders: Broadsides 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.