- BGG rating
- 5.5
Privateer: Corsair Expansion
- 3–6 players
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #20,956
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Privateer
2016
Rules assistance for Privateer
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–6 players
- 45 min
- 9+
- Complexity 2.4/5
Rules assistant for Privateer
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Privateer is a board game released in 2016 for 3–6 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 9 and up. It was designed by Rick Barnes and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers and Pick-up and Deliver.
Expansions
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About the game
A game of piracy on the high seas! Buy, sell, and steal cargo while improving your captain's prowess and increasing your infamy. Privateer is a European-style board game where players race to increase their infamy through the buying, selling, and plundering of cargo on the Caribbean high seas. The object of the game of Privateer is to be the first captain to amass a total of 20 "Infamy" points. Infamy is a measure of how fearsome, clever, and skilled your captain has become throughout the entirety of the game. Infamy can be gained through upgrades to your captain's ship or through the accumulation of powerful and rare Relic cards.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Ensignia Games
Questions and answers
Privateer supports 3–6 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 Privateer 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 Privateer for ages 9 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.
Privateer has a complexity rating of 2.4 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.
Privateer belongs to these categories: Pirates. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers and Pick-up and Deliver. 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 Privateer are: Rick Barnes. 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 Privateer 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.