- BGG rating
- 7.9
Scalawag! Duels at Sea
- 2–8 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #22,752
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Scalawag!
2014
Rules assistance for Scalawag!
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–8 players
- 15–40 min
- 13+
- Complexity 1.6/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Scalawag!
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Scalawag! is a board game released in 2014 for 3–8 players, 15–40 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Steve Nix and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Player Elimination.
Expansions
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About the game
Cannon smoke drifts heavily across your bow, obscuring your view of the battle strewn across the seascape. Several ships are locked in a fight for naval supremacy. Sailors climb the rigging as you command your pilot to steer windward, taking the weather gage on the closest ship- gaining superior position. As your gunners open fire with cannon, you call out to your marines to prepare for boarding! Scalawag! is a competitive card game for 3-8 players. Each player is the captain of their own warship with the goal of eliminating all other players (or teams during Allegiance Play). Game play consists of a player issuing one Captain’s Order each turn, generally allowing them to either gather additional Compass Points (the game currency) or spend Compass Points to attack their opponents. Players support their Captain’s Orders by declaring Crew. As a player’s Crew Cards are kept hidden from others and bluffing is allowed, knowing when to bluff and when to call a bluff (by calling out Scalawag!) is an important element to successful play.
Designers
Publishers
- Troubadour Games
Questions and answers
Scalawag! supports 3–8 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 Scalawag! is 15–40 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 Scalawag! 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.
Scalawag! 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.
Scalawag! belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fighting, and Deduction. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Player Elimination. 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 Scalawag! are: Steve Nix. 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 Scalawag! 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.