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Swashbuckled!
2008
Rules assistance for Swashbuckled!
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 120 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.8/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Swashbuckled!
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Swashbuckled! is a board game released in 2008 for 2–6 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Scott Sargent and Richard Bennett and its main mechanics are Roll / Spin and Move, Dice Rolling, and Pick-up and Deliver.
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About the game
Swashbuckled! is Fun-at-Home Games first game. Played with different colored sailing ships and on a beautiful large world map board, the game is set in the year 1806, at the peak of Napoleon's power. The game is played on three levels: the first level is rolling dice and moving one of six cargoes indicated on cargo cards from one port/continent to another, avoiding ever changing bad weather and war zones, lest you sink at sea. The second level features pirates that every player gets a chance to be, by the pick of specially marked new cargo cards, once your voyage is complete. Pirates need not reveal themselves until they so desire. Poker face is critical to this game. Pirates can attack merchant ships by rolling additional dice. Knowing when to hold and when to attack are critical to success. However, there are also a few Lord Nelsons at sea - the game's police force - that can Neutralize pirates. Finally, there is the most exciting third level; the Secret Treasure Islands. With every game there is at least one, truly secret treasure worth 50,000 pounds that makes the game a fun, fast, in your face adventure. Since the location of these treasures changes from game to game, no two games are ever the same and although the better strategists more often than not win this game, no one is ever really out of it. The emotional intensity of the game often increases into a climactic finish. The Box and Board are beautifully designed, money comes in British pounds (paper), ships are wooden and painted with different colored sails, ship manifests are included to keep record of your payouts, and variously colored lighthouses mark where you start and where you end. Weighs 3.3 lbs.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Fun-at-Home Games
Questions and answers
Swashbuckled! supports 2–6 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 Swashbuckled! is 120 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 Swashbuckled! for ages 10 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.
Swashbuckled! has a complexity rating of 1.8 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.
Swashbuckled! belongs to these categories: Napoleonic and Pirates. Its main mechanics are Roll / Spin and Move, Dice Rolling, 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 Swashbuckled! are: Scott Sargent and Richard Bennett. 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 Swashbuckled! 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.