- BGG rating
- 7.0
Flying Colors: Beat to Quarters, Vol IV
- 1–2 players
- 120–360 min
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #13,535
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Under the Southern Cross: The South American Republics in the Age of the Fighting Sail
2023
Rules assistance for Under the Southern Cross: The South American Republics in the Age of the Fighting Sail
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 150–480 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.0/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Under the Southern Cross: The South American Republics in the Age of the Fighting Sail
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Under the Southern Cross: The South American Republics in the Age of the Fighting Sail is a board game released in 2023 for 1–4 players, 150–480 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Mike Nagel and Steve Paul and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid.
Expansions
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,953
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Flying Colors
- 1–4 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2003
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,751
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Serpents of the Seas
- 1–4 players
- 150 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 2010
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,557
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Blue Cross, White Ensign
- 1–4 players
- 240–360 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,219
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Wooden Ships & Iron Men
- 2 players
- 60–300 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 1974
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,373
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Ancient Battles Deluxe: From Guts to Gunpowder
- 1–2 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2008
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,616
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Gringo!: The Mexican War 1846-48
- 1–6 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
- 2004
- BGG rank
- BGG #13,954
- BGG rating
- 8.3
Burnside Takes Command
- 2 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2003
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,459
- BGG rating
- 8.5
Manassas
- 2–4 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 1980
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,411
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Across 5 Aprils
- 2 players
- 60–360 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 1992
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,907
- BGG rating
- 8.4
Death Valley: Battles for the Shenandoah
- 1–2 players
- 300–1200 min
- Complexity 4.3/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,797
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Antietam 1862
- 1–2 players
- 60–300 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,940
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Red Badge of Courage
- 2–6 players
- 360 min
- Complexity 3.9/5
- 2001
About the game
Under the Southern Cross: The South American Republics in the Age of Fighting Sail is the fourth volume of the highly regarded Flying Colors series of games on naval combat. The focus is on the southern part of the South American continent: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador, from the Wars of Independence starting in 1810 through the last naval war fought completely under sail between Argentina and Uruguay in 1841. These wars attracted naval officers recently unemployed by the end of the Napoleonic Wars as well as providing a proving ground for the first generation of naval heroes native to Latin America. Updated rules introduce river and tidal currents, modified grounding rules for operations in the Rio de la Plata and Uruguay rivers, and the use of ship’s boats to tow stranded or becalmed ships. In all, over two dozen battle scenarios ranging in size from a handful of ships per side, to full-blown fleet actions are presented. Also included is the return of the popular ship duel map and activation cards originally found in Serpents of the Seas (Flying Colors volume II), along with 18 ship duel scenarios. Like the preceding volumes in the series, Under the Southern Cross is completely independent of, while being fully compatible with, the other volumes in the series. Everything needed to play is included! Can you, as the Spanish, strangle the rebel American governments and preserve the centuries old Spanish Empire, or will you help the Patriot forces throw off the Imperialist yoke of the European monarchies? Now you can try with Under the Southern Cross! Components: 2 22x34" Maps 2 Counter Sheets Rulebook Playbook Player Aid Chart Deck of 55 Action Cards (from GMT website)
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- GMT Games
Questions and answers
Under the Southern Cross: The South American Republics in the Age of the Fighting Sail supports 1–4 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 Under the Southern Cross: The South American Republics in the Age of the Fighting Sail is 150–480 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 Under the Southern Cross: The South American Republics in the Age of the Fighting Sail for ages 12 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.
Under the Southern Cross: The South American Republics in the Age of the Fighting Sail has a complexity rating of 3.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Under the Southern Cross: The South American Republics in the Age of the Fighting Sail belongs to these categories: Wargame, Napoleonic, and Nautical. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid. 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 Under the Southern Cross: The South American Republics in the Age of the Fighting Sail are: Mike Nagel and Steve Paul. 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 Under the Southern Cross: The South American Republics in the Age of the Fighting Sail 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.