- BGG rating
- 7.5
We're Sinking!: Swords & Souls
- 3–6 players
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,586
- BGG rating
- 7.1
We're Sinking!
2024
Rules assistance for We're Sinking!
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–6 players
- 45–90 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.3/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for We're Sinking!
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
We're Sinking! is a board game released in 2024 for 3–6 players, 45–90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Joseph Frederick and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Push Your Luck, and Hot Potato.
Expansions
We're Sinking!: Frost & Flames
- 3–6 players
- 45–90 min
- 2027
We're Sinking!: Beasts & Bones
- 1–6 players
- 45–90 min
- 2028
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About the game
A pirate's life is all about the treasure — or surviving to tell the tale! Turn yourself into a legend by defeating the enemy, saving the ship, and having the most valuable loot in your hand...but if the ship does sink, be the pirate who survived to tell the tale by having the fewest cards in your hand so that you can be light enough to flee on the lifeboat. In We're Sinking!, a secret action-taking survival game, players take on the role of pirates on a ship under siege. As the ship takes damage, the crew must work together to repair the ship and defeat one of the threats — kraken, skeleton pirates, megalodon, or sirens — while keeping the ship from sinking. Each turn, players choose one of four actions: Bucket decreases the current water level; Patch fixes breaches and busted cannon; Fire allows you to fire cannons at the enemy; and Plunder allows you to steal revealed loot cards. Players discuss and possibly bluff about which actions they should take, then they secretly choose their actions on hidden compass dials, place them face down, then reveal them simultaneously. Will you or your fellow crew instead choose to selfishly pocket treasure as precious time runs out? If you can manage to take out the threat, the game ends, and you win if you have the largest treasure score. If the ship sinks before taking out the threat, you win by having the fewest cards in hand.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Lucky Duck Games
- Ludamus Games
Questions and answers
We're Sinking! 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 We're Sinking! is 45–90 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 We're Sinking! 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.
We're Sinking! has a complexity rating of 2.3 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.
We're Sinking! belongs to these categories: Bluffing, Nautical, and Pirates. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Push Your Luck, and Hot Potato. 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 We're Sinking! are: Joseph Frederick. 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 We're Sinking! 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.