Port Royal
2014
In Port Royal, players become cunning merchants, navigating risks and rewards as they strive to garner the most influence and wealth in the vibrant world of the Caribbean Sea.
50
minutes
2 - 5
player(s)
8+
Medium Light
About the game
Port Royal is a captivating board game that plunges you into the adventurous world of seafaring and treasure hunting. As a player, you take on the role of a ship captain in the golden age of piracy, navigating turbulent waters, encountering dangerous pirates, and seeking the treasures of the New World.
Theme and Setting
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Setup and rules summary
Game components Unboxing the fun!
Port Royal is a captivating card-based board game filled with adventure and intrigue. Here, we will explain each component of the game, its function, and its interaction with the overall gameplay:
1. Deck of 120 Cards: Each card in the deck can serve multiple purposes, and they are as follows:
- Ship Cards (65): These cards are used to gain coins, which can then be used to buy other cards. The color of the ship represents the nation it belongs to.
- Person Cards (49): These cards are bought using coins and provide various benefits, such as additional actions, coins, or victory points.
- Expedition Cards (6): These cards represent different expeditions that players can undertake. To complete an expedition, a player must discard certain person cards from their display. Completing an expedition provides victory points.
2. Coin Tokens: These are used to keep track of each player’s wealth. Players gain coins mainly by flipping ship cards.
3. Victory Point Tokens: Players gain these points by hiring certain person cards or completing expeditions. The player with the most victory points at the end of the game wins.
4. Player Boards: Each player has a board where they display their hired person cards. It is also used to keep track of each player’s coins and victory points.
5. Captain Tokens: These tokens are used to determine the current player, or ‘Captain’, who leads the round of play. The captain token is passed around as the game progresses.
In terms of interaction, all these components work together to create the dynamic of the game. For instance, players use their coins to hire person cards, which can then be used to complete expeditions for victory points. At the same time, the ship cards in the deck provide coins but also pose potential risks as certain cards can end a player’s turn prematurely. This balance between risk and reward, facilitated by the game components, creates an engaging and strategic gameplay experience.
Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go
Port Royal is a card game of risk, decisions, and wealth. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to set up this thrilling game:
Step 1: Prepare the Card Deck
Shuffle the 120 cards thoroughly and place them in a face-down pile in the middle of the table. This pile serves as the draw pile. The game does not have a specific board, so ensure there is enough room for each player’s tableau and the harbor.
Step 2: Setting Up Player Tableaus
Each player should have enough space in front of them to build their tableau. Players will accumulate cards into their tableau throughout the game, including ship cards, person cards, and expedition cards. Start with an empty tableau for each player; cards will be added as the game progresses.
Step 3: Determine the Starting Player
Randomly determine the starting player. This player will take the first turn, beginning with the discover phase.
Step 4: Prepare the Coins
Separate the coin tokens into piles by their denominations (1, 5, 10) and place them where all players can easily reach. Each player starts the game with three ‘1’ coin tokens.
Step 5: Understanding Player Roles
Each player’s role in Port Royal is that of a merchant. Their aim is to earn the most victory points by managing their risks, making strategic decisions, and acquiring wealth. Players do this by discovering ships, hiring personnel, and embarking on expeditions.
Step 6: Prepare for Random Elements
Port Royal involves a significant degree of chance, as the cards drawn determine the available actions each turn. This setup requires no specific preparation for these random elements. However, players should be aware that chance plays a significant role in the course of the game.
Step 7: Initial Resources
At the start of the game, each player begins with three ‘1’ coin tokens and an empty tableau. As the game progresses, players will gain more coins and accumulate cards in their tableau.
Once all these setup steps are completed, you are ready to begin playing Port Royal. Good luck, and may the best merchant win!
Game flow Round and round we go
Port Royal is a strategic card game that calls for careful planning and decision-making. The game progresses in a series of rounds, and each round is divided into two phases: the Discover phase and the Trade & Hire phase. The goal of the game is to acquire the most victory points by the end of the game.
Discover Phase:
The active player begins the Discover phase by revealing one card at a time from the draw pile. After each card is revealed, the player has the option to continue drawing or end the Discover phase. However, if the player reveals two ships with the same color, the phase ends immediately. All revealed cards are then discarded.
Trade & Hire Phase:
Following the Discover phase, the active player enters the Trade & Hire phase. In this phase, the player may purchase cards from those revealed during the Discover phase. There are four types of cards available: Ship cards, Person cards, Expedition cards, and Tax Increase cards. Each card has a different cost and benefit:
- Ship cards provide the player with coins, the currency of the game.
- Person cards offer unique abilities and victory points.
- Expedition cards can be completed for a large number of victory points.
- Tax Increase cards force all players with 12 or more coins to lose half of their coins.
The Trade & Hire phase ends when the active player chooses to stop buying cards or runs out of coins. After this phase, the remaining revealed cards are available for other players to purchase in a clockwise order. However, other players may only buy one card and must pay an additional coin to the active player.
Once all players have had the chance to purchase a card, the round ends. The active player discards all unpurchased cards, and the next player clockwise becomes the active player for the next round.
The game continues in this manner until a player reaches 12 victory points. When this happens, the current round is finished so that all players have an equal number of turns. The player with the most victory points at the end of the game is the winner.
Players'turn One turn to rule them all
In Port Royal, a deck-building game of strategy and risk-taking, each player takes turns as the active player. On their turn, the active player performs several actions that can influence the game’s outcome. Let’s break down these actions and potential strategies.
1. Discover:
The active player reveals cards from the deck, one at a time, placing them in the harbor (the common play area). They can stop at any time, but if two ships of the same color are revealed, their turn ends immediately, and they don’t get to perform any further actions. Strategic choice: The player must decide when to stop drawing cards, balancing the potential gains against the risk of drawing a duplicate ship and ending their turn prematurely.
2. Trade and Hire:
If the active player’s turn hasn’t ended, they may choose to take one card from the harbor. They can either take a ship card, earning them coins equal to the card’s value, or hire a person card by paying its cost in coins. The hired person cards offer various benefits and abilities that can be used later in the game. Strategic choice: Players need to weigh the instant gratification of taking a ship card for coins against the long-term benefits of hiring a person card.
3. Tax:
If the active player has at least 12 coins, they must give one coin to each player who has fewer coins than them. This is mandatory and can affect the active player’s strategy, especially if they prefer to hoard coins.
4. End of Turn:
The player’s turn ends after they take a card or if they reveal two ships of the same color. Any remaining cards in the harbor are available for other players to take in the order of play. Strategic choice: Players must consider the potential benefits to opponents when leaving cards in the harbor.
- Strategic Choice: The active player’s strategic choices significantly affect the game’s flow. The decision to draw more cards, the choice between hiring a person or taking a ship for coins, and the risk of leaving desirable cards for opponents are all part of the strategic depth of Port Royal.
- Gameplay Impact: Every turn in Port Royal can dramatically impact the game’s state. Players’ decisions not only affect their own standing but also the opportunities and challenges presented to their opponents. This interplay makes each turn a crucial part of the overall game.
End of the game All good games must come to an end
The game of ‘Port Royal’ ends when any player reaches or exceeds 12 victory points during the scoring phase of their turn. This triggers the last round of the game where all players, including the one who triggered the last round, get an equal number of turns. Therefore, if a player reaches 12 points in the middle of the game round, the game does not end immediately. Instead, each player who has not had their turn in this round gets one more turn.
Victory Conditions:
In ‘Port Royal’, the player with the most victory points at the end of the game wins. Victory points can be earned in several ways:
- By hiring pirates and other various persons who are worth a certain number of victory points.
- By completing expeditions which also grant the players victory points.
- Some characters, when hired, can bring additional victory points under certain conditions.
It’s important to note, however, that coins are not counted as victory points.
Actions Before Final Scoring:
Before the final scoring, players must complete their last turn which includes all the usual phases: Drawing Cards, Trading, Hiring, and Completing Expeditions. Any pending expeditions must be completed before the game ends, and players can use this opportunity to gain more victory points.
Once all players have taken their final turn, they count up their victory points. The player with the most victory points is declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the player with the most coins wins. If there is still a tie, the player who triggered the last round wins.
Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?
Port Royal is a captivating card game where players become merchants trying to earn as many victory points as possible. The scoring system is an integral part of the game’s strategy, and it’s crucial to understand it well to perform effectively.
Each player’s objective is to accumulate the most victory points (VPs) by the end of the game, which occurs when one player reaches or exceeds 12 VPs in a 3-5 player game or 15 VPs in a 2-player game.
Victory Points can be earned through:
- Ship Cards: These cards, represented by different nationalities, do not have inherent VPs, but they can be exchanged for VP cards.
- Person Cards: Most of these cards have a VP value shown in the top left corner, which contributes to the player’s total VPs.
- Expedition Cards: Successfully completing an expedition can earn a player VPs, as shown on the card.
- VP Cards: These are earned by trading in ship cards and are worth 1 VP each.
The game ends immediately when a player reaches or exceeds the target VPs at the end of their turn. All players then calculate their total VPs.
In case of a tie, the game has specific Tie-Breaking Rules:
- The player with the most gold wins.
- If there’s still a tie, the player with the most cards in their personal display wins.
- If there’s still a tie, the victory is shared.
Understanding the scoring system in Port Royal is a crucial part of formulating a winning strategy, as a player must balance their drive for VPs with their need to maintain resources and control their personal display.
Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?
Port Royal is a popular card game that involves strategic decision-making and risk-taking to amass wealth and hire a crew. Although the rules are generally straightforward, there are some special rules, exceptions, and clarifications that players should be aware of.
1. The Expedition Cards:
Expedition cards are unique in ‘Port Royal’. They require players to have certain crew members to complete the expedition. In return, they provide victory points and other benefits. However, it’s important to note the following:
- Expedition cards are not replenished immediately: Unlike ship and person cards, when a player completes an expedition, the card is not immediately replaced from the draw pile. It’s only replenished at the start of the next player’s turn.
- Expedition cards cannot be purchased: These cards cannot be bought like ships or person cards. They can only be acquired by fulfilling the requirements detailed on the card.
2. The Governor and the Admiral:
These two person cards have special abilities:
- The Governor: The Governor allows a player to draw an extra card during the drawing phase. However, the player must still stop drawing before they draw a second ship of the same color to avoid a bust.
- The Admiral: The Admiral allows a player to draw an extra card after their drawing phase ends. This card is drawn even if the player busted during their drawing phase.
3. The ‘Stop’ Rule:
During their turn, a player can continue to draw cards from the deck until they decide to stop or until they bust. However:
- Players cannot bust on purpose: If a player draws a ship card of the same color as a ship already in the harbor, they bust and their turn ends. However, it’s important to note that players cannot intentionally bust to prevent other players from taking cards.
4. The ‘Tax Increase’ Rule:
If a player has 12 or more coins, they must discard coins until they have only 11 left, at the end of their turn. However, there are exceptions:
- Players with the ‘Merchant’ person card: Players who have the Merchant can hold up to 13 coins without being subject to the tax increase.
Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!
Port Royal is a strategic and engaging board game that requires players to balance risk and reward in an attempt to earn the most victory points. Here are some advanced strategies, beginner tips, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to optimize gameplay in ‘Port Royal’.
Advanced Strategies:
- Strategically choosing your crew members is key. It is important to have a diversified crew to take advantage of various abilities and bonuses.
- Saving coins is essential in the later stages of the game. It allows you to make bigger moves and take advantage of opportunities that other players may not be able to afford.
- While it can be tempting to go for the high risk, high reward cards, it’s often better to play it safe and steadily accumulate victory points.
Beginner Tips:
- Start by purchasing ships that will provide you with a steady income of gold. This will give you more flexibility in the later stages of the game.
- Don’t ignore the Expedition cards. They can provide valuable victory points and other benefits that can swing the game in your favor.
- Try to keep a balance of different types of cards in your hand. This will allow you to react to different situations and take advantage of opportunities as they arise.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Don’t spend all your coins at once. It’s important to have a reserve for unexpected situations.
- Don’t ignore the other players. Keep an eye on their strategies and adjust your play accordingly.
- Avoid taking on too much risk. It’s easy to get tempted by the high reward cards, but they also come with a high risk of failure.
Ways to Optimize Gameplay:
- Always keep an eye on the victory point total. Knowing when the game is about to end can influence your strategy and decision-making.
- Try to keep your options open. The more flexibility you have, the better you’ll be able to adapt to the changing game conditions.
- Remember, the goal of the game is not just to accumulate coins, but to earn victory points. Always keep this in mind when making decisions.