Batam

About this board game

Batam is a high-seas racing game for 3–4 players, with a play time of about 45 minutes, where the richest pirate—not the fastest captain—wins. Set sail aboard a scrappy ship and navigate an archipelago on a journey to Batam.

To succeed, you must visit four far-flung islands, drop your markers first, and claim the rewards they offer. Rival ships can be charged when they arrive later and step onto your turf, making positioning and timing important throughout the race.

The game’s central twist is its crew system. You hire sailors with bribes, roll them as dice, and then assign those sailors to other players’ ships rather than your own. This creates opportunities to disrupt your opponents by bumping their best sailors and sabotaging their plans.

• Race across the archipelago toward Batam.
• Collect island rewards and charge latecomers for entering your territory.
• Assign rolled sailors to rival ships instead of your own.
• Manage bribes, crew pay, movement, and the timing of your return to port.

Not every sailor will be ready to work: some crew may get seasick and refuse to sail. You will need to pay your sailors well, choose your moves carefully, and judge when returning to port is most profitable.

Featuring gameplay development by Crafty Games, Batam combines racing, rewards, dice-based crew assignment, and direct player interference. Reaching the bay first is only part of the voyage; the captain who manages the greatest fortune claims the crown.