Hands in the Sea

About this board game

Hands in the Sea is a two-player deck-building wargame about the First Punic War between Rome and Carthage, playable in approximately 120 minutes.

Each player begins with a starting deck and may perform up to two actions per round. Expand your influence through colonization, move naval forces across the map, and commit to battles as the struggle centers on Sicily and Sardinia/Corsica.

Players can purchase cards from their own custom decks or from a shared pool of neutral cards available to either side. Each player may also acquire one Strategy card, providing a special advantage that can shape their approach to the conflict.

• Naval movement and naval battles
• Field battles and sieges
• Cavalry superiority and mercenaries
• Manpower, bribery, and tactical bonuses
• Random events, income, and turn-based scoring

The game lasts for several turns, up to a maximum of twelve. At the end of each turn, players resolve random events, collect income, and score victory points, creating a shifting contest in which timing and military pressure matter.

Victory can come in different ways: finish with the highest score, or capture your opponent’s capital. Inspired by A Few Acres of Snow, Hands in the Sea adds its own focus on navies, manpower, strategy cards, and the challenges of fighting across land and sea.

Its title comes from a Carthaginian commander’s claim that Carthage controlled the seas so completely that the Romans would not even dare wash their hands in them.