Maracaibo

2019

Maracaibo: Journey through the Caribbean in this strategy game by Alexander Pfister. Influence nations, perform actions, deliver goods, and embark on exciting quests.

120
minutes

1 - 4
player(s)

12+

Medium Heavy

About the game

Maracaibo, designed by Alexander Pfister, is a magnificent blend of exploration, strategy, and adventure set in the Caribbean during the 17th century. As a sailor, your mission is to increase your influence among the nations, establish powerful alliances, and finally gain wealth and fame.

Theme and Setting:
The theme of Maracaibo is deeply rooted in colonial history, integrated with a touch of fantasy. Players are transformed back to the time of seafaring adventurers and naval battles. The game board is a beautifully illustrated map of the Caribbean, filled with cities to explore, villages to visit, and maritime routes to discover. Each player takes on the role of a ship captain and navigates their way through the Caribbean Sea, encountering various adventures along the way.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

The popular board game ‘Maracaibo’ comes with a range of components that each play a unique role in the gameplay. In this section, we will list and describe each component and explain their function within the game.

1. Game Board

The Game Board represents the Caribbean in the 17th century. It features multiple paths for players to take their ships, along with cities, villages, and other locations. Players move their ships on these paths to perform various actions during the game.

2. Double-sided Player Boards

Each player receives a Double-sided Player Board which is used to track their personal progress, store their resources, and place their worker tokens. One side of the board is for the base game, while the other side introduces additional gameplay elements for experienced players.

3. Wooden Ships

Each player has a Wooden Ship which they move around the game board to perform actions. The position of a player’s ship often determines what actions they can take during their turn.

4. Wooden Discs

The Wooden Discs are used to represent various resources in the game such as coins, goods, and influence. They are stored on the player boards and can be gained or lost through various actions.

5. Cards

The Cards in Maracaibo represent a variety of elements including characters, quests, and items. Players collect these cards to gain benefits, complete objectives, and score points. The cards can interact with the game in various ways depending on their type and the current situation on the game board.

6. Tokens

There are several types of Tokens used in Maracaibo to represent different elements of the game. For example, there are tokens for marking influence in the cities, worker tokens that players can place on their player boards, and tokens for tracking various game scores.

7. Tiles

The game includes Tiles of different types, such as city tiles, quest tiles, and exploration tiles. These tiles are placed on the game board and can be collected or interacted with by the players to gain various benefits.

8. Cubes

The Cubes in Maracaibo are used to represent the goods that players can collect and trade during the game. There are different colored cubes for different types of goods, and they can be stored on the player boards and traded in for points or other benefits.

9. Story Cards

The Story Cards provide a narrative element to Maracaibo. They are drawn at certain points during the game and can introduce new events, challenges, or opportunities for the players. Each story card can change the game in unique ways, adding a layer of unpredictability and excitement.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Maracaibo is a complex strategy game where players take on the roles of 17th-century sailors navigating the Caribbean. The setup can be a bit complex, so let’s go through it step by step.

Step 1: Setup the Game Board

Unfold the game board and place it in the center of the table. Depending on the number of players, certain fields on the game board will be covered with the provided black discs.

Step 2: Prepare Decks and Tiles

Shuffle the project cards and form a face-down draw pile. Reveal the top four cards and place them face-up next to the draw pile. Shuffle the career cards and form another draw pile. In this case, reveal only the top card. The city tiles are also shuffled and placed face-down in a pile, with two revealed.

Step 3: Setting Up the Exploration Track

Place the explorer ship on the first field of the exploration track. The exploration tiles should be sorted by their back sides (I, II and III) and placed face-down in three separate piles. Shuffle each pile individually and place them on their designated spots on the board.

Step 4: Assigning Player Roles

Each player chooses a color and takes all the ships, discs, workers, and cubes of that color. Players also receive a ship board which they place in front of them. The largest ship is placed on the Havana space on the game board.

Step 5: Initial Resources

Each player starts with 8 doubloons (the game’s currency), 1 combat point, and 1 exploration point. These are tracked on the players’ ship boards. Players also start with one random career card and four project cards in their hand.

Step 6: Random Elements

Random elements come into play with the quest tiles. Shuffle the quest tiles and place them face-down in a pile. Draw one and place it on each city with a quest symbol.

Step 7: Starting Player

The last player to have visited the Caribbean in real life goes first. If no one has, the youngest player starts. The starting player places their disc on the “1” field of the scoring track, the next player on the “2” field, and so on. This will determine the turn order for the first round.

Now that everything is set up, you’re ready to start your adventure in Maracaibo!

Game flow Round and round we go

Maracaibo is a complex board game filled with strategy and competition. The game is played over a series of four rounds, known as epochs, during which players will engage in a variety of actions to earn Victory Points and achieve various objectives.

Game Setup:

Each player chooses a character and takes the corresponding ship, discs, and cubes in their chosen color.
The game board is set up with the round tracker set to the first round, and cards are shuffled and placed in the draw pile.
Players place their ships on the starting city and each player draws four cards.

Gameplay:

Each epoch is divided into turns, during which players can perform one of the following main actions:

Move and Perform an Action: Players can move their ship up to seven spaces and then perform the action of the location they land on. Actions can include claiming a city, fighting for influence, or exploring the jungle.
Move to a City and Perform a City Action: Instead of performing a location action, players can choose to move directly to a city and perform a city action. This can include gaining resources, playing cards, or upgrading their ship.

After a player has taken their turn, play proceeds clockwise to the next player. An epoch ends when a player’s ship reaches the end of the navigation track, triggering the intermediate scoring phase. After the fourth epoch, the final scoring takes place to determine the overall winner.

Intermediate Scoring:

Each player scores points based on their position on the influence track, the number of cities they control, and any bonuses from completed quests or cards in their possession.

Final Scoring:

In addition to intermediate scoring, players also score points for their remaining money, cards, and any end-game bonuses from cards or character abilities.

End of Game:

The game ends after the final scoring. The player with the most Victory Points is declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the player with the most money wins. If there is still a tie, the player who triggered the end of the game wins.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

Maracaibo, a board game designed by Alexander Pfister, is a game of strategic exploration, trading, and influence in the Caribbean. The game is played over a series of rounds, each of which represents a turn for the player. Below is a detailed breakdown of what can happen during a player’s turn in the game.

In Maracaibo, each player’s turn consists of three steps: movement, actions, and round end.

Movement:

Normal Movement: Players move their ship 1-7 spaces forward along the path of the Caribbean. Players cannot move backward.
Free Movement: Players can choose to use ‘free movement’ to move their ship further than 7 spaces by paying 1 doubloon per extra space.

Actions:

Depending on the space their ship lands on, players can perform one of the following actions:

City Actions: If the ship lands on a city, the player can perform one city action. This could be either to deliver goods (if the city demands it) or to take a city card (if available).
Village Actions: If the ship lands on a village, the player can perform multiple village actions, such as buying a card, playing a card, or gaining doubloons.
Discovery Actions: If the ship lands on a discovery space, the player can choose to fight in a naval battle, explore the region, or meet with locals. Each of these choices will give the player different rewards.
Quest Actions: If the ship lands on a quest space, the player can choose to complete the quest by paying the required resources. This will earn the player victory points and possibly other rewards.

Round End:

When a player reaches the end of the path, the round ends. The player can perform one final action, then must draw up to their hand limit.

The actions that a player chooses to take on their turn can greatly affect their strategy and the outcome of the game. For example, focusing on city actions can allow a player to gain influence and control over the Caribbean, while focusing on village actions can allow a player to build up their resources and prepare for future turns. Similarly, choosing to take on quests can provide a player with a steady stream of victory points, while choosing to explore can provide a player with more options and flexibility.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of Maracaibo ends after the fourth round, which is identified by the four distinct rounds on the game board. Each round concludes when a player’s ship reaches the final city, Maracaibo, on the game board’s circular path. At this point, an intermediate scoring phase occurs before progressing to the next round.

After the final round, a more comprehensive final scoring phase takes place. This includes additional points earned from a variety of sources:

Project Cards: Players add up the victory points (VPs) indicated on their completed project cards.
City Bonus Tiles: Points are awarded based on the city bonus tiles players have collected throughout the game. The specific points awarded vary depending on the tile.
Explorer Track: Players score additional points based on how far they have progressed on the explorer track.
Majorities in Areas: Points are awarded to players who have the majority of influence in different areas of the map. The player with the most influence in each area receives 8 points, while the player with the second most receives 4 points.
Synergy Bonuses: Players receive extra points for having synergies between their different game elements, as indicated by the synergy tokens they possess.

Before final scoring, players must ensure that they have taken all the actions they wish to perform and have completed any project cards possible. They should also ensure they have returned all their workers from the game board and have no outstanding obligations.

The player with the highest total score at the end of final scoring is declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the player with the most leftover money is the winner. If there is still a tie, victory is shared.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In the board game ‘Maracaibo’, points are awarded based on a variety of actions and achievements by the players. The scoring system is as follows:

During the Game:

City Ownership: A player scores 2 victory points for owning a city, which is indicated by placing a player disc on the city.
Quest Completion: Completing quests on the game board grants players victory points as per the quest’s instructions.
Ship Movement: Certain spaces on the game board grant players victory points when their ship moves onto or past them.
Card Actions: Some action cards, when played, provide victory points to the player.

End of Round Scoring:

Influence in Nations: At the end of each round, players score victory points based on their influence in each of the three nations. The player with the most influence scores the highest number of points, followed by the player with the second most, and so on.
Exploration Progress: Players also score points based on their progress on the exploration track. The further along the track a player is, the more points they score.

End of Game Scoring:

Card Points: Many cards provide victory points at the end of the game. These are added to each player’s total score.
Project Points: Players score points for completed projects. The number of points depends on the specific project.
Assistant Points: Each assistant a player has recruited during the game provides victory points.
Remaining Resources: Players score 1 victory point for every 5 doubloons and 1 point for every 2 goods remaining in their supply.

In the event of a tie, the player with the most doubloons wins. If there is still a tie, the player with the most goods wins. If there is still a tie, the victory is shared.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Maracaibo is a complex board game where players act as 17th-century Caribbean ship captains. It has many mechanics, including deck-building, area control, and point-to-point movement. There are some special rules and exceptions that players should be aware of:

1. Influence with Nations:

During the game, players can gain influence with the nations (England, France, Spain) by placing influence markers on the corresponding nations’ spaces on the board.
Players should remember that they can only gain influence with a nation if they have at least one ship on a city belonging to that nation.
If a player has the highest influence with a nation at the end of the game, they earn additional victory points. However, if there is a tie for the highest influence, no player receives these points.

2. Quests:

Players can complete quests to gain rewards, including coins, victory points, and influence. However, players should note that once a quest is completed, it cannot be completed again.
Also, players cannot complete more than one quest on a single turn, even if they have enough resources to do so.

3. Synergy Tokens:

Synergy tokens allow players to gain additional benefits when they perform certain actions. For instance, a player with a tobacco synergy token would gain extra coins when they choose the tobacco action.
Players should note that they can only ever have one of each type of synergy token.

4. End of the Game:

The game ends after a set number of rounds, which varies depending on the number of players. However, players should note that the final round is triggered when any player reaches the final city, Maracaibo, not necessarily when all players have done so.
In the final scoring, players earn points from their influence with nations, their completed quests, their synergy tokens, and from certain cards they have played. However, any uncompleted quests or unused resources do not earn any points.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies

Look to diversify your card deck. By doing so, you will be able to adapt to changing situations and make the most out of your actions. Cards with synergy can make a big difference in your score.
Make sure you’re interacting with the game board as much as possible. This includes completing quests, taking advantage of city bonuses, and making strategic use of your ship’s movement.
Don’t forget to invest in your engine. The better your engine is, the more efficient your actions can be. This will help you achieve more during your turn.

Beginner Tips

Try to understand the synergy between the cards. At the beginning, it might be beneficial to focus on cards that provide immediate benefits rather than long-term advantages.
Don’t rush to complete your missions. Instead, take your time to get familiar with the different actions and mechanisms of the game. As you gain experience, you will learn how to optimize your moves to gain the most points.
Utilize the exploration track. It’s an easy way to accumulate points and rewards, especially in the early stages of the game.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don’t neglect the influence track. Although it might seem unimportant at first, it can provide significant benefits and scoring opportunities.
Avoid sticking to one strategy throughout the game. Maracaibo is a dynamic game, and the state of the game can change quickly. Be prepared to adapt your strategy based on the current situation.
Don’t underestimate the power of assistants. They may seem like a minor part of the game, but they can provide consistent benefits and can be key to winning the game.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay

Plan your moves in advance. By doing so, you can make efficient use of your actions and stay ahead of your opponents.
Try to optimize your card plays. This includes taking advantage of card synergies and making sure to use your cards at the right time.
Keep an eye on your opponents’ strategies. By doing so, you can anticipate their moves and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Lastly, practice makes perfect. The more you play Maracaibo, the better you will understand its mechanisms and strategies.