The Crew: Mission Deep Sea

2021

Embark on an underwater adventure in The Crew: Mission Deep Sea. This co-operative trick-taking card game challenges you and your team to locate the lost continent of Mu.

20
minutes

2 - 5
player(s)

10+

Medium

About the game

‘The Crew: Mission Deep Sea’ is an exciting and immersive cooperative card game that thrusts players into the depths of the unknown. Your mission is to venture into the deep sea, seeking out the mysteries that lie beneath the surface. The game’s theme and setting captivate players with its blend of underwater exploration and teamwork, promising a thrilling adventure each time the game is played.

The game is set in a world of deep-sea exploration where each player takes on the role of a submarine crew member. Your team’s objective is to complete various missions by successfully playing your cards while navigating the challenging depths of the ocean.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

The Crew: Mission Deep Sea is a cooperative card game where players are on a mission to discover a mysterious undersea world. The game is easy to learn but provides a thrilling and engaging challenge for all players. Let’s delve into the components of the game and their functions.

1. Game Cards:

36 Numbered Cards: These are the main playing cards in the game, numbered from 1 to 9 in four different colors. The players use these cards to communicate and work together to complete the mission.
10 Task Cards: These cards indicate specific tasks or objectives that the players must achieve in each round. They are numbered from 1 to 50 and are drawn at random at the start of each round.

2. Radio Communication Tokens:

4 Tokens: These tokens are used to indicate the intensity of a player’s card in their possession. The token can be placed above, on, or below the card to show whether it’s the player’s highest, equal, or lowest card of that color.

3. Distress Signal:

1 Card: The Distress Signal is a special card that a player can use once per mission to exchange one of their cards with a card from the draw pile. This can help players get out of tight situations.

4. Logbook:

1 Book: The Logbook provides 50 different missions for the players to complete. Each mission increases in difficulty and complexity, providing a uniquely challenging experience every time.

5. Commander Token:

1 Token: The Commander Token is used to designate the commander for each mission. The commander leads the mission and makes critical decisions that impact the game.

Each of these components plays a crucial role in ‘The Crew: Mission Deep Sea’. The game revolves around strategic communication and cooperation among players, using these components to successfully complete each mission. The challenge lies in accomplishing the tasks without direct verbal communication, making it an intriguing and engaging game for all players.

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

The Crew: Mission Deep Sea is an immersive game that takes you on an underwater adventure. In this guide, we’ll go through the steps required to set up the game. Detailed instructions are provided for player roles, board placement, initial resources, and any random elements involved.

Step 1: Player Roles

In ‘The Crew: Mission Deep Sea’, all players work together as a team. There are no specific roles assigned, but players will be taking the role of underwater explorers, each contributing their unique abilities to complete the mission.

Step 2: Board Placement

Place the mission log book in the center of the table. This book will guide your team through the missions and tasks you’ll need to complete. The game doesn’t include a traditional board; instead, the gameplay unfolds through the cards played and the missions in the log book.

Step 3: Initial Resources

Each player starts with a hand of cards. The number of cards each player gets depends on the number of players. In a 3-player game, each player gets 13 cards. In a 4-player game, each player gets 10 cards. In a 5-player game, each player gets 8 cards.

Step 4: Random Elements

The game includes a deck of large task cards. Shuffle this deck and draw a number of cards equal to the current mission number. These cards represent the tasks that the team must complete to succeed in the mission. The tasks are assigned to the players by the commander, a role that rotates each round.

There is also an element of randomness in the distribution of cards at the beginning of each round. The deck of 40 cards (four suits of cards numbered 1-9 and four rocket cards) is shuffled and dealt out to the players, so the distribution of cards is different every round.

Step 5: Beginning the Game

The player who was last underwater is the commander for the first round. If no one has been underwater, the oldest player is the commander. The commander shuffles the deck and deals out the cards to each player. The commander then flips over task cards from the deck equal to the current mission number, and assigns each task to a player, including themselves.

The game is now set up and ready to play. Remember, communication is key in ‘The Crew: Mission Deep Sea’. Good luck, and enjoy your deep-sea adventure!

Game flow Round and round we go

The Crew: Mission Deep Sea is a cooperative trick-taking card game where players are part of a team of divers, venturing into the deep sea to discover unknown species, salvage treasures, and explore the limits of their courage. The game is made up of a series of missions, each with its own unique objectives and challenges.

The game is played in rounds, with each round consisting of several tricks. The player who takes the trick will then lead the next one. The objective of the game is to successfully complete a mission by meeting its specific objectives, which often involve certain players winning specific tricks. The game continues from mission to mission until the players either achieve all missions or fail twice.

Stage 1: Preparation

At the start of a mission, the mission card is read out loud and its objectives are explained to all players. The mission card will detail any special rules for the round.
Each player is then dealt a hand of cards from the deck. Players should look at their own cards but must not reveal them to others.
Before the round begins, players discuss their strategy in a limited and abstract way. They do not reveal specific cards in their hand, but can give hints about what they have.

Stage 2: Playing Tricks

The player with the four of rockets card starts the first trick. They play a card from their hand face up on the table.
In clockwise order, each other player must play a card of the same suit if they have one. If they don’t, they can play a card of any other suit.
The player who played the highest card of the suit that was led wins the trick, unless a rocket (which acts as a trump suit) was played, in which case the highest rocket card wins.
The winner of a trick starts the next trick by playing a card, and the process repeats.

Stage 3: End of a Round

The round ends when all players have no more cards in their hands, meaning all tricks have been played.
At the end of a round, the team checks whether they have fulfilled the mission’s objective. If they have, they succeed and can move on to the next mission. If they haven’t, they must repeat the current mission.
If a team fails the same mission twice in a row, the game ends and must be restarted from the first mission.

Through its combination of cooperative play and limited communication, The Crew: Mission Deep Sea creates a challenging and engaging game experience, where strategy and teamwork are key to overcoming the mysteries of the deep sea.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In ‘The Crew: Mission Deep Sea’, each player’s turn comprises a series of strategic actions that can significantly influence the course of the game. Here is a detailed breakdown of what a typical turn might look like:

1. Playing a Card

Playing a card is the core action during a player’s turn. The player selects a card from their hand and plays it face up on the table. This card could either be a suit card or a trump card. The played card sets the suit for the trick. Every other player is required to follow the suit if they can.

2. Winning a Trick

Once all players have played a card, the player with the highest card of the initial suit wins the trick, unless a trump card has been played. In the event of a trump card, the highest trump card wins the trick. Winning tricks is a crucial part of the game, as the distribution of tricks among players can determine the success or failure of the mission.

3. Communicating with Teammates

At the beginning of their turn, before playing a card, a player has the option to communicate with their teammates by revealing a card from their hand. This is a strategic move that can help the team plan their moves better. However, the information that can be shared is limited, and players must use this option wisely to ensure they do not give away too much information to their opponents.

4. Completing a Mission

The ultimate goal of each player’s turn is to contribute towards completing the mission. This is achieved by winning specific tricks, as outlined by the mission card drawn at the start of the game. Each mission card provides different objectives that must be fulfilled, and players must strategize their turns to ensure these objectives are met.

Strategic Choices:

Card Selection: Choosing which card to play is a key strategic decision. Players must consider the cards played by others, the cards remaining in their hand, and the objectives of the mission.
Communication: Deciding when and what to communicate with teammates is another important strategic choice. Effective communication can greatly enhance the team’s chances of completing the mission.
Mission Fulfillment: Players need to continuously assess the progress of the mission and adjust their strategy accordingly. This may involve taking calculated risks to win specific tricks or deliberately losing tricks to allow teammates to fulfill their part of the mission.

Remember, in ‘The Crew: Mission Deep Sea’, collaboration and strategy are key. The success of the mission depends not just on individual players’ actions, but on how well the team works together to achieve their common goal.

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

The Crew: Mission Deep Sea is a cooperative trick-taking card game where players work together to complete missions. The game ends when players have successfully completed the final mission or when they have failed the mission too many times.

Victory Conditions:

The team completes the final mission: In this case, players win the game and no further actions are needed. Players cooperate to win tricks and fulfill the tasks of their missions.
The team fails the mission: If the team fails a mission, they must try it again. However, they have a limited number of attempts. If they exhaust these attempts without completing the mission, the game ends in a loss.

Actions Before Final Scoring:

In ‘The Crew: Mission Deep Sea’, there is no actual scoring. The goal of the game is to complete missions cooperatively. Thus, there aren’t any actions players need to take before final scoring. Instead, at the end of each mission, players should discuss what went well and what they could improve upon for the next mission.

It is important to note that ‘The Crew: Mission Deep Sea’ values cooperation and communication above competitive scoring. The players win or lose together as a team. Therefore, the game emphasizes strategy, cooperation, and teamwork over individual gain.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

The Crew: Mission Deep Sea is a cooperative trick-taking card game where the goal is not to accumulate the most points, but rather to successfully complete a series of increasingly challenging missions. However, there is a scoring system in place to track the team’s progress and performance.

Scoring System:

In The Crew: Mission Deep Sea, players keep track of the number of attempts it takes to complete each mission. The goal is to complete the mission in as few attempts as possible. After each mission, the team records the number of attempts it took to complete that mission on the logbook sheet provided with the game. At the end of the game, the team’s score is the total number of attempts it took to complete all the missions.

1 attempt: If the team completes the mission in a single attempt, they mark a single tick on the logbook sheet.
Multiple attempts: If the team fails to complete the mission in the first attempt, they will have to try again. Each new attempt is marked on the logbook sheet. The number of attempts continues to accumulate until the mission is successfully completed.

Tie-Breaking Rules:

Since The Crew: Mission Deep Sea is a cooperative game, there are no traditional tie-breaking rules as there would be in a competitive game. Instead, all the players win or lose together. If the team is not able to complete a mission after a certain number of attempts, they may decide to move on to the next mission or to stop playing. The team’s final score is simply the total number of attempts it took to complete the missions they played, and the goal is to have the lowest score possible.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

The Crew: Mission Deep Sea is an exciting cooperative trick-taking game that can sometimes present complex scenarios. Here are some of the rare or special rules, exceptions, and a few rule clarifications that you might find helpful during gameplay.

Radio Communication: In ‘The Crew: Mission Deep Sea’, the radio communication is a unique rule. During the game:

Players can share information with their teammates only once per mission via radio communication.
The communication can only be about one single card in the player’s hand.
The player cannot specify whether the card they are communicating about is their highest, lowest, or only card in that color.

Trick-Taking: A few exceptions and special rules apply to the trick-taking mechanism in this game:

If a player has no cards in the suit that was led, they can play any card.
The Rocket card (4 in value) can be played as an exception even when a player has cards from the leading suit. It always wins the trick unless another player plays a Rocket card of higher value.

Task Cards: Understanding the Task card distribution is important in ‘The Crew: Mission Deep Sea’:

If a Task card’s color is green, the task must be completed in a trick where a green card was led.
If a Task card shows a specific number, the task must be completed with a trick won by that specific number.
Task cards with a ‘start’ symbol must be the first task completed in the mission.

Winning the Game: Winning ‘The Crew: Mission Deep Sea’ requires a deep understanding of the rules, as well as perfect teamwork. Here are some clarifications:

If all tasks are completed successfully, all players win the game.
If a task is completed by a player who wasn’t assigned to it or in the wrong order, the mission is lost and must be repeated.

With these rules, exceptions, and clarifications in mind, you’re ready to dive deep into ‘The Crew: Mission Deep Sea’ and enjoy the adventure of this cooperative, trick-taking game.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

The Crew: Mission Deep Sea is a cooperative, trick-taking card game with a deep-sea exploration theme. The game demands strategic thinking and precise communication among team members. Here are some strategies, tips, and common mistakes to avoid to optimize your gameplay.

Advanced Strategies

Planning Ahead: It can be easy to just focus on the current mission, but planning ahead can give you an edge. Think about what cards you will need for future tasks and start collecting them early.
Using the Radio Operator Wisely: The Radio Operator’s ability to reveal information is key. Use it to guide your team’s decisions and try to reveal critical information.
Maximizing Task Efficiency: Try to complete multiple tasks in a single trick whenever possible. This can save you valuable time and resources.

Beginner Tips

Communication is Key: Remember to communicate with your team. Share your plans, consult with others, and make collective decisions.
Understand the Tricks: Get a firm grasp of how tricks work. The player who played the highest card of the suit that was led wins the trick.
Learn from Mistakes: Losing a mission can be demotivating, but try to learn from it. Discuss what went wrong and how you can improve next time.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Over-communicating: While communication is important, don’t overshare. Giving away too much information can make the game too easy and less fun.
Ignoring the Mission: It’s easy to get caught up in the trick-taking aspect of the game and forget about the mission. Always keep the mission in mind.
Not Utilizing Special Abilities: Each role has a unique ability that can be a game-changer. Make sure to utilize these abilities to their fullest.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay

Balance Risk and Reward: Don’t be afraid to take calculated risks. However, always weigh the potential reward against the risk.
Use the Environment: The deep-sea environment introduces unique challenges. Use it to your advantage by forcing opponents to play certain cards.
Practice: Like any game, the more you play, the better you get. Practice makes perfect!