Corsairs (2000)

Corsairs is essentially a card game where players attempt to assemble the correct combination of provisions in order to be able to board galleys, whilst possessing a strong enough crew in order to board the ship and fend off their opponents potential counterattacks. The game comes with 30 galleys tiles in five different colors. Four of these galleys are placed face-up on the table and are ripe for the taking. Each galley indicates the combination of provisions which must be played before a player can attempt to board it. In addition, each galley indicates the victory points it is worth, as well as the 'boarding' strength, which must be met or exceeded for it to fall prey to the pirates.

Players are each dealt an initial hand of six cards, most of which depict one of six different types of provisions (water, bread, meat, rum, bananas or beans). In addition, several cards depict corsairs (pirates) with values ranging from 2 - 4.

On their turn, players must play 3 cards. They may play them:

a) beside a galley to begin amassing provision cards so as to eventually match the provision requirements indicated on the galley.
b) to the discard pile, replacing them with cards chosen from rummaging through the discard pile
c) 'fire a broadside' by playing any card to the discard pile and rolling dice. He may then steal matching provisions placed by the galley by other players.

Once a player assembles all of the necessary provisions, he can attempt to board the ship. He needs to have enough corsairs, to add to the roll of two dice to beat the boarding value of the galley. Other players may also attempt to board the galley at the same time, and the one with the highest boarding value wins it. The others lose all the cards played next to the galley. A new galley is then made available.

The winner is the player with most VP from galleys boarded.

(precis from the review by gschloesser)

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