How To Teach: Meuterer

Players are members of a crew on a ship whose aim is to make the most money by selling goods at the ports that want their goods. One person will be the captain who sails the ship to an island. Another player may become a mutineer (meuterer). Others will play roles that will support the captain (first mate), support the mutineer (ship's boy), or maybe the most profitable (merchant).

Overview of Game Play

Islands cards are arranged in a circle. Role cards put in the center. Each player receives 5 commodity cards. Game is played in 8 rounds. Each round is broken up into phases:

Phase 1 - captain offers payment to prospective first mate (0-3 points of earnings shared with whoever has selected the first mate card for phase 3)
Phase 2 - players lay commodity cards starting with captain, one at a time, clockwise
- once a a player chooses to pass, the player selects a role from those that remain
Phase 3 - once all players have selected roles, roles are revealed
Phase 4 - Resolve mutiny if one of the players selected the mutineer role card
Phase 5 - Distribute victory points based on commodities sold and outcome of mutiny
Phase 6 - return role cards, refresh hands, reset playing area (covered later)

Details of Game Play

Phase 1 - Captain's Offering
- Captain will lay down one of the Captain Cards to indicate how much they are offering the first mate
  - there are two two-sided captain cards each with a possible value to offer from 0-3
  - If you don't offer enough, you're just asking for a mutiny!!
- Captain will have to pay out of their personally earned victory points, even if it means a net loss of VP
Phase 2 - Commodity Offering
- Starting with the captain, each player will play one commodity card at a time, that they want to sell at an island.
- Players take turns laying a card, or passing, until all have passed
  - eligible islands for commodity sales are where the ship is currently, and where the ship just came from last round
  - It may be counter-intuitive, but you cannot trade where the ship will go at the end of the round!!
  - the eligible islands are indicated by being turned to the light side of the card. ineligible islands will be dark side up
- Players can play any commodity cards (or conflict cards)
- Commodities can only be sold at islands that demand that commodity (some islands, indicated by '?' take all)
- Only one type of commodity can be sold at an island by a player.
Phase 3 - Reveal Selected Roles (Action Cards)
Phase 4 - Mutiny!
Phase 5 - Distribute Victory Points
Phase 6 - Prepare for Next Round

Exceptions, Corner Cases and other Loose Ends

Suggestions for Teaching

Brain Dump Area

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