Swashbuckled! (2008)

Overview

Swashbuckled! is Fun-at-Home Games first game. Played with different colored sailing ships and on a beautiful large world map board, the game is set in the year 1806, at the peak of Napoleon's power. The game is played on three levels: the first level is rolling dice and moving one of six cargoes indicated on cargo cards from one port/continent to another, avoiding ever changing bad weather and war zones, lest you sink at sea.

The second level features pirates that every player gets a chance to be, by the pick of specially marked new cargo cards, once your voyage is complete. Pirates need not reveal themselves until they so desire. Poker face is critical to this game. Pirates can attack merchant ships by rolling additional dice. Knowing when to hold and when to attack are critical to success. However, there are also a few Lord Nelsons at sea - the game's police force - that can Neutralize pirates.

Finally, there is the most exciting third level; the Secret Treasure Islands. With every game there is at least one, truly secret treasure worth 50,000 pounds that makes the game a fun, fast, in your face adventure. Since the location of these treasures changes from game to game, no two games are ever the same and although the better strategists more often than not win this game, no one is ever really out of it. The emotional intensity of the game often increases into a climactic finish.

The Box and Board are beautifully designed, money comes in British pounds (paper), ships are wooden and painted with different colored sails, ship manifests are included to keep record of your payouts, and variously colored lighthouses mark where you start and where you end. Weighs 3.3 lbs.