Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
Introduction (from the rule book): BLACKBEARD recreates "The Golden Age of Piracy" at the turn of the 18th century.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Grid Movement
Move pieces between adjacent spaces on a regular grid.
Dice Rolling
Roll dice to introduce uncertainty into actions, production, movement, or resolution.
Movement Points
Spend a movement allowance across spaces with different costs.
Hexagon Grid
Use a hexagonal map where each space connects evenly in six directions.
Simulation
Model a real or imagined system through detailed cause-and-effect rules.
Read the full game description
Introduction (from the rule book): BLACKBEARD recreates "The Golden Age of Piracy" at the turn of the 18th century. Each player becomes one or more pirates and attempts to amass a fortune and retire before a King's Commissioner tracks him down, a Warship stumbles across him, or his own crew cuts his throat! Merchant ships plying the trade routes are the targets. Prizes range from near-worthless supplies to the fabulous Spanish and Mogul treasure ships. Luck, skill and cunning all play a part as you comb the Seven Seas (well ... at least three of them) for fame and fortune. Players should be aware that the game simulates 18th century piracy and therefore features random happenstance. Little can be planned. Players who are ready to strike when opportunity presents itself and are wily and aggressive without being rash will fare best in the long run. Players take up the roles of famous pirates navigating the major sea lanes during the golden age of piracy. Plunder and pirateering await as each player moves about on the map in a variable system through a deck of cards. Rather than the normal turn order in games, players move when their designation is drawn in a deck. When not in the role of their pirate they can take on the role of one of the English military ships hunting the sea for pirates. By making shrewd choices and having some luck the player can end the game a wealthy and retired pirate with a large fleet of ships that have been accumulated over the years.