PLAYED FOR YOU

Family                 

Alter                    8

Spezial                

Caravelas

Portuguese Seafaring

A game on the topic of exploration and trade expeditions of the Portuguese Fleet – on return to Lisbon the „pepper tax“ had to be paid by each ship, which was used to build the Monastery of Santa Maria de Belém. Players relive these expeditions and collect victory points for discoveries, trade and contribution to the monastery building.

You are dealt destination cards and then in each round the turn order is auctioned, you bid for this with navigation markers, and in Round One players then receive 4, 5, 6 and 7 event cards, respectively, in turn order. Then in your turn you can sail, discover or load goods. Depending on the location of the ship movement is free or costs markers, when indicated an event card is executed. For spaces marked in red you roll dice to resolve storm, this can wreck ships and lose you goods. If you are first in any harbor you can place a discovery monument. In some of the harbors you can load goods. When you enter Lisbon harbor you must sell all goods and can then contribute to the construction of the monastery or upgrade your fleet. At the end of the turn you draw cards up to 5 and get back all spent navigation markers. When the monastery is completed you score victory points for each location where you placed a monument and for which you own a destination card. You win with most victory points.

Caravelas is an attractive game, absolutely fitting for families, especially when playing the simplified rules. The game offers a well-working combination of standard mechanisms and very nicely conveys the flair of those trade and expeditions excursions.

Players         : 2-4

Age             : 8+

Duration       : 60+

Designer      : Gil d’Orey

Artist           : Gil d‘ Oray, João Menezes

Price            : ca. 35 Euro

Publisher      : Mesaboardgames

Web             : www.mesaboardgames.pt

Genre          : A game of position and acquisition

Users           : For families

Version        : multi

Rules           : de en pt

In-game text : some

Comments    : Standard Mechanisms in well-working combination * excellent family game * Rules for a simplified version * Expansion “Black Ship” available

Compares to : Other games of position and collecting goods with a seafaring/trade topic

Other editions: currently none

Chance                1

Tactic                   3

Strategy__          0

Creativity            0

Knowledge          0

Memory               0

Communication   0

Interaction          2

Dexterity             0

Action                  0