Description

Players are English merchants circa 1590 - 1600’s financing marine voyages to seek treasure in India and SE Asia.

Each player may have a max of 4 expeditions in play at one time. Each expedition must have one or more (to a maximum of 4) ships. Expeditions can also have trade goods or silver to trade for cargo. They can also have gifts to give to foreign rulers, and great Captains to improve their chance of success. Expeditions are created using cards drawn from an “expedition” deck of 60 cards.

Each player has an expedition mat divided into 4 sections numbered 1 to 4. These correspond to each of the 4 possible expeditions the player may have going at the same time. The expedition and treasure cards of a particular expedition are placed in its own section.

Play is conducted on an expedition track that is 40 spaces long. There is a start space (England) and an end space (Pacific Ocean). The spaces in between represent locations or event that may a have a positive, negative or no effect on the expedition. When starting out, an expedition moves towards the end space. When reaching the End space or any point before then, the expedition may turn back. When an expedition finally returns, its treasures go into the expedition’s profit pile, and all its expedition cards are discarded.

Players take turns with each turn comprising 3 phases:

• Draw 2 cards from the expedition deck and discard 1 of them. Add the card to your expedition pile.

• If your expedition pile contains at least 1 ship, you may launch an expedition.
• If your expedition pile has 8 cards you must launch, unless you don’t have a ship, in which case you must discard your entire expedition pile, and gain 1 treasure.
• Place an expedition counter onto the start space of the expedition track and place all the expedition cards from the pile into the corresponding section of your expedition mat.

• In order of expedition number, move your expeditions along the track by rolling 1D6 and moving the expedition that number of spaces. Each space offers one possibility, helpful, or hurtful: trade, resupply, hardship, storm, capture ship, gift, cotton or naught. Spaces are resolved accordingly.

The game ends after 2 hours, or when the treasure deck runs out. The player with the most Treasure Points (TP) in their profit pile at that time wins.