Almirante

English description:

"As almirantes - Portuguese for admirals - in command of both a merchant and a war navy, 2 to 6 players build and navigate their fleets in order to dominate the geostrategic center of the ocean. In this exciting strategy game, however, one must call for divine help as conquering the ocean is nothing compared to holding it…"

Each almirante has the goal of dominating the ocean, that is, conquering and holding the field in the center of both ocean and board. For that, he or she builds and sails a fleet of both fishing boats and war galleons, by cleverly using the resources received in the beginning of each play: winds and coins. In addition, each almirante has three opportunities to use a god card.

Each play starts by receiving 6 winds and a variable amount of coins. Winds allow you to move your vessels: you need 1 wind to sail a fishing boat to another field, and 2 winds to do the same with a heavier galleon. Coins allow you to build new vessels: fishing boats cost you 2 coins, while galleons cost you 8 coins. You can trade these two resources, if you are willing to pay a conversion fee.

You then move your vessels. Sail your fishing boats to the shoal fields to fish and earn coins on your next turns (2 coins per each of the 6 shoals players compete for). Sail your galleons to meet opponent vessels in order to fight battles, or go for the center to conquer it. Battles are always won by the almirante with the most galleons on that field. Some defeated vessels are sunk and some of them may flee.

If the time is right, call upon the gods! Each almirante chose 3 god cards from equal pools of 8 before the game started, kept them secret and can now play each of them once - but only once. Play Aeolus and he will grant you extra winds, or maybe play Ares and he will sink an opponent's vessel...

Your play is now over. Are your galleons dominating the center of the ocean? Good, then slide one point along the scoreboard. Do this 4 times (in a game with 3-5 players) to win. But look out, the other almirantes are now sourrunding you and will want to join efforts to stop your countdown toward victory. Will they get you?

Portuguese Description:

Enquanto almirantes, no comando tanto de uma marinha mercante como de uma de guerra, 2 a 6 jogadores constroem e dirigem as suas frotas para dominar o centro geoestratégico do oceano. Neste entusiasmante jogo de estratégia, porém, têm de apelar a uma ajuda divina já que conquistar o oceano não é nada comparado a mantê-lo...