Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest rules – how to play and how to score

Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest quick rules

The goal

You’re pirate captains, and the game lasts three Voyages. During each Voyage, you send your Characters to an island to collect loot and Doubloons, the game’s coins. At the end of each Voyage, your Doubloons are added to your score, and after the third, the richest pirate wins.

The same cards for everyone

Every player has the same 40 Characters, numbered 1 to 40: that number is their rank. At the start of each Voyage, one player draws six cards at random, and everyone takes the same six. Unplayed cards stay in hand for the next Voyage. The first Voyage lasts 4 Days, the second 5, the third 6.

A Day

Each Day, everyone picks a Character at the same time, face down. They’re revealed and lined up on the island, from lowest rank on the left to highest on the right. If two players played the same card, the one with the better Reputation places theirs further right. Then come Day, Dusk and Night.

Day, Dusk, and Night

During the Day, Day abilities trigger from left to right, weakest to strongest. At Dusk, start from the right: each player takes one of the Day’s Loot tokens, applies their Dusk abilities and puts their Character in their Ship; if no loot is left, the last ones get nothing. At Night, everyone triggers the Night abilities of their whole Ship, every Night. Abilities are mandatory unless they say “may.”

Doubloons and Reputation

At the start of each Voyage, everyone gets Doubloons based on their place on the Reputation track: the further right, the more you get. During the Voyage, you gain and lose Doubloons, never below zero. Reputation also breaks ties, and some cards and loot move you up or down the track.

The end of a Voyage

After the Voyage’s last Night, everyone triggers the Anchor abilities of their Characters and Loot tokens. Then add all your Doubloons to your Score dial and return them: those points are yours for good. Your Ship goes to the Graveyard, Loot tokens go back in the bag, and you keep your unplayed cards in hand.

The end of the game

After the third Voyage, everyone reveals their Score, and the richest wins. On a tie, the player with the better Reputation wins.

Beginner traps

Thinking the highest rank is always best: it’s served first at Dusk, but acts last during the Day, when weaker Characters can target it. Playing all your good cards in the first Voyage: unplayed cards stay with you. Forgetting that your Ship’s Night abilities trigger every Night. And some loot, like the Relic, makes you lose Doubloons.

How to score Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest

Doubloons (each Voyage)

The Doubloons you have at the end of the Voyage, after Anchor abilities, starting Doubloons included. Never negative. They’re added to your Score.

Game end

After the third Voyage, the highest total over the three Voyages wins.

Final Reputation

Tie-breaker only: the space of your token on the Reputation track, from 1 (far left) to 6 (far right). The better Reputation wins.

Worked example

Emma ends the first Voyage with 14 Doubloons, the second with 22 and the third with 27: 14 + 22 + 27 = 63. Jake also totals 63, but his token is on space 2 of the Reputation track and Emma’s on space 5: Emma wins.

Common mistakes

• Forgetting starting Doubloons: they count in the Voyage total.
• Recording Doubloons before Anchor abilities, which gain or lose some at the end of the Voyage.
• Going below zero: during the Voyage, your Doubloons are never negative.
• Keeping Doubloons from one Voyage to the next: they go into your Score, then you return them.

How to set up Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest

Setup takes about 5 minutes, then a few steps are repeated before each Voyage. Solo, against the Automa, follows its own booklet.