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The innkeeper of Jamaica 2nd Edition opens his window, another hot beautiful day in Jamaica. Ships Ahoy!
Noooooo! It's that time of year. More drunken pirates, fights, explosions, mess and more doubloons. The innkeeper smiles, more profit.
The game is based on the great challenge devised in the 1700's by the governor of Jamaica, Henry Morgan. A race around the island and the winner is the team who has the most gold. Jamaica 2nd edition is an update of the 2007 release. The most noticeable change is the rulebook due it's impractical design. A rule change and revised die appear to be the only changes.
Bruno Cathala is one of the designers of Jamaica 2nd edition. He is well known for games such as Five Tribes and the Kingdomino series.
Jamaica Is The Place To Be
Place the game board in the centre of the table. The Jamaican island in Jamaica 2nd Edition is well drawn with a central Fortress. The ports have clear indications of their doubloon charge for docking. Locating a pirate lair is free to stay. The sea spaces are well defined and it's easy to identify the food consumption needed for your crew. The final locations are places to discover treasure. There are 9 locations, each one holding a treasure token. The first to uncover this will gain 1 of 9 treasure cards. Will it be treasure, a bonus or a curse?
The Fortress holds the 2-action dice. The combat/shortage die location is elsewhere on the island. The food, doubloons and cannon tokens should be arranged around the board. The tokens are well designed especially the food tokens.
What Do I Need To Win
All players take a pirate ship, action cards and player board. The beautifully drawn cards depict a pirate scene when placed together. The icons are clear and simple, showing what they represent. The ships are nicely designed.
Each player board has 5 cargo holds of your ship. Taking 3 food and 3 doubloon tokens, each group stored in separate holds. Any new booty kept separate from existing tokens in an empty hold. If your holds are full, you must make space and get rid of your ill-gotten cargo in one of your holds.
Hold Them Sails
It’s a race. Place your ship at Port Royale. You might be the first to complete 1 lap round the island but you may not win. Collecting treasure and doubloons will boost your chance of winning. Don’t be too far behind the first pirate to complete a lap, you will lose points.
Each player draws 3 action cards. The captain (holding the compass) rolls the action dice. They decide which die to use for the daytime action and place it on the left space. The other die put on the night time action on the right space.
The left and right symbols on the top of the action card links to the day and night time die numbers. They represent the number of spaces your ship moves forwards/backwards. Also, the number of fruit/doubloons/gunpowder gained.
Each player selects one action card and places it face down on the table. Discard the other cards. Revealing all cards at the same time. The captain takes their daytime and night time actions before moving to the next player.
Cannons Are Ready, Captain
If your ship shares the same space as another, you attack straight away. Cannons can boost your fighting power. Also, certain treasure cards can support your fight. Your opponent does the same. Both players roll an attack die in turn. The highest number plus cannons wins. An explosion symbol is an instant victory. Treasure cards can cause a re-roll and change the outcome. The winner steals booty and the loser have booty or treasure stolen. The victor can be nasty and give them a cursed treasure.
I can’t pay the port charge or feed all my shipmates? Docking at a Port will cost doubloons. If you are still at sea, the crew are hungry and you pay food as shown. If you are lucky enough to dock at a pirate lair, it is free. If you are unable to pay the cost, pay what you can and roll the shortage die. A circle forces you back to the next port. A square to the appropriate sea space. A skull to a pirate’s lair with the opportunity for more treasure. The star lets you stay where you are. Don’t forget you must fight another pirate if you move back to the same space.
My Treasure Chest Has No Doubloons
Treasure cards can give you extra powers. The “6th hold” gives you more space. “Lady Beth” enhances your battle powers by adding 2 to your combat number. “Saran’s Sabre” allows you or forces your opponent to re-roll their combat die. “Morgan’s Map” gives you 4 action cards to choose from each turn.
Once all pirates have taken their turn, give the next player the compass and draw 3 action cards. Once a ship has completed 1 lap around Jamaica reaching Port Royal, it triggers game end. The pirate with the most points wins.
You gain points depending on your finishing positions. Being too far back, you lose points. Each doubloon in your hold is a point. Treasure chests or cursed treasure are positive/negative points.
What Is The Ghost Ship
A 2-player game is different and a ghost ship is the 3rd racer. The extra ship can be added in a 3 to 5 players as well. The ghost ship starts with 5 and 3 doubloons in their holds. The “Lady Beth” card is a permanent enhancement of 2 cannons in battle.
The captain controls the ghost ship. It's moves after both players have taken their actions. The ghost ship will move twice by the numbers on each action die. Forwards if it is last, backwards if it is in the lead. Otherwise, the captain closes the direction. Ignoring food or doubloons cost. The ghost can take treasure but it is kept hidden.
Battles are the same way. If the ghost ship wins, the captain decides what booty gets thrown in the sea. The ghost ship cannot lose the “Lady Beth” treasure card.
Rulebook And Rule Change
The rulebook has had a major change and is easier to read. Looking up rules are very easy due a named tab index. The rule change relates to shortage. You would move back until you reached a space where you could pay or it’s a free space. The new shortage rule involves using the shortage die. The original rule could be to your advantage with careful planning. Now it's pure luck with a possibility of not moving.
Final Thoughts
Jamaica 2nd Edition is a very enjoyable game for the whole family. It is easy to pick up but needs thought and planning to get the best out of the action dice. The luck element is equally beneficial as frustrating. Ship battles need thought. It is a wasted effort when you are blown out the water by your opponent rolling the explosion symbol.
If a player is lucky, their ship can speed round the island and trigger the end game quicker than expected. It is more fun having a closely fought race while hunting for treasure and battling.
The way every player plays can alter the feeling of the game. For a 2-player game, if both players avoid engaging in any battles using the ghost ship. The game becomes a hunt for treasure and a race to Port Royal. With more players, if 1 or more wants it to be a race to the finish, the game can finish quicker. The game becomes a treasure seeking, battle hungry players could feel it’s finished too soon.
This is a great game. This wouldn't be my first choice when choosing light weight or family friendly games.
