Raft & Scupper (2019)

About this game

Raft & Scupper is a 2-player abstract strategy game played on a shrinking and morphing set of tiles. Two pirate crews battle for domination of the high seas: the round-bellied Yellowbeards, and the square-jawed Blackbeards. Each crew strives to raft together all the ships of their preferred rigging or cargo. But victory also belongs to any crew who scuppers four ships while their opponent scuppers none. Each turn a player performs one of four actions. (1) One of the player's two pirates moves within a connected group of ship tiles of the pirate's color (cargo) or shape (rigging). (2) A pirate sails a ship tile that it occupies to a new location. (3) A pirate scuppers (sinks) an adjacent ship tile. (4) The player passes. Consecutive passes end the game in favor of whoever last scuppered a ship. Initial tile arrangements are provided both for a full game and for a short game. —description from the designer

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Strictly 2 players — no more, no fewer.
• Rules load. At 2.0/5 this is a mid-weight game — expect a proper rules explanation before you start.
• Age. The publisher suggests 12 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.