Pirat

Pirat is a game of piracy where the object is to gain treasures. First published in the U.K. as Buccaneer. An American version (with slightly modified rules and bits) was published by Parker.

The game board shows the ocean with different harbours and islands. The ocean is divided into 20x20 squares. In the middle you'll find Treasure Island. Further out, on each side of the board, lays Pirate Island and Turtle Island. Along the edge of the sea (i.e. the game board) you'll find six harbours. Four of which works as the players home towns (London, Genova, Marseille and Cadiz) and two that are only meant for trading (Venice and Amsterdam). There are also three bays: Cliff Bay, Anchor Bay and Mud Bay.

There are five different types of treasures:

• Diamonds, worth 5 points
• Rubys, worth 5 points
• Gold bars, worth 4 points
• Pearls, worth 3 points
• Barrels of rum, worth 2 points

The crew cards shows how many pirates a player has got. Each card can have a value of 1, 2 or 3 pirates. The color of the card is either red or black. The crew cards are used to tell both how many squares a ship might move and the ships combat value. The number of squares a ship might move you find by simply adding up the value of all crew cards you currently have on hand. The combat value is found by adding up all black crew cards, all red crew cards and subtracting the the total number red cards from the total number of black (or subtracting the black from the red, whichever gives a positive combat value).

Playing the game

When the game starts each player gets a ship and five crew cards. Some additional crew cards and a number of treasures are put on various places on the game board. The rest of the treasures are placed on the Treasure Island and the rest of the crew cards are placed face down on the Pirate Island.

When it is a players turn he is free to sail wherever he wants (up to the number of squares identical to the value of his crew cards). He might chose to do one of three actions:

1. Sail to Treasure Island and draw an event card
2. Sail to another harbour to trade
3. Attack another players ship

When a players arrives at Treasure Island he draws an event card and follows the instructions. Examples of event cards:

1. Take two crew cards from Pirates Island
2. Receive treasures for a total of six points from Treasure Island and reduce the value of your crew cards to 11 points by taking cards from your hand and placing them on Pirate Island
3. Your best pirates have deserted to Pirates Island. Place your best crew card on Pirates Island

When you arrive at other harbours you might trade. You can exchange treasures and crew cards placed in the harbour with crew cards and treasures you have on your ship. For instance, if there is a pearl in London, and you want it, you might sail there and trade it in crew cards worth of three points. (The same amount of points a pearl is worth (see above)). This also goes for treasures or crew cards placed in other players hometown. When you have three identical treasures in your hometown (for instance three gold bars) you should move them over to the safe zone. Each player has a safe zone in their hometown and treasures placed here can not be traded or stolen.

If you decide to attack another player you sail up to the same square as him and shouts: "Ready to attack". The players must now reveal their combat values and the player with the highest value wins the battle. The winner might chose between two crew cards or all the treasure on the sieged ship.

Winning the game

The player who first collects treasures for a value of 20 or more is declared winner of the game.

A fun game

Pirat is a very fun game. There is a lot of interaction between the players and although luck plays a part in form of event cards there is some strategy involved. In my opinion, this is one of the best games ever released in Norway. It is from the early 70's and haven't been available in the shops for many, many years. The game originates from England were it was first published in the late 1940's. The games was constantly reprinted up until Waddingtons (the publisher) was bought up by Hasbro in the 1990's. Let's hope this game again will see the light of day.

Reader comments

Steve Champion:

Re: Pirat (Buccaneer) see also http://buccaneer.stevechampion.com

Seadog Jones:

There's nothing better than coming in after a hard days pirating and playing Buccaneer whilst drinking Rum

Ricardo Christe:

Grow (a Brazilian game company that's still going as of 2002) released the game in Brazil with the name CORSÁRIOS (a noun which translate as "corsairs") in the very early Eighties.
I've found the contents of the Event deck in two .JPGs:

http://home1.gte.net/res0cvd1/Chance.jpg
http://home1.gte.net/res0cvd1/Chance2.jpg

I cannot know which version they're from, but they might be useful.

mowgli:

hey i just got the english version(bucaneer) at a boot sale! its great! sadly one of the ships,all the sails, and some of the jewels are missing(not too bad for a £ though*s*)if anyone has a like wise missing/matched set....please contact me(thanks for the instructions too*g*)

JP:

I played the English version regularly growing up and would love to find a set to play with my kids now. Anyone have one? Preferably from 60's/70's.

Jon Fryer:

JP - you might find a copy of Buccanneer at vintage.games@virgin.net at a price- my sons really liked the game when I produced it last Christmas - ones of thems thinking of working up a computer version - good game - high time it was re released

espen:

Er dette spillet bare ċ fċ tak i i England?

fmoros:

Beads for necklaces are great to replace or completely substitute jwells on this game. Here in Korea, they sell them in nice colors and perfect size. If you can not get them on your country, email me and i will send them to you for a pound/set.

Jennifer:

I have once again brought my childhood 1960's game out of the cupboard. but alas my treasure has gone. love to buy more. do we think if we bombard hasbro they may bring it back

Hannah:

I've been playing Buccaneer at my Grandma's for a number of years - she played it as a teenager. Everything except most of the sails and masts is present in her set. Anyways, its a quality game & my family are sick of being pestered into playing by me & my little bro. :-D

mandy:

my friend and I pleyed this for ages some 30 years ago and I'd love to get a set again for my son.

Tony F.:

Spent Hours playing this fun game during the mid 1970s ( red box uk version) , now want to buy a copy to play with my daughters as they love Pirates !!!

Dan:

Played this when I was younger and Was Great now I play Buccaneer, seen more games like this at a web site Kidsera http://www.kidsera.com

Chris:

My siblings and I loved this game in the 60's. I am trying to find one to purchase. Please let me know if you have one you would like to sell or know of someone who does,

Clarence Wilson:

PLayed this only a couple of times, but just remember it being such a dream of a game. Love to see a English Copy of Board and Rules of the game, as would love to try to write computer version of the game!

John Hawksworth:

Anyone who has this game Buccaneer and is willing to sell please email me. Anyone living near Farnham in Surrey who would let me copy the game - will pay also.

John Hawksworth:

Earlier message asking to buy or copy Buccaneer omitted my email address which is ewshot@ntlworld.com

Gail Fox:

I loved this game when i was young and I hope that I can find one to play with my kids. thanks Gail

jeanhall:

I'd love to play this game with my grandchildren. Please let me know ehere I can buy one.

Matthew Stott:

I have a first edition of this game which I have just purchased at a price at auction. Any one know the current market value?

EC:

I could not get at the links for the "Chance" cards at the /home1.gte.net site. (2005-04-27)

Steve Champion:

2005-09-24. The links at the home1.gte (bucaneer.stevechampion.com) site are working. Please let me know if they go out again.

Ethan:

Hi I am looking for a version of Buccaneer that is in good condition but is not to pricey. Does anybody have one or know where I could find one? ethanzitz@yahoo.com

Chris:

I played as a young child with older relatives we all adopted great pirate ship names. Id be very interested in buying the game if complete and in reasonable shape. Please let me know if one is availablebest wishesChris

Andy:

Lots of comments regarding missing sails and masts from the ships. Surely they never came with the above, as they would get in the way of transporting booty?

Anthony Johnson:

Would love to have this game, or the english version, am willing to pay top dollar. Thanks

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