Merchants and Marauders

[Coog]

Has anyone played the pirate boardgame Merchants and Marauders? It looks good. Lots of nice looking ship miniatures and an attractive board, but is it fun to play?

[Pugwash]

I played it once last year, I did enjoy playing but it would take a few more games to get the rules established in the old brain. Components were good quality and as I remember there were plenty of options to keep the game varied and interesting.

[Churruca]

I didn`t know the game, thanks to your question I discovered it and looks great!

[Coog]

I found the manufactures link to the game. It has the rulebook in PDF.

http://www.zmangames.com/boardgames/...s/MM-Rules.pdf

[Churruca]

thank you, Coog! Really cool! :)

[Jack Aubrey]

Yes, I played it a few times and I think it is a good game. It seems a little bit to be the Boardgame version of the PC Game Pirates..
verry nice.:D

[Coog]

I was at a weekend game marathon held each month in Dalllas this past weekend and played in Merchants and Marauders for the first time. Very simplified ship combat but a lot of fun.

[7eat51]

Here is the game's link on Boardgamegeek.com - a lot of videos and forums available about the game:
http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2...ants-marauders

[RedLeif]

As I understand it its more of a strategy game. It is not a tactical combat game. I got a copy it but haven't played it yet. It looks good though.

[Coog]

It is more of a strategy game. You take the role of a pirate or a merchant and take a ship appropriate for the role. The mechanics are fairly simple once you learn them. You gain glory points through fighting and trading. The one who has the most "glory" built up wins.

[Capt P]

Havent seen it but may have to look into this game. There are many card games coming out these days. I have a card game names 7th Sea that was a gift but have never played the game. There are scans of the character cards in my album to use as avators.

[Jack Aubrey]

Bye the way, there is a new card shuffeling game, from wizkids, called "Pirates of the spanish main", but it is not the old game with ships in plastic cards. I played it sometimes and it is funny..

[Jack Aubrey]

I just look at the ships of the merchant and marauders (German: Korsaren der Karibik) game......, and it could match with the SoG ships !!! With a little painting work, you can get beatiful briggs, sloops of war, merchant and pirates ships. The game is at ebay for sale sometimes.

[SWO-Doggy]

I have a copy and really enjoy it. It is a great pirate game, but as most have said it encompasses more than ship to ship combat. It offers several ways to play/win, even to the point of simply moving cargo; it is possible to win without ever transitioning from legitimate merchant to pirate.

[BBSuds]

I have a copy of Merchant & Marauders and a copy of Francis Drake and I enjoy Francis Drake a lot more. It is a faster game and more going on all the time.

[Пилот]

I was snooping on ebay and searched for this game, and it says you get 26 unpainted little ships.

This one, including shipping, is priced 160,20 USD (105 + 55,20) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Z-man-Games-...item4acfb031fd
Threre are 3 available copies at the moment.

and this one, including shipping, is 117,30 USD (107,30 +10) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Z-man-Games-...item51b7c046d6
There are 10 available copies at the moment.

I will not need 25+ merchant ships for my collection, but maybe this info could be useful to somebody

[Jack Aubrey]

I got mine from ebay Germany, used, incl. shipping 19 €....just look at some dealers in Europe like allgames4you or spiele-offensive.de, milan spiele etc.
There are not only merchants, you can use the sloop for transport the naval post; others as pirates.

[Jack Aubrey]

Look here: http://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_trksi...=233&_from=R40
for example.

[Пилот]

Thanks, Ulrich!

Could you, please, post the picture with SoG and M&M ships side by side?
I still think 26 extras would be too much for me, but if I manage to persuade guy or two from my group, that would be a different story.

[Jack Aubrey]

I will try, just give me some time....I shoot the pictures but putting it here in the windows is the problem.....

[Jack Aubrey]

Look at this album; you can see how it fits.... SoG vs Merchants&Marauders/Korsaren der Karibik

[Пилот]

They seem to fit! And thank you for trying to help :)

[Nightbomber]

I own M&M and it's a great game with cool components, but completely different from a skirmish game like SoG:) It's planning, trading, taking on missions etc. The board is one of the nicest boards I have ever seen.

[Nightbomber]

Here is a picture of our last gaming session of M&M. I left the table to take the photo. That was a lot of fun. Take a look at the trunks for hidden coins that come with the game. After a macro scale game like this you are even more eager to play SoG afterwards, I assure you Rum was a nice addition ;)