Libertalia Winds of Galecrest is the new version of Libertalia, which was released in 2012, so even if you haven't played the old version, it's easy to get involved in the new experience.
Not only have the components been updated, but there are also more character cards. This game can be played by one player.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the purpose, rules, gameplay, pros and cons of this board game.
Key facts
| Created by | In 2022 |
| Type | Strategic |
| Number of players | 1-5 |
| Age of players | 14+ years |
| Game duration | 40-60 minutes |
| Complexity | easy |
| Indicative price | approx. 39-49 € |
The aim of the game
Libertalia Winds of Galecrest is a board game in which players captain a crew of pirates and play as their characters to earn as many victory points as possible after six rounds of play.
Game set
The board game box is packed with high-quality and colourful game pieces.
| Game box | 1 |
| Rulebook | 1 |
| Automa (solo) tile | 1 |
| Double-sided game board | 1 |
| Grobio tokens | 48 |
| Material bag | 1 |
| Grobio tiles | 7 |
| Character cards (40 per player) | 240 |
| Captain's Tile (2-player mode) | 1 |
| Reputation tokens (wooden) | 6 |
| Dubloons (tokens - cardboard and metal) | 54 |
| Treasure tray with lid | 1 |
| Cemetery tiles | 6 |
| Scoring tables | 6 |
| Automa cards | 39 |
| Automa Prey Tiles (for individual mode) | 4 |
The pros and cons of the game
✅ Re-playability: The game has a high replay value due to the variety of strategies that players can use to win.
✅ Social: Players have to interact a lot, which makes the game very social.
✅ Two games in one: A double-sided board that allows you to play a simpler, less aggressive game or a more complex, more competitive game.
✅ Bright colour: High quality, large and beautiful components, and the game board is bright and clearly arranged.
❌ Requires attention: You need to keep track of the cards played by the other players and participate intensively in the game, remembering well the previous actions of the players.
❌ The Great Divide: Falling too far behind other players can make it hard to catch up.
❌ Different pace of play: The intensity of the game varies with different numbers of players.
Libertalia Winds of Galecrest Rules
The rules of Libertalia Winds of Galecrest are simple and the game can be quickly set up.
However, for new players, it can be difficult to keep track of the many different abilities of different characters, which can make it hard to know how to use them effectively.
A game in which different pirate crews use airships to search for treasure on selected islands. Each stage of the game, players send their chosen crew members on missions.
Higher-ranking crew members get priority access to the treasure, while lower-ranking crew members can activate their abilities. The trick is that these abilities can become intertwined during the course of the game and interfere with other players' plans.
In most rounds of the game, there are only two decisions to be made - which crew card to play and which loot to take.
Each trip has a limited number of days.
Crew cards not only have specific abilities, but also loot tokens.
The board is double-sided, with a calm game on one side and a stormy and competitive game on the other, so it will appeal to fans of gambling-style games.
All players secretly collect crew cards and reveal them to the other players by placing them on a common board from left to right, from lowest rank to highest.
Daytime abilities, marked by the sun, are activated from left to right, while nighttime abilities are activated from right to left.
Each player also chooses the loot chips in this order.
At the same time, the night abilities of all pirates on board are activated.
Preparing for the game
Participants choose which game they want to play - calm or stormy.
This is followed by a 40-card character deck, a set of points and a graveyard tile.
Players randomly place reputation chips on the game board in the six designated squares. In a two-player game, they only place them on the second and third of the six boxes. In addition, in a two-player game, the second or third island is covered by a Midshipman card.
Loot chips are randomly drawn and placed in the daily box for the first trip, equal to the number of players in the game. In a two-player game, 3 tokens per day must be used.
The first player shuffles his deck and draws 6 cards, revealing them to the other players. All players then draw the same 6 cards from their decks to form the starting hand.
Each player receives a number of doubloons based on their chip's position in the Reputation Track.
Game asymmetry
The game only starts symmetrically, over time it becomes asymmetric.
Moreover, it is an essential part of players' planning and actions.
As each player has the same cards as the others at the start of the game, they can use this information to try to make an effective move.
With 40 character cards, any subsequent combination has many different possibilities, which are also influenced by the available loot chips. These are randomly changed during each journey.
After a couple of days of play, the story changes because the players have different cards.
Players who keep track of what cards other players have played can have a significant advantage in knowing what ranks to play to win the treasure.
Crew Characters
The idea is to predict which card your opponents will play and choose the one that gives you the best short- or long-term advantage.
Examples:
- Playing a high (e.g. Infantry) character card allows the player to be the first to choose the loot. This way he can pick up a shiny treasure chest or even a map. Not to mention a nice bonus of 5 doubloons (chips) if he comes out ahead.
- However, if someone else chooses to play as a Brute, the player gets nothing, because the Infantry would be discarded before the Twilight Phase.
- If a player starts out as a low-ranking character, they may not have much choice in their choice of loot. Some loot tokens are harmful, for example a Hook token can force the player to discard the character they are using, meaning they cannot access their ship.
- If a player starts playing as a Smuggler, he can choose a loot token instead during the Day Phase, thus forcing some other poor player to take a Hook token.
- But a player can play as a Bodyguard and instead discard all Hooks and Sabres after spending money.
- You can start playing as Scout and change to Scout when it is clear what cards all the other players have chosen.
In Libertalia, there are two important decisions for the player: which character to play and which treasure to choose.
However, these decisions are followed by a large number of events on the game board, which give the game its strategic excitement.
Each card played by a participant affects the other participants, so the order of play is very important.
Game progress
The first trip lasts 4 days, the second 5 days and the third 6 days.
When the day starts, all players turn over one of their chosen character cards.
Cards are placed on the board in ascending order of character rank, and if one or more players place an identical character, the character of the player with the higher reputation is placed to the right.
The game then proceeds in three phases - day, dusk and night.
The Day
Starting with the leftmost character and moving to the right, each player activates their character's ability during the day.
Dusk
Starting from right to left, each player:
- Acquires a loot token of your choice for the current day.
- Triggers any abilities and/or loot tokens gained by Twilight characters.
- Moves the character from the island to the ship.
Night
Each player activates any night abilities on their ship.
At the end of the night phase, players move on to the next day, repeating all the above steps.
If it is not the last trip, the loot chips are dealt back on the board and each player earns doubloons according to his reputation.
The first player draws 6 cards again and plays as before.
If this was the last phase of the journey, the following steps are taken:
At the end of the journey, each player activates all abilities on their ship's symbols or loot tokens.
Add up your current doubloons and add this amount to your point total.
They put the Grave tokens back in the basket and place the Ship characters on their graveyard card.
End of game
The game ends when the third journey is completed. The player with the most doubloons wins.
Libertalia Winds of Galecrest Summary
Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest is a simple game. The players make very simple decisions, but in the game they make all the difference.
The interactive nature of the game is very engaging indeed, and much of the gameplay is subtle. As most decisions are made simultaneously, the game moves very quickly.
This makes it the perfect game for a party, a warm family get-together or a gathering of friends.
What is the purpose of the game❓
Become the most feared and respected pirate captain. To achieve this, players must assemble a crew of experienced pirates, collect treasure and complete lucrative missions.
What is the duration of the game❓
The average game lasts about 40-60 minutes.
Can Libertalia Winds of Galecrest be played by one player❓
✅ Yes. Game for 1-5 players.
What are the stages of the game❓
There are three phases of the board game:
1. Day
2. Sutemos
3. Night
What is the game board❓
The board is double-sided, with a calm game on one side and a stormy and competitive game on the other.
