Scurvy
Contributed by Tyler - Boston
Overview
Scurvy is a turn-based placing game for two players. The objective is to encircle a facedown card on all sides with cards of your color.
Setup
Deal a tetrad in the center of the playing area. The tetrad should consist of two face-up cards, one red and one blue, with nautches aligned, as well as two facedown cards, like this:
The starting tetrad for Scurvy.
Each player selects a color. Separate the deck by color and deal each player six cards of their color face-up (note: players can see each other’s cards). Place two draw piles, one of each color, at the edges of the playing area. The full starting setup looks like this:
Gameplay
Scurvy is a turn-based game. Players alternate turns placing one of their cards into the playing area (using standard placing rules).
Each card played must touch at least one of the player’s own colored cards. That is, the red player can only play to build onto their own existing red cards.
A player may also use their turn to play one of their cards facedown.
A player may play on top of another face-up card, but standard placing rules apply. That is, all touching sides of the played card must align with the nautches of any touching cards.
Endgame
The game is over when one player has fully encircled a facedown card with cards of all their own color.
Tips
If players are new to the mechanics of Nautches, one player may initially win easily. It will take a few rounds and some increased familiarity with gameplay to begin to understand the strategy and how to block your opponent.
A simpler game like Mutiny can help players to become familiar with the mechanics, before moving onto more strategic games!