Cap'n, Bos'n, Mate
This is a common dice game of the Sixteenth Century. To play, you will need five good dice. The rules are as follows:
- Players roll a single die to determine who rolls first.
- The first player rolls all five dice. The object is to get three sixes as quickly as possible. The first six rolled is the "Cap'n," the second is the "Bos'n," and the third is the "Mate."
- If one or two sixes are rolled on the first roll, they are set aside, and the player re-rolls the remaining dice.
- The player continues to roll the dice until he gets Cap'n, Bos'n, and Mate, or until he has rolled five times, whichever comes first.
- Once the player has Cap'n, Bos'n, and Mate, the pips on the remaining two dice (the "Crew") are counted, and the turn is over. The player passes the dice to the person on his left.
- Scoring: A player's score for a round is the number of crew, followed by the number of rolls it took to get that crew. The player with the greatest number of crew wins the round. In the event of a tie, the player who got his crew in the fewest rolls is the winner. Thus, if the Duke of Norfolk gets six crew in five rolls, and Cap'n Jack McGee gets six crew in three rolls, the Duke must concede the round to the good captain.
A brief word on wagering: Obviously, this is a betting game, as are nearly all games of the period. You may wager in character if you will, but do not, under any circumstances, bet modern currency! This is considered gambling, and is illegal under current law, as well as under the laws of the Period.
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