Game Rules: Ship, Captain, and Crew

Game Identity

• Name: Ship, Captain, and Crew
• Player Count: 2–8 players. Standard: 3–5.
• Teams: No teams. All players compete individually.
• Theme: Pub dice game where players must first roll a 6 (Ship), 5 (Captain), and 4 (Crew) before scoring with the remaining two dice.

Scoring Mechanics

• Scoring Variant: Accumulative — scores grow over a fixed number of rounds.
• Target Score: Typically 5 rounds. Highest total score wins.
• Unit of Scoring: Score from remaining two dice per turn (2–12), or 0 if prerequisites not met.
• Lower vs. Higher: Higher score wins.

Rules & Validation

Turn Structure

• Each player rolls 5 dice up to 3 times per turn.
• Prerequisites (must be set aside in order):
  1. Ship (6): Must be set aside first. Until a 6 is claimed, no other prerequisites can be secured.
  2. Captain (5): Must be set aside after the Ship. Requires a 6 already set aside.
  3. Crew (4): Must be set aside after the Captain. Requires 6 and 5 already set aside.
• Once all three prerequisites are set aside, the remaining two dice are the player's score (sum of their faces).
• The player may choose to re-roll the two remaining dice with any remaining rolls to try for a higher score — but must keep the last result.
• If a player cannot set aside the 6, 5, and 4 in order within 3 rolls: score = 0.

Validation Rules

• Score for a turn is either the sum of the two remaining dice (2–12) or 0.
• Prerequisites must be fulfilled in strict order (6 → 5 → 4).

Special Actions / Bonuses

• Shipwreck: Failing to complete all three prerequisites in 3 rolls = 0 for the turn.
• Captain's Choice: If all three prerequisites are set in roll 1 or 2, the player may re-roll the crew dice up to the remaining rolls for a better score.

Win Conditions

• Condition: After the agreed number of rounds (standard: 5), the player with the highest cumulative score wins.
• Tie-Breaker: Tied players play one additional round each; highest score in the tiebreaker round wins.

Set Up in Doodle Score

Ship, Captain, and Crew has a dedicated scorecard in Doodle Score — everything is pre-configured including score tracking, validation, and special rules.

Download the app, tap New Scorecard, and choose Ship, Captain, and Crew.