Looking for an easy-to-grasp dice game to play with your friends? The Ship, Captain, Crew dice game is a classic that’s both easy to learn and fun to play.
Your goal is to roll a ship (6), a captain (5), and a crew (4) in descending order within three five-dice rolls, so that you can roll the rest of your dice for so-called ‘cargo’ points.
Simply play to see who scores the most points, or turn it into a drinking game by adding the rules described below. However you play it, its simplicity makes it perfect for any setting.
Players
3+
Equipment
20-30 party cups, 2+ ping pong balls
Duration
5-10 minutes
Area
anywhere
Tabletop
yes
Drinking
yes
How to play Ship, Captain, and Crew
In this game, players take turns rolling, so you’ll only need five dice. Additionally, it’s handy to have a piece of paper and a pen to record the scores.
First, determine who will start the round. I find it easiest to just go with the youngest player. After all, it doesn’t really matter.
If it’s your turn, play the game as follows:
1. Roll Your Dice
You have three rolls per turn. At each roll, you roll all five dice simultaneously.
Your goal is to roll a 6 (ship), a 5 (captain), and a 4 (crew) in descending order, within three rolls.
2. Put aside successful rolls
After each roll, you can set aside successful numbers.
Let’s say your first roll is 2-2-3-5-6. In this case, you set aside your ship (6) and captain (5). With the remaining three dice, you’ll go for your next roll aiming to roll a 4.
Rolled a 6 and a 4? Too bad! You can only put aside the 6 because you need a 5 before a 4.
3. Roll and/or Count Cargo Points
Only after you’ve rolled Ship, Captain, Crew, can you score points with the two remaining dice.
You can choose to count your two remaining dice immediately, or re-roll them if you have rolls left.
Let’s say you roll 6-5-4-1-1 on your first try. In this case, you can re-roll your two remaining dice up to two more times, or claim the points. Claiming them would give you 2 cargo points (1+1), so it might be wiser to re-roll them.
If you roll your last successful roll at your third roll, then this roll decides your number of cargo points.
Note: Your last roll counts, so choose wisely!
Note: Your last roll counts, so choose wisely!
4. Pass Dice to Next Player
Your turn ends at your third roll or when you’ve scored cargo points before that. The next player then repeats the same three previous steps.
The first person to score 30 cargo points wins the game!
You could also turn this game into a captain ship crew dice drinking game, as I’ll describe below.
Ship, Captain, Crew Drinking game
To play the Ship, Captain, Crew drinking game, tweak the rules as follows:
- Each cargo point counts as a sip that you can give to another player.
- Every time you score all three roles before your third roll, all other players take a sip.
Wrap Up
Ship, Captain, Crew’s simplicity makes it perfectly enjoyable for anyone who joins. It’s just one of those games that’s perfect for when you’re just hanging out and don’t want to play anything difficult.
I’d like to remind everyone to enjoy drinks responsibly and to be mindful of each other’s well-being. Remember, moderation is key for a healthier and more memorable experience. Also, let’s keep an eye on our friends and loved ones – a small act of care can make a big difference. Let’s ensure our gatherings are not just fun, but also safe and supportive for all.
Looking for some more fun dice games? The following games are definitely worth a shot:
