View source for Broadsides and Boarding Parties

{{italic title}}
{{Infobox Game
| title         = Broadsides & Boarding Parties
| subtitle      = 
| image_link    = [[Image:Broadsides & Boarding Parties, MB 1984.jpg|250px|Box art for the 1984 Milton Bradley release]]
| image_caption = <!-- as appropriate--->
| designer      = [[Larry Harris (game designer)|Larry Harris]]
| manufacturer  = 
| publisher     = [[Milton Bradley Company|Milton Bradley]]<br>The Citadel
| illustrator   = 
| years         = <!-- years active -->
| genre         = [[Board game]]
| players       = 2 players
| setup_time    = <!-- setup time -->
| playing_time  = 60 minutes
| random_chance = Low
| web           = 
| skills        = [[Dice|Dice Rolling]], [[Strategy game|Strategy]]
| footnotes     = 
}}

'''''Broadsides and Boarding Parties''''' is a [[board game]] published by [[Milton Bradley Company|Milton Bradley]] in 1984 as part of their [[Gamemaster (board game series)|Gamemaster]] series. It was the 3rd in the series of games that are all designed by [[Larry Harris (game designer)|Larry Harris]]. It is the only game of that series to feature a two player game (all of the games in the Gamemaster series were for two or more players), ''Broadsides and Boarding Parties'' is a duel between a [[Spain|Spanish]] [[galleon]] and a [[pirate]] ship.  Players take turns moving their ship and firing at the other ship to sink her.  If the ships collide then players may take [[Boarding (attack)|boarding]] parties onto the other ship to try to win.

The original version of this game, published by The Citadel in 1982, used a paper map and cardboard pieces and did not have the plastic ships, cannons, and other playing pieces. When [[Hasbro]] bought the publishing rights, they added these components to bring the physical components in line with the other games in the series. However, many players found that the large ship models were difficult to disassemble, making the storage of this game awkward.{{Fact|date=July 2007}}

A more serious problem was that the gameplay was not considered up to the level of the other games in the series.{{Fact|date=July 2007}} There was relatively little strategy and more luck involved than the other games. As part of a series, ''Broadsides and Boarding Parties'' was unfavorably compared to the other games and was less popular.

''Broadsides and Boarding Parties'' was discontinued several years after its introduction.

==Reception==
[[Allen Varney]] reviewed the 1984 Milton Bradley version of ''Broadsides & Boarding Parties'' in ''[[Space Gamer]]'' No. 72.<ref name="SG">{{cite journal|last=Varney |first=Allen |authorlink=Allen Varney |date=Jan–Feb 1985 |title=Capsule Reviews|journal=[[Space Gamer]]|publisher=[[Steve Jackson Games]]|issue=72|pages=33}}</ref> Varney commented that "''Broadsides & Boarding Parties'' is not worth the money. The components can't save the weak design. It might be okay for helping two players kill 20 minutes while waiting to play ''[[Axis & Allies]]'', but otherwise there's not much value here."<ref name="SG"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{bgg|96|''Broadsides and Boarding Parties''}}

{{Milton Bradley}}
{{Gamemaster}}

[[Category:Board games introduced in 1984]]
[[Category:Board games about history]]
[[Category:Larry Harris (game designer) games]]
[[Category:Milton Bradley Company games]]
[[Category:Fiction about piracy]]

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