Overview

Oltre Mare is a card-driven trading game set on the Mediterranean Sea. Players are merchants sailing between harbors, trading goods, managing cargo, and accumulating Ducati (victory points). Each card represents goods with multiple action icons, and the order you stack your cargo matters. The game combines hand management, trading negotiation, and tactical sailing.

Components

• 98 Goods Cards in 7 colors
• 1 Venice card (inserted in middle of deck)
• 5 Summary cards
• 5 Merchant cards
• 10 wooden cubes (ships)
• 1 game board (Mediterranean with harbors)
• 32 Harbor markers

Setup

1. Join the 4 parts of the board; place in center.
2. Shuffle Harbor markers and place one face up randomly on each Harbor.
3. Shuffle Goods Cards; insert the Venice card near the middle.
4. Draw cards for each player to determine starting positions and initial cargo stacks.
5. Each player places their ship on their starting Harbor.
6. Set each player’s Ducati score to 11 on the track.

Turn Structure

Each active player completes 4 phases in sequence:

Phase 1: Maritime Power

Check the Venetian lion icons on your top cargo card. If your hand exceeds the limit shown, discard excess cards face down to your pirate stack.

Phase 2: Trade

Negotiate card and Ducati exchanges with other players. Only the active player may trade. Non-active traders gain 1 prestige point per trade (max 1 per turn). Cards cost 3 Ducati from either the goods deck or pirate stack, or 4 Ducati if the player has 0 or negative points.

Phase 3: Main Phase

Play cards equal to the load icons shown on your top cargo card. Each played card displays action icons resolved in order:

Icon	Effect (scaling: 1/2/3+ icons)
Ducati	Gain 1 / 3 / 6 Ducati
Pirate	Move 1 / 3 / 6 cards to pirate stack
Market	Draw 1 / 3 / 6 cards
Sailing	Move ship exactly that many harbors

Phase 4: Cargo

Stack played cards face up on your cargo stack in any order you choose. The top card determines your maritime power and load capacity for next turn.

Actions

Action	Details
Trade	Exchange cards/Ducati with other players (active player only)
Play cards	Play number of cards equal to load icons
Sail	Move ship along the harbor route
Buy cards	Purchase from deck or pirate stack for 3-4 Ducati
Score Ducati	Earn from card icons during Main Phase

Scoring / Victory Conditions

When the Venice card is drawn, a prestige scoring occurs: 1st place gains 6 Ducati, 2nd gains 3, 3rd gains 1. All prestige scores reset.

End-game scoring:

• Grouped goods in cargo stacks (scored by good-specific point sequences)
• Harbor markers collected (most markers = 6 Ducati)
• Prestige points remaining
• Lose 1 Ducati per remaining pirate stack card

Highest total Ducati wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• The order you stack cargo cards matters – the top card determines your capabilities next turn.
• Pirate stack cards are a liability (-1 Ducati each at game end).
• Only the active player can initiate trades.
• The Venice card triggers mid-game prestige scoring and resets.
• Harbor markers provide area-majority scoring at game end.
• Sailing moves your ship exactly the number of harbors indicated (not “up to”).

Player Reference

Turn phases: Maritime Power → Trade → Main Phase (play cards) → Cargo (stack)

Icon scaling: 1 icon = 1, 2 icons = 3, 3+ icons = 6

Top cargo card: Sets hand limit (maritime power) and cards to play (load)

Win: Most Ducati at game end