SPANISH ARMADA

INTRODUCTION
Solo card game using a regular deck of cards. 
Based on the Failure of the Spanish Armada to invade England in 1588.
The Armada had 122 Ships. The English 66. 
The English sank 2 Spanish Ships and were able to disperse the Armada.  
The dispersed Armada drifted into the North Sea and had to circle around 
Ireland in treacherous weather to return home. 
On the journey home 39 transports foundered or ran aground. 
 
SETUP 
Split up the deck into 2 halves: 
Red Half (Spanish Armada)
Black Half (English Squadrons)

TURN SEQUENCE
Each turn has 3 Phases:
1. Straggler Phase
2. Maneuver Phase
3. Engagement Phase

STRAGGLER PHASE
Flip over the top 4 cards of the Red deck. 
These are called Straggler cards. 
Draw cards from the Black Deck to fill your hand to 5 cards. 
These are called Raider cards.
If the Black Deck runs out, shuffle the discardand draw from it. 

MANEUVER PHASE
You must play (discard) exactly 1 Black card for a special effect: 
Ace = Flip over another Red card and draw another Black card
Deuce = All your other cards are worth +2
Three = Shuffle 1 target Straggler back into the Red Deck
Four = Shuffle 1 random Escaped card back into the Red Deck
Five = Look at the next 7 cards in both decks and draw another Black card
Six = Automatically Disperse one Random Straggler
Seven = Draw 3 cards and keep 1
Eight = All Stragglers are at -3
Nine = Disperse any target Straggler card 
Ten = Shuffle all Stragglers back into deck and flip over 4 new Stragglers
Jack = Discard your Hand and draw 5 new Black cards
Queen = Disperse 2 target Stragglers of total value 10 or less
King = Draw 2 Black Cards
You cannot play more than 1 card in this phase to get a special effect. 

ENGAGEMENT PHASE
Discard a Raider card to disperse a Straggler of equal or less value. 
You may combine 2 Raider cards to disperse a single straggler of equal or lesser value. 
Put dispersed straggler cards into your Victory pile. 
Put any Stragglers you didn’t disperse into the Escape pile. 
Aces = 1; Jacks = 11; Queens = 12; Kings = 13. 

SCORING
The game ends when the there are no cards left to draw from the Red deck. 
Your score equals the combined value of the cards in your Victory Pile:
Total victory = 150+ (Armada Sunk) 
Partial victory = 125+ (Historical victory)
Marginal escape = 100+ (Armada thwarted)
Dismal Failure = 99 or less (The Spanish conquer England)

LINKS
BBC
Armada
1588
History Buff
New Advent