Ship, Captain and Crew Dice Game Rules

These ship captain crew rules explain one of the simplest and most exciting dice games you can teach in a minute. Each player gets three rolls of five dice to build a ship, find a captain and hire a crew, in that exact order. Whatever is left becomes the cargo, and the biggest cargo wins. You may also hear it called Ship, Captain, Mate and Crew. It is great for family nights, camping trips and classroom math practice.

Quick rules

• Each player gets up to 3 rolls of 5 dice per turn.
• You need a 6 (ship), then a 5 (captain), then a 4 (crew), in that order.
• Set aside each one as you get it. A 5 cannot be kept until you have a 6, and a 4 cannot be kept until you have a 5.
• Once you have 6, 5 and 4, the other 2 dice are your cargo. Their total is your score.
• You may use any remaining rolls to reroll both cargo dice for a higher total.
• No ship, captain and crew after 3 rolls: you score 0. Highest cargo wins the round.

What you need

• Five standard six-sided dice, or the dice roller above.
• A cup for rolling (optional) and a tray or box lid to keep dice on the table.
• Paper and pen, or our scoreboard, if you play several rounds.

Setup

1. Sit in a circle and decide who goes first; each player can roll one die and the highest starts.
2. Agree how many rounds you will play, for example 5 or 10, or play to a target score.
3. Play passes clockwise.

How to play

Roll one: looking for the ship

1. Roll all five dice.
2. If you rolled a 6, set it aside. That is your ship.
3. If you also rolled a 5, set it aside as your captain, and if there is also a 4, set that aside as your crew. Order only matters for what you keep, so a single roll of 6, 5 and 4 together counts.
4. If you did not roll a 6, you cannot keep a 5 or 4, even if you see them. Reroll all five.

Rolls two and three: completing the set

1. Roll only the dice you have not set aside.
2. Keep the next piece you need: the ship first, then the captain, then the crew.
3. Only one die is kept for each role. Extra 6s, for example, go back in the roll.

Loading the cargo

1. As soon as you have 6, 5 and 4, the two remaining dice are your cargo.
2. Add their pips together. Cargo ranges from 2 to 12.
3. If you still have rolls left, you may stop and keep the total or reroll both cargo dice and take the new result. In standard rules you cannot keep one cargo die and reroll the other.
4. If you get 6, 5 and 4 on your last roll, the cargo is whatever the two other dice show.

Example turn

Maya rolls 6, 3, 4, 2, 2. She keeps the 6 but must reroll the 4, since she has no captain. Roll two shows 5, 4, 1, 1: she keeps the 5 and 4, and her cargo is 1 + 1 = 2. With one roll left she rerolls both cargo dice and gets 6 and 5, so she finishes with 11.

Scoring

How to win

In each round, the player with the highest cargo wins. If two or more players tie for the top score, they play a tie-break round. For a longer game, either give one point to each round winner, or add up every player's cargo over an agreed number of rounds; the highest total wins.

Variations

• Must use all rolls: some players must keep rolling the cargo until all three rolls are used.
• Single cargo die rerolls: a friendlier version that lets you keep one cargo die and reroll the other.
• Five rolls for young kids: give beginners extra rolls to finish their ship.
• Elimination: the lowest score each round loses a life; three lives lost and you are out.
• Classroom math: have players multiply the cargo dice instead of adding them.

Tips and strategy

• With one roll left, keep a cargo of 8 or more unless you need to beat a higher score; the average of two dice is only 7.
• If you have two rolls left and cargo of 6 or less, reroll; the odds are in your favor.
• Know what to beat. If you roll last and someone has 10, you must keep rolling an 8 cargo.
• It is all luck until the cargo, so keep turns quick and the mood light.

Common mistakes

• Keeping a 5 or 4 before the 6 is set aside. Order matters.
• Setting aside two 6s. Only one ship is kept; extra 6s are rerolled or become cargo.
• Rerolling cargo after all three rolls are used.
• Forgetting that a turn without ship, captain and crew scores 0, however good the other dice look.

House rules to agree first

• Whether both cargo dice must be rerolled together.
• How ties are broken.
• Rounds or target score. This is a family points game, so play for points, stickers or bragging rights.

Want more dice fun? Try Farkle, Bunco, liar's dice, or browse our full list of dice games.