Forts:  Answers to frequently asked questions  (Thanks to Woelf for compiling this list!)

(Current as of "Pirates of the Barbary Coast")

 1)  CONSTRUCTION:

-The number of flags you place on a fort is equal to the number of cannons (dice) printed on the fort's base plate.  For example, a fort with 3 printed cannons receives 3 flags. 

2)  FLEET BUILD and SETUP:

-The gold cost of a Fort does not count against your fleet build total. 

-The nationality of your fort does not have to match a ship in your fleet. 

3)  PLACEMENT and PAYMENT:

-You must explore an island before you can build a fort.  Exploring the island and building the fort do not have to occur on the same turn. 

-You must have a ship docked at the island where you wish to build the fort.  The nationality of that ship does not have to match the nationality of the fort. 

-Building a fort occurs at the end of your turn.  You cannot give any actions to that fort or any other members of your fleet after building a fort, until your next turn. 

-You are not allowed to intentionally overpay for a fort.  If you have tokens worth 1, 2, 3, and 4 gold on your home island and wish to build a fort with a cost of 3 gold, you must use EITHER the token worth 3 gold OR the tokens worth 1 and 2 gold.  You cannot use the token worth 4 gold or any other combination totaling more than 3 gold if it is possible for you to pay for the fort using a lesser value. 

-You are not allowed to "make change" when building a fort.  If the lowest value token on your home island is worth 5-gold and your fort has a cost of 3 gold, you must place the entire token on the island when you build the fort;  you cannot split it into tokens worth 2 and 3 gold first. 

4)  GOLD AND VICTORY:

-Gold in forts counts toward both the end of game and victory conditions.

 -Ships may load excess gold from a fort and transport it elsewhere, as long as the total value of gold remaining in the fort is greater than or equal to the gold value of the fort.  

5)  SHOOTING:

-A fort cannot be given a shoot action on the same turn it is built. 

-Each flag (cannon) at a fort may fire only once per shoot action, even if there are additional printed cannons (dice) available. 

-If a fort has printed cannons with varying ranks or ranges, they must each be assigned to a specific flag before firing.  The printed cannons may be reassigned to different flags for each shoot action given to the fort.  

6)  ABILITIES

-The use of a fort’s ability does not require the presence of a ship unless specified. 

-If a fort ability requires the presence of a ship, the nationalities of the ship and fort do not have to match unless specified by the ability. 

7)  HOME ISLAND vs. FORTS:

Ways that a Home Island (HI) and a Fort are alike:

-Ships may be given repair actions at their HI or a friendly fort

-Treasure unloads automatically and immediately when you dock at your HI or a friendly fort.

-Gold on your HI and in friendly forts counts toward victory.

-Ships cannot dock at an opponent’s HI or Fort (unless an ability specifically allows it).

-When a ship docks at its HI or a friendly fort, any fire masts on that ship are removed.

-Ships docked at a HI or fort may be rammed by opposing ships.

Ways that a Home Island and a Fort are different:

-Ships docked at a fort may be shot at by opposing ships.

-You may load treasure from a fort.

-Forts may be attacked and destroyed.

Required Legal note: