Ship, Captain, Crew on Arcadia
Ship, Captain, Crew (sometimes 6-5-4) is a classic bar dice game. Each turn you get up to three rolls to find a 6 (Ship), then a 5 (Captain), then a 4 (Crew) — in that order. Once you have all three, the remaining two dice become your Cargo, and that's your score.
How to Play
- Roll all five dice.
- Find the Ship (6) — it locks automatically. Then the Captain (5). Then the Crew (4). In order.
- Once all three are locked, the remaining two dice are your Cargo. Higher is better, max 12.
- You get 3 rolls per turn to build your Cargo. You can re-roll or click a cargo die to lock it.
- Fail to find all three in 3 rolls: your score is 0.
- Higher Cargo wins the round. Ties: both get a point. First to 3 round-wins takes the match.
Core Rules
- Order matters: 6 before 5 before 4. A 5 rolled before a 6 does NOT count.
- 3 rolls max per turn — fewer if you assemble the crew and are happy with your cargo.
- Cargo max = 12 (two sixes).
- Best of 5 rounds per match.
- Tied rounds give both players a point.
Strategy
- Don't lock cargo dice too early — only lock high values (5s and 6s). Everything lower is worth re-rolling.
- If you have Ship + Captain but not Crew, a single bad roll can still leave you at 0. Weigh the risk of re-rolling.
- Cargo of 10+ is a strong score — often worth keeping rather than pushing for 12.
- The AI plays cargo conservatively — it holds at 10+. Beat it by being aggressive early and defensive late.
Practical Tips
- Watch the lock-colours: green = crew (SCC), blue = cargo.
- Click a cargo die to toggle its lock (only after all three SCC are found).
- The Keep Cargo button appears when you've assembled the crew — use it to end your turn early.
- On mobile, the dice-lock labels sit below each die — look for the emoji cues.
FAQ
Can I lock a 5 before a 6?
No. You must find the Ship (6) first. A 5 rolled before a 6 is discarded and has to be re-rolled.
What happens if I don't find all three in 3 rolls?
Your score is zero for that round. The AI still plays its turn, so you can still win the round if it also busts.
Can cargo dice be re-rolled?
Yes — unless you explicitly lock them by clicking. Unlocked dice (including cargo) re-roll on the next roll.
How is a round won?
Higher cargo score wins. Ties give both players a point (rare but fair).
How long is a match?
Best of 5 rounds — first to 3 wins takes the match. Maximum length: 5 rounds.
Ready to play Ship, Captain, Crew?
Launch the free demo, learn the flow, and practice tactics before higher stakes.
