Benchy Shipping Co - The Game

Embark on a maritime adventure with Benchy Shipping Co. for the 10-year anniversary of Benchy, a whimsical yet strategic board game that brings the beloved 3D Benchy boat into a competitive tabletop experience! At Ozarkexpeditions, we've created a shipping-route game that combines simple mechanics with satisfying strategic depth, perfect for family game nights or friendly gatherings. Whether you're a seasoned board game enthusiast or new to tabletop gaming, Benchy Shipping Co. offers accessible fun with engaging replay value.

Inspired by classic route-building games but with our own unique twist, this game challenges players to deploy their fleet of colorful Benchy boats to complete shipping routes across a bustling network of 20 port cities. The race is on to become the most successful fleet captain in the high seas!

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Update 1 - Added a new PDF file for a high-quality map print out in the assembly instructions area. This helps you set up the game faster! We also made a correction to one of the flags from “Glen” to “Green” to align with the latest map. You can also customize the route cards with the Parametric Model Maker! 🎉

Update 2 - For those that have asked about creating your own names for the ports, we have added the customization option for route cards in the last update, but wanted to let you know that you can also edit the names on the flags right in Bambu Studio. Happy playing!  

Game Components

• 1 Game Board with 20 Port City Destinations
• Benchy Boat Pieces (30+ per player in four colors)
• 1 Custom Dice (Sides: 0, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4)
• 4 Player Trays for organizing your fleet
• Route Cards (to be kept in a draw bag)
• 1 Draw Bag for Route Cards (fabric bag optional, here's our Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3AgfDyn)

Game Setup

1. Place the game board in the center of the play area.
2. Each player chooses a color and takes their set of Benchy boats.
3. Place all route cards in the draw bag, each player draws 3 route cards at random.
4. Let the youngest player begin, play proceeds clockwise around the table.

Game Play

On Your Turn

Players take turns in clockwise order. On your turn, choose ONE of the following actions:

1. Roll for Boats – Roll the custom die and add the corresponding number of boats to your bench (your personal boat supply).
2. Place Boats – Place boats from your bench onto a single available route on the map if you have enough to fully cover the spaces along that route. You must have the exact number of boats needed. Partial placement is not allowed.

Claiming Routes

• You may only claim one route per turn.
• Once claimed, that route is considered owned and cannot be taken by another player.
• To claim a route, you must have enough boats on your bench to completely fill all spaces on that route.

Route Cards

• Route cards show two destinations that you must connect via your claimed routes.
• When you complete a route card, keep it face down in your completed pile.
• You may draw additional route cards once per turn instead of rolling or placing boats (optional rule for more strategic gameplay).

Winning Conditions

The game ends when a player reaches the required number of completed route cards:

• 2 players: First to complete 6 route cards
• 3 players: First to complete 5 route cards
• 4 players: First to complete 4 route cards

Once a player reaches the required number of completed routes, finish the round so all players have the same number of turns.

Scoring

At the end of the game:

• Add up the point values on all completed route cards.
• The player with the highest score wins!

Tiebreakers

1. Player with the most boats remaining on their bench.
2. Player with the longest continuous chain of claimed routes.

Game Variations

Challenging Waters

For a more challenging game, introduce these optional rules:

• Players must complete route cards in the order they were drawn.
• Limited bench space - players can only store up to 10 boats on their bench at any time.

Team Shipping

For larger groups (4-8 players):

• Form teams of 2 players each.
• Team members sit across from each other.
• Teams take turns, with team members alternating turns.
• Communication between team members is limited to once per round.
• First team to complete 4 route cards wins!

Quick Voyage

For a faster game, consider one of the following rules to adopt:

• Start with 2 route cards instead of 3.
• Reduce the winning conditions by 1 card per player count.
• Roll twice on your "Roll for Boats" turn.

Printing & Assembly

Assembly is straightforward with this fully 3D printed game. All pieces are oriented in the print profiles for optimal printing:

1. Game Board: Print the two halves of the base.
2. Benchy Boats: We recommend printing each player's fleet in different colors for easy identification.
3. Lighthouses and Destination Flags: These can simply be placed on the pegs provided on the main game board. The flags were designs to be loose enough for players to rotate them around to see the locations no matter where they are sitting. For new players, we recommend printing a few copies of the route map.
4. Player Trays: These are used for the players to manage their fleet, place boats on the “bench” ready to be played in a following turn and to store the dice.
5. Custom Die: Print with higher infill for proper weight and balance. We recommend printing one for each team so passing the dice doesn’t slow down the game.
6. Route Cards: These show the departure and destination locations that need to be connected via routes, as well as the points that are acquired if the route is connected.

Design Intent

We created Benchy Shipping Co. with one goal in mind, make something simple, fun, and replay-able that brings people together around the table. It’s meant to be the kind of game you can pull out again and again, whether you're teaching new players or settling an old rivalry.

The Benchy boat is kind of a mascot for 3D printing at this point, so we thought, why not give it a world of its own? Everything from the game board to the little boats was built with printing in mind, making setup as fun as the gameplay.

 

We care a lot about making things that feel good to play and easy to build. That’s why every component is designed to print cleanly and go together smoothly. We hope it brings a little joy to your gaming shelf and inspires more moments of connection with the people you play with.

Feedback

As with all our designs, your feedback is invaluable to us. We're always looking for ways to improve and enhance our games. If you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for Benchy Shipping Co., please don't hesitate to share them. Your input helps us create better games and experiences for everyone in the maker community.

We'd love to see your Benchy Shipping Co. in action! Download, print, and share your creations. Don't forget to post your build photos, give us a download, and if you want to see more cool projects, share a boost! 🚀

Check Out Our Other Games

If you enjoyed Benchy Shipping Co., be sure to check out our other games like Castle Capture, Wrench Racers, and Cosmic Connect for more tabletop fun!

Or, checkout these display models.