"Anyone Done Pirate Games Without Any Pirate Ships?" Topic

Have any of you ever gamed using Pirate figures only, without using a single ship?

If so, what scenarios did you do?

Any pics?

Thanks,

Dan
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Yes, some of the ones from the Legends of the High Seas rules, e.g. Clash of Swords, and Treasure Hunt.

Personally, I think most pirate games should involve the ship in some way, e.g. getting to the destination of a land raid, used as an escape vehicle after a land raid, etc.

From the bit I've read of various gamers' battle accounts, it seems ship-less games predominate, sadly.

A shame, since so many games can use fairly simple, and inexpensive models that can be purchased for a reasonable sum, or even made out of cardboard, foamboard, wood, or other materials.

No picks but have done it. Even my son played in a lego Pirates game some times back.
VR
James Mattes

Raid on Panama would probably be the best historical scenario without a ship – after they've unloaded, or course. And any scenario with that sort of storyline would work.

But I agree, pirate games should have ships in them. I'm planning a big convention game, a really big convention game, where there will be lots of both ship action and ashore action.

If you're on a budget, you can start the crews off with dugout canoes, or rowboats.

A lot of pirates got their start that way, historically, and they cost a lot less than the larger craft. Heck, for the dugouts, you can probably whittle a few, or sculpt some out of air hardening clay, or Super Sculpey.

Finding paddling pirates will be the challenge then, but there are a few available.

Two styles of paddling by the historical pirates, e.g. like rowing, as for a rowboat, as well as paddling, like with canoes. Supposedly, Europeans preferred the former style most of the time, but would switch to paddling close in to their targets at night, since paddling made less noise.

Do Zombie Pirates count?

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'Blood & Swash' by Dr. Buck Surdu et al, is an entire set of Pirate rules devoted to land (ok – tavern) action with Pirates.

I have played one that the ships were unnecessary. They were just eye candy for a treasure hunt.

Most of our Pirate gaming is done without ships. As bsrlee mentioned, we use 'Blood & Swash' to run Pirate Tavern brawls. My wife Jennifer runs one at every Historicon.

I have used the 'Thunder & Plunder' portion of the rules to run a number of land based battles. One scenario had pirates attacking a Spanish gold caravan coming out of the hills, and another featured pirates searching for buried treasure being attacked by natives. I've also done Pirates raiding villages for supplies, my favorite being titled, "Super Fragile Cattle Logistics."

Ships are rather hard to work with in 28mm. Games tend to be along the lines of Dock Raid, Prison Raid, Bar Fight, or maybe some entanglements with the natives.
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Unless you own a table like this:

Then the ships fit right in!

More pictures of the fabulous pirate table: link

Yes. They tend to be raid, rescue or revenge scenarios.

Al | ravenfeastsmeadhall.blogspot.com

Unless you own a table like this:

WOW!

Ran I now hate you, hate you, hate you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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That Is beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wish it was mine… I'm just supplying the link.

Ok, I found some more pictures in the archives. The HAWKs ran two 40 player Pirate-a-ganzas. The first, at Cold Wars '04, was all land based, and done on one big table. Even though there was a ship docked at the harbor it was just scenery.

The second one was done at Cold Wars '08, and in this one players rotated ampong several smaller tables each with it's own them. All but a couple of these were land based.

You bet.
Most games we have played of Freebooter's Fate or Cutlass has been either town raids or jungle fights…
There might have been a boat there, but it was just a starting point, no figs actually on the boat itself.

We did a game one time where there was an Island with a village and it was a hidaway for various pirate bands to gather and party. The Dutch, French and British made a treaty to attack and wipe out the pirates who would raid their ships on the high seas. They landed on three sides on the island and worked their way thru the jungle to attack the pirate village from behind by surprise. The British troops got lost in the Jungle for a few turns leaving the Dutch and French to launch attacks on two pirate compounds first, leaving the Third pirate compound to prepare for the assault that would come quickly from the British.
All in all it was a fun fulled game with a lot of hoots and hollers. The Nationality troops eventually won the day and put an end to the pirate raids from those groups.
Doug Carroccio

We have done a number of land-based pirate scenarios using Mike's Rules. Most of the great buccaneer attacks were land attacks. Morgan had an unfortunate habit of wrecking his flagships one way or another.

I must be playing wrong again, as I think I have only been in one Pirate game that actually had ships!?!

Yes. Competitive island treasure hunt with loads of surprises, random events and danger!!!!!!

Home rules.

DM