"Peter Pig "Pieces of Eight" Reviews?" Topic

I'm looking to get into pirate miniature gaming that includes both land and naval battles. Has anyone used the Pieces of Eight rules?

My copy just arrived the other day, so I can't give you a play-experience review, but I can speak a bit about the rules.

If you're familiar with AK-47 or PBI, then you'll immediately recognize the format of the rules (odd coloured pages, plastic coil binding, one sided printed pages). As well, the similiar random element in the mechanics, including Movement & Victory points.

The first section is a nice bit on pirate history, fun to read, and a bit inspiring.

Its a two player set of rules. Players agree on the number of battles to be fought. Both make up a fleet list of Warships (by points value), as well as a Merchant/Cargo fleet (by points value). Each of these fleets are then assigned to like a 'convoy route/location'. Warships that are with your Merchants ships are as escorts to those ships. Warships that are without friendly merchant ships are Pirate fleets, looking to attack enemy convoys. There's a neat little system to see which engagements are fought, and which fleets slip thru.

Ships fight (thru a easy play movement & fighting system) out the required battles. And random Victory points decide the game. Over all a nice neat simple system, designed to be played in an evening/afternoon, with the need for a scenario, etc. Well suited for a series of evenings as well, as victories bring rewards to your fleet. Perhaps a round-robin multi-player campgin as well.

As well, you can fight landing battles (pirates vs a port, or pirates vs native islanders) in place of a naval battle.

Its not a super detailed ship fighting game system, but i think all the important factors in there - critical hits, Wind, crew quality, etc.

Im sure someone else with any experience playing the game can add more detail...

Can boading actions be added? How about utilizing a ships guns while attacking a port?

I think what I am looking for is a tabletop version of the "Cutthoats" computer game by Hothouse Creations (the new Sid Meier's "Pirates" before there was a new Sid Meier's "Pirates").

Grappling & Board actions are included. But arn't a bit abstracted, there is no "board action tactical display/figs, etc".

I too have been looking for a set of rules like that. The closest I've found are these :
io.com/~sj/PirateGame.html

I have all the Peter Pig figs and they form the basis of my pirate hoard (followed by Minifigs). But I have yet to settle on a ruleset yet ... irrelevant, of course, but there you are.

I got my copy a few weeks back but have not played the rules yet.

They are a little 'weird', even when compared to AK-47. The whole point of the rules is to have a campaign in an evening that will include sea battle/s and land-raid/s.

They are not written to allow an RPG-type of piracy campaign.

As for the rules themselves, I find them too abstract and not enough of the skirmish feel I would like in a pirates campaign.

I must say I haven't found a set of rules I will use yet, but Flagship Games' may be worth a look.

If you can find the first edition of Po* it may be closer to what you are looking for. It featured more detailed boarding actions.

The old FGU RPG Skull&Crossbones also makes a nice Pirates game, ship to ship rules, boarding actions etc.

Check out Flagship Games Pirates game. Its got everything you say you are looking for.

Oh, and in an unrelated venue ( computers ) there is:

puzzlepirates.com

Which has some great ideas & visual ideas for a multi-player table-top Pirates game…

Thank's for the great info! I ordered Po8 this morning from Brookhurst (along with 10+mini packs and a couple of the Peter Pig 1/450 ships). I alos picked up a few 1/1200 ships to see which scale of naval combat I prefer.

Brookhurst also had the Flagship Games "Pirates" but listed as the 2nd edition. I'll give FG a call here soon and pick up that ruleset as well.

Thanks once again for the feedback!

Hey Wee Sparky have you played your Po8 rules yet, If so how did you like them. I have some of the ships which are great but still unsure if I want to order the rules yet. I have some self written rules (well actually a set of rules with elements I liked stolen from several of the free sets found online with a few of my own ideas thrown in) to use with some scratch built 15mm ships I made but I need to reduce the scale of my seafights do to size of playing field required.
thanks