Pirates

Choice of Crew
A Pirate Crew must include a minimum of three models, and you have 200 Doubloons to
spend on recruiting and arming them. The number of models in the crew may never exceed 15.
The number allowed of each type of fighter is displayed on their profile the exceptions are
Deckhands and Pressed Men, of which you may recruit any number.

Heroes

Captain (1) D30
S F St G A W P FA FT
4+ 4 3 4 1 2 4 1 1



Special Rules:
Leader any crew within 6 of the Captain must use his
Pluck value when required.

Starting Experience: The Captain starts with 8 Experience
Points

It has often been said that pirates were one of the first true democracies, in that they elected
their captains, and often other officers as well. It must be stated that though there are several
examples of pirates being voted into and out of power this was not always the case by any
means.
Whether he commanded by election or imposition the pirate captain was the supreme
commander aboard his ship. The men sailed where he told them to, fought when and whom he
told them to and on the whole were ruled by him. For the elected captain his position was a
precarious one, his men would obey him as long as he kept making sensible orders and
brought them success, if he failed they would vote him out of office and elect another in his
place. For the captain who ruled by force the position was equally precarious, if he failed to
lead them successfully he faced mutiny and murder.




1
Master (0-1) D16
S F St G A W P FA FT
5+ 3 3 3 1 1 3 1 0

The master of any ship was in charge of navigation and the actual business of sailing the
vessel. In matters of seamanship the master should have been obeyed entirely. In the 17th
century Butler described the duties of the master thus: "to undertake the conduction of [a
ship] to the places and ports whither she is bound, and to shape all courses as may best
conduce thereunto;... He is to enquire and take account of all the ways that the ship hath
made and upon what points of the compass she hath been steered in every watch; and to this
end he is to take a view of the traverse board, and to consider of all the dead reckonings. And
by his observations, to take the height of the sun or star, or both, with his astrolabe,
backstaff, Jacob staff or quadrant, and accordingly prick his cart [chart, or sea card]."
A number of pirate vessels had masters, for example Israel Hands was Blackbeard's master,
and masters are mentioned in both the 1717 and 1718 proclamations. On vessels too small to
have both a captain and master the same man did both jobs, thus in some cases the term
"master" is interchangeable with "captain".
Bosun (0-1) D16
S F St G A W P FA FT
5+ 3 3 3 1 1 3 0 1

The boatswain (or bosun) was one of the most important men aboard any sailing vessel. He
was responsible for "...all the ropes in general belonging to the ship: with all her cables,
anchors, and sails; her flags, colours and pendants...". He was also responsible for making
sure every man was correctly on watch and at his station. During battle it was a small group
of the best seamen under the command of the boatswain and his mates (if he had any) who
saw to the sailing of the ship while most of the crew worked the cannons. On many ships the
boatswain was also responsible for discipline. In some ships the boatswain also took on the
duties of master gunner.
Boatswains are listed as pirate officers in both proclamations of 1717 and 1718, and are listed
in the articles of Roberts, Lowther and Phillips, in each case receiving one share and a
quarter. There are several references to pirate boatswains in various sources of the period, and
in Johnson's General History there are at least two mentions of boatswain's whistles, their
method of communicating orders to men aloft as well as being a badge of office. It is unlikely
that many pirate vessels had boatswain's mates aboard (in the Royal Navy only sixth rates
and larger carried boatswain's mates), but we do know that Benjamin Jeffreys was
boatswain's mate aboard Roberts' ship
2
Master Mate (0-1) D16
S F St G A W P FA FT
5+ 4 3 3 1 1 3 0 0

A mate aboard a sailing vessel could be anything since many officers had "mates", but unless
it is otherwise specified usually meant "Master's mate". Master's mates were similar in rank
to boatswains, sometimes above and sometimes below them. If a ship had no separate
master, only a captain/master then the term "mate" was often used to mean second in
command (still literally the master's mate) instead of a lieutenant.

Henchmen
Mate (0-5) D10
S F St G A W P
5+ 3 3 4 1 1 3
Mates are the old seadogs
and personal assistants to
the ships officers.




Deckhand D8
S F St G A W P
5+ 4 3 3 1 1 3
The deckhands are the
main crew on board a ship,
they do everything needed
to sail the ship.




Pressed Man D5
S F St G A W P
6 2 3 3 1 1 2
Pressed Men are unwilling
men recruited into the
ships crew by pressgangs.






3
Staring Equipment
The ships crew can take any item from the
list at the appropriate cost. In addition to
this one of the crews heroes can select one
item from Trading Post.

Starting Equipment
Hand Weapon D2
Flintlock Pistol D4
Flintlock Carbine D11
Flintlock Rifle D12


Pressed men can only ever be armed with a
single hand weapon.



Trading Post










Fighting Weapons
Item Cost Rarity
Hand Weapon 2 Common
Two-handed Weapon 3 Common
Pistol Bayonet 2 Rare 7
Spanish Sabre 5 Rare 7
Boarding Pike 3 Rare 7
Axe 3 Common
Miscellaneous
Spanish Armour 12 Rare 10
Telescope 14 Rare 7
Bomb 20/12* Rare 9
Guns
Item Cost Rarity
Flintlock Pistol 4 Common
Flintlock Carbine 11 Common
Flintlock Rifle 12 Common
Musket 6 Common
Swivel Gun 25 Rare 8
Blunderbuss 15 Rare 7
Duckfoot Pistol 10 Rare 11
Crew
Master Mate 10 Rare 8
Deck Hand 8 Rare 7
Pressed man 5 Common
Shooting Weapon Summary Chart
Equipment Range Strength Move Penalty Special Rules
Flintlock Pistol 8 3 Half Improvised Weapon; Slow Reload
Flintlock Carbine 16 3 Half Longarm; Slow Reload
Flintlock Rifle 24 3 Full Longarm; Slow Reload
Musket 18 3 Full Slow Reload
Swivel Gun 30 4 Full Blown away; Slow Reload
Blunderbuss
Template
3 Half Spread
Axe Str x2 As User None Fire on the Move; Hand Weapon
Duckfoot Pistol 8 3 Half 6 shots; Single use only.
Bomb Str x2 6 Half Blast area

Notes: Its not uncommon for some pirates to wield two weapons in combat; if a pirate is
armed with two one-handed fighting weapons (not pistol and sword etc) then he may re-roll
one dice when determining who wins the fight.
4
Fighting Weapons Summary Chart
Weapon To Win To Wound Notes
Unarmed -1 -1
Improvised Weapon -1 -
Longarm -1 - Requires two hands
Hand Weapon, Axe - -
Two-handed Weapon -1 +1 Requires two hands
Pistol Bayonet - - Must be attached to a pistol
Boarding Pike - - May support a friend in combat.
Requires two hands.
Spanish Sabre - - Can be used with the swordsman skill



Miscellaneous Equipment Summary Chart
Equipment Notes
Spanish Armour +1 to wearers Grit value against close combat hits.
Telescope The hero may re-roll failed spotting checks.

HIRED CREW

Treasure Finder Recruitment Fee: D18 Retainer: D6

S F St G A W P FA FT
5+ 3 3 3 1 1 4 0 1

Equipment: Two-handed weapon; bomb
A Treasure Finder is expert
at reading treasure maps
and spotting tell-tell signs
of disturbances amongst
the vegetation and ground,
he is a great asset in
finding buried loot.
Special Rules: A Treasure Finder adds an extra dice to your loot at the end of the
game providing he was not taken out of action.

Skills: Moving; Fighting; Savvy
Native Scout Recruitment Fee: D28 Retainer: D9

S F St G A W P FA FT
4+ 4 3 3 1 1 4 1 2

Equipment: Any common firearm, hand weapon, axe
Native scouts are useful
onboard ship when
parleying with the local
inhabitants and navigation.
Special Rules: Stealthy

Skills: Moving; Fighting
5

Cook Recruitment Fee: D12 Retainer: D5

S F St G A W P FA FT
5+ 3 3 3 1 1 3 0 1

Equipment: Hand Weapon; Flintlock Pistol (+D4)
Decent grub on board a
ship is always a good
incentive to join the ships
crew.
Special Rules: A Crew with a cook may increase its maximum size by 1.

Skills: Moving; Fighting

Writer Recruitment Fee: D38 Retainer: D14

S F St G A W P FA FT
6+ 2 3 3 1 1 3 0 2

Equipment: Parchment and pen (unarmed)
Writers make journals of
the encounters and history
of the Heroes onboard ship,
increasing their fame and
notoriety for all to read.
Special Rules: Any friendly Hero who has zero fame at the start of the turns and
within 3 of the Writer adds 1 Fame, not including the Writer himself.

Skills: Moving; Savvy
Quartermaster Recruitment Fee: D16 Retainer: D6

S F St G A W P FA FT
5+ 4 3 3 1 1 3 0 1

Equipment: Hand Weapon; Flintlock Pistol (+D4)
It is always a bonus on ship
to have a good
Quartermaster to keep a
log of all your ill-gotten
spoils as well as the
intellect to accrue items
and cheaper rates.
Special Rules: A Quartermaster adds one to the dice when searching for rare
equipment and pays 10% less (round up) on any purchases for the ships crew.

Skills: Moving; Savvy

Ships Doctor Recruitment Fee: D20 Retainer: D8

S F St G A W P FA FT
6+ 2 3 3 1 1 3 0 1

Equipment: Hand Weapon
Ships doctors are normally
surgeons that have had to
leave home due to blunders
under the knife or other
indiscretions. They are
still better than the
carpenter with a saw when
healing wounds though.
Special Rules: If the ships doctor is not taken out of action during the game, then
any injuries can be re-rolled at the end of the game.

Skills: Moving; Savvy
6
EXPERIENCE & PROMOTION
Experience
All models gain 1 Experience Point for taking part in the game and for each model they take
out of action. The Captain will gain 1 Experience Point if he wins the game.
Some scenarios may award extra Experience Points.

Promotion
Heroes roll on the Heroes Advance Table when enough Experience Points are attained.
Henchmen roll on the Henchmen Table when enough Experience Points are attained.
Hired Crew gain Experience Points as Henchmen but roll on the Heroes Table.


CREW RATING

The Crew Rating is worked out by adding 5pts for each model in the ships crew (excluding
hired crew) plus their cost.
For Hired Crew add the total of Recruitment Fee and Retainer.

For each D50 difference in Crew Rating the player with the least gains 1 Experience Point for
all models.


INCOME
A player gains 2D6 Doubloons for each hero in the crew not taken out of the game plus 1D6.
This amount may also be adjusted by the scenario or Hired Crew.



HIRED CREW
Hired crew do not count towards the number of models in the crew, nor do they add to the
income normally gained by heroes. Replacement crew must be sort after like any other piece
of equipment (see Trading Post)







7
THE CAMPAIGN
Players will battle their crew against other players gaining experience, wealth and obtaining
a greater following by playing various scenarios. For a player to win the campaign he has to
either make his captain the most notorious pirate on the high seas or retire with the most
wealth. To achieve this, the captain with the most experience points or doubloons in his
stash wins the campaign this could give two winners.

SCENARIO 1 - TREASURE HUNT

Description
Scattered across the island are untold treasures hidden amongst the jungle and ancient ruins.

Layout
Place various jungle and ruins on a 4x4 island. Scatter a number or treasure chests on the
island equal to the number of players plus 1d6.

Deployment
Randomly place each captain equidistant around the perimeter of the island and place his
crew within 3.

Objective
The crew have to reach a chest dig it up and exit the table at their deployment position. To
unbury the treasure one pirate in base contact of a chest (with no enemy in contact with the
chest) rolls a dice, if the score is 4+, the treasure has been extracted. The treasure counts as
a light object. For each treasure got off table at the games end gains 1d6 doubloons. For each
chest in possession but not gotten off table is worth 1d3 doubloon. Once all the treasures are
extracted roll a dice, if the score is a 1 or 2 the game ends. The winner of the scenario is the
player who gets the most chests off table.

Special Rule
The chests may be trapped, either by its last owner or by dangerous flora and fauna that
inhabits the dark places on the island. If a model rolls a 1 while digging for treasure then the
model receives a S3 hit.







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SCENARIO 2 SEIZE THE PRIZE

Description
Rumour has it that a great buried treasure hoard is hidden in the centre of an island amongst
the jungle and ancient ruins. Because the amount is rumoured to be so great, many pirate
crews have allied with each other to stand more chance of gaining wealth despite having to
share with other crews.

Layout
Place various jungle and ruins on a 4x4 island. Place a treasure chest in the centre of the
island.

Deployment
Select a leader from the captains of the two sides, the leader will be the captain with the most
experience points, if tied, roll a dice for it. Both leaders roll a dice with the highest choosing a
table edge, his side then deploy within 6 of that edge, the other side now deploy within 6 of
the opposite edge.

Objective
The crew have to reach the chest dig it up and exit the table edge of their deployment. To
unbury the treasure one pirate in base contact of a chest (with no enemy in contact with the
chest) rolls a dice, if the score is 4+, the treasure has been extracted. The treasure counts as
a heavy object. If the chest is gotten off table then each crew on that side receive 2d6
doubloons providing their captain survives, if the captain does not survive then only 1d6
doubloons is gained, the other half (1d6 doubloons)of the share is divided out amongst the
winning sides surviving captains with the leader taking the lions share. The game ends once
all the chests leave the table.
















9
SCENARIO 3 CAPTURE THE CAMP

Description
It has just been discovered that on the opposite side of the island lies an enemy camp.
Obviously the island is not big enough for to factions so the leaders send out their crews to
capture the enemy stronghold.

Layout
Place various jungle and ruins on a 4x4 island.

Deployment
Select a leader from the captains of the two sides, the leader will be the captain with the most
experience points, if tied, roll a dice for it. Both leaders roll a dice with the highest choosing a
table corner and sets up his camp, his side then deploy within 18 of that corner, the other side
now deploy within 18 of the opposite corner.

Objective
The game is played until the end of the turning which one side has captured their opponents
camp. You capture an opponents camp by having more models within than the enemy.
Once a camp is looted, each player on the losing sides hands 1d6 doubloons to another player
from his stash. If a player does not have enough stash then 1 model of the crew (no
equipment) is handed over in its stead.





















10

SCENARIO 4 IVE GOT THE TREASURE AND IM GONNA KEEP IT

Description
Treasure has been found and your crew are making it back across the island to their waiting
boats but another crew has landed and intend to relieve you of you ill begotten gains.

Layout
Place various jungle and ruins on a 4x4 island.

Deployment
Select a leader from the captains of the two sides, the leader will be the captain with the most
experience points, if tied, roll a dice for it. Both leaders roll a dice with the highest is the
defender and has the treasure; each crew on his side carries a heavy treasure chest. The
defending leader side chooses one table edge and all crews are deployed within 12 of it. The
attacking crews now deploy half of its models (including at least 1 hero) within 12 of the
opposite table edge. The other half of the attackers are searching other parts of the island and
will arrive later on in the game.

Objective
The game is played until all the chests are exited from the table or there is only 1 crew left on
the island. The defenders have to get the treasure off of the attackers table edge, the
attackers have to get the chests off of either side edge. Any crew exiting the table edge with
a chest is deemed a winner.

Special Rules
At the end of the attackers move phase roll a dice for each pirate model not yet on table.
On a 1or 2 the model does not arrive.
On a 3 the model arrives on the defenders table edge.
On a 4 the model arrives on the players right flank table edge.
On a 5 the model arrives on the players left flank table edge.
On a 6 the model arrives on the players deployment edge.

Arriving models can move and shoot as normal but cannot charge.

Each treasure chest gotten off table is worth 2d6 doubloons to its owner.







11
SCENARIO 5 SHIPWRECK!

Description
Some poor unfortunate soul has run aground upon a reef, the ship has become deserted as the
tide has threaten to tear the vessel apart. News spread of this discovery and captains from
all over rush to the location and seize the prize, boats are lowered and crews row madly to the
half-sunken wreck.

Layout
Place a shipwreck in the middle of a 4x4 table; scatter a few rocks around the table.

Deployment
Set a number of points equal to the number of players equidistant around the table edge. The
boats start off table and arrive at their selected position, measuring the first move from the
tables edge.

Objective
The game is played until all but one of the crews have left the table. The winner is the last
player with crew on the prize and gains 3d6 doubloons in prize money.

Special Rules
For boat rules see page 220 of the LOTR rules manual.
The row boat has a 3+ in the way roll if its rowers are targeted, any model that has to dive for
cover cannot be targeted as he cowers under the thwarts.
Weapons cannot be loaded if the model is said to be rowing.


















12
SCENARIO 6 THE BOAT RACE

Description
A ship has run aground upon the shore during a recent storm. The coast is to shallow and
dangerous for ships to get close, so crews are lowered into the boats and make a dash for the
stricken prize.

Layout
The game is played on an 8x4 table. At one end place a shipwreck on a beach in the middle
of the 4 table edge. Mark out arrival points along the opposite edge, one for each player,
equidistant from each other.

Deployment
No models start on table, instead dice for which arrival point the crews boat will arrive on
and measure the first move from the tables edge. On the first turn all models are deemed to
be rowing.

Objective
The first player to reach the shipwreck and get a model upon its deck is the winner and gains
2d6 doubloons in prize money.

Special Rules
For boat rules see page 220 of the LOTR rules manual.
The row boat has a 3+ in the way roll if its rowers are targeted, any model that has to dive for
cover cannot be targeted as he cowers under the thwarts.
Weapons cannot be loaded if the model is said to be rowing.

















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