Fat Errol arrives in Port Royal #1

Fat Errol and his men have lost their ship, the Saucy Nancy, to the Tidal wave that followed the Port Royal Earthquake.  Now ashore they embark on a looting expedition.

The enemy

1-4  French Buccaneers

5-6 Maroons

7-8 the Forces of the Crown

9-10 Carib raiders

And the enemy today rolls out as the French Boucanier of Rathboné de Mayonnaise.

Setup

A 30 point game against the solo Opfor.

Waiting on my terrain board, but I'm using the 2' x 2' Town board.

Trying to make it look piratey. 

The Plunder tokens go down within 12" of the centre point more than 4" from each other.

It's all quite close!

The Jamaican Pirates armed as depicted and labelled.

And ditto the French Buccaneers.  Its almost like I planned it!

3 decks for solo play

And the deployment is corners.

Scenario Variation, delays.  This could cost Fortune Points.

The Pirates have one character fail Exp test, they use a fortune to reroll and get him back.  The Buccaneers have two stragglers.  Rerolls recover one. These gold and silver coins are my fortune points, and the French are burning theirs.

The Jamaicans deploy, but it cost a fortune point to get the late lad on table.

Initiative.  The French bid three the Jamaicans two.  The French roll one success (7+)  the Pirates two.  Its a tie so I roll an event.  I roll off for initiative and the Jamaicans win.

Even though the primary dice for the Jamaican was a critical I didn't count it as 2 because I couldn't find any rule in the text.

And it's a three, the angry old pirate.  He will be reactive!

And he randomly selects Plunder point five to be a pain in the arse at.  Poor Cyrus!

First activation! Gallows O'Hara is going over the wall to get that Plunder point.  It's a climb and jump and I'll need an exp roll of 5+ for the jump down

With a nine rolled Gallows goes over the wall and lands on the barrel at Plunder point 1.  He must use an interact action to pick it up, but before that the French can react.
Interesting the reaction must be to his action!

The French as the Opfor draw Hold.  Claude moves towards Gallows.

Claude moves and peeps around that cover to see Gallows the Anglaise Pirate standing on a barrel!

Rather than let Cluade have a shot at him on the next reaction Gallows charges and gets a free fight action.  I forgot that he should be 1" distant and not actually contacting!

The roll off, both sides three dice.  Gallows is a Brawler looking for a base of 6.  Claude needs sevens.  Two of one colour one of another to denote the primary dice.  The Jamaicans are red and black, the French blue and yellow. 
Gallows hits three successes the French fail to get any.  They spend a fortune.

Even worse.  Claude is in trouble.

 

Three damage rolls.  Gallows has a sword giving -1 sp the 9 is a success from the 10 needed.  Even if it hadn't been a pile of three fatigues and further fatigue rolls would probably have shaken Claude anyway.

Alas poor Claude.  He leaves the game with pieces cut off.

French Buccaneers strike points +1

The uniquely named "Pisswater" braves the stepping stones.  Dangerous terrain.  The exp roll is passed.  Critical success.  No crocodile appears and even if it did he rolled a 10 and probably killed it.  He still can't quite get that hidden Frenchman into his sights

The Frenchman is La Farte, and he uses the reaction to rush into a charge on Jasper who is carrying the plunder.  Got this wrong!  He should only be reacting to P'waters move!  As it is his rolls are dire and Jasper hits back in a reaction.

Jasper hits three including the extra for the critical success on the red primary dice, La Farte once.  The Frenchman negates one and gets two damage rolls

 

La Farte survives but accumulates 3 fatigue.

In his reaction La Loup hides.

Matey leaps at La Farte, swinging that mighty Cutlass.

Matey charges in.  Two hits.  The Frenchman rolls low to defend. 

La Farte dies twice.

The French now have two strike points 

Finally Cyrus tackles the belligerent old pirate bystander

Two hits.  The old boy rolls a damage test and is killed.

The Old Pirate was an event So there are no strike points for this.  Just a bit of embarrassment.

However Cyrus interacts and picks up the Plunder.  The Jamaicans now have two plunder points.

Fat Errol climbs the wall.  The French don't react.  He interacts and picks up the plunder point.  

 

The French fail their exp test again.  They have had a terrible reactive round.

That concludes the Jamaicans initiative, and they pass to the French.

So far Rathboné de Mayonnaise has lost two men, used all of his Fortunes and allowed the Jamaicans three Plunder points.  He needs to get his game together.

The French move to Plunder point 4

Gallows charges in at Jacques.  The Frenchman gets a critical defense roll on the primary dice.  It's acdraw, the fight continues.

Rathboné interacts and takes Plunder point two.  He still has a man off table until next turn.

I'd forgotten that this guy was hiding out of sight, almost missed him.

La Loup sneaks onto the wreck still hiding.

P'water snipes at the hiding Frenchman, in reaction, but misses.  He takes a reload. A critical miss would have earned him a double reload.  La Loup survives but for how long.

This game was actually quite quick but I wanted to blog it as an aide memoir and that took time.  I've paused after turn one.

The French have Five strike points, two for casualties, three because of the plunder points the Jamaicans hold.

The Jamaicans have Two, because of the plunder points the French hold.

This however is only turn one and its not until the end of turn two that rolling for strike points starts.

Mistakes?  Grabbing Plunder points seems like a good idea but it makes the figure holding it vulnerable. 

Great game so far.   Looking forward to continuing it.

My Port Royal Kickstarter

Having done the digital Kickstarter and with loads of Blood and Plunder and pirate types in hand Port Royal delivered this week.  Not without a few problems but having res the rules I'm enthused.  Time to give Port Royal a go!

It's the morning of June 7, 1692, and a massive earthquake has caused the liquefaction of the soil and brought on a tsunami devastating the town, killing thousands.  A tragedy, but for some an opportunity to loot and get rich.

My Blood and Plunder games established my English Pirate Captain as "Fat" Errol Thynne, and his Nemesis, the French Capitaine Rathboné de Mayonnaise of the Bouccanier.  Both of these worthies have their ships company in town and are set on making their fortunes.

Meanwhile somewhere in Rumtown back in the hills the defrocked Priest Father Louis de Pénis Frere Dimanche ( Brother Sunday) to his flock is also waiting, with his own group of Mission Carib Indians and the local Rumtown Maroons, intent on getting a share of the loot.

Governor Appleton has vanished but a company of soldiers and local militia, has been mustered to secure the city under the nominal command of the gouty Colonel Daiquiri currently hiding in the old colonial fort.

Lieutenant Cecil Brown-Trousers of the 50th Foote and Sergeant Drew Peacock have been sent out to quell the looting, with a mix of newly enrolled militia and a handful of actual soldiers.

The Jamaican Buccaneers

"Fat" Errol Thynne an his crew.  Not really hero material!

FACTION RULES

Intimidation: Once per game, after rolling for initiative but before starting the Activation Phase, the player controlling this Company may spend 2 Fortune Points to give all Characters in this Company the Terror Special Rule for the remainder of the current turn only.

Well Armed: When creating a new Company, every Officer Character in this Company may add a single weapon at no cost. 

CAPTAIN
Errol Thynne
Cost 6.  Experience 5
Fight 6/6.   Shoot 6/6.    Resolve 5
Special » Command.  » Fate (1)

Rapier.  6 points

BOATSWAIN Darragh Matey
Cost 3.  Experience 5
Fight 6/7.    Shoot 6/7.   Resolve 6
Special » Marksman, musket, Cutlass 4 points

OLD BUCCANEERS (3)
Cost 5.  Experience 4
Fight 6/6.  Shoot 6/6.  Resolve 5
Special » Marksman.  » Brawler

Old Cyrus, Blunderbuss, Cutlass, 7 points

SEA DOGS
Cost 3.  Experience 5
Fight 6/6.  Shoot 7/7.  Resolve 5
Special » Brawler

"Gallows" O'Hara, Cutlass, musket.  Five points

FREEBOOTERS
Cost 3.  Experience 5
Fight 6/6.  Shoot 7/7.  Resolve 5

Special » Marksman
Jasper Hawke.  Musket 

"Pisswater" Crowe. Musket, eight points.

Force total:

Six figures,  30 Points. Infamy rating 33.

French Boucanier

The suave Rathboné de Mayonnaise, and his crew of ill smelling Buccaneers.

FACTION RULES

Well Armed: When creating a new Company, every Officer Character in this Company may add a single weapon at no cost. 

Buccaneer Tricks: Once per game when you become the Active Player, you may spend 2 Fortune Points to have every Character in this Company immediately take a free Reload action.

CAPITAINE
Rathboné de Mayonnaise
Cost 6. Experience 4
Fight 5/7. Shoot 6/7.  Resolve 5
Special » Command. » Fate (1)

Sword, pistol. 7 points

QUARTERMASTER (1)

"Le Loup" Boucher

Cost 4. Experience 5

Fight 5/7. Shoot 6/7.  Resolve 5

Special » Hard Charger

Sword, pistol, floppy hat, 5 points

SAILOR

Maurice Le Cow, Cutlass, pistol

Lafarte, Cutlass. Points 8
Cost 3. Experience 5
Fight 5/7.  Shoot 7/7.  Resolve 5
Special » Hard Charger

BOUCANIER (3)

Claude, musket,  Jacques musket. 8 points
Cost 4.  Experience 5
Fight 7/7.  Shoot 5/6.  Resolve 6
Special » Marksman

6 figures,  30 points,  33 Infamy points

Crown Forces

The men of the 50th Foote, and militia "volunteers from the Marshalsea Prison.

FACTION RULES

Steady: Once per turn, a Character in this Company may re-roll a failed test that uses its Resolve value.

Issued Weapons: When creating a new Company, up to 3 Soldiers or Officer Characters in this Company gain a Musket for free.

CAPTAIN

Cecil Brown-Trousers of the 50th Foote 

Cost 5.  Experience 5

Fight 6/6.  Shoot 7/6.   Resolve 4

Special.  » Command.  » Fate(1).  » Drilled. Sword, pistol.

7 points

NCO

Sergeant Drew Peacock

Cost 3.  Experience 5

Fight 6/6.  Shoot 6/7.  Resolve 5

Special » Drilled. Halbard, Pistol. 5 points

SOLDIER

Corporal Balthazar Puddingstone, Musket, plug bayonet

Private Wobblebottom Crumpet, Musket, plug bayonet

Cost 4.  Experience 5

Fight 6/6.  Shoot 6/7.  Resolve 5

Special » Expertly Drilled.  6 points

MILITIA

Militiamen Horace Bumblewick, Musket

Reginald Poppycock, Musket

Marmaduke Hiccups, Musket

Digby Noodleshite, Musket

Cost 2.  Experience 6 

Fight 7/7.  Shoot 7/7.  Resolve 5

Special » Drilled.   11 points

In reserve:

Fiddlesticks Featherstone

Thaddeus Tiddlywinks

Reginald Poppycock

Barnaby Spindlearse

Percival Trotterbottom

Eight figures, 30 points. 35 Infamy Points 

The Carib Raiders

The insane Father Louis de Pénis or Papa Dimanche to the locals and his Carib friends.  As a priest he carries stinkpots but won't assault anyone.  My Caribs are Ghost Archipelago plastics armed with bows, blowpipes poisoned arrows and daggers.

FACTION RULES

Strike & Fade: After rolling for Initiative but before starting the Activation Phase, the player controlling this Company may spend 2 Fortune Points to give every Character in this 

Company a free Conceal action if they are more than 4” away from an opposing Character.

Limited Reloading: Anytime a Black Powder weapon is used by a Character in this  Company, it always gains an additional reload marker. 

OFFICERS

The following options represent the Company’s important members.

CACIQUE* (1)

Aroha Kaikai

Cost 6   Experience 4

Fight 5/7  Shoot 6/6  Resolve 5

Special » Command  » Fate (1)  » Hidden  » Scout

Musket, throwing axe,  Cost 8

SHAMAN (1) 

Priest Father Louis de Pénis/ Frere Dimanche  Cost 4. Experience 5

Fight 6/7. Shoot 7/6. Resolve 6

Special » Scout. » Inspiring.  Stinkpot.   Cost 5

WARRIORS

Tajimura Waya.  Bow

Kuna'ta Xalaka. Bow 

Marekhu Hupa.  Bow

Boli Mayar.  Bow (pipe) and poisoned arrows

Cost 3.  Experience 5

Fight 5/8  Shoot 6/6.  Resolve 6

Special » Hidden. » Scout.             Cost 16

Six figures. 30 points. 31 Infamy points

Names in reserve

Pelekai Nala.

Roko Sanara

Aluna Kanawi

Tajiri Mahu

Yanka Akita

My Project Notes

The " to do" list.

The map.  I'm using an additional two sided Pirate Island map, as well as the official mat from Firelock.  It cost me a small fortune but I'm a fan of flip mats.  

Shipwreck on two levels ✔️ done

Jollyboat ✔️

Swamp ✔️

Quicksand x 2

Crocs from milliput.

Snakes or snakepit

Insect swarm

Bodies and bits

Maroons - Warlord Seminoles

Currency - pieces.

Company cards A5

Custom Dice.  Maybe yellow!

Sunken building

Garden of horrors (snakes?)

Civilians

Native American. Caribs.  Ghost Archipelago - Tribals, figures to get the loincloth look?  ✔️

Prone marker.

Weapons cache Markers

Periods/Games I think the Port Royal mechanisms would work for:

Medieval city sack, Limoges, Constantinople, Famagusta.

Napoleonic Badajoz sack

Fantasy RPG Frostgrave type game

The streets of Musketeer Paris

Montague vs Capulet

Pompeii

London during the Great Fire. 

Rome during the Plague

The retreat from  Moscow

Robert Rodgers attack on St Francis, French Indian War

The San Francisco Earthquake 1911

28mm 

The first Samurai game

My first play through of the Samurai game:

Not totally complete yet but workable.

The Taira draw.  I'm limiting the clan lords to five each.  Tara Place two.

And they plan to take the emperor from his monastery.   A 20mm milliput emperor not yet finished.  Needs more painting and a label.

The Minamoto can only place one Lord! 

Looks like a march on Kyoto.

The Fugiwara place one lord.

Out on an island.  Poor cards.

Much stronger for the Hojo.

And they plan to take the Heir.  I used a babe in arms figure.

And the Hojo are also looking at the Regalia nearby.  I really must paint that chest.

That ends the setup.  First random event is a forced march for the Hojo.

They go for the Regalia.

And add another powerhouse Lord nearby 

The Hojo are building a powerbase.

The Fugiwara get good winds and land.  Looks like a challenge to the Hojo 

Not too strong though

The Minamoto march on Kyoto and take the city.

A second Minamoto lord is started within marching distance of Kyoto.

Big army with the Minamoto boys.

The Taira take the Emperor.

And place another lord nearby

And the Hojo take the Regalia.

But the Heir falls to the Fugiwara.

So far so good.

But the Taira close in on Kyoto.  Two big armies face off but no attack yet.

And the Hojo act to take the Heir from the Fugiwara.  Its a battle.

The Hojo have 150 points with Toranaga

The Fugiwara have only 80 points with Surimoto but are in a 50 point monastery so this will be quite even.

Game paused whilst I decide whether to paint up troops or just use numbers and dice.

A work still in progress