Uriah begins his career as a Bronze Age Pirate

I read a set of Chris Peers rules recently, "On the Seven Seas," a set of pirate rules published by Osprey.  Parts of them really resonated with me.  I did however have some reservations about the way the rules seem to be vague, and poorly set out.  After doing some collating to get a working idea of them I decided that they were not for me, although the morale system is truly innovative, and I like the campaign idea.

It set me to thinking.  The only pirates I have are from the Bronze age.  I`ve never really considered this level of game for them, where the crew of a ship sail (row) around getting into scrapes and fighting with the locals.  It has some mileage, in fact it sounds like the Odyssey.

Uriah the Hittite, is of course actually a Sherden.  He claims to have been a disgraced and exiled Hittite Prince when he's had one too many wines, but his men don't really believe him.  In this test game he has landed at a cove in Caria, and is stocking up his ship from a local trader.    Mainly wine amphora from the look of it.   Uriah intends to make his way over to Cyprus and conquer it, and he doesn't intend to be sober when he does that!

Unfortunately Uriah's old enemy Ajax has also landed in the cove.  He want's those supplies!  the crew's square off for a brawl.

Ajax crew has a fear of 4 and a greed of 6.  They will act under orders for now.

Uriah has less men.  His crew have a fear of 5 and a greed of 7

Ajax moves his men closer, but Uriah takes the time to Encourage his men, and then intimidate the enemy, adding +1 to his own greed and +1 to Ajax crew's fear.

The fighting starts as Uriah leads his men forward.  One of Uriah's men is killed and one falls back

Ajax men are better in the fight.  a difference of 2 on the dice is a fall back.  A difference of 3 (and the natural 6) is a kill.

The fighting sways back and forward.  the rules have a saving throw for armour, but Uriah still lost three more men.

But the game turns on the duel between Ajax and Uriah.  Ajax rolls low and is killed.  His men's fear level reaches ten, and they rout. 

Uriah completes his ships stores and recruits some of Ajax crew to make up numbers on his ship.

The rules seemed to produce a game that flowed, but they need some work.  I think that they can be adapted to regulars such as the Egyptains as well as my pirate crew.  I had no bows or slings in play, and I need to test the ship combat rules but maybe there is some mileage in it.  Let's hope that Uriah can find Cyprus...

Uriah, mighty Sherden
In his black ship
Lost on the great green