Brethren of the Main.

Tales of the Brethren of the Main

When I saw this wooden pirate ship model at the Summer Fair in Omodos last year, (up in the Troodos Mountains) I was very much in two minds.  Its a 3d build, with layer upon layer of wood, but in for a cent in for a euro, I decided to have a go.  Having bought it I sent it to the back of the cupboard, to await inspiration, since matching the ship to 28mm figures would take a little work.

I will admit that I was more than a little surprised to find the same model slightly cheaper on sale at Jumbos in the Paphos Mall.  Mind you that didn't stop me buying another one, as well as one each for the entire membership of the Petains, Merry Christmas.  (Well I am the only one of us that would make a convincing portly Santa...)   still...  aged 8+ ???  Ho, Ho, Ho.

I worked out that to waterline the model a simple incision above the keel was needed, really easy to do, with the added bonus that this would leave me with several useable deck sections to scratch build a few more ships with.  Since I would have two large galleons I think I will be able to add a sloop and a schooner to my fleet.

 The ship is very much in the 17th Century style, or even earlier. It really needs some Irregular Miniatures ship furniture, some modelling work and a crew.  

Frostgrave Ghost Archipelago sailors, some with bows replaced by muskets, will be my jack tars.  Nice figures if a little expensive. 

Since the rules I'm using are Blood and Plunder, I'm setting the game in the 1650s.  English Civil War troops will double as my Militias and Soldiers.

Woodland Indians will be my Caribs.  Reputed to be cannibals my Sea Dogs better be careful. The figures may not be ideal in terms of historical  accuracy, but tnet are pretty fierce looking!

My 15mm games established my English Pirate Captain, Fat Errol, and his Nemesis the French Capitaine Rathboné de Mayonnaise of the French Bouccanier.  The Frostgrave crewmen will divide between these two factions.

Port Royale on the "Île de la Gros Garçon," my Tortuga like pirate haven, has an English Governor with a dozen or so Militia.  The Spanish enemy is at  Puerto Rosas across the Sangre strait between the island and Hispaniola.

"Fat boy Island" also enjoys the small and lawless port of  Rumtown.  Inland is a French Monastery, set up by the French King himself to bring the light of Catholicism to the new world.  By all accounts it is rich in silver plate.  The Governor is reputed to be a Catholic who supports the disgraced and disgraceful Father Louis de Pénis.

Whilst Governor Appleton is nominally in charge, with a company of local militia, a contingent of regulars and the fearsome Colonel Daiquiri are always present in the old colonial fort.

French Buccaneers under Rathboné de Mayonnaise already use the Island, where the Abbot is one of their secret supporters and purchasers of Spanish silver. 

A new untested Spanish Commander and a contingent of Regulars are said to be already on Hispaniola at Puerto Rosas across the strait of blood. 

The Rules will be Blood and Plunder, a shore action using 200 points

My hand drawn Caribbean (well more or less) map.  

I'm also going to run a resource and trading game similar to the RFCM Pieces of Eight game. The Merchant house of Pugwash will attempt to make a Caribbean fortune using the old Saucy Nancy, the crew of which are the fearsome Nancy Boys.  Entering a port the Merchant Captain rolls d6 for the price of commodities at that location and attempts to trade his cargo up, all prices being in dubloons.

Some of the other characters on my encounter cards will be: The Bouccanier Captain Pont-l'Évêque, "the pungent pirate," Spanish Captain General Antonio El Gato Negro and his sidekick the Spanish Coronel Pequeña.

My idea is that four bands of Pirates each begin with a 100 point crew and two jollyboats, whilst Merchants begin with a single ship. Still, it's a big project.

Wargames Terrain

Palm trees from the plastic Zoo set, explain that one at airport security...
The Governors mansion
A facade for the Church to add onto one of my simple village houses. 
Area terrain fields with walls
A beach with wooden jetty, and the stone pier for Port Royale..
Longboats, a raft, canoes and shark fins.

Additional figures and conversionsI will need:
Pirate Captain.   Pad out fat Errol's tummy.
Priest
Matron
Spanish Militia of Antonio Zorro

Campaign reference maps

Local map of Fat boy Island
The Pirate Cruise map... Northern Caribbean with encounter points
Grid 6 by 6   20 scenarios.  Terrain roll.

1.  Shoal
2.  Islet
3.  Land
4.  Sea
5.  Channel
6.  Trade Port

Trade Commodities prices
1.  Rum
2.  Molasses
3.  Slaves
4.  Silver
5.  Foodstuffs
6.  Luxury items

Each port has a trade rating.  Dice d6 on entering port to see the rate for your current cargo.  Barrels, chests, sacks, ingots, but the value is reckoned in Pieces of Eight.

The Campaign Map Mechanisms D6 each square.  The result is:
1. Merchantman
2. Terrain on land Weather at sea.
3. Events aboard
4. Enemy Militia
5. Pirate hunters
6. Merchantman

Encounters
1.  Carib canoes
2.  Pirate Longboats
3.  A fat Merchantman
4.  A Squall
5.  A Pirate Sloop
6.  A Galleon

The almost completed campaign map