Where be the Buccaneers?, on yer Buccanead, Thar be Pirates!

Pirate Fact: Pirates wore gold earings because if they were killed, they would always have enough gold on their person to pay for their funeral costs.

Robert Louis Stephenson gave us a taste of pirate life in his book Treasure Island, which I am sure we all read as young lads. The atmospheric pages sees Jim Hawkins get drawn in to the pirate way by Long John Silver, his loyalties for his comrades and the lust for treasure. 

From the pages of Stephenson books came the Pirates that have been glamourised by Hollywood for years from Douglas Fairbanks in “The Black Pirate” or Errol Flynn’s “Captain Blood” to Johnny Depp as Cap’n Jack Sparrow in  the Pirates of the Caribbean quadrilogy.

How did piracy become so popular in the Caribbean?

Some AWI troops, now in Spains employ in the Caribbean 

Spain, the wealthiest catholic nation, had made the Caribbean became a center of trade in the region and control of the Americas. The 16th century saw Spain sailing tons of Sliver from Mexico through the region and then onward across the Atlantic to Spain. From 1520 – 1560, the French saw an opportunity to seize these shipments but, as a sea faring nation had to few ship to take on the might of Spain on the high seas, so they employed privateers. Then later, two powerful protestant nations of Great Britain and Holland (both with a strong navy), would also employ privateers.

The Captain of the Garrison & his Sergeant.

In the 1560’s Spain used heavily guarded convoys, which made attacking them very risky as most privateer vessels were lightly armed compared to the Spanish armadas. Many of the privateers chose easier targets, independent merchant ships and the like. Sometimes attacking merchant ships from their “employers” country of origin. In 1585 Spain and Great Britain were at war, due to some part with trade disputes in the Caribbean. By the start of the 17th century Britain, France and Dutch colonies had been established in the West Indies, as Spain’s influence began to decline, due its loss of the war with Britain. Many an adventurer would head for the Spanish Main for “riches beyond their wildest dreams”, but for most who tried the pirates way, the gallows awaited.

The Royal Marines, Loyal to a man unless there's a coin or two to gain!

But who were these Buccaneers who diced with death, taking on the worlds powers on the high seas around the Caribbean. The “Famous” pirates and privateers came from various professions, but ultimately all met their shorts careers at the end of a “rope”. The average run of a pirate seems to be about four years, although some shorter and some (a very few), longer. The “high tide” of piracy was around 1720 when many a hanging was taking place, as the Royal Navy was tirelessly hunting down the pirates and would almost certainly out gun them in a stand up fight. Many crews were turning their captains in as the net closed on their privateering ways. Everyone knows the legend that was Blackbeard (Edward Teach) and others like Henry Morgan, Black Bart (Bartholomew Roberts), Calico Jack (Rackham), to name but a few. There were also privateers, who “worked” as legal pirates for their prospective country. The privately owned ship would be commissioned into a particular nations navy and they would have a letter of marque, which allowed the privateer to “legally” attack enemy ships and retrieve the goods and sometimes the ship. They would pay a large percentage of the loot to the crown. Francis Drake was an early privateer the Great Britain.

It's a Pirates life for me, Yo Ho!

A Toymaster Galleon, ready for the crew!

 Another crew gathers

Has the above wetted your whistle to break out yer crew agin!!!!, then read on...

My club had a pirate “campaign” a few years back and although quite a few members took part, and found it enjoyable, it was more of a series of games which were not linked. I am working on a campaign at the moment where you can choose what you want to be but you allegiance, “traits” and starting island/Port will be random generated. Everyone will start the campaign with a crew of 250 doublooms (you choose your crew), one ship. I am working on maps and ship movement. Anyone who takes part must be able to play at least once every couple of months. There will be some basic campaign rules but I hope it will be fun for all to play. There will also be room for “drop in” players to play unfilled places, so it should suit most members in some form or another.