BLACKBEARD PLAYER AID

On a Player Turn (Active Pirate):

I) Draw Cards until you have 4 cards, but playing “Must Play Immediately” cards.

II) Check if fewer than 5 Merchant Ships on mapboard. If yes, place Merchant Ships until
there are 6 on the mapboard. Roll D66

III) Play card(s). May play any number of cards and in any order. Only 1 card can be used for
Pirate Actions. Cards with action numbers can be split between multiple pirates. Cards with
diamonds which use Initiative Rating can only be used for the particular pirate chosen.

IV) Perform any of the following Pirate Actions:

A) Move [7.1]: Move ship from sea area to sea area; OR sea area to port; OR port to sea
area; OR sea area to transit box; OR transit box to sea area. Ships with speed rating less
than 0 need to spend 2 Actions to move.

B) Find Merchant Ship [8.1]: Search for a merchant ship (in a sea area with merchant ship
counter). Roll 1D6 and add pirate Ability. Find merchant ship on a 7 or more.

C) Loot Merchant Ship [8.2]: Seize the cargo after finding a merchant ship.
1. Determine cargo value (in Doubloons): 1D6+Cargo Rating, and consult chart. Adjust
Notoriety (Cargo Rating) & Crew Loyalty (if applicable – see chart)
2. Take Hostage, choose ONE:
Hold for Ransom or
Torture for information : Roll 1D6. If result is greater than pirate’s Cruelty, gain
INFO equal to hostage Info Rating and hostage dies. If result less than Cruelty, then
hostage dies. Either way, adjust Notoriety (hostage Value Rating) and Crew Loyalty
(increase by 1).
3. Convert Merchant Ship: Option to use merchant ship for pirate. Adjust Crew Loyalty (-
1 if new ship smaller than old OR +1 if new ship larger than old – ie sloop to
schooner)
4. Remove Merchant Ship counter from mapboard.
5. Decide to declare Debauchery & Revelry (D&R) [+1 Crew Loyalty once in port, +3 in
Pirate port].

D) In-Port Activities [9.4]: Cannot enter an Anti-Pirate Port except to attack or if Safe
Haven.
1. Ransom Hostages (Port must be of same nationality as hostage): Value (in
Doubloons) = 2D6 x Hostage Value Rating x 50, Add to any cargo hold. Cannot
ransom hostages in an Arab or Portuguese port.
2. Convert Booty to Net Worth: Pro-Pirate Port – 1 to 1 ratio; Neutral (no Governor) Port
– 2 to 1 ratio rounded up (ie 2500 doubloons coverts to 1250 Net Worth); Pirate Port –
1 to 1 ratio & automatic involuntary D&R; Safe Haven – 1 to 1 ratio + 10% (rounding
up).
3. Refit: Repair damage to ship. In Pro-Pirate or Neutral Port – 1D6 /2 round up =
number of Combat and/or Speed hits that can be removed. If port is a Safe Haven -
+2 to result. In Pirate Port – all damage is automatically removed. Cannot refit in
Arab Ports.

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4. Purchase Safe Haven Status: May only be done in a Pro-Pirate Port that is not
already a Safe Haven. Bribe Governor for amount (in Doubloons) = 1D6 x 100. Must
be paid from Net Worth. Can refuse to accept. May only bribe a specific governor
once. (Use Governor Bribed marker). Play Letter of Marque card. No bribe is
required for a Letter of Marque.
5. Enter involuntary D&R status (see Convert Booty above), declare optional voluntary
D&R.

E) Booty Grab [9.6]: Attack another Player’s pirate to attempt to steal cargo. The target must
be in port and under D&R. Each pirate rolls 1D6 and adds Ability. The attacker also adds
1 to result. If Grabbing Pirate’s total is lower, then gets nothing & Crew Loyalty is reduced
by 2. If both totals are the same, then a duel occurs (see section 15 for duels). If
grabbing Pirate’s total is higher, then roll another 1D6, add difference of previous roll x 10
= total percentage stolen.

F) D&R Recovery [13.0]: Once in a port, spent 1 action to remove a voluntary D&R OR
spend 2 consecutive actions to remove an involuntary D&R. Once under D&R only two
Pirate Actions are available – Move & D&R Recovery. If under D&R and attacked at sea,
then subtract 2 from Speed and Combat Ratings.

G) Attack Port [9.5]: Attack any port adjoining the sea zone the pirate is currently located.
Roll 1D6 and add pirate’s Ability, Ship’s Combat Rating, and any Info on that port. Total
must be greater than port’s Defense Rating + 1D6. If attack successful:
1. Determine booty value (in Doubloons). Roll number of die equal to port Value, add
together and multiply by 100.
2. Adjust Notoriety - 2x port’s Value.
3. Adjust Crew Loyalty – increase by 1
4. Adjust Ship Damage – suffers 1 Combat Damage hit
5. Move Pirate into port.
If attack unsuccessful: ship suffers Combat Damage equal to the difference in Attack &
Defense Totals.
Regardless if attack is successful, use Attack History marker. All ports of that nationality
are Anti-Pirate ports (except any Safe Havens) for that Pirate. These ports roll 2D6
and add their Defense Rating on Subsequent attacks.

H) Sack Port [9.55]: Sack a port and destroy it. Must be the next action after a successful
attack on a port. Roll 1D6 and add pirate’s Cruelty. Port sacked if result is greater than
the port’s Defense Rating. If successful:
1. Port destroyed and useless for rest of game – use Destroyed Port Marker
2. Adjust Crew Loyalty – increase by 1
3. Adjust Notoriety – 2x port’s Value.
4. Pirate(s) are placed in adjoining sea area.
5. Crew undergoes involuntary D&R.
Nothing happens if Sack attempt is unsuccessful. Cannot attempt to Sack again unless
successfully Attack the port again.

I) Form Pirate Alliance [11.0]: May only occur between a player’s two deployed pirates.

J) Retire Voluntarily [18.4]: Retire in a Pro-Pirate port with a Letter of Marque for that port’s
nationality. Retire in a Safe Haven by saying so. Retire in a Pro-Pirate port by bribing the
Governor for amount (in Doubloons) = D66 x 100. Must be paid from Net Worth. Can
refuse to accept, but reduce crew loyalty by 1. May not attempt to bribe that particular

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governor again. (Use Governor Bribed marker). Entering an English port the second time
the General Pardon card is drawn.

K) Draw New Pirate Card and/or Deploy New Pirate [5.1]: Pirates can be deployed to any
Sea Area. See limits on the number of pirates in section 5.16. Anti-Pirate Actions may
not be played against a newly deployed pirate [4.64].

All Players Not Currently Taking a Turn (Anti-Pirate Player):

During the Active Pirate’s TURN, an Anti-Pirate Player may perform ONE Anti-Pirate Action type.
No Anti-Pirate type can be repeated on an Action, but may be repeated during different Actions of
the same Turn. Anti-Pirate Action types are as follows:

I) Attempt to Deploy a King’s Commissioner [10.12]: Roll 3D6, result must be less than the
pirate’s Notoriety. If roll successful, then place (deploy only!) KC in Sea Area with Active
Pirate. Note: Cannot use this APA if pirate is in port or in a transit box. Only the player who
deployed the KC may control it. Each player may have only ONE KC in play at a time. A
player may not use his KC against his own pirate(s). See KC Reaction under ‘Use Existing
King’s Commissioner’ for possible uses.

II) Use On-Station Warship [6.43]: A warship already in play in the same Sea Area may be used
to attack the Active Pirate. Note: Only one warship can be on-station in a Sea Area.
Warships on-station can only be used when the Active Pirate is performing any of the
following Pirate Actions:
1. Find Merchant Ship
2. Loot Merchant Ship
3. Attack Port
Must use on the announcement of one of the three actions above. The Active Pirate must
then decide whether to stay and fight or to try to escape.
A) If chooses to stay & fight, then resolve combat. Pirate rolls 1D6 and adds Ability Rating
and Ship Combat Rating. Warship rolls 1D6, adds Combat Rating and +2.
1. If Pirate’s total is higher, then the Warship is defeated.
a) Pirate gains Notoriety equal to Warship Combat Rating.
b) Pirate ship suffers 1 Combat Damage hit.
c) The Warship is removed and placed back into the pool.
d) The Pirate continues his Pirate Action.
2. If Pirate’s total is less than or the same, then the Pirate is driven off.
a) Crew Loyalty is reduced by 1.
b) Pirate ship suffers Combat Damage hits equal to the difference in the rolls.
c) The Warship remains On-Station. Pirate also remains in the Sea Area.
d) The Pirate Action is cancelled and considered spent.
e) Remove any merchant ships which were Found or about to be Looted.
B) If tries to escape, then resolve an interception attempt. The Pirate and Warship roll 1D6
and add their Speed.
1. If the Pirate’s total is higher or the same, then the Pirate has escaped.
a) The Warship remains On-Station. Pirate also remains in the Sea Area.
b) The Pirate Action is cancelled and considered spent.
c) Remove any merchant ships which were Found or being Looted.
2. If the Warship’s total is higher, then a battle occurs. See combat above.

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III) Use Existing King’s Commissioner [10.42]: Only one KC may conduct an Anti-Pirate Action
during the Active Pirate’s Turn. KC Anti-Pirate Actions include the following:
1. Move (see Pirate Actions on page 1, under A)
2. Attack a Pirate Port [10.41]. The KC player rolls 1D6, adds ship’s Combat Rating and +2.
Every pirate rolls 1D6 and adds his ship’s Combat Rating.
A) If the KC’s total is the same or lower than any pirate total, then the KC is repulsed.
Nothing happens to the port, the KC remains in the Sea Area and the pirates remain
in port.
B) If the KC’s total is higher than all pirate totals, then the Pirate port is destroyed. All
pirates are moved to the Sea Area and take 1 Combat Damage hit. The KC remains
in the Sea Area.
C) If there are no pirates in the port, then the port is automatically destroyed.
3. Oust Pirates from a Port [10.42]. A KC in a Sea Area adjoining a port containing a pirate
who announces or is undergoing any Pirate Action possible in a port may attempt to oust
the pirate from that port. KC player rolls 1D6, adds ship’s Combat Rating and +2. Pirate
rolls 1D6 and adds the Combat Ratings of all ships in the port.
A) If KC’s total is higher, then all pirates are immediately ousted and placed in the Sea
Area. The Pirate Action is cancelled and considered spent. The KC remains in the
Sea Area.
B) If the KC’s total is the same or lower, then the oust attempt fails. Each pirate earns 1
Notoriety point. The Pirate can continue the Pirate Action. The pirate(s) remain in
port and the KC remains in the Sea Area.

In addition, EACH KC may conduct a KC Reaction. A KC Reaction consists of KCs

attempting to intercept and attack a pirate that has announced or is conducting a Pirate
Action in the same or adjacent Sea Area. KC Reaction is NOT considered a KC Anti-Pirate
Action. An Anti-Pirate Player may use both KC Reaction and an AP Action in the same
player Turn. Any number of KC Reactions may occur on a Turn, but only one per Pirate
Action. KC Reaction may not occur in ports or transit boxes. The Pirate Actions which
trigger a KC Reaction are as follows:
1. Move
2. Find Merchant Ship
3. Loot Merchant Ship
4. Attack Port

Intercepting a Pirate: After announcing the interception attempt (KC Reaction), the Active
Pirate chooses whether to stay & fight or escape.
1. If Active Pirate wishes to engage, then resolve combat. Active Pirate rolls 1D6 and
adds Ability Rating and Ship Combat Rating. KC rolls 1D6, adds ship Combat Rating
and +2. If Pirate’s total is higher than KC’s then the Pirate defeats the KC:
a) Pirate gains Notoriety equal to 2x the KC’s ship Combat Rating.
b) Crew Loyalty increases by 1.
c) Remove the KC from the game.
If the Pirate’s total is less than or the same as the KC’s then the KC defeats the Pirate:
a) The Pirate is eliminated and out of the game. The Active Pirate Player gains Victory
Points equal to the Pirate’s Notoriety. The KC player gains Victory Points equal to
½ (rounded down) the Pirate’s Notoriety.
b) The KC remains in the Sea Area.
2. If Active Pirate does not wish to engage, then attempt to intercept. KC and Active
Pirate players roll 1D6 and add their respective ship’s Speed Rating. KC player also

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subtracts 1 if intercepting from an adjacent Sea Area. If KC’s total is the same or lower,
then the pirate has escaped.
a) The Pirate Action (except Move) is cancelled and considered spent.
b) Remove any merchant ships which were Found or about to be Looted.
If KC’s total is greater, then the KC has intercepted the pirate. The pirate must either
surrender by using a Letter of Marque or engage in combat (see above).

IV) Play Card for Anti-Pirate Event [17.0]: Play a card ‘type’ for its Anti-Pirate Event only if it has
not been played during the Active Pirate’s turn already. A card ‘type’ constitutes all identical
cards in the deck. For example, Scurvy Outbreak is one type. In addition, only one card type
may be played per Pirate Action. Note: A Warship Sighting card can only be played if the
Active Pirate is performing one of the Pirate Actions listed under ‘Use On-Station Warship’. If
played, a Warship is drawn from the pool and placed face up in the Sea Area containing the
Active Pirate. Once the Warship’s strength is revealed, the Anti-Pirate Player may choose to
attack or leave it on-station. See ‘Use On-Station Warship’ to resolve interceptions and
combat.

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