Re-organized rulebook summary 1.

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By Steven McDougall (edited by Derp)
Objective:

Earn the most Victory Point’s. These come from:

1. Net Worth of a retired Pirate. Obtained by in-Port conversion of doubloons taken after looting Merchant Ships or
successfully attacking Ports.

2. Notoriety of retired, eliminated and surviving Pirates. Obtained by:

- Looting Merchant Ships
- Torturing Hostages
- Successful Port attack
- Successful Port sack
- Defeating a King’s Commissioner in battle
- Defeating a Warship in battle
- Surviving an Oust Attempt by a King’s Commissioner

3. Being eliminated by a King’s Commissioner

4. Using a King’s Commissioner to eliminate a Pirate

5. Being defeated by a Pirate after attacking with a King’s Commissioner

6. Using a Warship to damage a Pirate

Always score VP’s immediately after they occur

If a Pirate is eliminated (NOT by a King’s Commissioner) or is still alive at game end:

- He receives 1 VP per Notoriety Point, but receives 0 VP for Net Worth. It’s better to retire if possible.

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Setup

1. Distribute Pirate Displays to Players:

- 5 or 4 Player Game: 2 each
- 3 Player Game: 3 each
- 2 Player Game: 4 each

2. Determine Player Order

- Roll 1d6. The highest roller becomes Player A. Play passes clockwise around table. Take corresponding
Pirate ID chits.

3. 4 Event cards face down to each player

- No “Play Immediately” cards. Re-shuffle into pack if dealt.

4. Place 8 Pro-Pirate Governors in ports by means of d66 rolls

5. Players are dealt or choose Pirate Cards:

- 5 or 4 Player Game: 2 each
- 3 Player Game: 3 each
- 2 Player Game: 4 each

6. Players deploy Pirates into any Sea Areas, even if already occupied
- One Pirate deployment per player mandatory
- Additional Pirates may be deployed if desired (up to total # of Pirate Cards in hand at start of game)
- Place ID marker on corresponding Pirate Card and select a ship type (Sloop or Schooner) for each Pirate
deployed. Place Combat, Speed, and Loyalty chits on display at color-coded levels (Loyalty on 7 in all cases).

7. Place Merchant Ships

- Randomly draw 8 chits. Place face down at ports using d66 procedure.

8. Form draw pools for remaining chits:

- 9 King’s Commissioners (KC)
- 15 Hostages
- 16 Anti-Pirate Governors
- 15 Warships

9. Determine game length and carry out Player Turns until game end.
- Standard: Until General Pardon card is played for the 3rd time
- Long: Go through Event Deck x 2, adding General Pardon after 1st run

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On your turn as a Pirate:

Crew Loyalty reduced by 1 on each Pirate Player’s Ship that has Scurvy

Resolve D&R if needed

Pirate Player draws Event Cards until 4 are in hand

- Resolve any “Play Immediately” cards and draw replacement
- Pirate Cards do not count towards player’s Event Card hand

If fewer than 5 Merchant Ships on board

- Increase number to 6 by adding face-down to ports using d66 procedure

Pirate Player plays Event Cards

- At least 1 card per turn
- All 4 in-hand cards may be played but only 1 can be used for Actions
- Event must be carried out if an “Event AND Actions” card is played
- Any Action may be repeated in the same Player Turn
- Actions may be split amongst all Pirate Player’s Pirates
- Diamond icon allows #Actions=Initiative Rating of Pirate (cannot split)

You may expend 1 of his Cunning Points to make a re-roll. The full # of dice must be re-rolled.

When it is your turn, options available to you are:

1. Move - Page 4
2. Find Merchant Ship - Page 4
3. Loot Merchant Ship – Page 4
4. Convert Merchant Ship - Page 5
5. In-Port Activities – Page 5/6
6. Attack Port – Page 7
7. Sack Port – Page 7
8. D&R Recovery – Page 7
9. Booty Grab – Page 8
10. Retire – Page 8
11. Draw and/or Deploy New Pirate – Page 8
12. Form Pirate Alliance, Mutiny and Dueling – Page 9

On your turn as an Anti-Pirate:

Only 1 AP Action per non-Pirate Player during Pirate Player’s Turn

No AP Action can be repeated during any single Pirate Action

No AP Action allowed if Pirate Player is drawing or deploying a new Pirate

When it is not your turn, options available to you are:

1. Attempt to Deploy a King’s Commissioner (KC) – Page 10
2. Use a King’s Commissioner (KC) – Page 10/11
3. Use Any On-Station Warship or Play "Warship Sighting" Event Card – Page 12
4. Play an Anti-Pirate Event Card – Page 12

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Pirate Action #1 - Move
- Sea Area to Sea Area
o A player’s Pirate may never enter (or stay in) a Sea Area that contains that player’s own King’s Commissioner

- Sea Area to Port

o Not into a Port containing an Anti-Pirate Governor unless in possession of Letter of Marque for that nationality
o Not into destroyed Port
o Not into a Port of nationality in which you have a ‘Attack History’ chit on your Pirate display
o Instant recovery from Scurvy

- Port to Sea Area

o A player’s Pirate may never leave a port if the adjoining Sea Area contains that player’s own King’s Commissioner

- Sea Area to adjoining Transit Box

- Transit Box to adjoining Sea Area

Any number of Pirates allowed in any Sea Area, Transit Box, or Port
2 Move Actions required to move if Speed < 0

Pirate Action #2 - Find Merchant Ship

Roll 1d6 + Pirate Ability Rating (+1 if Merchant Ship is face up)
Success if result > 7
- Turn Merchant Ship face up if successful

May go on to Loot the ship as next Action, even if this is on the next turn

Pirate Action #3 - Loot Merchant Ship

A Merchant Ship may be looted by that Pirate as his very next Action, even if this is on the next turn.

Roll 1d6 + Merchant Ship Cargo Rating (= an Adjusted Roll). Cross reference on Merchant Cargo Table against Region.
This gives # of Doubloons that could be looted.

If Pirate loots Merchant Ship:

- Put into 1 hold of Pirate ship. If all holds already full, Pirate must empty a hold before loading looted doubloons
- Crew Loyalty reduced by 1 if the Adjusted Roll = 3 (Mutiny if Loyalty falls to 0)
- Crew Loyalty increased by 1 if the Adjusted Roll = 8
- Draw Hostage chit and either:
o Ransom (may bring Doubloons later). Put chit on Pirate Display together with attack token of
corresponding Port nationality
o Torture: Roll 1d6
 Result > Cruelty rating:
 Add Information Value of Hostage onto Port Grid. Makes attacks on that Port easier later
 Crew Loyalty increased by 1
 Gain Notoriety Points = Hostage Value rating
 Result = or < Cruelty rating:
 Crew Loyalty still increased by 1
 Gain Notoriety Points = Hostage Value Rating HOSTAGE
 Return Hostage to pool Information Value

If Pirate does not loot Merchant Ship:

- Crew Loyalty is reduced by 1. Mutiny if Loyalty falls to 0.

Gain Notoriety Points regardless of decision to loot Merchant Ship

- Roll 1d6 + Merchant Ship Cargo Rating = Notoriety Points gained

Remove Merchant Ship from board and put into pool

D&R may be declared (gain Crew Loyalty Point(s) after a subsequent D&R Recovery Action in port)

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Pirate Action #4 - Convert Merchant Ship
If a Pirate wishes to convert a Merchant Ship to his own, this action must be done immediately after the corresponding
Looting Action, even if this is on the next turn.
- Only Sloops, Schooners and Brigantines Merchants can be converted (red, blue, and green borders)

The Pirate moves his ship-type marker on the Pirate Display to Merchant Ship type
- Combat and Speed settings are set to maximum
- All other markers remain in place
- Doubloons in excess holds are lost (if converting to a smaller ship)
- Crew Loyalty increased by 1 if new ship is bigger (more holds)
- Crew Loyalty decreased by 1 if new ship is smaller (fewer holds) (Mutiny if Loyalty falls to 0)
- Merchant Ship is added back to pool

Pirate Action #5 - In-Port Activities

ALL of these can be done for only 1 Action TOTAL. Any/all must be done in the following order:
1) Ransom Hostages. Only possible in:
- Pro-Pirate ports
- Anti-Pirate ports if appropriate Letter of Marque is held.
- Safe Havens
- Neutral ports of same nationality as Hostage

Never possible in Arab (green), Portuguese (white), or Pirate (black) ports

Doubloons received = 2d6 x (Value Rating of Hostage) x 10

Add to any hold - no need to empty a hold first
Return Hostage to pool

2) Convert Doubloons to Net Worth. Possible in:

- Pro-Pirate ports. Conversion ratio = 1:1
- Anti-Pirate ports if appropriate Letter of Marque is held. Conversion ratio = 1:1
- Neutral ports. Conversion ratio = 2:1 (1:1 if appropriate Letter of Marque is held)
- Safe Havens. Conversion ratio = 1:1 + 10% (round up)
- Pirate ports. Conversion ratio = 1:1 (invokes involuntary D&R)

Empty as many holds as desired

3) Refit. Possible in:

- Pro-Pirate ports. Remove 1d6/2 Damage (Speed and/or Combat). Round up.
- Anti-Pirate ports if appropriate Letter of Marque is held. Remove 1d6/2 Damage (Speed and/or Combat).
- Neutral ports. Remove 1d6/2 Damage. (Speed and/or Combat)
- Safe Havens. Remove (1d6/2 + 2) Damage. (Speed and/or Combat)
- Pirate ports. Remove ALL Damage hits (Speed and Combat)

Never possible in Arab (green) ports

Multiple Actions may be used to continue Refit

4) Buy Safe Haven

A port can only be a Safe Haven for 1 Pirate at any given time
A Pirate can have as many Safe Havens as desired

Safe Haven can be bought only in Pro-Pirate port that is not a Safe Haven for another Pirate.
- Bribe Governor: costs (1d6 x 100) Net Worth
- Pirate need not proceed once cost has been calculated
- If bribe paid, note Safe Haven location on Port Grid
- Add corresponding “Governor Bribed” chit to Pirate Display whether bribe paid or not

(safe haven continued on next page)

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Safe Haven status ends if:
- Pirate attacks the port
- Port becomes Neutral
- Anti-Pirate Governor takes over Port
- Pirate retires or dies

5) Enter Involuntary D&R or Declare Voluntary D&R

Involuntary if:
- Pirate converted Doubloons to Net Worth earlier in Action
- Needs 2 D&R Recovery Actions to clear and gain Crew Loyalty Point(s) in port (see D&R Recovery)

Voluntary if:
- Pirate decides as part of the current In-Port Activities Action
- Needs 1 D&R Recovery Action to clear and gain Crew Loyalty Point(s) in port (see D&R Recovery)

“Only the devil and I know the whereabouts of my treasure, and the one
of us who lives the longest should take it all.”
–Edward Teach

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Pirate Action #6 - Attack Port
Attacking Ports is done to gain doubloons (which may be converted to Net Worth later) and Notoriety.
- Cannot attack destroyed Ports or Pirate ports

1. Attacker places nationality of Port chit on Pirate Display

2. Place Port Attacked chit on Port
3. All ports of that nationality are now Anti-Pirate to him, even Safe Havens
4. Any Letter of Marque of that nationality is lost
5. Pirate attacks as follows:
1. Roll 1d6 + (Ship Combat Rating) + (Ability Rating) + (Hostage Information)
2. Opponent rolls 1d6 + (Port Defense Rating) [2d6 + (Port Defense Rating) if port previous had Port Attacked chit
on it]

If Attack total > Defense total:

- Gain Notoriety = 2 x (Port Value)
- Crew Loyalty increased by 1
- Ship suffers 1 combat damage
- Doubloons looted = 100 x total of (Port Value) x d6. Put into 1 hold of Pirate ship. If all holds are full, then Pirate
must empty a hold before loading
- Pirate automatically enters port

If Attack total = Defense total:

- Ship suffers (Defense Total - Attack Total) combat damage
- Pirate stays in sea zone

Pirate Action #7 - Sack Port

If a Pirate attacks a port it may be sacked by that Pirate as his very next action, even if this is on the next turn. If a D&R
card is played while attempting a sack, the Pirate fails.

1. Pirate rolls 1d6 + (Cruelty Rating)

Success if result > Port defense Rating:

- Crew Loyalty increased by 1
- Gain Notoriety Points = 3 x (Port Value Rating)
- Pirate placed in sea area
- Port is destroyed and useless. Place “Port Destroyed” chit on Port

Failed if result = Port defense Rating:

- Wasted Action
- Pirate stays in Port and must leave and re-enter to sack again

Pirate Action #8 – D&R Recovery

Pirate must be in port. D&R increase is applied immediately.

Decrease D&R status by 1

- Remove chit if D&R was voluntary
- Flip chit if D&R was involuntary and this is 1st D&R Recovery Action played on that Pirate
- Remove chit if D&R was involuntary and this is 2nd D&R Recovery Action played on that Pirate

If Pirate completely recovered:

- Crew Loyalty increased by 1 in non-Pirate port
- Crew Loyalty increased by 3 in Pirate port

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Pirate Action #9 - Booty Grab
Player initiating grab must be in same port as a Pirate undergoing D&R.

1) Targeted player calculates (1d6 + Ability Rating)

2) Grabbing player calculates (1d6 + Ability Rating + 1)
- Result = (grabbing player total - target player total)
o If result > 0: Grabber increases 1 hold, target decreases hold(s) by same total
o If result < 0: Grabber loses 2 Crew Loyalty Points (Mutiny if Loyalty falls to 0)
o If result = 0: Duel. Each Pirate rolls d6 x (Duel Rating)
 Highest total wins
 Winner can take over any/all victim’s possessions (except Net Worth); even his ship
 Losing Pirate dies
 Tied Duel can be re-fought if both players agree. Otherwise action ends.

Pirate Action #10 - Retire

Retiring is used to maximize VP’s from a Pirates Net Worth. Retiring is only possible in Pro-Pirate ports and is NOT
possible in a Pirate port.

Pro-Pirate Port
- No cost if appropriate Letter of Marque is held. Otherwise, you can attempt to bribe a Governor:
o Requires a bribe of (d66 x 100) from Net Worth, not holds
 If bribe fails, Crew Loyalty reduced by 1 (Mutiny if Loyalty falls to 0). You cannot bribe
The same Governor again
o Add corresponding “Governor Bribed” chit to Pirate Display whether bribe paid or not

Anti-Pirate ports, if appropriate Letter of Marque is held:

- No cost

Safe Havens:
- No cost

Neutral ports, if appropriate Letter of Marque is held:

- No cost

Gain 2 VP’s per Notoriety Point

Gain 1 VP per 100 Net Worth (ignore fractions)

Pirate Action #11 - Draw and/or Deploy New Pirate

May only have the following maximum at any one time:
- 2 Player Game: 4 Pirate Cards in-hand and 4 Pirates in play
- 3 Player Game: 3 Pirate Cards in-hand and 3 Pirates in play
- 4/5 Player Game: 3 Pirate Cards in-hand and 2 Pirates in play

Note that these cards are considered separate from the Event Card hand

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Pirate Action #12 – Form Pirate Alliance
Possible if player has several Pirates in same port.

Only 2 of a player’s Pirates can form an Alliance at any one time

They must stay together at all times if alliance is to be maintained:

- Movement and actions taken together as one
- Alliance Combat Rating = highest individual value +1
- Alliance Speed Rating = lowest individual value
- Alliance Loyalty Rating = lowest individual value
- Alliance Pirate Rating = either individual value (player choice)

Split the following evenly between the two Allied Pirates as they arise:
- Doubloons (Pirate with higher Leadership gets any remainder)
- Net Worth (Pirate with higher Leadership gets any remainder)
- Combat Damage (player assigns any remainder)

Both Allied Pirates:

- Suffer any Speed Damage incurred
- Have Crew Loyalty increments added or subtracted as they arise
- Suffer any Scurvy outbreak

Player assigns refit points between Allied Pirates

No Letters of Marque can be obtained or used by the Alliance

Alliance broken:
- Voluntarily
- If D&R card played against it. Each Pirate then suffers effects
- If Mutiny Conspiracy card is played and a Mutiny occurs

Mutiny
Can occur due to an AP Event or whenever Crew Loyalty Rating falls to 0 or is 0 prior to an Action.

1. Roll d6 and compare with Leadership Rating:

o If roll > Leadership Rating: Pirate eliminated
 Score 1VP/Notoriety Point
 Deploy new Pirate to take over mutinied ship (reset Crew Loyalty to 6)
o If roll = Leadership Rating:
 Crew Loyalty reduced by 1
o If roll < Leadership Rating:
 No effect

Duel
Each Pirate rolls d6 x (Duel Rating). Highest total wins:
- Winner can take over any/all victim’s possessions (except Net Worth); even his ship
- Losing Pirate dies
- A tied Duel can be re-fought if both players agree, otherwise action ends.

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Anti-Pirate Action #1 - Attempt to Deploy a King’s Commissioner (KC)
Pirate cannot be in a Port or in a Transit area

Roll 3d6
If result < Notoriety Points of active Pirate
- Place randomly drawn KC in same Sea Area as Pirate
- Deploying player continues to control the KC

Only 1 KC can be controlled by a player at any one time

Only 1 KC can be used against a Pirate during his Player-Turn

Once a KC has been activated against a Pirate, it may be used by the controlling player during subsequent Pirate Actions
taken in the current Player-Turn so long as the Pirate and KC are in the same Sea Area. (3 max as max # Actions on card
= 3). This is in addition to any other AP Actions taken by other Anti-Pirate Players

Anti-Pirate Action #2 - Use a King’s Commissioner (KC)

Each of the following costs the Anti-Pirate Player his AP Action

1. Move
- Anti-Pirate Player moves his KC into Sea Area or in/out of Transit Box
- KC may never enter a port

2. Attack a Pirate - May be done after the Move AP Action for free. Pirate may not be attacked if in port or Transit
Box. This AP Action can be done during a Pirate Player’s:
- Move Action
- Find Merchant Ship action
- Loot Merchant Ship action
- Convert Merchant Ship action
- A failed Attack Port action

Once this AP Action is announced, the Pirate Player must decide whether to try to Evade or move straight to
Battle-stations.
- If Pirate decides to Evade, both players roll 1d6 + (Speed Rating)
o If KC Score > Pirate Score:
 Pirate intercepted and Battle follows immediately unless he decides to hand over a Letter of
Marque (any nationality) and Retire
 If Pirate retires, he scores 2VPs/Notoriety Point and 1VP/100 Net Worth

o If KC Score = Pirate Score:

 Pirate successfully Evades, but his Action is over
 Remove any Merchant Ship that may have been involved

- If Pirate decides to Battle (or was intercepted by the KC), Pirate rolls 1d6 + (Combat Rating) + (Ability
Rating) and the KC rolls 1d6 + (Combat Rating)
o If KC Score > Pirate Score:
 Pirate eliminated
 Pirate scores 1VP/Notoriety Point
 KC scores half of this total

o If KC Score = Pirate Score:

 Pirate sustains 1 combat damage
 Pirate gains 2 x (KC Combat Rating) Notoriety Points
 Pirate’s Crew Loyalty increased by 1
 KC gains 1VP (for affecting the damage)
 KC is removed from game permanently
 Pirate may proceed with his Action

(use KC continued on next page)

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3. Attack a Pirate Port - A KC may attempt to destroy a Pirate Port if in the adjoining Sea Area

May be used at any time during a Pirate’s Action

The KC rolls 1d6 + (Combat Rating). EACH Pirate in the target port does the same (1d6 + (Combat Rating))
o If KC Score = ANY Pirate Score:
- Attack fails and AP Action ends

o If KC Score > EVERY Pirate Score:

- All Pirates forced into adjoining Sea Area
- All Pirates suffer 1 combat damage
- Port is destroyed and useless. Add “Port Destroyed” chit)

4. Oust Pirate from Port - Carried out against a Pirate in port who announces any Pirate Action associated with a
Port (includes Safe Haven but not Pirate Port)

Anti-Pirate Player rolls 1d6 + (Combat Rating of KC)

Pirate Player rolls 1d6 + (Combat Ratings of ALL Pirates in the port)
o If KC Score > Pirate Score:
- ALL Pirates in port move to Sea Area and discontinue Actions

o If KC Score = Pirate Score:

- Oust fails and EACH Pirate gains 1 Notoriety Point

Note that placement of an Anti-Pirate Governor automatically displaces all Pirates into the Sea Area

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Anti-Pirate Action #3 - Use Any On-Station Warship
This AP Action can be done during a Pirate Player’s:
- Find Merchant Ship action
- Loot Merchant Ship action
- Convert Merchant Ship action
- Attack Port action

New Warships can only be added via “Warship Sighting” Event Cards

Only 1 Warship can be placed in each Sea Area

Pirate may not be attacked if in Port or Transit Box

Once this AP Action is announced, the Pirate Player must decide whether to try to Evade or Battle.

If Pirate decides to Evade, both players roll 1d6 + (Speed Rating):

- If Warship total > Pirate total:
o Pirate intercepted and Battle follows immediately

- If Warship total = Pirate total:

o Pirate successfully Evades but his action is over

If Pirate decides to Battle, (or was intercepted by the Warship):

- Pirate rolls 1d6 + (Combat Rating) + (Ability Rating). The Pirate reduces this score by 2 if currently undergoing
D&R.
- Warship rolls 1d6 + (Combat Rating)
o If Warship total = Pirate total:
 Pirate Action ends immediately
 Pirate suffers Combat Damage = (Warship total) - (Pirate total)
 Pirate Crew Loyalty decreased by 1 (Mutiny if Loyalty falls to 0)
 AP Player gains VP’s = (Warship total) - (Pirate total)

o If Warship total < Pirate total:

 Pirate suffers 1 combat damage
 Pirate gets Notoriety Points = (Warship Combat rating)
 Warship returned to pool
 Pirate must proceed with his action

Anti-Pirate Action #4 - Play an Anti-Pirate Event Card

1. Follow instructions on Event Card. See 17 in the rulebook for specific information on the card.

Warship
Speed Combat

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