BFG Privateers

[Thinking Stone]

Having played too many classic DOS pirate games recently, my interest in a piratey version of BFG has been piqued.

Does anyone know of a good adaptation of BFG to Spanish Main-style piracy/privateering? The edges of Imperial space are ideal locations for such a game (Spain = Corrupt Imperium; Rogue Traders, Tau Commerce Protection Fleet Privateers, Eldar Corsairs, Ork + Traitor pirates etc.). Simply choose a system where planets are seceding from the Imperium and one has a pretty close analogy to the 16th Century New World. I think in would be a great way to do a small-numbers but interesting actions campaign.

I am aware of the Fanatic Privateer rules: but only the second part is available in the archive here. Is there a way to get the first part? Or is there an even better set of rules someone has made?

Resisting the urge to plunder the Silver Train and Treasure Fleet,
Thinking Stone

[horizon]

Perhaps this:
http://www.twolandscreative.com/warprift/index.php/articles/rt/12-khareshi-expanse
http://www.twolandscreative.com/warprift/index.php/articles/rt/13-pirates-of-the-khareshi-expanse-rules-fleets

[Thinking Stone]

Thanks Horizon!
This does look interesting (although I couldn't read the rules very well on my phone because of the webpage ).

My first idea went well with the Privateer articles in Fanatic because I liked the idea of small bands of small ships: in 'real life' situations, one would only rarely see more than one squadron of cruisers for standard convoys (maybe not even that many single cruisers!). It would be nice to explore a system with 'expanded' stats for differentiating small ships better, like the difference between a Frigate and a Destroyer.

This Pirates game (Sid Meier's Pirates Gold, to be specific, although a remake has been done recently for anyone who likes piratey things ) has quite a simple system that conveys the difference between ships really well. Manoeuvrability and speed could be easily ported into BFG-style stats, but the smallest ship (a pinnace) is wasted by a broadside from a large ship (e.g. a galleon or a frigate, or an upgunned sloop or barque) whereas you could shoot a galleon for minutes (of game time) before breaching the magazine (and destroying it).

In the game, the main reason why this distinction is important is because ships have a number of crew (and cannon) on board that you can diminish: if you want to capture a ship, for example, you want to take out lots of crew without destroying it so you have an easier time boarding. Reducing the number of cannon is obviously good for exchanging broadsides . I guess the easiest way to do this would be to have multiple-hit escorts?

Or just use cruisers .

Food for thought:
Thinking Stone

PS: I do really like the direction of the new BFG site you linked to, Horizon! Although, in the interest of helping out and definitely not trying to be disrespectful or mean, one could streamline the English grammar of the articles a bit

[horizon]

Feel free to correct the articles.
I can sent you the raw files if you want.


And Pirates! Gold is an oldtime favourite of mine.
Long ago I had things in mind to create such a thing of BFG on the tabletop. With trade and all....

[Thinking Stone]

I would be glad to help edit! Although I can't make promises to promptness, depending on the busyness of life... . If you send me the raw files, I'll have a go when I am able, which will hopefully be soon .

I think that Pirates! Gold is one of the best games I've played ... it is so addictive . It seems to have just the right amount of each component to make it enjoyable (and only unpleasant when your crew mutinies and you're stuck with a fleet of mast-less galleons, 200 000 gold and a fleet full of pirate hunters and Spaniards on your tail... I need to learn to sail away  ). I think the fun-ness also comes from the fact that the individual game components are not too hard: you stand a chance at most of them during the game (if you pick your fights right) so it's more about trying to achieve the best career.

I would totally be up for making a BFG version! Sid Meier said in an interview (you can find it somewhere on Civ Fanatics, don't have the link at the present moment) that he thought it wouldn't be more fun on the table top than it is on the computer, but I think it wouldn't take too much modification to the core ideas to make it work.

Obviously, real-time sailing is not really an option, so I guess one would take one's fleet to a port and you would generate random encounters using a chart system based on various factors.

And we'd have to work out a good system of units for trading (e.g. 1 transport point ~ 1 Pirates! Gold ton), and how stuff gets transported once plundered (e.g. how much can a warship carry?), but trading itself shouldn't be too hard (e.g. sell 1 transport point for x monetary units). Gun trading would require some work but maybe this could be just moved in with ship repair costs.

And at the end, one could play Pirates! Gold with friends and with futuristic space ships on a table top: besides the original game, what more could one want 

Piratey food for thought,
Thinking Stone