Played at HOBBYTOWN USA in Jackson Mississippi, October 15, 2005

Photo by Ed Sansing

Frenzied activity at the docks as the Merchant ships try to load last minute items, before making sail to escape the incoming pirates.

This game was devised by Ed Sansing, who was our game-master and also played the part of the Local Governor. All the other players kept a sharp eye on him to make sure that he did not cheat more than the part of the Governor should allow. We know he did cheat, but we never could catch him at it! .

The date is circa 1655. The place is the Caribbean island of Copacabana and its capitol, the village of Margaritaville. On this Spanish-controlled island the village is the gathering place for goods being sent to Santo Domingo, where they will be loaded on larger ships and sent to Europe. The village contains offices of two trading companies!

The pirates and other figures were owned by John Hesselrig, Jim Pitts, Ed Sansing and Jay Stribling. The basic scenery was provided by Stribling. The structures were provided by Pitts and Sansing, the splendid fort was scratchbuilt by Hesselrig, and the ships were built by Pitts.

Photo by Ed Sansing

The overall view of Margaritaville. Jim is adjusting his pirates as Robert (Spanish player) looks on.

Photo by Ed Sansing

The parlay between Blackheart Brannigan's pirates and those of Wesley The Dread Pirate Roberts as they look for loot in the native huts. The white strips of paper are lists of the various "Treasures" hidden in each hut. Not much treasure was to be found in these mean accomodations.

Photo by Ed Sansing

Fred Diamond's crew was divided between the two pirate ships. One of them dueled successfully with the fort, silencing most of the guns and then landed it's crew who went on a foray into the native village. The other ship sailed around into the harbor and expected to find cringing merchant sailors. Instead, they were boarded and taken by Cap'n Fernando Sanchez at cutlass point. The surviving Pirates, all wounded, were quitely dropped into the shark-infested waters - thus saving any strain on the lines that would have otherwised hanged them.

Photo by Ed Sansing

One of Bill Estes' militia squads lines up to block entry into the main village. The militia was fearsomely effective in this game. Only one of the pirate bands, that of Smiling Jack Hawkins made it into the village at all, and they were surrounded by militia and armed townspeople. "Lucky to make it out carrying thier wounded they were!"

Photo by Ed Sansing

More of Bill's militia behind a low stone wall. Their disciplined fire checked the Pirates advance. The pirates the swung to their left, followed by the militia. That gave Smiling Jack Hawkins his chance.

Photo by Ed Sansing

Jim Pitts' band of pirates (Smiling Jack Hawkins) heads toward the village. They were the only group of Pirates to loot (although briefly) any buildings.

Photo by Ed Sansing

Robert Whitfield (Cap'n Fernando Sanchez) decides to move his men onto a ship and defend his treasure there. More than that, he decides to take on the pirates on the high seas!

Photo by Ed Sansing

Aerial view of John's scratch built fort. It shows the gun crews before being bombarded by Fred Diamond (Gentleman Jim Jones.) In this rules set fortress guns cannot pivot. The fortress gun crews had to hot-foot it from gun to gun trying to return fire against the moving pirate ships.

Photo by Ed Sansing

A pirate band skirting the town in search of treasure. This island had a surprisingly well developed road system!

Photo by Ed Sansing

Smiling Jack Hawkins' pirates try and take cover from the militia. In Vain!

The Pirates!

John Hesselberg played the part of Captain Jose Hemanez, He led 20 able seamen and commanded the Brig Enterprise moored at the town dock. Late in the game, his bored seamen began to loot the storehouses along the waterfront and he ended the game with 300 gold pieces in cash and goods. Some reports of Captain Hemanez's later life indicate that he was as much of a pirate as any.

Jim Pitts played the role of the pirate Smiling Jack Hawkins. He commanded 20 scurvy pirates plus his own figure. He crept in through the jungle at the town's rear, aiming for the Governor's Palace. Hawkins came up against the spanish troops of Captain Valdez and only late in the game was he able to break into the town and loot one building, ending up with 90 gold pieces.

Robert Whitfield was Cap'n Fernando Sanchez. He also had 20 able seamen and commanded the Merchant ship Sweet Jean moored at the seaward end of the town dock. Captain Sanches proved to be the most enterprising of the Non-Pirate players, taking the Sweet Jean to sea and capturing a pirate ship from Gentleman Jim Jones. Counting the value of the pirate ship taken, Captain Sanchez ended the game with 310 gold pieces.

Fred Diamond gloried in the role of the pirate Gentleman Jim Jones. He set new lows in behavior by starting the game by bombarding both the Spanish Fort and also his fellow pirate Blackheart Brannigan. Throughout the game, both sides felt the kiss of cannon fire from his two ships Loot and Plunder. He had 20 scurvy pirates plus his own figure. One of his ships expertly blew up the gunners of the fort, while with his other he sailed around the fort, too close for guns to bear on him, and threw grenades up onto the parapet. He lost one of his ships to the "Peacefull" merchant ship of Captain Fernando Sanchez and had his remaining forces shot up and with no gold at game's end.

Sean Pitts played the role of Wesley The Dread Pirate Roberts. He led 20 low-life pirates plus his own figure. He crept in through the jungle between Smiling Jack Hawkins. and Blackheart Brannigan. He began to snipe at Brannigan at dawn's early light and the two pirates lost half of their men, skirmishing against each other. The Dread Pirate Roberts had a hard game and ended up with only a few frightened men on the remaining pirate ship of Gentleman Jim Jones, and with no loot.

Bill Estes was Captain Juan Valdez, commander of the town's Military forces.. He deployed his 20 men at the rear of the town and was able to shoot effectively against both Smiling Jack Hawkins and The Dread Pirate Roberts. Using interior lines, he kept between the pirates and the town, even though his rigid lines were less moveable than the pirate formations. His precision reulted in the Pirates taking to their heels at game's end. In his payroll account at game's end were 140 Gold pieces, little of which his troops would ever see!

Jay Stribling played the role of Blackheart Brannigan. He led 20 scurvy dogs as well as his own figure. He crept in through the jungle on the left of The Dread Pirate Roberts. and his forces and Roberts fought each other for the first half of the game. After a truly explosive affair with both sides' men tossing hand grenades, he and Roberts called a truce. Brannigan plundered the humble native village as well as the church. He wrecked the altar and dug up the floor looking for buried treasure, which he eventually found. to the tune of 140 gold pieces (and 4 pigs).

Ed Sansing was His Excellency the Governor. He also played the unnamed commander of the Spanish Fort. In this capacity, he proved an excellent shot, wiping out the gun crew of one of Gentleman Jim Jones' pirate ship. The Governor also proved excellent at off-the-cuff taxation of the other Spanish players, and he ended the game with 210 gold pieces, in his "retirement fund."

Photo by Ed Sansing

Some pirates back away from Spanish musket fire in the village. One of their fellow pirates writhes upon the ground. He actually was picked up and carried back to safety in the jungle, to the total amazement of all the other players. Everyone else thought that he would be abandoned.

Photo by Ed Sansing

Wesley The Dread Pirate Roberts' men decide to try and steal some livestock. Those pigs were the only thing of value that he was able to lift off the island. Tasty they were too!

Photo by Ed Sansing

As one of Gentleman Jim Jones' ships comes close to the wharf with the intention of capturing the fat merchantmen there, one of them, captained by Captain Fernando Sanchez, sets sail to meet him on the high seas. In spite of the fact that this is NOT proviced for in the rules, Captain Sanchez proved who was the best buccaneer that day!

Photo by Ed Sansing

Some of Captain Jose Hemanez's men climb on top of the building that houses the trading companies' offices and adds their fire to the militia's. Only one building in the main village was searched by the pirates. Smiling Jack Hawkins was able to loot the militia headquarters.

Photo by Ed Sansing

The boarding action. Captain Fernando Sanchez's ship closes on Gentleman Jim Jones' stern. In the following fight Sanches, the law abiding merchant, captured the pirate ship. After this action Captain Sanchez thought hard about a change in career.

Photo by Ed Sansing

The remains of Gentleman Jim Jones' and The Dread Pirate Roberts' men retreat toward Jones' remaining ship. Note the debris of war, floating in the bay.

Photo by Ed Sansing

Blackheart Brannigan's men loot the church and dig up the area around it, looking for buried treasure. On the last turn of the game, he found it. He would have had to dodge the militia of Captain Valdez to get away. Probably he would not have made it, and the other option was to swim across a shark-infested bay.

So - Who won this game?

Robert Whitfield was the victorious Captain Fernando Sanchez. He wound up with the treasure that he began the game with, plus a captured pirate ship with two fine brass guns, to the total value of 310 Gold Pieces.

Return to the Master list of Photos and Games

Return to the Jackson Gamers' homepage

Angelfire - Free Home Pages
Free Web Building Help
Angelfire HTML Library
htmlGEAR - free polls, guestbooks, and more!

Thank you for visiting The Jackson Gamers' pages at Angelfire. Please come back and visit again!