A new era has begun. I went to Joann Fabrics and bought 1 yard each of 5 different blue fabrics, giving me multiple options for oceans and doing away with the rather annoying plunder pack map that held me over for a few months. The pictures look fantastic, and I will be making some more of my own terrain soon as well.

This game featured 3 players with 50 point fleets. The order of play went as follows:

Fleet 1: 
Scorpion + El Fantasma, captain, helmsman, oarsman
HMS Interceptor + helmsman, explorer
Sir Meyer Hampstead on the home island

Fleet 2:
Augusta
San Pedro
Freedom’s Hand + captain, fire shot
USS Buffalo + captain, helmsman

Fleet 3:
Poor Adams + captain, helmsman
Napolitana + captain, fire shot
Algiers + explorer

The Cursed English set out in search of gold in unfamiliar but beautiful new waters. Sir Meyer is unhappy to be left behind.

An overhead view of the new ocean, reminiscent of the Caribbean:

Both of the new large islands made by rossinaz are visible. Two coins were placed on each individual beach, as well as on each island.

A nice shot of the Interceptor and Scorpion sailing around the new rocks:

A different angle showing Fleets 2 and 3 sailing to separate beaches of the same island.

Picturesque:

Another view of the rocks:

The Scorpion docks at one of the main beaches of the biggest island.

The Augusta slips around a cliff to mark the beach explored for the San Pedro. A waterfall beckons. (The color of the waterfall even matches that of the sea!)

The Freedom’s Hand deposits her fire shot on an island in favour of gold:

A wide shot of the majority of the sea, showing just how large that central island is.

The Interceptor quickly returns home, with the SAT-bolstered Scorpion not far behind.

With no enemies so far, every ship in every fleet was grabbing gold.

However, it looked like a conflict was brewing between Fleets 2 and 3. The Napolitana has also dumped her equipment to grab an extra coin.

The Scorpion is the only ship to brave the rocks so far:

A new angle looking west shows that gold is becoming more scarce.

With the Scorpion on the move, the Interceptor follows her lead by dumping her explorer in favour of Sir Meyer Hampstead.

A great shot looking northwest. Fleet 2’s Freedom’s Hand has engaged Fleet 3’s Poor Adams, who appears to be on a home island raid. In the meantime, the Augusta has been busy marking islands explored for the San Pedro.

However, the Poor Adams comes up just short:

Fleet 1 is bored and looking for some action:

A turn of heavy combat sees the Buffalo and Freedom’s Hand team up to dismast the Poor Adams, while the Scorpion sinks the Augusta with a double action.

Hampstead (aboard the Interceptor) has his eyes on the San Pedro, but the Buffalo moves to intercept her (pun intended). The Scorpion has explored a wild island to grab some fire shot that the Freedom’s Hand left earlier.

The Interceptor lost the boarding party! Hampstead was tossed overboard as the San Pedro reached home safely.

The Freedom’s Hand shot 2/2 against the Interceptor, but the English returned the favour with a perfect 2/2 of their own to dismast the galley. The Scorpion dismasted the Buffalo, as Fleet 1 dealt large damage to Fleet 2 during this turn.

Fleet 3 didn’t escape the Cursed wrath either. With a devastating slashing and shooting assault, the Scorpion left the Napolitana a burning hulk.

The San Pedro sails out to meet her old enemy the Interceptor. The Freedom’s Hand rows about, helpless.

The Interceptor’s big mainmast is blocking the foremast of the San Pedro, which is still standing. With the Spaniard pinned and neither ship having a captain, the two ships are locked in a battle to the death. To the east, the Scorpion chases the Algiers, who has loaded the second-to-last treasure coin in the game.

The San Pedro has won the battle! With only one coin left in play, the Spaniard limped towards it. After the Algiers seemingly escaped from the Scorpion after the Scorpion had to wait in the fog an extra turn, El Fantasma moved the Scorpion twice to miraculously catch up to the fleeing galley! It was all for naught, as the Cursed couldn’t deal enough damage to prevent the Algiers from reaching home on the following turn.

The Scorpion used another double action to quickly circle the big island and sink the San Pedro on her way home, ending the game with just three of the original nine ships afloat!

Considerable piles of gold were tallied up, with nobody having any idea of the results:

Fleet 3: 26 gold
Fleet 2: 21
Fleet 1: 12

What a fun game this was! My favourite part was definitely using the new islands and ocean, but the gameplay didn’t disappoint. Fleet 1 did a lot of damage but made a few strategy errors where they should have run gold rather than fought. (I got bored and wanted to slash things!) Fleets 2 and 3 were more conservative and it paid off. Despite the Poor Adams’ failed HI raid and the sinking of the Napolitana, Fleet 3’s treasure-trading Algiers and overall gold game proved superior to the +2 bonus of the San Pedro.