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Jamaican Escape
Type: Ship
Faction Affiliation: Pirate
Rarity: C
Point Value: 10
Number of Masts: 2
Cargo Space: 3
Base Move: S+S+S
Cannons: 2S-3L
Ability: Schooner. If this ship begins a move action within S of land, she gets +S to her base move. If this ship is assigned at least 2 crew, she gets +1 to her cannon and boarding rolls.That’s a bit too fast for the price. Add a helmsman and you’ve got a guaranteed 4S every turn, and the 5S would be pretty easy to achieve most turns unless the islands were really spaced out.
Drop the printed base to S+S and it’s a more interesting design, but still maybe underpriced for what it gives you.
That’s a bit too fast for the price. Add a helmsman and you’ve got a guaranteed 4S every turn, and the 5S would be pretty easy to achieve most turns unless the islands were really spaced out.
Drop the printed base to S+S and it’s a more interesting design, but still maybe underpriced for what it gives you.
Agreed, the 5S would happen a lot. Dropped speed to S+S, thanks! Hope to have more tomorrow.
Devil of the South
Type: Ship
Faction Affiliation: Cursed
Rarity: SE
Point Value: 9
Number of Masts: 2
Cargo Space: 1
Base Move: L+L
Cannons: 5L-5L
Ability: Catamaran. Extended Range. Fear.Flavor text: The captain of the Demon Gate brought forth this new menace after suffering at the hands of the Americans. The ship has a striking range superior to nearly every other vessel afloat.
Devil of the East
Type: Ship
Faction Affiliation: Cursed
Rarity: SE
Point Value: 13
Number of Masts: 2
Cargo Space: 4
Base Move: S+L
Cannons: 2S-2S
Ability: Junk. Possession. [If an enemy ship is within S of this ship, you can use this ship’s action for the turn to try to possess a target crew on that ship. Roll a d6; on a result of 6, the target is immediately assigned to this ship. Its nationality changes to match the nationality of this ship.]Flavor text: One of the few Cursed ships to ferry valuable gems for the cause of human extinction, this ship’s captain nevertheless prefers to “steal souls” before gathering riches.
Devil’s Fireball
Type: Ship
Faction Affiliation: Cursed
Rarity: R
Point Value: 15
Number of Masts: 1
Cargo Space: 0
Base Move: T
Cannons: 3S-3S-3S-3S
Ability: Flotilla. Extended Range. When this ship hits an enemy ship, inflict fire masts instead of regular damage.Flavor text: It is a wonder how this dangerous barge seems to always be burning. Some say there is an eternal flame hidden inside the structure. Others think that it’s for intimidation. The truth may simply be that her few fiendish gunners are always ready to spew flames from the hellish platform.
Tenysius Lyons
Type: Crew
Faction Affiliation: Mercenary
Rarity: C
Point Value: 6
Ability: Loyal: Mercenary. HI Raider. If this crew and a crew with the Helmsman ability are assigned to a submarine, that ship gets +L to her base move instead of +S.Flavor text: Lyons is a somewhat intellectual but snobbish sailor who hates dirty work. He prefers to sneak into a port underwater, then surface and rob the citizens in the dead of night.
Siloros
Type: Crew
Faction Affiliation: Mercenary
Rarity: C
Point Value: 7
Ability: Ex-Patriot. Captain. Island treasure trading. [After looking at treasure on a wild island, you may trade any one treasure from that island for a random treasure on any other wild island. This ship must load the traded treasure.] Jade Rebellion crew can use their abilities on this ship.Flavor text: Coming from a diverse background that seemingly cannot be explained in one sitting, Siloros has traveled the seas and learnt many things. Having found the Jade Rebels to be the most reasonable folk, he has entered into an agreement with them. Though experienced in combat, he is hesitant to get swept up in the global wars and the growing Cursed movement.
You can find my custom sets here: Pirates of the Age of Sail and Pirates of the Epic Seas
Tenysius Lyons
Ability: Loyal: Mercenary. HI Raider. If this crew and a crew with the Helmsman ability are assigned to a submarine, that ship gets +L to her base move instead of +S.I get what you’re doing with this one, but the wording has enough wiggle room that it could cause problems. It could be argued that you’re getting +L in addition to the Helmsman’s +S, and/or that you’d still get a +S from Tenysius even without a Helmsman aboard.
It’s still kind of clunky, but this wording would work a little better:
If this ship has the Submarine keyword, crew with the Helmsman keyword give this ship +L to its base move instead of +S.It’s still kind of clunky, but this wording would work a little better: If this ship has the Submarine keyword, crew with the Helmsman keyword give this ship +L to its base move instead of +S.
Changed it to that, thanks!
Hey, Y’all
I haven’t posted in a while because prep for school stuff, and I’m still trying to modify some of the new keywords from Eldest Seas. ??So! Instead of starting with The Cursed, as I had originally planned, this set will follow my usual pattern of England, America, Pirates, The Cursed, Spain, and France.
So here are the first two English pieces from Pirates of the Eldest Seas! ?
Relevant Keywords
–Man-O’-War: Once, before you give this ship a shoot action, roll a d6. On a result of an odd number, her cannons become 2-rank for this turn. On a result of an even number, she eliminates two masts with each hit for this turn.
–Privateer: This piece may use its abilities on any ship, but it gains the Loyal: X keyword for its flag faction.
–Royal Officer: When this crew is assigned with or on its Linked piece, its point cost is not counted towards the point limit of the ship. The crew’s points still count towards the build total.
1. RNS Avenger
Points: 19
Masts: 5
Cannons: 4L, 3L, 3L, 3L, 4L,
Cargo: 3
Base Move: S
Ability: Man-O’-War.
Link: Admiral BluebeardFlavor: The Avenger is the pride and joy of Grand Admiral Whitley’s war armada. Captained by the slightly deranged ex-pirate who calls himself Bluebeard, this galleon is meant to do exactly as her name implies.
2. Admiral Bluebeard
Points: 7
Ability: Hostile: Cursed. Privateer. Royal Officer. Once per turn, you may give one ship in your fleet +1 to her cannon rolls.
Link: RNS AvengerFlavor: Once a feared pirate, Bluebeard was captured During Grand Admiral Jason Thorn’s term. When Stafford Whitley took the position, he offered Bluebeard the life of an English privateer; a choice that he still doesn’t regret.
With luck, I’ll start posting more frequently again. Let me know what y’all think of these pieces; leave comments, questions, and concerns, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
Until next post;
-J. W. DarkhurstI feel that the Avenger could be just a bit quicker. I’m not a fan of fivers with S speed, unless like the SM Acorazado, they’re a cut above the rest. The Avenger doesn’t strike me as a cut above the rest.
Bluebeard could be a point or two more expensive. I’m not a point cost expert, but Privateer and royal Officer combined could be about 5 points. The cannon bonus ability is worth 6, so 5+6= 11, maybe.
Hello again, everybody
it’s been longer than I’d hoped, but I bring with me the next pieces from Pirates Of The Eldest Seas ?Relevant Keywords
Privateer: This piece may use its abilities on any ship, but it gains the Loyal: X keyword for its flag faction.
Royal Officer: When this crew is assigned with or on its Linked piece, its point cost is not counted towards the point limit of the ship. The crew’s points still count towards the build total.
World-Hater: This ship gets +1 to her cannon rolls against any [non-faction] ship.
SAT: Once per turn, before you give this ship an action, roll a d6. On a 5-6, this ship may be given the Same Action Twice.
3. Commodore Bartholomew Jackson
Points: 8
Ability: Privateer. Royal Officer. Captain. World-Hater.
Link: Lt. Charles Carruthers; Stevedore SpringfieldFlavor: As one of the Grand Admiral’s most trusted officers, Commodore Jackson was humiliated when an ex-pirate was given command of the Avenger instead of himself. Greedily desiring command of the war galleon, Jackson plans to stage a mutiny and claim what is rightfully his once he gets Bluebeard to trust him.
4. Lt. Charles Carruthers
Points: 7
Ability: Privateer. Musketeer. SAT.
Link: Commodore Bartholomew Jackson; Stevedore SpringfieldFlavor: Lt. Caruthers is a skilled strategist and loyal friend of Commodore Jackson. Caruthers was personally brought onto the Avenger by Jackson because he knew the Lieutenant would back his mutinous plans.
5. Stevedore Springfield
Points: 5
Ability: Privateer. This ship gets +1 to her equipment shot rolls.
Link: Commodore Bartholomew Jackson; Lt. Charles CarruthersFlavor: Springfield is a weapons master who accidentally stumbled into a meeting between Admiral Jackson and Lt. Caruthers. However, instead of reporting the mutinous sailors to Bluebeard, he decided to join them, adding his much needed knowledge of warship-level arsenal stocks to the mutiny plan.
Just crew today; but hopefully more tomorrow ??
I know that Royal Officer is probably too cheap right now, and needs a solid point cost. I’ll keep thinking on how to balance/price it. Until then, let me know what y’all think of these pieces, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
’til next post;-J. W. Darkhurst
Commodore Jackson will end up more expensive than he already is. The combination of Privateer and royal Officer might just be too good. Add in his captain and World-Hating abilities and he’s practically a super crew.
If the “Crew of any nationality may use their abilities on this ship” ability is 3 points, then I think that Privateer could be 2, or the same. With that now said, Lt. Carruthers would see his point cost go up to 8-9 points.
Springfield might actually be okay at 5. Any more and he might not be worth it.
Also, I like the twists and turns the flavor text is taking, much intrigue.
I see your point about Jackson, but I also think he’d be a little complicated. Royal Officer only works if he’s assigned with Caruthers or Springfield. It does, however, meet the requirements of Privateer, since Loyal: England (in this example) just needs a crew or ship to work. And keep in mind, his points still count towards the build total; so in a standard 40-point game, he still takes up at least 8-10 (accounting for change) points. I agree, though that he’d be powerful in campaign-style games.
I think I’ll add a no-stacking limit to Royal officer, like, it can only have effect in one instance on a ship.
I’d assumed that Privateer would be about the same as Ex-Patriot. But if the negative isn’t enough, then I could see it being worth 2 points instead of just one.
-DarkhurstIf the “Crew of any nationality may use their abilities on this ship” ability is 3 points, then I think that Privateer could be 2, or the same. With that now said, Lt. Carruthers would see his point cost go up to 8-9 points.
Privateer is essentially Ex-Patriot, but without giving the Mercenary keyword or allowing Mercenary crew.
WK valued Ex-Pat at only 1 point, so it would be consistent, at least with WK pricing, to treat Privateer the same.
The Loyal:X add-on is not really doing anything at all, aside from flavor.
If the “flag faction” is referring to the nationality of the ship you put the crew on (which is my assumption), that ship itself immediately satisfies the loyalty.
If “flag faction” is referring to the crew’s own printed nationality, then it’s plain old Loyal:[crew’s own nationality] and should be printed directly on the crew’s card instead of being buried in another keyword.
(This also ignores the fact that Loyal:X in general is almost entirely pointless, because you generally have to go out of your way to not satisfy it.)It’s been a loooong time since I’ve posted here ??
@Woelf: When I said “Flag Faction”, I was referring to the crew’s faction (the flag on the back of the punch-out). If that needs to be simply stated as the crew’s nationality, I can do that.
And yes, I know that Loyal: X is virtually useless. Honestly, part of the reason I made the Privateer keyword was to give Imperial Faction crew the same capabilities of Ex-Patriots without giving them such a hindrance, and because I’ve had mixed feedback on giving non-mercenary crew the Ex-Patriot keyword. And even if Loyal: X doesn’t do much, It’s still an ongoing concern for the player to ensure that whoever satisfies the Loyal: X stays on the ship to keep the Privateer crew on board. It’s probably not sufficient, but it’s something.Now, onto today’s post!
I don’t really have an intro for these, it’s just more English from Pirates of the Eldest SeasRelevant Keywords
–Repeating Guns: When this ship is given a shoot action, you may declare that she is using repeating guns. If all cannons hit during that shoot action, each cannon may shoot again. (This action does not count towards the two action limit) For each cannon that misses on its second shot, eliminate one mast or cargo from this ship.
–Nephilim: This ship gets +1 to her cannon rolls against pieces with the Demon keyword. If this ship is assigned a helmsman crew, she gains +L to her base move instead of +S
6. RNS Alicante
Points: 20
Masts: 5
Cannons: 3S,3L,3L,3L,3S
Cargo: 4
Base Move: S+S
Ability: Repeating Guns. This ship gets +1 to boarding rolls for every crew on her. If this ship’s linked crew is not assigned to her, she gains the Nephilim keyword.
Link: Jace HerondaleFlavor: Named for the mythical homeland of the Nephilim, Jace Herondale’s preferred flagship is armed and ready for combat against any and all enemies of the sea.
7. Jace Herondale
Points: 14
Ability: Nephilim. Captain. Marine
Link: RNS AlicanteFlavor: Herondale is a leading member in a religious cult. Himself and his followers firmly believe that they are more than human, the only beings capable of banishing demons from the world. As of yet, they haven’t failed to deliver on their promise to do just that.
These pieces are subject to change depending on feedback and improvement suggestions.
Let me know what you think about these two pieces; leave comments, questions, and concerns, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.Until next post,
-J. W. Darkhurst–Repeating Guns: When this ship is given a shoot action, you may declare that she is using repeating guns. If all cannons hit during that shoot action, each cannon may shoot again. (This action does not count towards the two action limit) For each cannon that misses on its second shot, eliminate one mast or cargo from this ship.
This is more like what Broadsides Attack should have been.
Maybe not extra shots with the entire set of cannons, but one or two would have worked well.The way this functions and is worded, I don’t think it would need to be declared at the start of the shoot action, unless you made the extra rolls mandatory when the entire initial set hit. The “each cannon may” means you could cancel the extra shots if you didn’t want/need them after seeing if everything hit. That’s functionally the same as rolling normally, then deciding if you want the extra shots only if everything hits.
It’s once again been a long while since I’ve posted ?
@Woelf: So, as the Repeating Guns keyword is currently worded, do you believe that it should be reworded so that the extra cannon shots are mandatory, or is it fine as is?Today I also bring two new English pieces from Eldest Seas! ?
Relevant Keywords:
-Ironclad: you must roll a 5 or 6 to hit this ship.
-Nephilim: This ship gets +1 to her cannon rolls against pieces with the Demon keyword. If this ship is assigned a helmsman crew, she gains +L to her base move instead of +S
-Privateer: This piece may use its abilities on any ship, but it gains the Loyal: X keyword for its flag faction.
8. HMS Irondale
Points: 20
Masts: 3
Cannons: 2L, 3S, 2L
Cargo: 3
Base Move: L
Ability: Ironclad. Nephilim.Flavor: One of the few ironclads to come from England’s shipyards, the Irondale was taken by Jace Herondale and modified to fit his needs.
9. Stephen Surrez
Points: 7
Ability: Privateer. Marine. Oarsman.Flavor: An elderly sailor, Surrez has served on more ships than most top-ranking admirals. No matter the ship, room is always made to include Surrez, as his wisdom and skill with a rifle are invaluable on most vessels.
Ok, so I know that there were actually many a successful Ironclad ship in the English navy, historically speaking, but I’m a silly derp who doesn’t research stuff before assuming that the fantasy-steampunk world of Pirates CSG is somehow canon to the real world ???
Anyway, let me know what y’all think of these pieces! Give me any questions, comments, or concerns you may have about them, and I’ll hopefully respond or post again before October begins ?
Til next post;
-J. W. DarkhurstAlright, so I assume nothing was thought of as horribly bjorken or unusable ?
So I’m back with more!Relevant Keywords:
–Nephilim: This ship gets +1 to her cannon rolls against pieces with the Demon keyword. If this ship is assigned a helmsman crew, she gains +L to her base move instead of +S
–Man-O’-War: Once, before you give this ship a shoot action, roll a d6. On a result of an odd number, her cannons become rank 2 for this turn. On a result of an even number, she eliminates two masts with each hit for this turn.
–Repeating Guns: When this ship is given a shoot action, you may declare that she is using repeating guns. If all cannons hit during that shoot action, each cannon may shoot again. (This action does not count towards the two action limit) For each cannon that misses on its second shot, eliminate one mast or cargo from that ship.
10. Maellartach
Points: 35
Masts: 5
Cannons: 3S, 3S, 3S, 3S, 3S
Cargo: 4
Base Move: S+S
Ability: Nephilim. Man-O’-War. Repeating Guns.Flavor: The most heavily armed and war-ready ship in Herondale’s fleet, Maellartach is prepared to deliver holy justice to all who oppose her. No other warship has yet to match her destructive power.
11. RNS Moonfire
Points: 16
Masts: 4
Cannons: 2S, 2L, 2L, 2S
Cargo: 3
Base Move: L+S
Ability: Nephilim. When this ship is docked at your home Island, you may eliminate one treasure. It becomes a 3S cannon that be eliminated only when this ship sinks.Flavor: Crewed by members of Herondale’s cult, the Moonfire’s captain always ensures that his ship has more than enough firepower to defend her home and pursue her enemies.
I know that the Maellartach (male-are-talk) is Probably bjorken beyond reason, but it’s name comes from a very powerful artifact in the Shadowhunter novels, so…. I probably overcompensated her ?
Let me know what y’all think of these two pieces, and I’ll get back to ya as soon as I can.
Until next post;
-J. W. DarkhurstMaellartach seems priced ok to me, given what the keywords do. This is one of those ships where the speed bonus from Nephilim will need to be addressed. I would recommend reducing her speed to single segments, so that you’re not zooming around at S+S+Lx2.
Moonfire might be too quick.
Backing up to your previous post, I think that the Irondale is overpriced, and that’s an interesting combination on the crew, with Marine and Oarsman on the same crew. I’d like to ask how those two would interact together like that, since you’re basically getting a Marine that doesn’t take up cargo space.
@Xerecs: In the case of the Moonfire, would you suggest an S+S base move, or should I just go all the way down to L?
The Irondale can have her points reduced; ~17, maybe?
Surrez would technically be a Marine that wouldn’t take up cargo, yes. Since he also has the Oarsman and Privateer keywords, do you think he should be more than just 7 points?
Now on to the next three English pieces from Eldest Seas!
Relevant Keywords
Sub-Hunter: This ship may shoot at submerged ships within S of her.
Royal Officer: When this crew is assigned with or on its Linked piece, its point cost is not counted towards the point limit of the ship. The crew’s points still count towards the build total.
Privateer: This piece may use its abilities on any ship, but it gains the Loyal: X keyword for its flag faction.
12. Lt. Thomas Theodore Tremaine
Points: 8
Ability: Sub-Hunter. This ship gets +1 to her cannon and boarding rolls against non-English ships.Flavor: Tremaine is a veteran sailor who has seen many battles, and paid the price for each one. He has recently sworn to take vengeance upon the pirate that took his leg on his previous tour of duty.
13. Sir Nicholas St. North
Points: 8
Ability: Royal Officer. Privateer. Once per turn, when this ship is touching an enemy ship, you may take as much treasure from that ship as you can carry.
Link: All English ShipsFlavor: Sir Nicholas is a renowned explorer, dashing rapscallion, and a smart businessman who knows how to negotiate a hard bargain and get the most money out of every deal he makes.
14. RMS Duke of Clarence
Points: 13
Masts: 3
Cannons: 2S, 3S, 4S
Cargo: 4
Base Move: L
Ability: Once per turn, you may give any one ship in your fleet +1 to her die rolls. Enemy ships get +1 to their cannon rolls against this ship.Flavor: One of the Grand Admiral’s favorite private vessels, the Duke of Clarence rarely sees combat action, save for when the Admiral feels confident of a victory.
With luck I’ll post some more on Wednesday
Let me know what y’all think of these pieces; Leave comments, questions, and concerns for me, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.Until next post;
-J. W. DarkhurstHello again, everyone
I’ve got three more English pieces from Eldest Seas for ya today, so let’s get right into it!
Relevant Keywords:
–Battleship: A ship with this keyword has two shots per mast and has Extended Range.
–Man-O’-War: Once per turn, before you give this ship a shoot action, roll a d6. On a result of an odd number, her cannons become 2-rank for this turn. On a result of an even number, she eliminates two masts with each hit.
–World-Hater: This ship gets +1 to her cannon rolls against any [non-faction] ship.
15. RNS Acclamator II
Points: 18
Masts: 4
Cannons: 4S, 3S, 3S, 4S
Cargo: 2
Base Move: L
Ability: Battleship.Flavor: Her first rendition, the Acclamator, was an abysmal failure that was sunk by the English war fleet after she was captured by incompetent pirates. The Acclamator II is the perfect warship, with just enough room in her cargo hold for a full crew and extra weaponry.
16. First Mate Nicholas Fleming
Points: 4
Ability: Captain. If this crew would be eliminated, place it face down on your home island instead.Flavor: According to official records, Fleming has served and died on more ships than most sailors can say they’ve seen in their lifetime. And yet, he remains both alive, and ever ready to serve England.
17. RNS Gladiator II
Points: 24
Masts: 4
Cannons: 3S, 4L, 4L, 3S
Cargo: 3
Base Move: S
Ability: Man-O’-War. World-Hater.Flavor: The Gladiator never saw action, burned in harbor during a pirate raid the day before her maiden voyage. The Gladiator II, better than she ever would’ve been before, is a powerful force, determined to bring justice to those who do not fly the Union Jack.
Only three more pieces to go for the English of Eldest Seas!
Let me know your thoughts on these pieces, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I canUntil next post;
-J. W. DarkhurstHey again, y’all
I’ve got the last three English pieces from Eldest Seas for ya today, so let’s get into it!
Relevant keywords:
–Blockade Runner: This ship gets +1 to ramming and boarding rolls. This ship can’t have her masts rammed off.
–World-Hater: This ship gets +1 to her cannon rolls against any [non-faction] ship
18. HMS Trepidation
Points: 15
Masts: 3
Cannons: 3L, 4S, 3L
Cargo: 5
Base Move: L
Ability: Blockade Runner. Secret Hold.Flavor: Though many doubt her for her lack of expediency, the Trepidation’s captain refuses to let anything dissuade his eternal optimism.
19. HMS Abnegation
Points: 16
Masts: 3 (jib)
Cannons: 4S, 4S, 4S
Cargo: 3
Base Move: L
Ability: Once, at the beginning of your turn, if this if this ship is within L of a friendly ship, you may “pair” those ships until your next turn. If the paired ship would lose a mast, eliminate one of this ship’s masts instead. If the damage would exceed the number of masts on this ship, then she sinks. Once she has sunk, eliminate masts on paired ships as usual.Flavor: The HMS Abnegation is crewed by condemned ex-criminals. These men, who were sentenced to death, have been given one last chance to make up for their crimes by serving aboard a ship made to be sacrificed.
20. HMS Zar’roc
Points: 14
Masts: 3 (square)
Cannons: 2S, 2S, 2S
Cargo: 3
Base Move: L
Ability: World-Hater. Cursed ships get -1 to their cannon rolls against this ship.Flavor: Claiming to be defectors from The Cursed Empire, captain Christopher allied with the English navy after beholding the desolation that the dragon, Smaug, wrought upon a small group of slow Cursed frigates.
Alright, this wraps up the English in Eldest Seas. Let me know what y’all think of them, and in a few days’ time, I’ll roll out the next faction.
Until next post;
-J. W. DarkhurstI like the idea of the Abnegation, she’d be useful as pat of a battle group, not a stand-alone ship. That said, I think she could be a couple points more.
I have issue with the Acclamator II, if only because I know what she’s based off of, and it’s not a warship, but essentially a transport ship. I would have liked to see a larger cargo hold to reflect that, but going full gunship is a very English thing to do, at least in Pirates, so she’s ok by me, especially with Battleship. 😀
I still maintain that Nicholas St. North (Santa Claus :D) might be a little much, since his keywords allow him to not take up point space on ANY English ship (as well as cargo space), and allow him to use his abilities on ANY ship.
Why is Lt. Thomas Theodore Tremaine 8 points?
Can’t wait to see the next Faction from Eldest Seas!
Ahoy Xerecs!
What Ben said about posting images in the forum 😉 In reference to homegrown ships, a few questions:
1. How do you do it?
2. What material do you print it out on?
3. How do you get them to print even on both sides say like for masts and such?
I am all about making my own custom ships, crew, and all elements in Pirates. I am here to glean from your ocean of knowledge, pun intended. So thank you all for being so helpful and friendly.
=/\=
@Xerecs: On the topic of the HMS Abnegation, how many points would you suggest?
And as for Lt. Tremaine, he has the same ability as Quartermaster Hawthorne from Dark Tides, which is 5 points, and the Sub-Hunting ability. So… 7 points?Also, I know your opinions on North, but before I go completely retconning him, I’d like to get a few more opinions as well. Not that you don’t have a valid point ??
-Darkhurst
@CaptainPlunder: Moved your reply to this topic since it is about custom ships and not Rules questions. (no problem really, I understand how topics morph and tangential discussions can crop up)
“Captain Plunder”
In reference to homegrown ships, a few questions:
1. How do you do it?
2. What material do you print it out on?
3. How do you get them to print even on both sides say like for masts and such?
I am all about making my own custom ships, crew, and all elements in Pirates. I am here to glean from your ocean of knowledge, pun intended. So thank you all for being so helpful and friendly.
For your first question, I simply make up stats for the ship or crew in question. Take some of the ships posted above this post for instance, JW decided that he wanted a ship called HMS Trepidation, that it would be 3 masts, have 5 cargo, move L and so on.
The only ‘limit’ to what a Custom ship or game piece can be is your imagination. If you want a ship that goes insanely fast, has accurate cannons and lots of cargo space, go for it, just try to give it a point cost that is appropriate (something most custom creators struggle with :D).
Your second and third questions more or less go hand in hand, at least for me. Most of the Customs I make I write out the stats, flavor and anything else on paper first; bringing that ship off of the paper is sometimes tricky. Basically what I do is use duplicate ships I have and use a sharpie and other craft tools to modify them (usually just the cannon ranks).
I have experimented with making the hulls and masts out of cardboard, but cardboard can be flimsy and not hold together well, furthermore it’s difficult to make the cuts where the tabs to fit the ship together are. Thin pieces of craft wood have a similar issue, and I’ve tried to make a model with wood.
3D printing seems to be the way to go if you’re lacking duplicate ships to cannibalize, but for me that seems like a very expensive endeavor. I know some people at the Facebook group have hahd success with 3D printing, but I have no experience with that whatsoever.
As for artwork, there was a fellow back on Miniature Trading that used sandpaper, or something similar to take all the paint off of one side of a ship, usually the side with WK artwork on it, not the blank black side. They would then use craft paints and I’m assuming a steady hand to paint on their own artwork for their custom ship.
Long and short of it, making a draft of a custom ship (number of masts, cannon ranks, etc.) is very easy, but bringing it off of the paper for me is a little harder. 3D printing is the best bet to get a physical custom ship that you can hold in your hand, or use duplicates to meet your needs.
If you don’t mind not having a physical model to hold in your hand, then VASSAL is perfect for you, since you can just fill in the ship info with whatever you desire.
Ahoy Xerecs!
Thank you for your thorough reply. I do not know that much about 3-D printing either but I would assume that is the best way to have a tangible piece in your hands. It is an investment to buy one and I do not mind the grass roots approach that WizKids, Topps, and NECA took to make the ships constructible. I am hoping one day to have templates for all ship types to be able to make my own from. Vassal is a great resource to get ship cards from and I understand why they took a top-down approach.
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I must say that the Acclamator II’s flavor text confuses me. I would think of a “full crew” as perhaps 4 crew, or at least captain/helmsman/oarsman for 2 spaces. Extra weaponry would be equipment or maybe specialists/etc, all of which are likely to take up cargo spaces. It feels like the ship should have 5 or 6 total cargo spaces, which of course would have to bump the cost up by quite a lot, probably 25 or more points due to the insanely good Battleship keyword.
I haven’t analyzed them for long but most of the point costs for the new stuff looks fair. I think the Moonfire is too cheap though, or too fast. I think the Duke of Clarence should be 15 points as she has an extremely good ability. I have a feeling the Abnegation would get a long Pirate Code entry. XD
@Ben: Ok, so the Acclamator’s flavor text is purely for flavor purposes; I didn’t want an English Battleship with too much cargo to make her bjorken. And, at least by my standards, and not including potential cargo bonuses, she already has enough cargo to be effective with a similar breakdown as what you suggested with a Captain, Helmsman, Oarsman, and World-Hating (helm or WH would be attached to the captain, in ideal situations)
I can make the Moonfire a little slower, and I can see why the Duke of Clarence would be more points; I’ll get to those edits right away.
Lol, you’re probably right about the Abnegation ?
It wan’t overly confusing, was it?-Darkhurst
It wan’t overly confusing, was it?
Not at first glance, but it seems like the kind of ability that would inevitably get confusing once other abilities/UT’s are involved.
I must say that the Acclamator II’s flavor text confuses me. I would think of a “full crew” as perhaps 4 crew, or at least captain/helmsman/oarsman for 2 spaces. Extra weaponry would be equipment or maybe specialists/etc, all of which are likely to take up cargo spaces. It feels like the ship should have 5 or 6 total cargo spaces, which of course would have to bump the cost up by quite a lot, probably 25 or more points due to the insanely good Battleship keyword.
It’s not one of my favorites of his so far. It’s based off of (or takes a name from) a Star Wars ship that was used primarily as a transport ship, and only really fought when it had to.
JW is gonna give me a new one for suggesting it, but I wouldn’t mind seeing a redesign from the keel up.
@Captain Plunder: Nice! I’ve used duplicate ships to bring most of my first custom Pirates set off of the paper, and I’m doing the same with my second.
VASSAL can be more than a source for templates (though I’m not sure what you mean when you say that). You can use the module to test out ships, see how they perform, etc.
@Xerecs: While I understand your frustration at the Acclamator II’s name origin vs actual ship, what would you suggest that a “carrier” ship even do in this game? How would it/could it work? Since she’s an English ship, I feel that a purely attack-oriented gunship would best represent a class of star destroyer, in this instance.
-Darkhurst
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