Pirates: 2023 Year in Review

Hi everyone! This is where you can share what Pirates stuff happened over the past year. It can be just about anything, from accomplishments to purchases to cool ideas. If this seems too vague, you can look at mine for an example. There’s also the option of stating your Pirates Goals for 2024.

It will be nice to look back upon the entire year and find joy and amazement in how much we’re capable of. List (possibly with links and/or a short description) everything you accomplished in 2023 in regards to Pirates that you thought was a good thing that happened. Everyone can contribute their own things that they did or are currently doing. When I think about this past week for example, I don’t really think much of it, but when I consider everything I’ve personally done in the entire year, I feel amazed! I think others could share that feeling as well if they look back at everything. Also, little things count too, so it doesn’t have to be all about one particular event or anything. Once everyone has posted, we can talk about what we accomplished as a whole community.

A7XfanBen

Pirates Goals for 2023 (set last year)
-Have not made replica ships with artwork yet.
-Released a total of 84 videos on youtube, more than twice as many as 2022 (39) and my highest total since 2018. Looking forward to improving my production/editing/video quality aspects more in 2024.
-I released 13 total podcast episodes, rather than just 2+. A huge highlight was talking to some of the most important Wizkids employees that worked on the game – Mike Mulvihill, Ethan Pasternack, and Shane Hartley!
-Pirates with Ben new account signup process is back in action (new users can actually join the site and participate in the forum more easily). There is more work to be done but the site still ranks #1 in google for the search term “Pirates CSG”.
-I did play at least one game in every month of the year.
-Played an epic CG4 turn in July!
-I taught at least four new players how to play the game. (highest total since that same number in 2017)
-I gave away some of the free hoard to players, but not as much as I would have liked to. (mostly from lack of interest, rather than me forgetting)

General accomplishments:
-Had a great year changing it up from the year prior – more content produced, more players taught, more Wizkids special guests, etc.
-Met Mike Mulvihill! (the primary architect of the game we play today)
-Brought together Pirates CSG players in Tampa after Gasparilla Pirate Fest.
-Gave away various packs to curious onlookers at public games.
-Released 84 videos and 13 podcasts.
-Collecting: Acquired some non-playable rare items – the Adventure Book and a couple new posters.
-Successfully moved collection and Epic Scale fleet from Washington to Nevada.
-Took over and revamped the Scan Project.

Games:
-Set or extended a bunch of all-time records with a ridiculous turn in VASSAL Campaign Game 4.
-Played a game against Mike Mulvihill, Tiffany O’Brien, and Becky Wilson!
-Played in 3 different states (FL, WA, NV), with Epic Scale games outdoors in 2 of them (WA, NV).
-26 games total

Pirates Goals for 2024
-Be able to make replica ships (3D printed + artwork). As a tangent, learn skills associated with small-scale production process (3D printing, artwork process with Silhouette Cameo 4 and color printer, CAD, etc).
-Get a more concrete answer on whether or not the game can come back in a substantial way. Attack my Pirates CSG goals in a more deliberate, focused, and urgent way than I ever have before.
-Release at least 104 videos. (following my current release schedule of every Friday and Sunday, every week)  Improve my video quality, test out new video concepts such as live streamed physical games, and get some long-term video ideas out of my to do list queue.
-Reach 1,000+ subscribers on youtube (~800 at end of 2023).
-Release at least 4 podcasts. Continue trying to get special guests on (former Wizkids employees/etc).
-Finish working through ALL my planned improvements or edits to Pirates with Ben.
-Play at least one game in every month of the year. Would love to technically average at least one play per week (52+ plays total). Start 20th anniversary games with a Spanish Main-only game in the summer.
-Focus on games with new or exciting elements – competitive games, live streamed games, recordings of full games with chess clock, customs, etc.
-Grow the Las Vegas Pirates player base and scene.
-Host at least two major group meetup events – Dice Tower West in March being the first.
-Play my turns in CG4 when/if I am able.
-Teach at least one person how to play the game.
-Give away some of the free stuff I’ve received to players.

Feel free to comment below with your own 2023 Year in Review!  Or post your submissions for the 2023 End of Year Awards!

Pirates: 2022 Year in Review

Hi everyone! This is a thread where you can share what Pirates stuff happened over the past year. It can be just about anything, from accomplishments to purchases to cool ideas. If this seems too vague, you can look at mine for an example. There’s also the option of stating your Pirates Goals for 2023.

It will be nice to look back upon the entire year and find joy and amazement in how much we’re capable of. List (possibly with links and/or a short description) everything you accomplished in 2022 in regards to Pirates that you thought was a good thing that happened. Everyone could make their own post and contribute their own things that they did or are currently doing. When I think about this past week for example, I don’t really think much of it, but when I consider everything I’ve personally done in the entire year, I feel amazed! I think others could share that feeling as well if they look back at everything. Also, little things count too, so it doesn’t have to be all about one particular event or anything. Once everyone has posted, we can talk about what we accomplished as a whole community.

A7XfanBen

Pirates Goals for 2022 (set last year)
-I played way more than 10 games and way more than 5 physical games.  No games on water but I did play outside (both epic scale and tabletop) and in 4 different major cities: Seattle, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Portland Oregon.
-Organize a Pirates CSG community event in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) for a date or weekend in the second half of the year: Accomplished in mid-October with the PNW Weekend Marathon.
-Play my turns in CG4 when/if I am able: No turn available for me to play in CG4 this year.
-Teach at least one person how to play the game: Taught one friend how to play.
-Improve Pirates with Ben: Not accomplished.
-Be able to make replica ships (3D printed with artwork on them): Not done.
-Release videos that bring value to the game’s fans. Record cool Pirates CSG stuff: This was done, though I feel a lot of the videos were random or circumstantial (oh hey I’m playing let me record, or hey I got this lot, I’ll record the unboxing) rather than intentional and valuable.
-Release at least two podcasts. Continue trying to get special guests on (former Wizkids employees/etc): Only one podcast released, and I didn’t get any former Wizkids employees on.

General accomplishments:
-Met up with 25 people in person to play or talk about the game (3x as many different people played with compared to 2021!).  Further developed my knowledge of the game, especially regarding underrated or underutilized parts of the strategic meta, especially around the Setup rules and using everything possible to your advantage.
-Brought the Pirates CSG community together physically more than ever before with various meetups, scheduling various games and meets even in cities not my own.
-Gave away various packs to curious onlookers in public games, and gave away a bunch of stuff from the Holiday Booty Contest.
-Continued collecting, including high priority wants such as HMS Phoenix and Tasmanian Devil.
-Due to my online presence as the biggest (public) fanatic of the game, I received some amazing gifts – a 1200+ ship lot in Olympia WA, and the Epic Scale Fleet from Captain Redgoat of PDXYAR fame in Portland OR.
-Released 39 videos and 1 podcast.
-Had a ton of fun making new fleets and coming up with new combo ideas. Some still to be tested out in future games.
-Contributed to the Scan Project.

Games:
-Played 50 games, my most since 2017 and more than I played from 2018-2021 combined! (42 across those 4 years)
-The majority of the games were in person, with I think 48 of the 50 being physical games and only 2 virtual.

Pirates Goals for 2023
-Be able to make replica ships. (3D printed with artwork on them)
-Release videos that bring value to the game’s fans. Be intentional about video topics and improve my production/editing/video quality aspects.
-Release at least two podcasts. Continue trying to get special guests on (former Wizkids employees/etc).
-Improve Pirates with Ben. (specifically, the signup issues with spam/bot accounts, and increasing the site’s presence online)
-Play at least one game in every month of the year.
-Play my turns in CG4 when/if I am able.
-Teach at least one person how to play the game.
-Give away some of the free stuff I’ve received to players.

Overall in 2023 I’d like to focus more on what’s best for the game and community long-term, rather than slipping into the “ease” of simply playing a lot because it’s fun.

Feel free to comment below with your own 2022 Year in Review!  Or post your submissions for the 2022 End of Year Awards!

Pirates: 2021 Year in Review

Hi everyone! This is a thread where you can share what Pirates stuff happened over the past year. It can be just about anything, from accomplishments to purchases to cool ideas. If this seems too vague, you can look at mine for an example. There’s also the option of stating your Pirates Goals for 2022.

It will be nice to look back upon the entire year and find joy and amazement in how much we’re capable of. List (possibly with links and/or a short description) everything you accomplished in 2021 in regards to Pirates that you thought was a good thing that happened. Everyone could make their own post and contribute their own things that they did or are currently doing. When I think about this past week for example, I don’t really think much of it, but when I consider everything I’ve personally done in the entire year, I feel amazed at myself! ? I think others could share that feeling as well if they look back at everything. Also, little things count too, so it doesn’t have to be all about one particular event or anything. Once everyone has posted, we can talk about what we accomplished as a whole community.

A7XfanBen

Pirates Goals for 2021 (set last year)
-I played 14 games, my highest total since 2017.
-I played a turn in CG4 that took about 33 hours.
-I taught two players how to play.
-Pirates with Ben still sailing along.
-I’ve learned more about the production side of the game, lucked into acquiring a Cameo 4, bought a regular printer for artwork, and now just need to put it all together.
-I released 63 new youtube videos and 2 podcasts.

General accomplishments:
-Met up with 8 players from the Pirates CSG community and Tiffany O’Brien. Reached new strategic heights in gameplay, theory, and experience.
-More videos and podcasts than in 2020.
-Contributed to the Scan Project.
-Established a new “Washington collection” of over 1000 ships and over 800 packs.
-Acquired various new game pieces, including prime wants such as the RotF LE’s, Specter, and Raptor Maw.
-Made various plans and set things up for the future.

Games:
-Played 14 games
-Continued CG4.
-The majority of the games were in person.  Of the 9 players I played against, 8 of them I had never played against in real life before this year!

Pirates Goals for 2022
-Play at least ten games.  Of those, play at least 5 physical games.  (Tentative goal: Play a game on water)
-Organize a Pirates CSG community event in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) for a date or weekend in the second half of the year.
-Play my turns in CG4 when/if I am able.
-Teach at least one person how to play the game.
-Improve Pirates with Ben.
-Be able to make replica ships. (3D printed with artwork on them)
-Release videos that bring value to the game’s fans. Record cool Pirates CSG stuff.
-Release at least two podcasts. Continue trying to get special guests on (former Wizkids employees/etc).

Feel free to comment below with your own 2021 Year in Review!  Or post your submissions for the 2021 End of Year Awards!

Pirates: 2020 Year in Review

Hi everyone! This is a thread where you can share what Pirates stuff happened over the past year. It can be just about anything, from accomplishments to purchases to cool ideas. If this seems too vague, you can look at mine for an example. There’s also the option of stating your Pirates Goals for 2021.

It will be nice to look back upon the entire year and find joy and amazement in how much we’re capable of. List (possibly with links and/or a short description) everything you accomplished in 2020 in regards to Pirates that you thought was a good thing that happened. Everyone could make their own post and contribute their own things that they did or are currently doing. When I think about this past week for example, I don’t really think much of it, but when I consider everything I’ve personally done in the entire year, I feel amazed at myself! ? I think others could share that feeling as well if they look back at everything. Also, little things count too, so it doesn’t have to be all about one particular event or anything. Once everyone has posted, we can talk about what we accomplished as a whole forum.

A7XfanBen

Pirates Goals for 2020 (set last year)
-I did play at least one game – in fact, a handful of “endable” games.  (as opposed to the next goal lol)
-I played a bunch of ridiculously long and epic CG4 turns.
-I did teach 2 new players.
-I was able to be on Pirates with Ben more than I expected.
-I did a podcast and a bunch of videos!

I was fortunate to have more free time than I expected this year, which allowed me to exceed my own Pirates expectations and goals for the year.

General accomplishments:
-Bought a 3D printer and made some ships from it!
-Recorded 29 videos with one still in the works. +1 podcast.
-Helped some creators with custom game piece feedback and expanded the Customs Database.

Games:
-Played 5 games (Of the 5 games, 2 were teaching new players and 1 was introducing a player to VASSAL)
-Continued CG4… and then some. To say the least. 🙂
-Played with 3D printed ships and wood paste ships for the first time

As a side note, the (extremely fun) time I spent playing CG4 this year probably would equate to 100+ games of “standard” games (1v1 at 40 points)…. One of the reasons I don’t care about yearly game count anymore.  It does already feel healthier to go with “impact” and fun factor with games played. Though I still miss my relatively gargantuan totals from 2011-2017.

I know it’s boring, but my goals for next year are for now going to be nearly identical to this year.

Pirates Goals for 2021
-Play at least one game.  (Tentative goal: Play a game on water)
-Play my turns in CG4 when/if I am able.
-Teach at least one person how to play the game.
-Check in to and maintain Pirates with Ben when I can.
-If able, contribute to the Pirates realm of 3D printing/etc, with testing/creating 3D print files/looking into an artwork solution/etc.
-I’d love to do a podcast episode and maybe a few videos, but these seem less likely than the above.

Feel free to comment below with your own 2020 Year in Review!  Or post your submissions for the 2020 End of Year Awards!