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PIRATES!
Being a complete and comprehensive account of the Great Age of
Buccaneering in the West Indies between the years 1560 and 1700.
INTRODUCTION
It was an era of new kings and empires, of new tests of strength and
power. It was a day when a man could rise from humble beginnings and
be knighted for brave and daring service to the Crown. Now you can be
such a man in PIRATES!, a game of hot-blooded swashbuckling across the
Spanish Main.
You are transported to the Caribbean as it was in the heyday of
smugglers, privateers, buccaneers and pirates. All the skills real men
needed for survival and success are present, in real-time action!
In PIRATES! you navigate the wide Caribbean by guess, compass, and
occasional sun sights with your astrolabe. In peace or battle, your
sailing skill can spell the difference between a profitable journey
and a watery grave. And if it comes to battle, you must do what real
buccaneer Captains did - lead your men from the front, sword in hand,
until you meet and defeat the enemy commander. This is a new type of
game, an action simulation. Your game activities are based on how men
actually did them, such as sailing ships and dueling with swords.
The Caribbean is a canvas of grand adventure, from the treasure-laden
ambushes of Sir Francis Drake to the piratical plunderings of the
notorious Henry Morgan (whose name still graces a brand of Jamaican
rum). Like these men, you can discuss politics with provincial
governors, sneak into towns for clandestine smuggling arrangements
with local merchants, cross swords with vicious noblemen of all
nationalities, rescue helpless waifs from vile slave plantations, even
find a beautiful wife! When you accumulate sufficient treasure, land,
honors, and satisfaction, you can take a pleasant retirement
appropriate to your gains.
PIRATES! brings alive the grand scope of a venturesome and bygone age.
As in every MicroProse simulation, extensive research into the details
of places and people, ships and battles brings you unparalleled
realism. PIRATES! goes beyond simple fantasy and touches the reality
of an exciting page in history.
If you prefer to learn PIRATES! while playing, consult your "Captain's
Broadsheet". If you like to understand the concepts before you begin
playing, turn to "In the Beginning" and read all of Book I.
BOOK I
Instructions to Captains
IN THE BEGINNING...
The stars of new Kings and Emperors are rising in Europe. New
opportunities abound for the ambitious man. There are reputations to
be made, fortunes to be won, beautiful women to wed, and with royal
favor you may even gain a patent of nobility. "Duke of the Realm" has
a fine sound to it, does it not? These are days when glorious careers
can come from a humble start.
To begin your adventure, load the game (see your "Captain's
Broadsheet" for specific instructions, including troubleshooting
instructions if you have trouble loading). To make a choice, move the
pointer on the screen (using your joystick, mouse, or keyboard cursor
keys, as appropriate) to highlight the option you prefer. To select
the highlighted option, press the joystick trigger. You need not wait
for the "Press to Continue" message.
A WORD ABOUT YOUR GOALS -
From a humble start, you are seeking to make your fortune in the West
Indies so that you can retire to a life of wealth, ease, and high
status. The quality of your retirement is a sum of your personal
fortune, your rank, your lands, your reputation, the wife you marry
(if any), and whatever especially pleasing events befall you during
the course of your adventures.
After any voyage, when you return to port and divide up the plunder,
you can then retire. If your health permits, you can leave retirement
and take up adventuring again, should you wish to try for more. As you
learn the game make a few "trial retirements" to understand this. See
"Your Career on the High Seas" for more information about your
retirement and future happiness.
You can save a retired character in a "Hall of Fame". You must have a
properly formatted save-game disk for this. Use the save-game routine
(available at any port under check information) to format a disk. See
your "Captain's Broadsheet" for more information on saving games.
INITIAL OPPORTUNITIES -
A new player should select START A NEW CAREER.
Start a New Career begins a complete adventure, from your first
arrival in the New World to your well-earned retirement. This is the
"standard" game, and can continue for quite some time.
Continue a Saved Game allows you to resume any game in progress. Do
not insert the save-game disk until instructed on screen. See the
"Captain's Broadsheet" for how to create and use a 'saved game' disk.
Command a Famous Expedition is a "short game" where you command just
one expedition. These expeditions are usually large, but end whenever
you divide the plunder. Famous expeditions are not for a novice -
doing as well as the historical model can be a very challenging task.
FAMOUS EXPEDITIONS -
Battle of San Juan de Ulua (John Hawkins, 1569)
The Treasure Fleet (Piet Heym, 1628)
The King's Pirate (Henry Morgan, 1671)
The Silver Train Ambush (Francis Drake, 1573)
The Sack of Maracaibo (L'Ollonais, 1666)
The Last Expedition (Baron de Pointis, 1697)
A new player should try a career rather than a famous expedition. Each
expedition is a short, self-contained adventure that ends when you
divide up the loot. In reality these expeditions were commanded by an
experienced, skillful leader. To do well, you also should be an
experienced leader.
John Hawkins, 1569:
This is a fairly difficult situation. You have a large, powerful
squadron, but are in a totally Spanish Caribbean. The only friendly
ports are tiny anchorages. In reality, Hawkins tried to be a peaceful
trader (sometimes at gunpoint - a most peculiar combination), and
failed. See Famous Expeditions for additional background information.
Francis Drake, 1573:
This is a very difficult situation. Like Hawkins, you are faced with a
completely Spanish Caribbean, but now you have a small force. In
reality, after a few false starts, Drake's boldness and bravery made
him successful. See Famous Expeditions for additional background
information.
Piet Heyn, 1628:
This is a fairly easy situation. You have a balanced task force, and
are admirably positioned to intercept Spanish treasure galleons off
the Havana or in the Florida Channel. Equaling Heyn's feat of
ambushing the entire Treasure Fleet will take a combination of good
luck and persistence at the right place and time. See Famous
Expeditions for additional background information.
L'Ollonais, 1666:
This is a fairly easy situation. You have many potentially friendly
bases and militarily weak Spaniards. However, duplicating L'Ollonais'
achievement of conquering and plundering the entire Maracaibo region
may prove taxing. See Famous Expeditions for additional background
information.
Henry Morgan, 1671:
This is a very easy situation. You have overwhelming forces, various
friendly bases, and an enemy already weakened by earlier raids. Morgan
captured Puerto Bello and sacked Panama. With any luck, so can you.
See Famous Expeditions for additional background information.
Baron de Pointis, 1697:
This is another very easy situation. You have powerful forces, while
the Spanish are at their lowest militarily. Duplicating de Pointis'
capture and sack of Cartagena isn't too difficult. See Famous
Expeditions for additional background information.
SELECTING AN HISTORICAL TIME PERIOD -
The Silver Empire (1560)
The New Colonists (1620)
The Buccaneer Heroes (1660)
Merchants and Smugglers (1600)
War for Profit (1640)
Pirates' Sunset (1680)
A new player should answer No, Thanks. This automatically gives you
the most advantageous era for piracy: The Buccaneer Heroes (1660).
The Caribbean and the Spanish Main were a changing environment as
military and economic power waxed and waned, new colonies appeared and
old cities declined. The region gradually changed from total Spanish
dominion in the 1560s, to a wild frontier for European colonization,
and eventually to a cosmopolitan nexus in a new global economy.
The Silver Empire (1560):
In this era the Spanish Empire is at its peak. all the colonies (with
one lonesome exception) are Spanish, all the major ports and trade are
controlled by Spain. However, Spain's gains have been so great other
Europeans are attracted to steal and plunder whatever Spain cannot
protect. Because of Spains great power, this is an extremely
challenging era, and should not be attempted by novices. See THE
SILVER EMPIRE (1560 - 1600) for more information.
Merchants & Smugglers (1600):
This era is very similar to The Silver Empire, but Spain is slightly
weaker. A few abortive non-Spanish colonial ventures have begun, but
the Caribbean remains essentially Spanish. Another change is the
predominance of the Dutch smuggling trade. Like the 1560s, this era
should not be attempted by novices. See MERCHANTS & SMUGGLERS (1600 -
1620) for more information.
The New Colonists (1620):
This era sees the first successful colonies founded by the enemies of
Spain, while Spanish power continues to decline. With these colonies
prospects for piracy and privateering are improved. Life is fairly
challenging for would-be pirates and privateers. See THE NEW COLONISTS
(1620 - 1640) for more information.
War for Profit (1640):
This era is the heyday for small, independent buccaneers. The Spanish
military and economy are at their nadir, while new European colonies
are blooming throughout the Antillies. This period is a golden age
(literally!) for the independent and resourceful man. It is an
enjoyable era for players of al skill levels. See WAR FOR PROFIT (1640
- 1660) for more information.
The Buccaneer Heroes (1660):
These decades are the peak of swashbuckling adventure in the
Caribbean. Spanish wealth is reappearing, but Imperial military power
remains a joke. European colonies and ports abound, fortune-hunting
sailors crowd the taverns, searching for lucky Captains. This classic
age makes piracy a pleasure for players of every skill level. See THE
BUCCANEER HEROES (1660 - 1680) for more information.
Pirates' Sunset (1680):
This era is the last for Caribbean pirate adventuring. European
nations now take seriously events in the Caribbean. Navy warships are
on patrol, Letters of Marque are harder to find, governors are less
tolerant. Enjoy this era while you can, for it is the end of an age.
This period is somewhat tough for novices but interesting and
challenging for all others. See PIRATES' SUNSET (1680 - 1700) for more
information.
SELECTING A NATIONALITY -
English Buccaneer
Dutch Adventurer
French Buccaneer
Spanish Renegade
A new player should select English Buccaneer. Specific roles
available vary from period to period (no Dutch role is available in
1560). The role you choose determines where you start, what ship(s)
you have, the size of your crew, your initial wealth and reputation,
etc. Your initial nationality does not require you to support that
nation (many of France's admirals in the Caribbean during the 1680s
were Dutch buccaneers!). Your acts speak for you: if you deeds please
a nation, a governor may reward you. If you anger a nation, a governor
can order his harbor forts to fire on you!
English is often a useful nationality. This nation supports privateers
into the 16th Century, and just as generously supported private
colonization ventures in the next Century.
French is the second classic Nationality for pirates. Although this
nation provides less support to its sons overseas, it also gives them
more independence and more freedom of action. Furthermore, the growing
17th Century French colonies on Western Hispaniola and Tortuga are
ideal pirate bass.
Dutch is an exciting and different nationality. Except in the 1620s,
the Dutch sailed as traders to the Caribbean, not as warriors. Of
course, once in the Caribbean, more than a few supplemented their
trading with more violent and profitable pursuits. As a rule, Dutch
traders tried to stay on the good side of the French and English,
although this was not always possible.
Spanish is the most challenging nationality. As a Spanish renegade you
start in a weak position, although in 1680 you can play the
interesting role of Costa Guarda - the Spanish Caribbean coast guard
who often acted liked pirates themselves! In either event, Spanish
origin is a pleasant change and refreshing challenge.
Your Name -
Type in any name you wish, but you are limited to nine characters.
Press the 'Return' key to finish your entry.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL -
Apprentice
Adventurer
Journeyman
Swashbuckler
A new player should choose Apprentice. This gives you the easiest and
most helpful environment for learning.
Apprentice gives the player maximum "aid" from expert subordinate
officers on board the ship. This makes play easier, but whenever the
party's loot is divided, all these experts take rather large shares,
leaving little for you.
Journeyman is moderately easy. The player's subordinates are less
expert (although still quite good), but your share of the loot is
larger.
Adventurer is moderately difficult. Your subordinates are mediocre,
but your share of the loot is very good.
Swashbuckler is extremely difficult. Your subordinates are 'drunken
gutter swine' of precious little value. Of course, your share of the
loot is the largest possible.
SPECIAL ABILITIES -
Skill at Fencing
Skill at Gunnery
Skill at Medicine
Skill at Navigation
Wit and Charm
New players may select what they please. Apprentice difficulty level
insures that all activities are fairly easy.
Skill at Fencing gives you well-trained reflexes that make enemy
actions and reactions seem sluggish by comparison.
Skill at Navigation make travel on the high seas faster and easier.
Skill at Gunnery aids you during naval battles, making your broadsides
more likely to land on-target.
Wit and Charm is useful when dealing with governors and others of high
station.
Skill at Medicine helps you preserve your good health longer, and to
suffer less from injuries. As a result, your career can last longer.
YOUR STARTING TALE: TREASURE FLEETS & SILVER TRAINS -
As your early life unfolds, you are asked for a crucial piece of
information: when the Spanish Treasure Fleet or Silver Train arrives
at a particular city. The itinerary varies from year to year. The
itineraries appear in chronological order later in this document. Be
sure you have the correct year, and don't mistake the Treasure Fleet
for the Silver Train, or vice versa. If you answer the question
correctly, then events will unfold to your advantage. If you answer
incorrectly, you are warned about an unpromising start. Heed the
advice and start over, otherwise you'll find your situation most
bleak.
Spain & Peru:
At times the Treasure Fleet is not in the Caribbean, but in Seville,
Spain, preparing for another journey. similarly, at times the Silver
Train is not in the Caribbean, but in Peru, loading silver and gold
there. In both cases it is inaccessible to you. You'll have to wait
until it reappears in the Caribbean area.
HISTORICAL FOOTNOTES -
From the 1530s onward, Spanish ships suffered from privateers and
outright piracy, not only in the West Indies, but also in the
Atlantic. Spain's solution adopted informally in the 1560s, was to
"convoy" ships together in one powerful fleet.
Each year the fleet ("flota") sailed from Seville in Spain, carrying
passengers, troops, and European trade goods to the Spanish colonies
of the new world. However, its principal purpose was returning silver
from the mines in New Spain (Mexico) and Potosi (Peru) to the Spanish
government in Europe. This vast wealth made the returning fleet a
tempting target. Privateer and pirate ships frequently followed it,
hoping to pick off stragglers. This was a dangerous business, since a
well-handled war galleon could (and sometimes did) turn the tables and
capture a pirate!
Similarly, the mule train roads along the coast of Terra Firma (South
America) moved silver and other goods toward the major ports of
Cartagena, Nombre de Dios, and Puerto Bello. These trains carried
produce and specie destined to be loaded aboard the treasure fleet.
(1560)
THE TREASURE FLEET THE SILVER TRAIN
------------------ ----------------
Cumana - Early October Cumana - Early April
Puerto Cabello - Late October Borburata - Late April
Maricaibo - Early November Puerto Cabello - Early May
Rio de la Hacha - Late November Coro - Late May
Nombre de Dios - Early December Gibraltar - Early June
Cartagena - Late December Maracaibo - Late June
Campeche - Late January Rio de la Hacha - Early July
Vera Cruz - Early February Santa Marta - Late July
Havana - Early March Cartagena - Early August
Santiago - Late March Panama - Late August
Florida Channel - Late April Nombre de Dios - Early October
(1600)
Cumana - Early October St. Thome - Early April
Caracas - Late October Cumana - Late April
Maracaibo - Early November Caracas - Early May
Rio de la Hacha - Late November Pureto Cabello - Late May
Santa Marta - Early December Coro - Early June
Puerto Bello - Late December Gibraltar - Late June
Cartagena - Early January Maracaibo - Early July
Campeche - Early February Rio de la Hacha - Late July
Vera Cruz - Late February Santa Marta - Early August
Havana - Late March Cartagena - Late August
Florida Channel - Late April Panama - Early September
Puerto Bello - Late October
(1620)
Caracas - Early September St. Thome - Early March
Maracaibo - Late September Cumana - Late March
Rio de la Hacha - Early October Caracas - Early April
Santa Marta - Late October Puerto Cabello - Late April
Puerto Bello - Early November Gibraltar - Early May
Cartagena - Early December Maracaibo - Late May
Campeche - Early January Rio de la Hacha - Early June
Vera Cruz - Late January Santa Marta - Late June
Havana - Late February Cartagena - Early July
Florida Channel - Late March Panama - Late July
Puerto Bello - Early September
(1640)
Caracas - Early October Cumana -Early April
Maracaibo - Late October Caracas - Late April
Rio de la Hacha - Early November Gibraltar - Early May
Santa Marta - Late November Maracaibo - Late May
Puerto Bello - Early December Rio de la Hacha - Early June
Cartagena - Early January Santa Marta - Early July
Campeche - Early February Cartagena - Late July
Vera Cruz - Late February Panama - Late August
Havana - Late March Puerto Bello - Early October
Florida Channel - Late April
(1660)
Caracas - Early September Cumana - Early March
Maracaibo - late September Caracas - Late March
Rio de la Hacha - Early October Gibraltar - Early April
Santa Marta - Late October Maracaibo - Late April
Puerto Bello - Early November Rio de la Hacha - Early May
Cartagena - Early December Santa Marta - Early June
Campeche - Early January Cartagena - Late June
Vera Cruz - Late January Panama - Late July
Havana - Late February Puerto Bello - Early September
Florida Channel - Late March
(1680)
Caracas - Early October Cumana - Early April
Rio de la Hacha - Late October Caracas - Late April
Santa Marta - Early November Maracaibo - Late May
Puerto Bello - Late November Rio de la Hacha - Late June
Cartagena - Late December Santa Marta - Early July
Campeche - Late January Cartagena - Late July
Vera Cruz - Early February Panama - Late August
Havana - Early March Puerto Bello - Early October
Florida Channel - Late April
FENCING & SWORDPLAY
Early Modern Europe was a willful and violent age. You discouraged
thieves, righted injustice, protected your family, and maintained your
honor with a sword. Whether challenged to a duel, or fighting your
way through a tavern brawl, skill with cold steel was simple survival.
BASICS OF CONTROL -
The descriptions here assume you are using a joystick (stick). If not,
see the "Captains Broadsheet" for your equivalent controls.
You are on the right side of the battle scene, your opponent is on the
left.
To Attack, push the stick left, toward the enemy. Push high for a high
attack, horizontal for a mid-level attack, low for a low attack. Hold
the trigger before and during the attack for a slower but more
powerful slashing attack.
To Parry, do not push left or right. Just push up to parry high
attacks, leave centered to parry mid-level attacks, and push down to
parry low attacks.
To Retreat, push the stick right, away from the enemy. You parry while
retreating, and like normal parries, these can be high, mid-level, or
low, depending on stick position.
To Pause, press the pause key. To resume fencing, press it again.
Attack High Parry High Parry High
(slash w/trigger) and retreat
\ | /
\ | /
Attack mid-level \ | / Parry mid-level
(slash w/trigger) ------ Parry ------ and retreat
/ mid-level \
/ | \
/ | \
/ | \
Attack Low Parry Low Parry low
(slash w/trigger) and retreat
CHOOSING YOUR WEAPON -
Three types of swords are available: rapier, cutlass and longsword.
For all three weapons, a slash is twice as effective as a normal
attack, should it hit. Of course, slashes take longer to execute. Your
opponent also has different weapons. The color of your opponent's
shirt indicates the weapon he carries.
The rapier is a long, thin, flexible weapon with a sharp point. It can
be maneuvered easily and thrust into a target with accuracy. It has a
longer reach than any other weapon, but its strikes do the least
damage (that is, you must hit more often to defeat the enemy).
The cutlass is a short, heavy, curved cleaver with a mean edge but
short reach. Cutlass hits can be devastating (twice as damaging as a
rapier) making it a popular weapon among untutored fighters.
The longsword is a classic weapon of medium length (longer than a
cutlass, shorter than a rapier). Its attacks do more than a rapier,
but less than a cutlass.
THE PRINCIPLES OF FENCING -
Combinations:
Like all active men of your time, you are a trained swordsman.
Attacking and defensive movements, including wrist, arm, body, and
footwork are as automatic as throwing or kicking a ball. Put together,
these motions form "combinations" that allow you to attack, parry, or
retreat in various ways. Each combination takes one to two seconds to
execute.
In battle, victory depends on selecting the best combination. If you
recognize an attacking combination fast enough, you can block it with
a defensive combination, or counterattack with a combination that
exploits his attack.
A "hit" occurs whenever an attack connects. You'll see a flash and a
hint of blood when you hit. Each hit weakens your enemy and
demoralizes his followers.
Retreat from battle is easy. Just select retreat combinations until
you move off the screen. This ends the battle. Of course, you lose
whatever you were fighting over and your reputation suffers. On the
other hand, when facing a skillful enemy, retreat is often better than
defeat!
Panic & Surrender occurs whenever a leader in "panic" is hit. It also
occurs in large battles when a leader's forcer are reduced to just one
man, and then he is hit. Striking a man who surrendered is an
unchivalrous deed that may inspire him to rise and fight on.
Novices are advised to select a cutlass and just keep attacking, high,
low, and middle, relying on the large damage done with each hit.
However, if you'd like to defend yourself with some parry
combinations, a weapon with more reach, such as a longsword or rapier,
is recommended.
COMBINATIONS -
Each combination is different swordfighting maneuver in combat. As a
fencer, you select a combination and your body automatically makes the
appropriate moves.
All attacking combinations include forward-moving footwork. Therefore,
to advance against your opponent, select an attacking combination.
Similarly, all retreating combinations cause you to back away from
your opponent.
Slashing High takes the longest period of time to execute, but has an
extra- long reach. If it hits, this combination does twice the damage
of a normal attack.
Slashing Mid-Level is a faster slash, but slower than normal attacks
and parries. If it hits, this combination does double the damage of a
normal attack.
Slashing Low is the fastest slash, but has a slightly shorter reach.
If it hits, this combination does twice as much damage as a normal
attack.
Attacking High is a moderately fast attack that exploits the point
rather than the edge of a weapon. It has a longer reach than mid-level
or low attacks and slashes. If it hits, this combination does half as
much damage as a slash.
Attacking Mid-Level is the second-fastest attack. It also emphasizes
the point, rather than the edge. Therefore, if it hits this
combination only does half as much damage as a slash.
Attacking Low is the fastest attack, but has a slightly shorter reach
than normal. Like high and mid-level attacks, it uses the point.
Therefore, if it hits this combination only does half as much damage
as a slash.
Parrying High counters any high combination, attack or slash. As high
attacks are slower developing than mid-level or low, defensive
fighters rarely stand "on guard" in a high parry.
Parrying Mid-Level counters any mid-level combination, attack or
slash. This is a classic "on guard" position to which many swordsmen
return. A fencer can move from this position to any other position
very quickly.
Parrying Low counters any low combination, attack or slash.
Experienced swordsmen periodically stand "on guard" in a low parry,
since low attacks can develop very quickly.
High Parry & Retreat combines the standard high parry with backpedal
foot movements that move you away from your opponent.
Mid-Level Parry & Retreat combines the standard mid-level parry with
backpedal foot movements that move you away from your opponent.
Low Parry & Retreat combines the standard low parry with backpedal
foot movements that move you away from your opponent.
LEADERSHIP IN BATTLE -
Only a few of your battles are man-to-man duels. Most of the time you
are leading your stalwart crew against the enemy. As you duel the
enemy leader, your crewmen are also fighting.
Morale:
Your hits against the enemy leader, and his against you, change the
morale of each side in battle. Morale levels run from WILD! (the best)
downward through STRONG, FIRM, ANGRY, SHAKEN and finally PANIC.
Number of Men:
As you fight, a battle rages around you. The rate each side suffers
casualties depends on their strength and their morale. If morale is
fairly equal, a force with superior numbers will inflict more
casualties. However, an inferior force that has high morale can avoid
casualties and inflict serious losses on a larger force with very low
morale. Therefore, morale can be more important than numerical
comparisons.
Retreat & Surrender:
You can lead your men into a retreat from battle by retreating
yourself. Surrender occurs when you inflict sufficient hits on an
enemy leader in "panic" or when you've reduced the enemy to just one
remaining man and then hit the leader (regardless of morale). Of
course, the same could happen to you.
THE MEMOIRS OF CAPT'N SYDNEY -
Many a buccaneer captain is nothin' but a big bully. Unschooled in
fencing, he'd carry a sharp cutlass and swing away, knowing that a
spine-splittin slash do'd more than a half dozen rapier thrusts. I
hear Blackbeard himself, who always used a cutlass, was run through
several score times by a rapier before he fell. He'd not lasted so
long with a cutlass in his gizzard, mate!
Well, I'm no fencing master, but I had some schoolin' in the art of
cold steel. I'd use a cutlass to terrify poor, inept merchant
Captains, slashin 'em up and chopin' 'em down quick as a slipped
anchor. 'Gainst most opponents I preferred me longsword. Toledo steel
it was, with a fine balance and nice edge. In a serious fight I'd not
slash much, since it slowed me down and exposed me too long. Now I
know rapiers are all the rage now, and their extra reach is right
handy. But it takes too bless'd long to do in the opposition with an
overgrown pin!
Now if'n I 'twas leadin' my men 'gainst greater numbers, me tactics
did change. I remember bein' boarded by a war galleon commanded by an
Admiral or Count or somethin'. Long fancy name, he had. sure to be a
good fencer, I thought, and he was. But outnumbered as we were, I had
ta' strike quick like, get the battle goin' our way, or me mates
would've been slaughtered up right quick.
So I's grabbed a cutlass and charged that Don, howlin' like a demon. I
shrugged off a couple rapier pricks and got right in eye-to-eye,
slashin' at 'is legs. That took some stuffin' out of him right quick!
With them papists all shaken and panicy like, it didna' take long to
polish 'em off.
HISTORICAL FOOTNOTES -
The Common Man as Warrior:
In this turbulent time there were more clergymen than sheriffs! A man
protected his own property and person against thieves and banditry,
since the kingdom often could not. It was the rare man who went
without some weapon. Noblemen settled disputes "quietly" in duels,
rather than through open warfare (a medieval practice the Crown
frowned upon). Commoners used staves, clubs, crude spears, large
knives and such. Where available, the heavy cutlass was an ideal
weapon for a stout but untutored fighter.
The Colonial Frontier:
Life in the colonies was even more unruly than the homeland. This was
This was especially true of the English and French colonies, largely
populated with convicts, fortune hunters, deadbeats, religious
fanatics, and other people the homeland was happy to see off.
Furthermore, in the colonies the landholder might be absent or
nonexistent. In Europe every square inch of land was part of some
nobleman's demise, and he or his family usually lived just up the
road, ready to enforce ancient feudal custom and law.
Firearms existed in this era, but were still newfangled weapons of
slow speed and dubious reliability. Throughout the 1500s firearms were
fired with a slow-burning match. Reloading was a long, laborious
process that required two minutes or more, complicated by the need to
handle loose gunpowder while you held a lighted match! The flintlock
and trigger (invented in 1615 in France) was used by hunters,
sportsmen, and probably buccaneers by 1630. However, it was not
reliable enough for military use until 1670. In battle you might carry
a loaded pistol or three, but you relied upon your sword, not your
guns. Note that the musketeers of Dumas' Three Musketeers (based on
events in the 1620s) generally used their swords, despite being
members of the most elite firearms unit in the entire French army!
TRAVELLING THE CARIBBEAN
The Caribbean is a wide, warm, and pleasant sea. Idyllic tropical
islands and lush jungled shores contain in its steady currents.
Stretching over three thousand miles, the water is a broad highway
between mainland ports, island towns and hidden anchorages.
INFORMATION -
Continue Travels
Party Status
Personal Status
Ship's Log
Maps
Cities
Take Sun Sight
Search
Save Game
You can see information about your situation by selecting CHECK
INFORMATION while in town, or by pressing the joystick trigger, mouse
button, or return key (depending on your computer) while travelling
around the Caribbean.
Continue Travels returns you to your previous activity.
Party Status shows what your group owns and the attitude of your men
(happy, pleased, unhappy, or angry). Beware of mutiny if the men
remain angry too long. Expect defections if you run out of food.
Personal Status shows your standing with each nation, and personal
details about your age, health, wealth and reputation. If your health
is poor, you will be forced to retire soon.
Ship's Log recaps your activities and travels, with notes about
special information you found. If you're confused about recent events,
consult your log.
Maps is a file of all your map fragments to buried treasures and other
hidden locations. Initially you have none. You'll find that all maps
have the objective (buried treasure, hidden plantation, etc.) in the
center. Unfortunately, it's a secret map, so parts may be missing.
Once you follow a map to the spot where you think the object is to be
found, you must spend time SEARCHING for the object (see SEARCH
option, below).
Cities provide all available information about the various towns and
cities in the Caribbean. Just point to a name and press the joystick
trigger, mouse button or return key (as appropriate) to see more
information. If an important event (such as a pirate attack or a new
governor) radically changes information about a town you'll find "no
information available" until you either visit the town or purchase new
information from a traveler in a tavern.
Take a Sun Sight allows you to spend the day plotting your position
with the astrolabe. An explanation of this technique is found later on
in this document.
Search means you'll spend a day searching for treasure or other hidden
things at your present location. If you're in the right spot, and have
the appropriate map fragment, you'll find what's there. Without a map
fragment you always find nothing. This option is not available if you
are at sea or in a town.
Save Game allows you to save the game in progress. This option is
available only if you are in a town.
GETTING AROUND TOWN -
Visit the Governor
Visit a Tavern
Trade with a Merchant
Divide up the Plunder
Check Information
Leave Town
Visit the Governor:
A visit to the governor's mansion may be useful. He can tell you with
whom his nation wars and allies. He may make special offers or awards.
With luck and sufficient prestige, you may meet his daughter. However,
the governor does not spend much time entertaining coarse sea dogs
like you. Once you have visited the governor of a town, don't expect
to gain admittance again soon.
Visit a Tavern:
Taverns are a place where you can recruit additional men for your
crew, hear the news, purchase detailed information from travelers, and
perhaps meet new and interesting people. You can visit a tavern again
and again, drowning your sorrows in drink while time passes. however,
you'll notice that new crewmen aren't interested in signing up with an
old sot.
Trade with a Merchant:
This option is explained in more detail below.
Divide up the Plunder:
As Captain, you get a fixed percentage of the party's wealth (the
percentage varies with difficulty level). The remainder is divided
among the crew. Furthermore, not only is the plunder divided, but
also the ships, stores, goods and cannon on them. The crew always
disperses with their newfound wealth, leaving you with just your
flagship and its share of the provisions and armament. After refitting
your ship (which takes a few months) you'll have to rebuild your band
from scratch.
Check Information:
This shows information about you, your party, and the current
situation (see the preceding subsection for details).
Leave Town:
Your party departs from the town, ready to either set sail or march
away overland, as you prefer.
TRADING WITH MERCHANTS -
The merchants in a town can buy and sell food, European goods, and the
current export crop (hides, tobacco, or sugar, depending on the era).
They can repair or buy ships and cannon, but almost never have any for
sale.
To buy or sell any item, move the pointer up or down to select the
line with the proper item. Then move the pointer left to move items
onto your ship (the appropriate amount of gold is automatically given
to the merchant). Move the pointer right to sell items to the merchant
(the appropriate amount of gold id automatically moved from the
merchant to you). When items are bought and sold, the amount of space
left in your hold is also adjusted automatically.
In addition, if you have more than one ship, you can sell the extras.
If you have any damaged ships, you can pay for their repair. I If you
sell too many ships, you may start trading with negative space in your
hold (more cargo than room). In this case you must sell at least
enough items to bring the space up to zero.
TRAVEL BY SEA -
When travelling your party moves over the land and seas of the
Caribbean. See your "Captain's Broadsheet" for a detailed description
of the controls.
Set Sail:
If you ship is on the coastline and your party of men is touching it,
you can set sail. Use the Set Sail control to select one of the eight
possible directions to set sail.
Sailing:
Once you have set sail,, controls change. You will remain on course if
you do not change the controls. In addition, you can turn right
(starboard) or turn left (port) as you desire, like a real ship.
Speed:
The speed of a ship depends on how the wind blows against it.
Travelling directly into the wind is always slowest. Travelling with
wind coming diagonally from the rear is generally the fastest. Each
type of ship has a different "point of sailing" (the wind position at
which the ship develops maximum speed). What with shifting winds and
periodic storms, sailing requires more than a little judgement and
skill.
If you have a fleet of many ships, the entire fleet travels at the
speed of the single largest ship.
Pause:
To pause your travels (to deal with the minor details of life outside
the Spanish Main) press the Pause key. To resume, press it again.
Weather:
The clouds travelling overhead indicate the direction of the wind,
which varies significantly. Clouds are storm fronts that provide
strong, fast wind if you are near, but may trap our ship if you sail
too close.
Shoals & Reefs:
You can see where the sea breaks across shallow reefs and shoals. If
you pass over these, one of your ships could lose its bottom. Pinnaces
and sloops have a very shallow draft, allowing them to sail across the
hazards without risk.
Anchoring:
You can only anchor in shallow, coastal water. Do this by sailing
directly up to the coast. The ship automatically stops and your crew
disembarks. If you anchor at a town, you have special choices (see
Arriving at a Town, below).
Getting Information:
Press the Get Information key to temporarily pause your travels and
get information (see INFORMATION, earlier in this document).
Minimum Crew:
It takes at least eight (8) men to sail a ship. If you have fewer than
eight men per ship, your men will abandon one.
OVERLAND TRAVEL -
When your party is on land, you can move in eight directions. See your
"Captain's Broadsheet" for details on controls. Of course, the land is
mostly trackless jungle, swamps and mountains, making overland
movement very slow.
When moving on land your party can carry only as much as you can fit
into your ships.
ARRIVING AT A TOWN -
Sail into Harbor
Attack Town
Sneak into Town
Leave Town
Sail into Harbor means that your ships sail peacefully up to the
quays. This option is available only if you arrive at the town by sea.
If the town is guarded by a fort, the fort may open fire on your ships
if that nation is hostile. If the nation is wary, the fort generally
will not fire unless the governor personally dislikes you.
March into Town means that your entire party walks into town openly
and peacefully. This option is available only if you arrive by
overland travel.
Attack Town has different effects, depending on whether you arrive by
land or by sea.
If by land, you will attack the town overland. If the town has a fort
with a large enough (and brave enough!) garrison, they may sally out
and meet you outside in a land battle outside of town (see PIKE &
SHOT, later in this document). Other times the troops may sit in the
fortress or town, forcing you to lead your men against them in
close-quarters hand to hand combat (see FENCING & SWORDPLAY).
If by Sea, you flagship will have to fight a naval battle against the
fort (see BROADSIDES, later in this document for details). Your goal
is to sail your ship to the shore near the fort, so you men can land
and storm the seaward side of the fortress (see FENCING & SWORDPLAY).
Naturally, this is rather dangerous, what with the fort's guns firing
at you!
Sneak into Town means that you hide your ships in a nearby cove and
creep into the back streets at night with a few trusted men. If you
are afraid of fire from the forts, this is an excellent way to get
inside and do some quiet business. However, if your reputation is
large, you may be recognized and attacked. If that happens, you must
fight your way out of town, or be captured and imprisoned.
When you sneak into town, the need to keep your identity secret
prevents you from recruiting men in a tavern. In addition, the party's
loot is left behind in the ship, preventing you from dividing the
plunder.
Leave Town returns you to travelling about the Caribbean.
TAKE A SUN SIGHT & FIND YOUR POSITION -
"Shooting the sun" with an astrolabe is a technique for finding your
latitude. A latitude scale appears on the side of your map of the
Caribbean for easy reference.
Controlling the Astrolabe:
See the "Captain's Broadsheet" for information on how to control the
Astrolabe. It can be moved left or right, and it's platform can be
moved up or down.
Using the Astrolabe:
your goal is to move the astrolabe beneath the sun and raise the
platform so it just touches the bottom of the sun. To get an accurate
reading, you must do this at noon (when the sun reaches its highest
point). Many Captains take multiple sunsights during a day, to insure
they get a good noon sighting.
Note that cloudy weather makes sun sightings difficult.
Dead Reckoning Longitude:
Longitude (east-west position) can be found only through dead
reckoning. If you're an apprentice captain, your expert sailing master
provides a dead- reckoning estimate. Otherwise, you must make your own
guess, based on how fast you've been travelling east or west.
THE MEMOIRS OF CAPT'N SYDNEY -
On me first voyage, sailing as a 'prentice, al seemd easy. I'd just
order the course and we'd sail there. If'n I was uncertain about our
position, we'd take a sun sight, d'ye see, and the sailing master'd
reckon out Longitude nice as you please. But come time to divide the
plunder, and I found my officers were getting three pieces o' eight to
my one. No profit in that, thinks I, and go 'venturing next time with
fewer officers.
Well, it took me a bit o' times to learn better those chores that'd
come so easy before. But 'twas all worth it, the time I sailed from
Port Royale to Curacao, sou' by sou'east, and made a dead perfect
landfall! But bi'god a long tack to windward, to the Caribbees say,
'twas always a tiresome bit. After we'd got Providence isle back from
the Dons,...oh, Santa Catalina they call it now?...anyway, that harbor
made a nice place to divide the loot and sell off those slow prizes.
I'd just hold onto me handy sloop. A quick refit we'd be off upwind to
Barbados, see, with not one square-rigger to slow us down!
And I got right sneaky about getting what I wanted at ports. As any
sailor knows, any ol' anchorage'd do for repairs; but to move
plundered sugar and goods, my favorite device 'twas sailing to some
big, wealth port, then sneak in to talk trade with the merchants.
Spaniards weren't much for this in the rich towns, but narry an
Englishman, Frenchman, or Dutchman lived who'd not do business wi'
honest Capt'n Sydney! Let 'em sense a profit, and they'd be at yer
rail and hand what the gov'ner thought!
And mate, I remember those times I'd visit the gov'ner hi'self. Got
the true lowdown on war and allies and the like, sometimes even a
dinner, or a nice rank if'n he liked me. Aye, and his ugly daughter,
all religious like...she'd all be fawnin' on me, happy to tell every
little secret in her blessed little heart. Well, I'd a more sense
than marryin' the dear, let me tell ye!
Ah, well, then I got famous, and had ta' stop al this sneakin' bout. I
was too well known. If the gov'ner took a dislike ta' me face, one
step into town and guards'd be swarming. Price of success, mate, took
half the pleasure out of life.
GEOGRAPHICAL FOOTNOTES -
Weather Patterns:
The Caribbean is a warm ocean. The water surrounding the islands stays
a constant 77 degrees F. This steady sea temperature maintains a
pleasant climate on the surrounding land, although weather and
elevation cause notable variations. The most extended period of bad
weather occurs in the summer and fall, from June to November, with
hurricanes not uncommon in the later part of this season.
In all seasons, the prevailing winds are trade winds coming from the
east. Of course, local, temporary variations are not uncommon.
Channels & Passages:
The classic sailing pattern in the Caribbean was to enter through the
Caribbee Islands (Lesser Antilles), put into ports along the Spanish
Main (the coastline of Terra Firma), swing northward into the Yucatan
Channel northward to catch the North Atlantic prevailing westerlies
back to Europe. Along this route the Florida Channel was the point of
maximum danger. Unwary captains could be driven upon the Florida
coast, or tack too far upwind and become lost in the treacherous
Bahaman shoals.
BROADSIDES: THE TACTICS OF SEA BATTLE
ENCOUNTERS AT SEA -
Sail Ho! Your first sighting of an enemy ship is its sails and masts
coming over the horizon. Continuing your voyage is a nearly foolproof
way to evade any encounter. Investigating the sail means you
automatically close on the other ship.
Ship in View:
If you investigated the sail, you'll now see the whole ship. If you
sail away now, you may evade contact, but maybe not. Instead you can
continue investigating, which closes the range further, allowing you
to determine the ship's nationality.
See Her Colors:
After the other ship hoists its colors, you can try to sail away
peacefully, come alongside and talk over the latest news, or attack
her. If the ship is a pirate or pirate-hunter, it may recognize you
and attack, regardless of your choice.
Select Your Flagship:
if a battle occurs and you have more than one ship, you can select
which will be your flagship. The ship you select fights the battle. In
the example to the left, you have four ships in your fleet: a
merchantman, two sloops (one damaged), and a pinnace. Any one of these
can be your flagship. Consider your choice carefully, since the type
of ship you're sailing can be important in battle.
.--------------------------------------------.
| "We have 44 men and 10 cannon ready for |
| battle. Winds are light. Which ship will |
| you command?" |
| Merchantman |
| Sloop |
| Sloop (damgd) |
| Pinnace |
`--------------------------------------------'
The number of men and guns available for battle is a theoretical
figure. If your flagship is small, you'll find the number of men and
guns limited by the capacity of the ship. See "A GAZETTEER OF SHIPS"
for information about each type of ship. Furthermore, it takes four
(4) or your crewmen to man each gun. If your crew is too small, you
may have fewer than the maximum number of cannon available.
The ship you select remains your flagship until the next battle.
BATTLE AT SEA -
When an encounter leads to battle, the scene changes to a
ship-against-ship duel. The color of a ship's hull matches the color
of it's name below. See the "Captain's Broadsheet" for specific
control information.
Sailing:
Maneuvering in battle is similar to travel by sea. You can turn right,
turn left, or remain on course.
Change Sails:
You can either Set Full Sails for maximum speed in battle, or Reduce
to Battle Sails for lower speeds with much less risk of rigging
damage. You begin battle with battle sails set.
Fire Broadside:
Push the Fire Broadside key to shoot. Your gun captains automatically
fire the side of the ship nearest the enemy. Remember, your guns are
mounted along the left and right sides of the ship. Therefore, to aim
your guns, you must turn the ship so its side faces the enemy.
After a broadside is fired the gun crews reload as fast as possible.
Reloading speed depends on morale of your crew. A happy crew loads
faster than an unhappy one. Enemy reloading speed depends on the
quality of their crew (warships, pirate-hunters, and pirates have
better quality crews than peaceful merchantmen and cargo fluyts).
Reloading is temporarily halted if you change your sails - the gun
crews are needed to aloft to handle the sails.
The effect of gunfire varies with the number of guns firing, and the
size of ship hit. For example, an broadside from a 20-gun ship into a
galleon may have little effect while the same into a pinnace might
leave her a flaming wreck.
Pause:
Press the Pause key to halt the action, and again to resume it.
Escape From Battle:
To escape from a naval battle, sail away from the enemy. Once the
distance between ships is large enough, the battle ends automatically.
In addition, in a long action, nightfall may end the fight.
If you escape from battle and the enemy ship is undamaged, you may
lose a ship to enemy pursuit. This is only a danger if you have two or
more ships.
Grapple & Board:
If you sail your ship alongside or into the enemy, the ships
automatically grapple for a boarding battle. You must lead your men
into the fight. See FENCING & SWORDPLAY, for more information.
PRIZES & PLUNDER -
Prizes:
When you win a battle at sea, you can either take the enemy ship for
your own (send a prize crew), or you can just take its cargo, while
burning and sinking the ship itself. After the battle you'll get a
report about the enemy ship's armament and capacity, as well as the
empty space remaining in the holds of your fleet.
In general, taking a ship prize is useful, since you can sell the ship
as well as its cargo at a friendly port. This disadvantages are that a
slow- sailing prize will slow down your entire fleet (Spanish galleons
and badly damaged ships are especially slow sailors). Furthermore each
prize requires eight (8) men to handle it. This means eight fewer men
available for battle on your flagship.
For example, if you capture a 100-ton merchantman and you only have 80
tons of space available in your fleet now, and the merchantman is full
of cargo, you won't have enough space for everything. On the other
hand, it's unlikely the merchantman will be completely full, and she
may slow down your fleet considerable. If speed is important to you,
perhaps you should sink her.
Plunder:
Regardless of whether you take the ship prize or sink her, you must
decide what you wish to plunder and call your won, and what you wish
to leave behind (throw overboard). You'll automatically take all the
gold from the ship. Compared to its value, gold weighs virtually
nothing, and therefore doesn't affect your cargo capacity.
Transferring goods to your ship, or throwing things overboard, works
just like trading with merchants. To transfer items to your ship, move
the pointer up or down until it is on the correct line, then flick it
to the left to move things to your ship, or to the right to leave
things behind.
AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULTS ON TOWNS -
If you sail into a town and select Attack Town, you begin an
amphibious assault on that town. In an assault, your flagship must
sail up to the fort guarding the town, touching land as close to the
fort as possible. If you land too far away, the men will refuse to
march and the assault ends in failure. If you land close enough, the
men jump ashore and storm into the fort, leading to a fight on he
battlements (see FENCING & SWORDPLAY). The number of men participating
in the assault is limited to the number that can fit on your flagship.
As in normal sea battles, you can retreat (end the battle) by sailing
away.
THE MEMOIRS OF CAPT'N SYDNEY -
Captains today are all lily-livered cowards! In my time, 'twas was the
mark of a Captain that he could take a galleon with a pinnace. Aye, I
did it meself off Yucatan. 'Twas a laggardly galleon from the Treasure
Fleet, beating upwind to Havana. We took the weather guage, danced
around her broadsides, gave her a few cannonades into the stern, and
boarded 'em. Our firen' had the Dons half demoralized already - I
bloody'd 'em some, and the battle was done.
Tis my opinion that yer main choice is the flagship. 'Gainst a
fore'n'-aft rig ye need similar, sloop preferred. Otherwise they'll
just escape upwind. Taking down fluyts and merchantmen 'tis oft a job
for a fore-'n'-aft rig, but it's right dangerous using such 'gainst a
frigate or galleon. A couple broadsides and yer swimmin' with wood
chips. Besides, in strong winds a square rigger on broad reach outruns
a fore-'n'-aft. Suchlike times, I oft take a square-rigger meself, so
the swabs don' take a powder and disappear over the horizon.
When I'm engagin', I always rig full sails and get a broadside into
'em quick t' slows 'em down. With all me sail set, I dance 'bout 'em
smartly. 'Course, this is right dangerous work, wince I canna' afford
to take any fire, elsewise I'll lose plenty of sail and perhaps a
mast. I've seen other Capt's just run broadside to broadside under
battle sail, poundin' away. Then I'se knows fellows who hardly fire a
cannon. They sail up and board directly, trustin' t' cold steel. So
'tis really a matter of temperment, d'ya see?
Me most terrifyin' battle was the time we sailed into Caracas, lookin'
to storm fort from seaside. Those two forts mounted 24 cannon. I'd a
merchantman for the flag, givin' an even match in firepower. But we
was approachin' with the wind on the quarter or towards the bow some.
I had me choice of sailing bow in and taking it wi' no chance a'
reply, or turning a broadside but falling off downwind. We tride a
couple braodsides 'n' knocked out a few guns, but lost a mast. Soon we
was a' fallin' off seriously, the hull leakin', and no way back
upwind. Befor' we was sunk I put back out to sea, poorer but wiser.
'Twas for the better anyway - the bloomin' fort 'ad me outnumbered!
HISTORICAL FOOTNOTES -
LeGrand's Galleon:
In 1635, Pierre Le Grand and 28 men were lost somewhere off the west
coast of Hispaniola, rudder broken and their pinnace leaking. At dusk
they sighted a towering Spanish galleon. They crept up to her in the
twilight, keeping under her stern and away from the formidable
broadside power of the huge ship. Finally close enough, Le Grand and
his men bored holes in their unseaworthy craft and climbed up the
Spaniard's stern in a do-or-die assault. They captured the surprised
Spanish Captain in his cabin, playing cards. He was sure that a paltry
pinnace was no threat to him!
Best Speed:
Different ships make their best speed in different directions.
Fore-and-aft rigged ships (Pinnace, Sloop, Barque) do best on a broad
beam reach, or a beam reach. Square-rigged ships (all others) do best
on a broad reach or running broad reach. In light winds smaller ships
are often faster, while in strong winds bigger, heavier ships sail
faster if the wind is in an advantageous position. See the GAZETTEER
OF SHIPS for more information.
The Weather Guage:
A ship upwind (closer to the wind source) than another has the
"weather guage". With this advantage a ship can run downwind and
rapidly attack its opponent, while the enemy must laboriously tack
upwind to reach it. The weather guage was especially valuable
protecting for smaller ships. Their for-and-aft sails allowed them to
sail into the wind faster. These ships often had oars to permit
movement directly into the wind. A small ship with the weather guage
can tack back and forth across the bow or stern of a much larger ship,
firing broadside after broadside with impunity.
PIKE & SHOT: THE TACTICS OF LAND BATTLE
The English, French and Dutch pirates were no fools. They knew that
the wealth carried by Spanish ships originally came from Spanish
towns. But gaining these riches meant they had to overpower small
armies of Spanish regular and militia troops, then storm powerful
fortresses.
BATTLE ON LAND -
When your party marches overland into a town and selects "Attack the
Town", the town's defenders may form a small army, march out, and meet
you in open battle. If the defenders are especially cowardly or weak,
no land battle occurs - your men storm into the fort or the town's
streets.
IMPORTANT:
Controlling your forces on land is different from all other
activities. Pike & Shot warfare is quite unlike other fighting.
Please read the following instructions carefully and see the
"Captain's Broadsheet" for details.
Giving Orders:
In a land battle your party is divided into two or three groups. You
can give orders to each group separately, or give the same order
simultaneously to everyone.
The SELECT A GROUP key shifts your control from one group to another.
The currently selected group changes color on the map, and their
strength and morale appear below. Press again to select another group.
MOVE ALL GROUPS controls move all groups (not just the selected group)
in one of eight directions. This is the only way to move your force as
a whole.
Pause:
Press this key to pause the battle. Press it again to resume the
action.
Combat:
Your men fight automatically when in range. You do NOT have a "fire"
or "attack" control. After all, a band of pirates is hardly a
disciplined land army! Your men can fight in two ways. They fire
muskets a short distance, or they melee with the enemy in hand-to-hand
combat. In melee combat, everyone participates, not just those armed
with muskets.
Musket fire occurs when your men are stationary. Each group selects
the nearest enemy within range and fires. If no enemy is within range,
that group doesn't fire. Remember, your men cannot fire while moving!
Melee Combat occurs whenever your men move directly into an enemy
group, or vice versa. You can continue moving while the melee rages.
Although your party and most defenders are on foot, some larger
Spanish towns field cavalry forces that move fast and are excellent
melee fighters on open ground. Cavalry, however, lacks long-range
muskets and is hindered greatly in woods.
Visibility:
Men in woods and within a town are invisible to the opposition. You'll
notice that enemy troops disappear in such situations. When you are in
woods or a town, the enemy loses sight of you. Use this to your
advantage by hiding a group along the edge of a woods or town, then
luring the enemy in range by exposing another group.
Terrain Effects:
Woods, town buildings, and marshlands slow down all troops. In
addition, woods and buildings provide cover from enemy fire. This
means the troops take fewer casualties and cannot be hit at long
range. Enemy forces have small coastal boats available, allowing them
to sail quickly over water. Your men, however, must wade through the
shallows.
Morale:
Each group has a separate morale level. Morale ranges from STRONG (the
best) to FIRM, ANGRY, SHAKEN, and finally panic (the worst). When a
group panics they run away from the enemy, regardless of orders.
Significant casualties will demoralize a group, while a respite from
combat restores morale. Troops out of battle recover their morale
faster than troops under enemy fire or attack.
The Final Assault:
Your goal is to move your men onto the enemy fort. When you do this
the open field fighting ends and a swordfight on the ramparts decides
whether the enemy surrenders the city, or your attack fails (see
FENCING & SWORDPLAY).
Retreat:
You can retreat from the battlefield by moving off the edge of the map
with all your groups. This ends the attack.
THE MEMOIRS OF CAPT'N SYDNEY -
Me best battle was gettin' revenge on Caracas for the beatin' their
fort gave me flagship. We went ashore a bit east and marched along the
coast. Some Spaniard, gov'ner or some such, rallied their troops and
marched to stop us. Well, we split into two groups. The quartermaster
and all our best musket-men took cover in the edge of a woods,
overlookin' a marsh. Then me with a smaller bunch danced around in a
field just beyond the marsh, howlin' and carryin' on.
Thinkin' us weak and stupid, the Spaniards charged toward us. Their
cavalry hit the marsh first and blam! They was droppin' like acorns in
a storm. In a minute we'd 'em decimated and panicking back to town.
Then we danced and yelled some more and their infantry came up. The
Dons stopped in the marsh and returned fire, brave like, but we had
the cover, and when me mates came up, we had more muskets too. They
tried to close to hand-to-hand, but it 'twas slow goin' in the marsh,
and they was droppin' fast.
Well, we keep tradin' lead with those Spaniards 'till they tired of it
and started home. With a yell we poured out of the trees in hot
pursuit. 'Twas a long chase, but we overran 'em in the town just below
their fort, cuttin 'em up somethin' fierce. Stormin' the for was
child's play then, as they'd hardly a man left for the garrison!
I don' pretend to be a great general. Me and my mates don' know a
refused flank from a countermarch. But those Don's fall for ambush
like bears to honey. Worked like a charm every time. "Cept the time
one of our parties lured them out into the wilderness while the other
sneaked to town and stormed the fort whilest they were away! But that,
matey, I did right rarely. I always preferred to bury them papists
outside the walls, rather than face them hand to hand within their
fort. After all, fort stormin' 'twas a right chancy business; belike
'cause the men insisted that I take my place at the head of the
stormin' party!
HISTORICAL FOOTNOTES -
Pike & Shot Warfare:
Land warfare in the 16th and 17th Century saw the supremacy of
infantry restored after the long reign of the mounted knight. In
Europe the Spanish Tericio was the great military system of the 16th
Century, as formidable in its day as the Roman legions. The Tercio was
a solid block of pikemen, 16 or more ranks deep. It developed an
awesome power charging forward, as well as nearly invincible bristling
defense against cavalry. Men with firearms (arquebuses and the heavier
muskets) formed loose groups at the corners, giving supported fire and
softening the enemy for the pikemen's punch. Bayonets did not exist
and a firearm took over two minutes to reload. Therefore, when close
action threatened, the musketeers retired behind the pikemen. Spanish
Tercios were built of well-drilled, professional soldiers, ready to
instantly perform the complex drill evolutions that maneuvered the
cumbersome blocks of pike and their supporting musketeers. This
military system was widely copied in Europe throughout the 16th and
17th Centuries. As firearms improved, the proportion of musketeers
gradually increased.
In the West Indies the slightly faster-firing flintlock musket was
popular among privateers and buccaneers decades before regular troops
were issued the weapon. The buccaneers had uncommon accuracy and skill
with their weapons because they relied on them for hunting ashore.
Buccaneer firepower was among the most accurate on earth at the time.
Furthermore a risk-all, gain-all attitude made buccaneers ferocious
opponents in melee. No wonder many Spaniards ran from the
crack-shooting, cutlass-wielding berserkers of Tortuga and Port
Royale.
The great weakness of the buccaneers was cavalry. Their firepower was
insufficient to stop an organized, disciplined cavalry attack.
However, Spanish cavalry in America was an undisciplined militia force
of local notables more interested in preserving their wealth than
killing pirates. Even in the defense of Panama, where the Spanish had
100 to 200 horsemen, the mounted arm was timid and indecisive, with
many desertions before and during the battle.
Drakes Assault on Cartagena, 1586:
One late winter afternoon, Francis Drake in his 30-gun galleon
flagship Elizabeth Bonaventure led a fleet of ships to Cartagena,
fresh from the plundering of Santo Domingo. His ships anchored in the
roadstead, outside of the range of the forts. That night, while the
Spanish prepared for a naval attack into the harbor, Drake disembarked
over 1,000 men onto the harbor large outer peninsula and marched over
the sandpit connecting this to the city proper. There his men cut
through a fence of poisoned barbs, waded out to sea to avoid the
gunfire from Spanish ships anchored in the harbor, and finally charged
the 750 defending Spaniards. The hand-to-hand melee swirled back into
the city, where the Spanish finally broke and surrendered (or ran).
Victorious, Drake's men plundered it all. Eventually the Spanish
governor raised 110,000 ducats (a vast fortune) as ransom for Drake's
departure. Drake agreed, as he and his supporters preferred money to
ownership of a plundered city.
The Defense of Panama, 1671:
When Don Juan Perez de Guzman, President of Panama, organized the
city's defense against Henry Morgan's buccaneers, his "army" consisted
of two companies of Spanish regular infantry (each about 100 men),
plus militia companies of Spaniards, mulattos, free blacks, mestizos,
and zamboos (various Spanish-African-Indian racial mixtures) which may
have totaled 800 or more. The pure-blooded Spanish militia was largely
mounted, carrying pistols and swords, theoretically capable of a
battle-winning charge over the open ground north of the city. The
remainder served as infantry, many with no weapon better than a crude
pike (12' or longer pointed pole). None of these had sufficient
military drill to move in the dense, formidable blocks of pikemen that
won battles in Europe. Indeed, few had sufficient discipline to
withstand more than one or two volleys of musket fire. Curiously, in
battle the native Spaniards were the first to flee (many of them
departed before the battle started) while the free Blacks were among
the most stalwart defenders of the city.
BOOK II
LIFE IN THE WEST INDIES
YOUR CAREER ON THE HIGH SEAS
A MERRY CREW "ON ACCOUNT" -
Buccaneers and pirates are unique: they were a democratic group,
governed by voting, in an age of absolute kings and imperious
aristocrats. Among pirates, spoils are divided fairly and equally. The
Captain gets extra shares, but only because he takes larger risks. His
crew is said to sail "on account" when they are paid by shares of the
loot, instead of by wages.
At the Start:
Each voyage means a new start for the Captain and crew. you will have
one ship, recently cleaned and outfitted, some initial funds from your
financial backers (about 10% of the last voyages' profit), and a core
of loyal crewmen.
Recruiting Crewmen is done in taverns, and sometimes from captured
ships. If you sneak into town you cannot recruit in taverns
(recruiting is a very public activity). Recruiting from captured ships
is easiest if the capture is a pirate, or a ship with a very large
crew.
'On Account':
Your crew is not paid wages. Instead, at the end of the voyage, the
party's profits are split. Each man will get his fair share. Until the
division of ;plunder, the Quartermaster is keeping an 'account' for
each man from which are deducted expenses for his clothing, penalties
for crimes and misdemeanors, gambling losses, etc. The term 'sailing
on account' refers to this complex process of bookkeeping. This
approach is also sometimes known as "No Purchase, No Pay"!
As Captain, be careful to distinguish between the entire party's
wealth (displayed in Party Status) and your personal wealth (displayed
in Personal Status). Certainly your crew knows the difference! During
the course of a voyage, the party's wealth is the combined profit of
the voyage. It is the property of all and strongly affects crew morale
(see below). At the end of the voyage, when you divide up the loot,
each man gets his fair share. Only then do you get your share, which
appears in your Personal Status money.
Morale:
The attitude of the crew varies from HAPPY (the best) to PLEASED,
UNHAPPY, and ANGRY (the worst). The more money the party has, the
happier they are. The crew attaches little importance to captured
ships, goods, and other items. Their eyes are on gold! In addition,
the crew is impatient. As the months pass, they want to disband and
spend their loot, or (if you don't have much loot) they start thinking
about joining some other Captain. The only way to keep them happy is
to keep collecting more and more gold. It's difficult to keep the crew
pleased for more than a year, and almost impossible to keep them
pleased for two years or longer.
When the crew is unhappy or angry, they will start deserting whenever
you visit port. If they are angry too long, they mutiny. This means
you must fight to remain Captain.
Note that it is easier to keep a small crew happy than a large crew.
This is because with a small crew, each man's share is larger, making
him a happier fellow! Also note that converting plundered cargo to
gold helps keep morale high, especially if you sell at a town with
high prices.
Dividing the Plunder:
When the cruise ends and you Divide up the Plunder, don't be surprised
when the men disperse to enjoy their wealth. Also remember that
everything is split fairly, including the ships, cannons and, cargo.
As Captain, you retain only your flagship. Therefore, it's advisable
to sell everything except your flagship before dividing the plunder.
A fixed percentage of the party's gains go to the officers. Each
officer's share is worth a bit over 2%. Therefore an apprentice
Captain with two shares gains 5%, a journeyman with four gains 10%, an
adventurer with six gains 15%, and a swashbuckler with eight gains
20%. Note that the size of the crew has no effect on the Captain's
share. This is to discourage Captains from leading their crews into
massacres! In addition, a flat 10% is returned to the patrons and
sponsors of the voyage as their profit. Generally, the Captain's
financiers will make this money available again as capital for the
next voyage.
Shares to the crew are an equal distribution of everything remaining.
The size of each crewman's share affects the Captain's reputation. If
the shares are large, the Captain's prestige is enhanced. If the
shares are small, the Captain's reputation suffers, making it harder
for him to recruit new crewmen.
GAINS & GOALS -
An Age of New Beginnings:
This is an era of privilege. A man of high rank or title lives under
different laws than the commoners. More importantly, this is an age of
social mobility. Old families with the wrong religious beliefs,
incorrect political views or insufficient wealth disappear from the
national scene. Even the royal houses change frequently. England's
royal family was the House of Tudor to 1603, the House of Stuart to
1649, the Cromwellian Commonwealth to 1660, the House of Stuart again
to 1688, and then the House of Orange!
Onto this stage of turmoil and change, a single man of energy and
boldness can grasp power and prestige for generations to come. A
common seafarer from an undistinguished family, such as Francis Drake,
could gain titles of nobility, rank, honors, and immense prestige.
What to Seek? Planning for a happy retirement means seeking as much of
everything as possible. Personal wealth is always valuable. Land is
also useful - among the nobility, for example, land is considered the
measure of a man. As a rule, the more you accomplish at a rink, the
more land you receive when you are promoted to the next higher rank.
In addition your reputation, your family (including a wife, if any),
and your health all contribute to your future happiness.
When to Retire? Roving the seas is an enjoyable and exciting life, but
a wise man keeps an eye toward retirement. Eventually wounds from
battle and the taxing demands of sea voyages affect your health. If
your health is poor, helpful friends will advise retirement. Heed
their advice - if you ignore them life becomes more and more
difficult, until one day you are unable to recruit a new crew for
another voyage. In general, your career is limited to five to ten
years of active endeavor. However, waiting until you're at death's
door is not a good way to start a happy retirement!
THE MEMOIRS OF CAPT'N SYDNEY -
Me voyages were always a fine balance between the men's temper and
their strength. It took time t' build up a fleet of three or four
ships and a sturdy band of a few hundreds. By the time all'd be
assembled, they'd be right and hungry for plunder. I had'a please 'em
quick with some fine, large stoke. Like plunderin' a city or three.
If'n I didn't, they'd get so surly as t' be unreliable in battle and
desertin' at every port. Eventually, ye must either accomplish some
grand design, as I did at Campeche, or just put in, divide the swag,
and hope the next cruise be better.
Me biggest disappointment always was settling accounts after a cruise.
I'll grant it 'twas all done democratic and fair-like, but 'tis none
the less frustratin' to be already thinkin' pon the next expedition,
and here me fine fleet scatters!
Reputation was my most treasured possession. A few successful cruises
gave me much in others' estimations. Havin' the good word about helped
raise new crews, even if the last voyage 'twas a bit thin on the
pickin's. Of course, maintainin' a big reputation required ever bigger
exploits. In the fact, that a' why I retired. I just couldn't top me
own adventures! Still, a large reputation was a godsend in later life,
let'in' me escape mortification more than once.
HISTORICAL FOOTNOTES -
A Captain's Qualifications:
Among buccaneers the Captain was elected by the crew, not appointed by
government or owners (as is common on military or commercial vessels).
He was the man the crew agreed was best for the job. I If the crew
decided the Captain was inept, they would replace him with another of
their number. Often the new candidate dueled the old for the
Captaincy.
In the crew's mind, the Captain's most important skill was leading
them in battle. For this they wanted bravery and ferocity more than
they wanted tactical genius. However, the best Captains, such as Henry
Morgan, had both.
Outside of battle, when dealing with governors and other officials,
the Captain acted as 'front man' to represent the group. Although
pirates professed disdain for the privilege and status of the
aristocracy, often their Captains were former military men, merchants
or aristocrats with a 'lordly manner'.
Finally a Captain needed a good reputation, with numerous past
successes to his credit. It was his name that brought new recruits
aboard. This experience was doubly valuable since most of the really
good plans for profitable expeditions were conceived by veteran
Captain.
Henry Morgan was a Welsh adventurer. Although his origins are
uncertain, he probably came to the Antilles in 1655 as part of the
invasion force that captured Jamaica. He advanced both as a militia
officer (on land) and a privateering leader (at sea). In 1667 he was
commissioned as Admiral of Privateers by the English governor at Port
Royale. In the next few years he plundered numerous ships and cities,
including Puerto Bello. Then, in 1671, he took Panama, the richest
city in the New World.
Patrons who benefited financially from his Panama expedition included
Sir Thomas Modyford (Governor of Jamaica), George Monck (the Duke of
Albemarle, Modyford's aging but influential patron at Court), and
James Stewart (Lord High Admiral, the Duke of York, and incidentally,
the brother of Charles II, King of England since his restoration in
1660). Despite the Treaty of Madrid (in 1670) where England pledged to
stop attacks on Spain, none of these notables refused their share of
the expedition's reward! Morgan was officially "arrested" (probably to
mollify the Spanish ambassador) but not confined. He traveled in
aristocratic circles, was toasted everywhere, and consulted on West
Indian policy by the King's advisors. In 1674 King Charles II knighted
him Sir Henry Morgan. He was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica,
where he lived a pleasant life amid his large plantations.
COLONIAL LIFE
THE GOVERNOR -
Towns with a population greater than six hundred citizens have a
governor. His residence is the seat of government, and the center of
news and intrigue for the colony. A governor's attitude toward you
begins with the "official" attitude of his nation toward your
activities. However, any particular favors you have done for him are
remembered, as well as any especially nasty things you have done to
his city (such as plundering it!)
You can curry favor with a governor by capturing pirates in waters
near his port and then returning that pirate to him. Conversely, a
governor is dismayed if you capture his nation's ships near his town,
and is especially unhappy if you've plundered his town.
When a governor is hostile to you, he will order any harbor forts to
fire upon your vessels as they sail in. In general, if the governor's
nation is hostile toward you the forts usually fire. If the nation is
wary, the governor's personal attitude and the size of your force are
deciding factors. The nation may not be wary, but the governor may
still remember past transgressions toward his area.
Therefore, consider your actions carefully, especially in the vicinity
of rich non-Spanish ports.
Ranks & Titles:
The governor of a town is responsible for protecting and guarding it
from attack. But all too often, he has no money, no naval forces, and
pitifully few land troops. So, he commissions loyal subjects to aid
him, giving them military ranks and authority. Naturally, a governor
favors men who have proved their bravery and worth by fighting then
enemy, while ignoring those who have done nothing for his cause.
The military ranks a governor bestows are, from lowest to highest:
ENSIGN of Privateers, a junior officer or aide
CAPTAIN of Privateers, commanding a ship
MAJOR of a Colonial Militia, commanding a company
COLONEL of a Colonial Militia, commanding a regiment
ADMIRAL of Privateers, commanding a fleet
After military ranks, a governor might use his influence at Court to
promote patents of nobility for valued associates. Naturally, you must
perform large and significant services to gain such bounty. From
lowest to highest, these title are:
BARON, a minor title, but a knighthood none the less
COUNT, a title of some prestige and power
MARQUIS, a title of significant prestige and power
DUKE, a title of great prestige and power
EUROPEAN POLITICS -
Whenever you attack a nation's ships or towns, that nation becomes
ill- disposed toward you. A few attacks may make it wary, while many
attacks make it hostile. Naturally, don't expect advancement from a
governor of a wary or hostile nation.
However, if your target is at war, the target's wartime opponent will
applaud your actions and those governors may reward you. For example,
if England and Spain are at war, attacks on the Spanish will make the
Spanish wary or hostile, but make the English very happy.
If nations are allied, attacks on a nation are remembered and disliked
by its ally. For example, England is allied with Holland but at war
with Spain. If you attack English towns or ships the Spanish governor
will be delighted and the English angry. In addition, England's ally
Holland will also be angry. This is because the Dutch are concerned
about attacks on their ally. However, if you attack Spanish towns and
ships, the English governor will be delighted, but the Dutch won't
care: The Dutch are still at peace with Spain, and thus unwilling to
reward military activities against her.
Although declarations of war, peace and alliance are public knowledge,
ends of alliances are not. Of course, when former allies declare war,
it's a safe assumption that the alliance is over! Otherwise, to learn
the "inside news" about a nation's politics, visit one of its
governors. Even if you sneak into town, the governor's mansion remains
the best source of news.
PIRATE AMNESTY -
When a nation offers a pirate amnesty, it is willing to forget its
former hostility toward pirates. Each governor of that nation is
empowered to offer former pirates a pardon for their activities,
although sometimes the pardon can be expensive. When seeking an
amnesty, be careful about sailing into harbor. Although the nation
may offer an amnesty, a local governor may still distrust you enough
to open fire. This is especially likely if your force is large, or you
have made attacks in the vicinity. If you sneak into town you usually
have a better chance of getting to the governor and convincing him to
provide the amnesty his nation promises.
THE TAVERN -
The first time you visit a tavern openly your reputation will precede
you. Men often approach you, hoping to join your crew. Subsequent
visits while in port will not yield additional recruits. Men are
attracted to heroes, not drunks!
You can purchase information from travelers who have recently visited
another town. They will know the state of the town's population,
economy, and defenses. If you are looking for somebody believed to be
at that town, they usually remember if he's been seen there recently.
Finally, the tavern is a center for public news of all sorts, and a
home for old pirates and other rumormongers.
LOCAL MERCHANTS -
The lifeblood of any colonial town is trade. The strength of the local
merchant community is proportional to the town's economic strength and
population. A strong merchant community has many goods for sale, and
plenty of money to buy yours. It also has higher prices. Small, poor
towns have the lowest prices, but their merchants are poor also, with
tiny warehouses.
Economic experts find the 16th and 17th Century Caribbean a most
peculiar place, especially on the Spanish Main. Complex and
restrictive trade laws, combined with peculiar and unnatural
population patterns, produce unexpected situations. Most importantly,
individual towns often have special markets and needs, causing
especially high or low prices for certain items. All these effects are
transitory, but while some patterns only last days or weeks, others
can last for years.
Merchants are usually happy to trade with privateers, pirates and
smugglers. After all, a profit is a profit! Merchants in Spanish
towns are an exception.
SPANISH TRADE RESTRICTIONS -
Towns and cities on the Spanish Main have four levels of economic
vitality. This affects the affairs of their merchants. In Spanish
towns it is illegal to trade with anyone other than Spanish merchants
who sailed from Seville and are properly accredited by the Spanish
government. However, local governors and merchants often ignore this
tiresome legality, especially if the economy is suffering. As a
result, traders in towns may ignore what the national government says
and instead develop their own opinions, based on your deeds in that
area.
Struggling towns are in economic difficulties. They will trade with
almost anyone, regardless of laws, excepting only pirates whose
reputation in that area is extremely evil. Of course, prices and
quantities of goods are usually quite low.
Surviving towns have either small or depressed economies. The Spanish
usually trade with foreigners whose local reputation is fairly decent.
Prices and quantities of goods are modest.
Prosperous towns have large, strong economies. Prosperous Spanish
towns only trade with Captains of high repute. Prices are fairly high
and goods are available in reasonable quantities.
Wealthy towns are at the peak of the economic spectrum. These Spanish
towns almost always follow the letter of the lay. Prices are high and
goods are plentiful.
THE RISE & FALL OF COLONIES -
All other things being equal, colonies slowly prosper and grow,
gaining economic strength, which attracts population, who in turn
hoard wealth, which obliges the government to install troops and forts
to protect this wealth. Traders and smugglers help this economic
growth with their buying, selling and carriage of goods. But pirates,
buccaneers and privateers taking ships from waters near the colony
will hurt its economic growth.
Indian attacks will deplete the soldiers guarding the town, but leave
the population and economy unaffected.
Pirate raids on a town take whatever gold the pirates can find. The
raid also damages the economy.
Malaria and other diseases reduce both the troop garrison and the
number of citizens. This tends to slow down or even stop economic
growth.
Gold mines cause a one-time upswing in the economy and add large
quantities of disposable gold. The gold mine is usually just a
short-lived alluvial wash in a nearby stream or river, but it
invariably generates a "gold rush" mentality boom town.
THE MEMOIRS OF CAPT'N SYDNEY
God's truth, I started honestly enough, carryin' good European
manufacture to the Indies. But the big, rich towns with nice prices
were all Spanish, and those thieven' Dons just wouldn't let me into
market. I found a few smaller towns that'd do business, privately, but
me profits suffered. But at the next city some papist blueblood, blind
'im, recognized me for English and I rotted for six months in a foul
dungeon, tortured by their damnable Inquisition, 'til me crew rescued
me. Betwixt times, the filthy Dons had taken my ship and cargo, every
last ounce of it. So I had to make my own justice. We took a handy
pinnace a' lyin' in the harbor, mounted a few guns, and taught those
Spaniards a lesson!
I've a Dutch friend who maintain the best route to fortune is friendly
trade. He buys low, transports it, and sells high. He keeps his crew
low and pays 'em off regularly, bankin' his profits. 'E even claims
the towns benefit from his trade 'n' such. Well, I tell ye, I'd not
sail the Main with twenty men and four cannon, no siree! But then, I
trust to steel 'n' gunpowder, not to accounts ledgers.
Anyway, I've never forgotten that Spanish dungeon, and made 'em pay
dearly for it. I'd keep abreast of the news, matey. A couple Indian
attacks or plagues and they'd be ripe for the pluckin'. Attackin' 'em
after a pirate raid wasn't so smart. They'd be cleaned out, but the
garrison'd be reinforced and smartin' for action.
The King, God bless 'em, is right obligen' in havin' convenient wars.
Me Letters of Marque are all proper and legal, but I've a 'known
fellows who'd get some clerk for forge up any ol' thing. One
dunderhead had a Letter a' Marque alright - a Letter t' kill sheep!
Didn't stop him none from goin' after the Spanish a'course.
Most of me victories left me wi' more plunder in food, tobacco, sugar
and goods than it did shin' gold. I 'member one cruise where I chanced
upon Trinidad, lookin' to sell a bit a' loot. Had a right nice fleet,
then. We landed up the coast and marched into town. Some insolent
Spaniard said something that got me back up. Well, quick as a wink we
had the garrison locked in its own dungeon and the citizens cowering
behind their doors. We were enjoying ourselves in the mansion of the
gov'nor, who'd disappeared right sudden. Then a delegation of the
leading citizens visited us. They begged us to rein-in our men. I
confess some were gettin' a' tad enthused in their plunderin'.
We thought on it. One of the leading merchants was part English, so we
said that if they flew the Cross of Saint George, pledged themselves
to the English Crown, and appointed that part-English merchant their
governor, we'd settle down and respect their property, legal as you
please.
Shortly after that I took a wound in a battle off Margarita, curse it,
and was laid up for a while. I never did find out how long Trinidad
remained "English". Pe'haps not so long. But I ne'er heard of me
friends having trouble there again. I'd like to emphasize, though,
that we had a powerful lot of men, and the populace 'twas right small.
With us fewer, or them more, it'd a' never happened.
HISTORICAL FOOTNOTES -
No Peace Beyond the Line:
In 1493 and 1494 the only two European powers exploring the world
(Spain and Portugal) agreed to a "fair" division of responsibility
along a north-south line 270 leagues west of the cape Verde Islands.
In the Treaty of Tordesillas, Portugal gained authority over the
eastern Atlantic, the African coast, and what became the African route
to India. Spain gained authority of the western Atlantic and the
entire New World except the tip of the Brazilian coast. Supported by
a Papal Bull, Spain claimed this gave her sole possession and control
over the Americas. Unfortunately for Spain, the English, Dutch and
French governments never recognized the legality of this line.
The result was that English, French and Dutch traders and colonists
constantly "invaded" Spanish regions where their presence was illegal
by Spanish law. However, Spain never installed sufficient military
strength in the region to consistently enforce her laws. So, even when
European nations were at peace, the constant smuggling and
colonization could cause small battles at any time. Worse, each time
European nations went to war, an orgy of privateering and piracy
exploded across the West Indies.
Privateers:
In the 16th and 17th Centuries royal governments were desperately
short on funds (useful taxation techniques, such as universal income
tax, had not been invented). Building warships, much less maintaining
and crewing them, was so expensive that even powerful battleships
doubled as cargo carriers in peacetime. What few did exist were needed
in home waters. Colonial governors got little or no military forces.
Most colonies relied on a local militia for their defense. Not until
the 1680s did a nation base a regular squadron of warships in the
Caribbean for use year-round.
Because nations had little or no fleet, in wartime the crown
'commissioned' private ships to become its navy. These "freelance"
warriors were not paid wages. Instead, they kept a large percentage of
whatever they captured. The official authorization for this was the
"Letter of Marque". Ships operating with a Letter of Marque were
"privateers". The English fleet that defeated the Spanish invasion
Armada (in 1588) was almost completely composed of privateers.
In an age of poverty and limited wealth, privateering was one of the
few ways to make a quick fortune. Those men who sailed with Francis
Drake on his 1572-73 privateering voyage to Nombre de Dios (where he
captured the Silver Train) returned rich for life. A crewman's share
from the capture of just one merchantman was often more than a
sailor's yearly wage in peacetime. A privateer Captain known for skill
and success had little trouble recruiting.
Beyond the benefits to the crew, privateering was big business.
Wealthy merchants and noblemen put up the money for a voyage, and
earned a percentage of the "take" in return. The gains were also split
with the crown (the "price" of a Letter of Marque). The sale of prizes
and captured goods was a godsend to merchants, who resold it for a
profit. This created a prosperous colonial economy. In the 1660s and
1670s the prime industry of Jamaica was neither sugar nor tobacco, but
piracy!
The Buccaneers:
These men were a special breed who appeared in the West Indies during
the 1630s and 1640s, and remained a feature there throughout the
century. Most buccaneers were fugitives from English and French
colonial ventures. Many colonists came to the Americas expecting to
find a paradise full of easy wealth. Instead they were indentured
servants on harsh tobacco and sugar plantations. Some were violent
criminals sentenced to "transportation to the colonies". Whatever
their origin, they left the tiny colonies to live free and easy among
the islands.
Buccaneers learned two vital skills to survive outside of an organized
colony. The first was seaman ship. They were experts at building small
canoes or pinnaces, and quite skilled at sailing them from island to
island. The second was marksmanship. Their livelihood was hinting wild
animals and cattle. In fact, the name "buccaneer" is derived from
their method of curing meat over an open fire.
In didn't take long before buccaneers combined their skills of
seamanship and marksmanship, taking to the seas in search of treasure
and wealth. The Spanish colonies, militarily weak and economically
failing, were easy targets for buccaneer attacks. The old tradition of
"No Peach Beyond The Line" lent quasi-legality to their activities,
while their use of non-Spanish ports as trading bases helped the new
colonies grow. It wasn't difficult for a British, French or Dutch
governor to condone buccaneering on the principle that the best
defense against Spanish aggression was a good offense, especially an
offense by troops who provided their own pay, and profit to the colony
as well!
The buccaneers had a free-wheeling, democratic spirit. They were hard-
living, violent men, ideally suited to the hard and violent life on a
new frontier.
The End of Piracy:
By the 1690s and 1700s nations offered privateering commissions less
and less often. National navies were larger now. The financial
advantages of peaceful trade were recognized as more valuable than the
occasional profits from a privateer's plunder.
Buccaneers and old privateers, with legal and quasi-legal avenues
closed, continued anyway. they turned truly pirate and roamed the
seven seas, looking for rich ships with weak defenses. But it was
increasingly difficult to find men willing to finance new ventures,
while naval warships gradually chased down and destroyed the existing
pirates. By the 1700s pirates were disappearing from the Caribbean, by
the 1710s the North American and West African coasts were too hot for
them, and by the 1720s even distant Madagascar and the Indian Ocean
were closing. An age of adventure on the high seas was over.
A GAZETTEER OF SHIPS CIRCA 1690
Among the myriad types, sizes and rigs of ships sailing the Caribbean,
nine basic approaches to shipbuilding can be discerned. Although each
ship was individually designed and build, shipwrights learned by
copying one another, producing ships of remarkable similarity. These
general types are summarized below. However, expect to meet the
exception more often than the rule!
DEFINITIONS -
Burden, in tons, refers to available cargo space, after deduction for
food, water, crewmen, and other common materials and stores. This
should not be confused with tonnage that describes the entire
weight-carrying capacity of the ship when completely unloaded.
Speeds are given in leagues (about 2.5 miles) traveled during a watch
(about four hours). The first value is best speed in light wind, the
second is best speed in strong wind.
Best Point of Sailing refers to the wind direction in which the ship
makes its best speed. Each type of ship has a different point of
sailing.
Beam Reach
|
Broad Beam Reach | Close-Hauled Beam Reach
\ | /
\ | /
Broad Reach \ | / Close-Hauled
\ \ | / /
\ \ | / /
\ \ | / /
Running Broad \ \ | / / Close-Hauled
Reach \ \ | / / into the Eye
\ \ \ | / / /
\ \ \ | / / /
\ \ \ | / / /
Running \ \ \ | / / / Into the eye
Before the Wind \ \|/ / of the Wind
+------------------------- + -------------------------+
/ /|\ \
/ / / | \ \ \
/ / / | \ \ \
/ / / | \ \ \
/ / / | \ \ \
Running Broad / / | \ \ Close-Hauled
Reach / / | \ \ into the Eye
/ / | \ \
/ / | \ \
/ / | \ \
Broad Reach / | \ Close-Hauled
/ | \
/ | \
Broad Beam | Close-Hauled
Reach | Beam Reach
|
Beam Reach
* SPANISH GALLEON *
7-15 Leagues..........Best Speed
Broad Reach...........Best Point of Sailing
36 Guns...............Maximum Number of Heavy Cannon
20-24 Guns............Typical Number of Heavy Cannon
288 Men...............Maximum Personnel
275 Men...............Typical Crew and Passengers
160 Tons..............Cargo Space
Galleons are the largest sailing vessels on the Spanish Main.
Originally they were created because one large ship was cheaper to
build than two smaller ones. However, large ships were much less
maneuverable, which increased the chance of shipwreck, not to mention
hindering them in battle. Galleons are slow to turn, and are
especially poor sailors close-hauled. Tacking into the wind is very
difficult with this type of ship. Still, the enormous carrying
capacity and powerful armament makes the galleon a formidable opponent
in battle.