Intro
We’ve completed the first 5 weeks of the Summer of Plunder. We’re past the midway point! In the Week 5 Campaign Map & Objective Update we went over how each nation interacted on the campaign map and looked at the upcoming objective for the 6th week of the campaign. In this Week 5 Player Update we’ll cover the prizes, commander updates, and some key stats and data from the week.
The Dutch still maintain their narrow lead, while the Spanish made a remarkable comeback and the Native Americans were hit hardest.
Commander Reports
Now, here are some important messages from your beloved commanders. Each week our 6 volunteers will donate a bit of time to add some narrative flavor to the game and pass on some information regarding their nation’s goals. If you haven’t yet joined, the best way to interact with the commanders and players in your nation is to join our Summer of Plunder Discord server. This is different than the main Firelock Games Discord server. It’s a fun community to hang out with and there is a lot of plotting and planning going on in secret channels that only players of a nation can see.
Spain – Week 5 Commander Update
Brave Soldiers of Spain,
Today, we report of a great battle, one that will be remembered for generations. The English, with their insatiable greed and ambition, have set their sights on our lands, our homes, and our people. They come with their ships and their guns, believing they can overpower us. But they do not know the strength and resolve of the Spanish heart.
We have faced many challenges in these foreign lands, but none as treacherous as the betrayal we now endure. The very Natives we sought to protect and christen have turned against us, swayed by the false promises and deceit of the English. They have chosen to act on our enemies’ lies, hoping to reclaim what they believe is theirs. Only to be betrayed by the English, as is their way.
But we, the soldiers of Spain, will not be swayed. We will not be broken. Our cause is just, our mission divine. We fight not only for our King and country but for the honor and glory of Spain. We fight for our families, for our faith, and for the future of our children.
Campaign Progress for Spain
At Fort Noorhooka, we gathered our forces after getting word of an English attack. The foe declared war on us and we meant to fight them in the field. The English came with their might, the Natives came with their greed. We met them with the courage and valor that has defined our people for centuries. We showed them that the spirit of Spain cannot be extinguished. The Natives seeing this battle of European powers choose this time to attack Spain and set off a series of skirmishes across the New World.
Remember, my brothers, that we are the descendants of warriors, conquerors, and explorers. Our blood is the blood of heroes. Today, we write a new chapter in our history, one of bravery and sacrifice. Let our enemies see the fire in our eyes and the strength in our hearts. Let them know that we will fight to the last man, that we will never surrender.
For Spain! For glory! For victory!
Viva España!
-Josué Shivak
England – Week 5 Player Update
Savage Indian Lairs Cleannsed
Hudsons Bay Company Assiste Navy
Americas Civillized by Englishmen
Ye recente aggressionnes of ye Savages against goode christian peoples has finally been avvenged by English forces under commande of his Majesty’s Royal Navy. Naval officers and regular troopes have beene dispatched ashore to advise provincial armyes in ye fighte againste ye heathen in the vast godless wildernness. In ye most recente weeks, the heathen strongeholds of Noorhooka, Onondaga, and ye formal french settlement, Port Royale have beene conquered and settled by goode Englishmen. Ye savage is now beatenn back to ye frontier and cowers like a beaten dog.
Port Royale and ye whole of Arcadia has beene taken by English forces. A squadron led by Lt. MasterOfFragging met up with supporte provided by ye Hudsons Bay Company in ye Canadian waters before sailing for their target. The goode leiutenant led his Majesty’s forces ashore while Lt. Ostrowulf, ye naval liaisson to ye noble companney coordinated ye operationne of ye Men’o’War and companey supporte vessels. The expeditionne was a tremendouse successe and ye Savage perished withe little effort. Ye surviving heathens were carried away by companey vessels to ye sugar islandes in the Caribbeane and ye company predictes the whole venture, despite cost, will net the sharehoulders considerable profite in ye sale of personnes to bondage.
Conquestes in ye south were led by ye Lt. Blessing against savages in Fort Neorhooka. After a protaected siege, ye savages sallied forthe only to met by prepared Englishmen and the cold steel of ye bayonet. Ye forte was captured and English supremacey in ye Carolinas is now unqestionned. New settlers flock to ye regione. Ye destruction of ye savage has made ye coasteline fit once more for habitationn by civilized peoples. God Save the King!
France – Week 5 Commander Update
Soldiers and captains of glorious France – we are once more a shining beacon of enlightenment and merciful restraint, against the backdrop of violence and politicking which now plagues the New World.
In Week 4 the Dutch and the Pirates dared to attack us in force, and St. Vincent and Santo Domingo were captured.
This week, we have replied in kind, seizing Trinidad and Tortuga.
Doubtless, one or both will make some impassioned claim that we are allied in war against them.
Do they believe this is how the French make war?
We invite them to send their dignitaries to treat with us in Appalachee. We will put to bed their concerns about “French War.”
*À la mort*
Arnaud, Vicomte de Revêche
The Netherlands – Week 5 Commander Update
Landgenoten,
I bring distressing news! We have suffered an egregious assault! Our noble traders and soldiers, keen to bring wealth and fairness to the lands have been viciously attacked by those cowardly and greedy pirates!
To make matters worse they seek to the sneaky French sought to capitalize on the pirates’ assault!
Never would I have believed a nation as “High and Mighty” as France to sink so low as to associate with lowly thieves and street urchins!
But all is not lost. While we have suffered a stinging defeat, we are not lost!
Our fleets are strong, and our soldiers are determined! We will avenge this defeat!
- Matthew “Salty” Doerr
Commander of the Nederlands West Indies
The Native Americans – Week 5 Commander Update
Fate whispered to the warrior ‘You can’t withstand the Storm’
The warrior whispered back ‘I AM THE STORM’
We have claimed Boston brothers and sisters. And we control two major Northern American ports and no empire can make business there. We burned down Panama too. European cities mean nothing to us, we will burn every one of them. We want the colonists gone and will not rest until we do so or perish. The rivers of blood are to flow.
Eat well, brothers and sisters, and rest well, we will need your strength tomorrow. Our story is nearing its decisive moment.
Special report from Sachem Niguel:
Native Tribes Continue Their Rampage Across the Northeast!
Fresh from their brief conquest of the formerly French province of Port Royal, the natives of the Northeastern nations have successfully captured the prosperous port of Boston from the remnants of a Spanish expeditionary force that had recently seized the settlement from the English. The attack was another surprisingly coordinated effort by the northern tribes, a two-pronged assault led by Wabanaki and Iroquois warbands from the north and Onondaga, Oneida and Seneca bands from the West and South.
One warband was seen parading through the streets of New York in the days prior to the attack, one young brave carrying a makeshift flag of black-dyed sail cloth and loudly proclaiming how he and his fellow warriors were ‘heading up to Boston!’ As much as officials lay the blame for the success of the attack on the treachery of the Woodland tribes, many have noted how such a coordinated effort could not have succeeded without local support.
Rumors continue to persist about how unscrupulous frontiersmen have profited from the liberal trade policies they enjoy now that the local tribes are in control of Boston and New York, as the sale of furs and logwood continues unabated and unrestricted by European politics.
Natives Bonus Prize
Week 5 is behind us and it’s time to give another prize away! I enjoyed looking at the players’ pictures this week. It is good to see so many of you showing your faces and representing Natives! May the fun continue. I can’t wait to get down to my local store on Friday and have a face-off!
But onto the main event!
The winner of the random prize giveaway is <goes to grab a dice>:
CHRIS ASCHE
A box of Braves is heading your way at the end of the campaign!
The Pirates – Week 5 Commander Update
A word from the Boyar:
Captains! We have succeeded in taking back territory from the Dutch! Our conquests allowed us to process loads of treasure and booty! All the Dutch sailors unwilling to serve under the black have been taken to Algiers and have been sold to my contacts with the Barbary Corsairs there. In a twist of irony, the Dutch sailor is currently in demand there and the markets have asked for more! Stay strong, and await orders in the Discord channel!
Update from Second-in-Command, Greg Padilla
Captains, we’ve reached a milestone as this was the halfway point for the campaign. With excellent communication, we’ve managed to put the pain on the Dutch as mentioned above by the “Boyer”. This is really good as we are still able to keep the pressure on the Dutch and the English, as they’re still in the lead for points. Speaking of points, our top three point leaders (Jakub Karaś, 963yug_taht, and Konrad łabędzki) are leading the way in games being played…that’s a great job representing the “Black”!
This past week’s objective for the Blood & Plunder was “Local Help”; how did you fare with hiring or taking the local help? This was a great opportunity to use the 4pk of cool figures from Firelock Games, “Civilian Special Characters”. I bought two set over the past few years and used them almost in every game.
For Oak & Iron, the objective there was, “But You Heard of Me…”. This was another great opportunity to break out those “named” admirals in O&I and try your hand at their special abilities. I really enjoyed play “Blackbeard” when I game O&I, but I also dipped into some “Bartholomew Roberts” action. Both bring a lil different game play which was nice change. Who did you bring to the table this past week? Let us know in the Discord channel.
Pirates Prepare for Week 6!
With week 6 now started, the objectives should be fairly easy to meet. For Blood & Plunder, playing a Land or an Amphibious game offers a lot of possibilities for scenarios. I’ve always enjoyed that YouTube video from a few years back when Mike and the gang went to “OnTableTop” for a week and played the “Raze” scenario from No Peace Beyond the Line expansion book. I can’t tell you how many times I ran this scenario as it’s a local favorite. It tests the attackers to make landfall, but tons of pressure on the defenders not to break.
Finally, get your games in, raise the Black and most of all…have fun!
Greg Padilla
Unaligned/Minor Powers – Week 5 Commander Update
We have a Summer of Plunder veteran coming back to provide some guidance and leadership to the few fiercely independent Unaligned players who have decided to serve no nation in this campaign! Here is a word from Liam Smith.
We’re about halfway through the campaign so let’s introduce something new! As the previous Scottish commander (Liam Smith), I have some tasks for y’all to complete that focus on the Unaligned factions. Like in past years, these tasks will have relevant prizes attached to them, so try your best!
To try to help with engagement in the as-of-yet unplayed factions (there are 3), I have decided to make some bounties for each. These have associated prizes with them that go along with the task, so have some fun with it!
The 3 unaligned factions that haven’t seen play are:
- Black Caribs
- Miskito Zambo
- Swedish Militia
Of these 3, I’ve only played one myself (Swedish Militia), so I’m definitely interested in seeing some battle reports with them! To make this more interesting, some quests have an associated scenario attached to it. For all of the tasks, make sure to include some pictures and a bit of a story!
Note also that it is okay to proxy for these quests, as not everyone has the right kinds of models for some factions, but these quests can help you get some!
Using the Black Caribs
First off, let’s set a quest for using the Black Caribs. With the Amphibius Raze scenario and as the attacker, use the Black Caribs and your paddles to destroy enemy buildings. To complete this quest, you must destroy at least one enemy building. The first player to do so and submit a battle report detailing this accomplishment will receive a prize of painted scatter terrain representing burned buildings or contents of buildings. If you don’t yet have a lot of scatter terrain, you can still accomplish this using stand-ins (even simple boxes will do).
Using the Miskito Zambo
Second, we have the Miskito Zambo. This faction has the fun ability to force a night confrontation as the attacker. For this quest, use the faction abilities to ambush another player with night rules in a land battle! To accomplish the quest, destroy an enemy unit before they can shoot you (i.e., use the night and cover to either shoot or charge an enemy before they have the 12” from visibility to be able to shoot you). Alternatively, if you are unable to be the attacker, destroy an enemy unit with a shoot action from further than 12” away while negating the hidden rule of an opponent, another fun ability of the Miskito Zambo! The first to do either of these tasks will receive a unit blister for any of the units that the Miskito Zambo can use of your choice.
Using the Swedish Militia
Lastly, we have the Swedish Militia. These can take European Pikemen, a unit that works differently than the standard melee unit. This quest is a simple one: stop a charge with a defensive attack from European Pikemen. This quest will net you a blister of your choice of any unit the Swedish Militia can use.
To finish off my message, I want to give a last set of prizes to anyone who plays one of these 3 factions throughout the Summer of Plunder. If you do this, you will receive a custom commander card (like the ones given out last year). For fun, below are some highlights from this past week of unaligned games.
Pics from Bryan Hangartner playing the Brazilian Portuguese Garrison during an intense treasure battle
Numbers and Stats
Let’s look at some numbers on games played, nations and factions represented, and player leaders.
The English are having a great campaign this year! 63 English players have logged 260 games so far this year, generating 773 points for their nation. Pirates come in second so far with 52 players, 246 games and 697 points. The Dutch and French are in the middle with very close numbers and the Spanish and Natives are close as well. But remember, just logging games won’t win the campaign this year! This info is more for curiosity sake.
Faction Report
There are a LOT of factions to enjoy in Blood & Plunder. Between the Oak & Iron factions and all the Blood & Plunder factions, there are a few more than 100 factions people can use in this campaign and it’s always a goal to have all of them used by the end of the event! After 5 week of play, 93 have already been played and 6 Blood and Plunder and 1 Oak & Iron factions remain unplayed so far.
Most-used factions include:
- French Buccaneers (62)
- Golden Age Pirates (49)
- Dutch Caribbean Militia (42)
- British Army & Spanish Militia (31 each)
Factions that have yet to be played include:
- Juan Corso’s Corsairs
- Pardal’s Marineros
- Iberville’s Expeditionary Force
- New France Garrison
- Oak & Iron (fan made) Natives
- Black Caribs
- Miskito Zambo
- Swedish Militia
If you have the models, you should explore one of these lesser-used factions and help the community knock out these last factions!
Individual Player Report
Which player has accrued the most infamy so far? Conner Fix has pulled into the lead with 88 points, 25 games, 4 new players taught, and 16 games played at a FLGS.
Other top contenders include Michael Paul, Jakub Karaś, 963yug_taht, and Danny Perkins.
Week 5 Player Report for Oak & Iron
Oak & Iron might be a smaller scale but it’s an important part of this campaign! We have logged a total of 91 Oak and Iron games out of the 1,100 total games so far, keeping pretty steady at almost 10%.
The Pirates are the most-played faction in Oak & Iron so far with 22 plays, followed closely by the Dutch and Spanish at 20 plays each.
Week 5 Objective – OBJECTIVES ACCOMPLISHED
Week 5’s objective was to use a Hostage or Advisor Character in your Force. Of the 208 entries for the week, 159 accomplished the objective. Photo evidence suggests the Local Guide, Spiritual Leader, and the Surgeon were common choices for the required character.
The Oak & Iron objective was to use a named admiral.
Week 6 Objective – The Quick and the Dead!
The objective for week 6 is to use fast and skirmishy units and the Campaign and Objective post has some great tips and pointers for exploring that part of the game.
This week’s objective is “The Quick and the Dead”
- Play a Land or Amphibious game with at least one Unit with the Quick or Skirmishers Special Rule. OR
- Play a Sea game and use the Swift or Sailing Master special rule.
The Oak & Iron Objective is:
At least 50% of the ships in your Squadron MUST have Swift or Fast. The “Gusts” event card is in play the entire game (draw additional events as normal).
For a full discussion of this week’s objective, check the Campaign Map & Objective Update.
Weekly Campaign Prizes!
OK, it’s time to start handing out plunder! This is one of the best parts of the community event and what helps make the event so great. Don’t forget to check out the full list of prizes for the Summer of Plunder campaign.
Best Photo of the Week
Blood & Plunder is a great looking game and posting pictures of your game on the table is a great way to share your take on the game. A tabletop game experience isn’t just a ruleset or a set of numbers to manipulate, but a complex stew of terrain, miniatures, art, history, and story. Capturing all that in an image is delightful and it’s one of the highlights of the campaign every year for some players.
Every week there are many, many great pictures and choosing one is torturous!
This week’s prize for best photo goes out to Justin Lee (aka Fiddlewurt) for this image of a clash between Dutch and Native commanders.
There were so many good pictures that I had to include a slideshow of 9 runner-ups this week!
Random Player who Accomplished the Weekly Objective
Each week a random player who accomplishes the weekly objective will be selected at random among qualifying entries. The winner will receive a fancy metal Fortune Coin. And the random winner here is Oliver Kahler!
Oliver will be receiving a deluxe Fortune Coin in the form of an 8 reale coin. These historically accurate reproductions are made by the St. Augustine Mint in Eugene, OR.
Random Entry for Week 5
Our random draw from the entire week’s worth of entries will receive some free minis! Either a pack of 4 Blood & Plunder minis of the nationality they are playing, or an Oak & Iron Ship.
This week’s random winner goes to Daniel Foley!
Daniel has been fighting for the Spanish this year at the 1/600 scale.
Random Prize of the Week – The Buccaneer’s Realm
In addition to our recurring prizes each week, we have a unique prize for each week. This week we’re giving away a copy of The Buccaneer’s Realm by our favorite historian, Benerson Little. This is a fantastic book looking that several decades of the peak of Buccaneering on the Spanish Main. It is a well written book structured in an engaging narrative format that will draw you right in and enrich your experience playing Blood & Plunder (or Oak & Iron).
This prize is going out to William Keith Oakley Jr! William is new to the game and has jumped into the deep end (with both feet) playing for the Native Americans this year. He’s been entering some awesome pictures and writing up some great battle reports on the Discord channel! Thanks for being a great part of this campaing this year!
Featured Player – Paul Chouinard
Blood & Plunder has not officially ventured into the far east (yet), but Paul Chouinard has been submitting some amazing shots of the Dutch and Spanish in a Japanese setting.
What a great setup! His entry notes indicated he’s using the Iroquois faction rules for the Japanese side of the conflict here.
I don’t know about you, but the Shogun series that was released this year really upped my interest in 16-18th century history in the Far East and I want Blood & Plunder to explore that interesting slice of history now.
Final Thoughts on Summer of Plunder Week 5
The campaign is getting pretty intense! We have 4 weeks left and any nation could still win it if they play their cards right! (No, the Pirates are NOT out of it!) It’s great to see people getting some great games in at home, in shops and at gaming clubs.
Thanks to Firelock Games for making some great games and fostering a great community. Thanks to you all for participating in the campaign this year. Happy gaming this next week!
Keep on the lookout for a new campaign special scenario objective later this week. It will be a way to possibly earn another point for your nation!