On September 21st, just 2 days after International Talk Like a Pirate Day, Enchanted Gaming Emporium in Murray, KY, became the stage for “Plunder Like a Pirate Day!”. This event featured a Blood & Plunder tournament with a unique twist. Rather than a single theme of all land or all sea events like most tournaments, this was what I am calling a “narrative tournament”.

Why call it a narrative tournament tournament you ask? Because rather than the event being just being 3 generic combat rounds I wove a fictional narrative into the games that unfolded over the course of the day to give it a little more flavor. At a bird-eye level, the games featured engaging in three scenarios. A land raid, an amphibious departure, and a sea escape.

A Day Full of Plunder and Strategy

William Oakley and I showed up late the night before the event to set up tables and prep terrain. There was an MTG pre-release card tournament event going on the place was packed and chaotic. The table setup and availability of game boards didn’t quite meet expectations and planning, but with some creative “tweaking” and rearranging of the store’s table placement we made things work (The store manager made comments afterward that he would probably leave things that way so that was a plus!)

Plunder Like a Pirate Day Attendance

William Oakley is a new player with a lot of enthusiasm for the game. He and I both wanted to do an event for International Talk Like a Pirate Day so we bounced around a few ideas for scenarios and how to get people involved and ended up settling on a more casual tournament.

While I’ve hosted and attended plenty of tournament events, this was the first Blood & Plunder tournament we’ve held in Murray, KY. Following the success of Summer of Plunder 2024, our local game group has grown from a population of 2 to 12 regular players with a few additional intermittent attendees. Hitting a respectable number of players, we figured we’d give it a go.

I sent out invitations to everyone I could find on the Firelock Games Player Locator Map within a 4-hour radius. That netted us 2 players from St Louis (c. 3.5 hrs away) and 2 from Memphis (3 hrs away). Unfortunately, the Memphis crew canceled due to car trouble, but they are looking forward to a future event!

Garrett Swader, fellow Blood & Pigment crew and illustrious Spanish Commander from the Summer of Plunder, also made the trek up from the Chattanooga / Georgia region.

After multiple last-minute cancellations, we ended up with 8 players in the event. So 4 tables of 1v1 matches.

EVENT SCORING

This was a friendly, casual event, but awarding prizes requires some level of competition to win some of the prizes.  We used the standard Blood & Plunder Tournament scoring system for simplicity. 

Tournament Points (TP): 
At the end of each game, you earn TP:

• Win: 3 TP
• Loss: 0 TP
• Draw: 1 TP each

Strike Points (SP):  Strike Points are tracked so that in the event of a tie in Tournament Points, the Strike Point Differential will be a tie break.  Players report the total SP total at the end of each game.  Strike Points will determine your opponents(and break ties). As rounds progress the top players will play each other scale the challenge accordingly.

Plunder Like a Pirate Day Game Event Details

We had the typical delays getting things off the ground and moving in the beginning. Thanksfully almost everyone submitted their forces BEFORE the event so they were validated and ready to go! That is a huge, HUGE help for organizers, so thanks to those who did!

The tables were ready to go the night before and beautifully arranged terrain garnered positive feedback from all attendees. I’m firmly in the camp that great game tables make or break an event. Good terrain provides not only an aesthetic setting but a strategic one as well. Throughout the day, several curious customers in the game store came over to watch, captivated by the action and the immersive world of Blood & Plunder. Several folks were interested in the game and hopefully, we’ll get some recruits because of the visual appeal of the event!

Round 1: RAID

“On the outskirts of town, a plantation lay quiet, its sprawling fields whispering with the breeze. But its true riches are not in the sugarcane, but in the warehouse where the proceeds of a recent rum sale are stored—a small fortune recently acquired by exchanging barrels of liquid golden rum for sturdier coins now secured in locked chests and coffers.

Rumors had spread through the town’s underbelly of this windfall, drawing the attention of those who lived by a different code. The plantation’s defenses are modest—designed to deter thieves, not repel a determined force.  They move about their daily routines, unaware that eyes watching their every move from the dense jungle at the border of the fields.

In the stillness tensions hang in the air as the raiders grip their weapons, waiting for the signal. all too soon the quiet of the plantation will be shattered by the fury of those who live by the sword. The RAID is imminent.”

The first round began with raiders storming a quiet sugar plantation. Their objective: loot the wealth stored on the plantation after a successful rum sale. The attackers pushed hard, but the defenders were well-prepared, leading to some nail-biting moments. With musket fire echoing and smoke billowing across the boards, it was great start to the day.

Troy Hutson was the winner in Round 1 and won a sprue of 6 Militia models provided as a prize by Enchanted Gaming Emporium. I might have tied him in my fight against Gavin, but unfortunately, his commander stuck out earlier than expected with a brutal lucky hit at the end of round 3.

Round 2: ESCAPE

After a short break for a late lunch, Round 2 commenced with the raiders, their coffers heavy with loot, attempting to flee through a dense jungle towards awaiting boats. The pursuit was relentless, with the defenders nipping at their heels.

“The smell of gunpowder in their nose and the ringing of shots still echoing in their ears the raiders have begun to flee into the jungle.  Chests of stolen gold weigh them down. Behind them, the shouts of pursuers grew louder. The raid may be complete, but the escape is far from assured.

Pushing through the dense foliage, the raiders race toward the shoreline where their boats await. Every step is a battle against the terrain, but the promise of escape drives them on. Bursting from the treeline, they spot their boats lapped by the surf.  Pausing for a moment to catch their breath, smiles break through the ranks. 

The momentary relief is shattered as the sounds of musket fire thunder nearby.   Bullets tear through the nearby vegetation.   There is no time to look back.    Freedom lies within reach.”

This was a new custom scenario that put a twist on the typical amphibious game. Rather than attempting to assault a beachfront, one force was attempting to escape from land to the sea. Forces played were the same as the land battles and the boats were provided for free on the board.

The Defender started on the first 4″ of the board with the Attacker moving on with their first Action in Turn 1. The Defenders were slowed by 2 Objective markers keeping them from moving as quickly, and the minor delay was meant to simulate the chase in progress.

Both teams navigated the difficult terrain, but only a few raiders managed to escape with their loot intact. There may or may not have been one table that skipped the step of raising anchor before manning the sweeps, but it seemed to go fairly well overall.

Round 3: ANCHORED

“The raiders clamber aboard their anchored ships, breathless and adrenaline-fueled, the chests of stolen loot thudding onto the decks. Every man knows the stakes—this is the final stretch, the moment where victory or capture hangs in the balance. Orders are barked, and the crew scrambles to raise anchor, the thick ropes straining as they haul with all their might.

The ship lurchs as sails are unfurled, catching the wind, but the danger is far from over. In the distance, a patrol ship emerges, its silhouette cutting through the skyline like a knife. The patrol caught wind of the raid and closing quickly, determined to block the raiders’ escape.

Gun crews rush to their stations. The gap between the ships narrows, the patrol ship’s bow cutting through the waves with deadly intent. Every second counts as the raiders fight to gain enough speed to outrun their pursuers, the tension thickening with every gust of wind.

Gunports swing open and cannons are pushed into position. The raiders know they have one chance to break free, one chance to turn the tide in their favor. The order is given, and the first shots thunder across the water.”

The final round saw the raiders trying to board their ships and set sail before the enemies could intercept. With 250-point sea forces, the battle took to the water, and tensions were high. The raiders worked feverishly to raise anchor and escape, but the attackers, now reinforced and sailing swiftly towards them, were determined to prevent their getaway. The naval battle was intense, with cannons booming and ships maneuvering for position, a few lucky raiders managed to break through the blockade, securing their ill-gotten gains, some found themselves in Davy Jone’s locker.

Awarding the Plunder on Plunder day!

We had plenty of plunder to give away on Plunder Like a Pirate Day! Firelock Games generously donated several items (so much so that some of them will be used for future events!) to the event. The Enchanted Gaming Emporium also sponsored a prize of a miniature for each round and a sprue for a random draw winner.

• Round 1: Troy Hutson
  • 1 Sprue of Militia (6 minis)
• Round 2: Garrett Swader
  • 1 Sprue of Sailors (6 minis)
• Round 3: Thomas Csar-Kellenberger
  • 1 Sprue of Militia (6 minis)
• GRAND PRIZE: Garrett Swader
  • 18th Century Sloop
  • a box of Militia
• LEGENDARY DEFEAT (Player who died or lost in a legendary way…consolation prize)
  • Pirates of Legend boxed set
• Random Prizes:
  • 1 Sprue of Militia (6 minis) = Thomas Csar-Kellenberger
  • 3 Metal Fortune Tokens = Justin Ripley
  • 3 Metal Fortune Tokens = Gavin Klotz

Plunder Like a Pirate Day Trophy

This was the first time for the local tournament and I wanted to do something special as a prize for the event that was unique and special to make it different from other events. I had plans to make a trophy or some special terrain pieces as a prize, but the final two weeks leading up to the event were RIDICULOUSLY busy for me. I kept putting it of until literally hours before the event was supposed to begin.

Staying up entirely too late the day before the event I made this custom terrain, trophy piece. Using an old music CD for the base, I made a fountain from some Hirst Arts field stone walls and gothic statue faces. The center pillar is multiple layers of foam core and the center of the pillar is carved from XPS foam. The topper is a metal Henry Morgan miniature with “Pure Bronze” craft paint and a layer of “Agrax Earthshade”. It may not have been 100% historically accurate, but it was historically satisfying nonetheless.

Plunder Like a Pirate Day 2024 Winner’s Trophy

Final Player Ranking & Tournament Results

The following is a the final ranking of the participants and their lists for review.

Takeaways from the Plunder Like a Pirate Day Event

Overall I think the event ran smoothly, and all three rounds offered a balanced mix of land, amphibious, and sea-based action. The dynamic Swiss-pairing system allowed the best players to face off at the top while keeping things lighthearted for those new to the game.

Tournaments are always great learning opportunities. Because you are often facing new players from other groups, competitive play always brings things to light that you may or may not have yet experienced. There were plenty of rules discussions and several people learning new things. These type of events are great fun and awesome learning and growing opportunities for players at any skill level.

The positive reception to the event and the terrain setup made the tournament a hit. With curious onlookers from the store showing interest, Blood & Plunder certainly made an impact at the game store. Many players expressed their desire to return for future events, and with the success of this tournament, the groundwork has been laid for more plundering adventures on the horizon.

Conclusion

If you missed this event, don’t worry! Keep an eye out for more Blood & Plunder action at the Enchanted Gaming Emporium in the future. There are discussions of a possible tournament or special event around New Year’s. Either way, we’ll definitely be bringing this event back next year! So we hope you’ll join us in 2025 for another day of swashbuckling fun!

Thanks again to everyone that participated and made the trek to western Kentucky for this event!