Let’s take a look into the results for Week 4 and see how this week’s voting and command decisions played out, and find out who gained glory and who has been sent home to lick their wounds.

Week 4 Campaign Announcements

We have three announcements this week:

#1 Bonus Prize Event – one week left!

We have a bonus prize event running now through Sunday, July 6th, 2025 @ 10 PM Eastern time (GMT-5). Participants will have the chance to win a Dutch-style house from TimberandSail.com based on a historical site on the island of Bonaire. Click for details on how to enter.

#2: New Expansion for Unaligned Players

We’ve added some content that focuses on Unaligned players—those navigating the campaign without a national allegiance.

This update includes:

• New achievements for Unaligned players to accomplish
• New Discord sections for Unaligned players
• Additional prize support
• A new “Commander” (coordinator), Josiah Huss (RhiBranyHud on Discord) 

Whether you’re playing a minor faction or just prefer to chart your own course, this update ensures your efforts are recognized and impactful.
For more info, see our announcement earlier this week:

#3: Tabletop Simulator – 50% off Sale

The Steam Summer Sale is running from now to July 10th. This is your opportunity to grab Tabletop Simulator at 50% off ($9.99). That will give you the option to play both Oak & Iron and Blood & Plunder online with fellow members from around the world!

You can find fellow Tabletop Simulator players on the Summer of Plunder Discord in the #tabletop-simulator section.
If you need help getting started, you can check out this article: Getting Started with Blood & Plunder in Tabletop Simulator

Week 4 Objectives – “Veteran Crew”

The theme for this week (June 24th – 30th) is “Veteran Crews“. The goal of this week is to take a break from any “horde” or cheap meat shield units and use more elite models and upgrades in your force.

• Blood & Plunder: Use a Force with no model costing less than 5pts.
• Oak & Iron: Take some version of a crew/personnel upgrade on every ship in your fleet (e.g. Additional Crew, Marines, Buccaneers, etc.) 
• Port Royal: During this week’s game, resolve all Experience tests as if characters have a -1 to their Exp skill (this ignores human limits). This makes Reactions easier/more common.

Week 4 Campaign Map Level Combat Results

There were 12 locations that saw conflict this week. There were multiple ties and successful defenses.

Campaign Map Combat Results

Here are the outcomes for the week:

• Aruba: Native warbands struck across Aruba, pressuring the weakened French defensive garrison with coordinated strikes and supply disruptions. Though unable to seize full control, their actions destabilized the region. Amidst the growing unrest, Spanish forces landed on the shores and swept aside the remaining resistance. The French withdrew after putting up token resistance. The Natives, outgunned, faded inland, leaving Aruba under firm Spanish control. (French 1 – Natives 2 – Spanish 3)
• Cartegena: “Spanish forces launched another offensive into Cartagena, aiming to reclaim the city from Native control. Spanish troops, though fewer in number, launched a counteroffensive to retake the city. Skirmishes flared across the outskirts, but the Native coalition held firm, using familiarity with the terrain and coordinated strikes to blunt the Spanish advance. After days of pressure, the Spanish withdrew, unable to break through. Cartagena remained in Native hands, their position now more secure than ever.” (Natives 4 – Spanish 2)
• Charleston, SC: “Dutch forces advanced on Charleston, pressing their numerical advantage in a bid to dislodge the Native defenders. The Natives, though outnumbered, mounted a determined defense, using the terrain and fortified positions to slow the assault. After a series of sharp engagements, the Dutch broke through key lines and forced a withdrawal. Charleston fell to Dutch control, though not without the cost of many Zeelander lives.” (Dutch 4 – Natives 3)
• Martinique: “Pirate forces struck hard in Martinique, overwhelming the lightly defended English presence. With limited strength and minimal reinforcements arriving undersupplied, the English garrison was ill-prepared for such an onslaught. Pirate crews seized key positions and captured valuable stores, forcing the English to abandon the settlement. Control of Martinique passed decisively into pirate hands.” (English 2 – Pirates 5)
• Missisquoi: “Dutch forces advanced into Missisquoi, aiming to dislodge the Native defenders and secure control of the region. Despite determined resistance, the Natives were outmatched. The Dutch pressed their advantage, breaking through key positions and forcing a retreat. Missisquoi fell under Dutch control, marking a strategic gain in the contested northern frontier.” (Dutch 3 – Natives 1)
• New York: “French forces renewed their push into New York, a region already scarred by repeated clashes. The English, stretched thin and low on strength, mounted a token defense but were quickly overwhelmed. With superior numbers and momentum, the French secured control of the area, marking another shift in the contested colony. The region of New York now falls under the dominion of the French crown.” (English 1 – French 2)
• Norridgewock: “French troops pushed into Norridgewock, aiming to dislodge the English. The Englsih defenders, few in number and short on supplies, offered brief resistance before falling back. With little opposition remaining, the French reestablished their presence in the region, extending the reach of the crown deeper into contested territory.” (English 1 – French 2)
• Petit Goave: “An English fleet approached Petit Goave under full sail, determined to break pirate control of the harbor. Pirate sloops and brigs surged out to meet them as soon as the enemy was spotted, cannons roaring across the waves. The battle raged for hours, with ships maneuvering through smoke and splinters. Though the pirates fought fiercely, the English line formations held firm. One by one, pirate vessels were disabled or driven ashore. By dusk, the harbor was silent—Petit Goave was secured by the English, its waters cleared of sea beggars.” (English 4 – Pirates 3)
• Rhode Island: “French forces launched a determined assault on Rhode Island, seeking to wrest the region away from Dutch control. The Dutch, having only recently seized it from pirate hands, were understrength and unprepared for the scale of the attack. French troops pressed the advantage, overwhelming defenses and scattering resistance. By the end of the fighting, Rhode Island was added to the burgeoning French northern empire.” (Dutch 1 – French 5)
• Saint Eustatius: “The English launched an amphibious assault on Saint Eustatius, aiming to dislodge the pirate defenders and seize the harbor. But rough seas, poor coordination, and fierce resistance at the landing points turned the operation into a costly failure. Unable to establish a beachhead, the English withdrew—the island remained in pirate hands.” (English 2 – Pirates 2)
• St Augustine, FL: “Spanish forces advanced on St. Augustine, seeking to reclaim the settlement from Native control. The defenders, though resolute, were too few to hold the fortified positions. After a brief but intense engagement, the Spanish broke through and reestablished control—St. Augustine once again flew the banner of the Spanish.” (Natives 1 – Spanish 3)
• Vera Cruz: “Colonial ships from the Netherlands, France, and sea rovers elements from Flying Gang (Pirate) all arrived off the coast of Vera Cruz, each hoping to establish a permanent foothold in the unclaimed territory. Crews disembarked, scouted inland, and opened cautious exchanges with local inhabitants. But within days, illness swept through the camps—fevers, rashes, and weakness spreading rapidly among the settlers. What began as a race for expansion turned into a scramble for survival. As the sickness raged, no faction was able to maintain cohesion or press an advantage, and the competing forces withdrew to regroup. Vera Cruz remains unaligned, its shores marked by abandoned camps and the lingering memory of a failed colonial push. ” (3 way tie! Dutch 3 – French 3 – Pirates 3 – Unaligned 2)

Campaign Map Update At the End of Week 4

[conflict locations map pending]

The updated map following the fighting:

Current Location Ownership by Nation

There were some very coordinated attacks this week, notably targeting the Natives, as they were the front runners and have lashed out at multiple other nations in recent weeks.

There has been some shuffling of terrain locations, and half of the Unaligned locations have been grabbed.

• The Dutch lost Rhode Island to the French, but were very successful with their attacks, gaining Missisquoi and Charles Town from the Natives.
• The English had a rough week, losing Norridgewock and Martinique to the French and Pirates, respectively, but they gained Petit Goave.
• The French really gained ground this week, launching successful attacks against Norridgewock and Rhode Island, but losing Aruba to the Spanish.
• The Natives were heavily targeted, and despite staging some defensive actions, they lost Charleston, Missisquoi, and St. Augustine to the Spanish and Dutch.
• The Pirates successfully seized Martinique from the English, but essentially traded it for St. Eustatius.
• The Spanish added Aruba and St Augustine to their territories without losing anything.
• Vera Cruz remains the last bastion of the Unaligned

Raid Actions During Week 4

Raid options are under review and may be updated in Week 5. If the table is modified will be sure to update you with time to spare. The change to the outcomes will be minor, but hopefully enough to make them lean slightly more to the favorable outcome side for the greater risk they pose this year.

Raid Results for Week 4

There were two Raids this week – the Spanish and French.

	Nation	Target Nation	Location	Outcome
	Dutch	Natives	Onondaga	Roll 7= +1 Dutch, -1 Natives
	English	none	–	–
	French	English	Martinique	Roll 7 – 2 for Defense = 5 = +1 French, -1 English
	Natives	Spanish	Panama	Roll 8 = +1 Natives, -1 Spanish
	Pirates	none	–	–
	Spanish	Natives	St. Augustine	Roll 10 = +2 Spanish -2 Natives

Raid Outcome Table

Trade Actions During Week 4

Even with some border raids and underhanded dealings, all 6 Nations put economic prosperity ahead of grudges and continued to honor their Trade agreements for Week 4. Each nation continues to earn 2 Victory Points:

• Dutch – English
• French – Spanish
• Natives – Pirates

This means all 6 Nations will again gain 2 Victory Points each.

Current Standings at the End of Week 4

The campaign has a new frontrunner — France! The Natives, Pirates, and French remain the top 3, but have rearranged with Natives flipping from 1st to 3rd, Pirates maintaining second place, and French moving to the top spot, all separated by 3 points. Spain had a great week and narrowed the gap, coming with 1pt of 3rd place. England and the Netherlands are tied currently, but they are still within 1pt of the campaign leader, and with 5 more weeks in the campaign, there’s plenty of opportunity to fight to the top

Summer of Plunder Week 5 Weekly Objectives

The theme of this week (July – 1st-7th) is “Dangerous Waters!“. The goal of this week is to take a break from any “horde” or cheap meat shield units and use more elite models and upgrades in your force.

• Blood & Plunder: Play a Sea Game with 3+ Shoals OR play The Fickle Sea scenario.
• Oak & Iron: Play a game with 5 or more pieces of terrain on the board.
• Port Royal: The entire ground level of the table is partially flooded and treated as rough terrain. Randomly place 6 wild beasts or tokens on the board (sharks, alligators) before the start of the game.

Creating Homemade Shoal Terrain for Blood & Plunder

Method 1: Using Clear Acrylic Sheets & Table Salt by Jason Klotz

This crash course tutorial from a few years ago might be of some use to folks. They are super thin, which I like better than the cardboard templates in the starter box. I used a new “painting technique” I learned from a “summer activity kit” the kids got from the school. It was a “canvas salt painting” that was meant to have a kind of tie-dye like effect. I repurposed the concept for terrain.

I cut a 16″x20″ sheet of thin, rigid acrylic plastic from Hobby Lobby (just $2.99, and you can easily get 5–6 shoals out of it). You can cut the shapes however you like—they don’t have to be the standard oblong “pill” shape. After cutting, I applied multiple layers of wash in a wide range of colors. While each wash was still wet and pooling, I sprinkled table salt onto the surface. This helped create organic, coral-like textures and patterns as it dried.

If you’re more precise than I was, you could intentionally leave parts of the acrylic clear to let the underlying game board show through, making them blend in more naturally with different boards. The first photo shows an early WIP, just after the first wash layer and salt effects had dried (note: the white is paint, not salt!). The salt subtly alters the color and texture of the paint beneath, giving the piece some interesting depth and layered visual effects with minimal effort.

Method 2: Using Transparent Vinyl by Joseph Forster

Simple and straightforward, quick way to make Shoal Terrain without all the wait time of Method 1.

Islands and Shoals tablemats by TABLEWAR

If you aren’t up for crafting and want to just get things on the table, check out the Caribbean Island Set from TABLEWAR. This is a great supplemental purchase to enhance your naval battles with an 8-piece neoprene island kit! Each set is designed to layer seamlessly over water-themed FAT mats, creating dynamic terrain without any painting. The set is durable, flexible, and ready straight out of the package, perfect for Blood & Plunder, Oak & Iron, or Port Royal. Quick setup, easy-to-use transport case.

TABLEWAR has been a long-time sponsor of the Summer of Plunder, and we at Blood & Pigment love their products! If you haven’t checked them out, take a look at their Caribbean Sea, Amphibious, and land mats!

Conclusion for the Week 4 Campaign Update

As we move into the middle of the campaign, the stakes are only getting higher. The map is shifting steadily ever, and every skirmish, raid, and vote is helping redraw the boundaries of power in the Caribbean. Whether your faction is clinging to hard-fought regions or surging ahead with momentum, there’s still time to change the story.

Keep in mind, multiple games/votes DO matter because they help your nation maintain stability and focus. And remember, new folks can join the campaign at any point and play as little or as much as they want, so keep up those recruitment numbers and let’s finish strong!

So rally your crews, sharpen your cutlasses, and get back into the fight—the fate of the New World is far from settled.

Article by Jason Klotz

Additional Recommended Reading

• 2025 Summer of Plunder Updates Hub – all of the updates from previous weeks.
• Rules and Info for the 2025 Summer of Plunder Event
• 2025 Summer of Plunder Entry Form
• 2025 Summer of Plunder – Campaign Map
• Weekly Objective List for 2025 Summer of Plunder
• Prize List for 2025 Summer of Plunder
• Newly announced Objectives and Prizes for Unaligned players