Intro
We’ve completed the first 5 weeks of the 2025 Summer of Plunder Campaign and the plundering continues!
Commander Reports
First, here are some important messages from your brave 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
Soldados,
With God’s grace and the steadfast friendship of our noble allies of France, I write to you bearing hopeful tidings from the windswept frontiers of the New World. At long last, the land yields not only its gold and bounty, but a semblance of peace amidst the smoke of old battles. Our banners now rise along the coastlines and beyond the river mouths where lawlessness once thrived. Trade caravans pass more freely, and our missions stretch their arms deeper into the wilderness, where once only silence and savage resistance reigned.
The alliance with France has proven fortuitous. Their ships now patrol beside ours, and their settlements anchor our shared dominion, giving a semblance of permanence to these shores. Our combined strength has broken the confidence of many raiders and scattered some of the corsairs that once prowled these waters like sharks on a carcass.
Yet this calm is not without tremors.
The heretical English, emboldened by their distant crown, continue to make landfall along the northern reaches, establishing petty colonies among the pine forests and claiming divine right where none was granted. The Dutch, too, persist in their insidious dealings—trading with native warbands in exchange for sugar, hides, and whispered maps. They come not openly with cannon and sail, but through silver tongues and treacherous pacts.
The native tribes remain ever restless. Some—those who break bread with our friars—begin to glimpse the light of Christ and the civility of Empire. But many others, spurred on by broken alliances or foreign provocateurs, rise again like embers stirred beneath ash. It is with regret I report the destruction of a Jesuit mission near Fort Noorhooka—burned in the night by a coalition of painted warriors and English pirates.
Still, I believe we are turning the tide. For every enemy blade, we raise a wall. For every shadowy raid, we kindle a lantern brighter. And with every soul converted, every league mapped, every bastion raised, this New World becomes less new—and more ours.
Josué Shivak
Commander of Spanish Forces
England – Week 5 Commander Update
English update coming soon.
Pictures from English Players in Week 5
France – Week 5 Commander Update
We begin today with a word from the I’intendant de la Nouvelle-France:
Bonjour Monsieur le Gouverneur de la Nouvelle-France
This has been a week full of victoires et défaites, mais looking at the ledgers, this has on the balance been a positive week for our war efforts.
There are two promising young officers that I request you consider for promotion. The first is an Ensign in the army by name of Nault. In the assault on Charleston, Ensign Nault lead a small group of infantrymen during the skirmishes in the alley’s of the old quarter. The young officer showed grand valeur, pressing the men forward and leading by example. Nault captured several Dutch officers and soldiers in the process. For this I recommend consideration for promotion to Lieutenant.
Secondly, durring the recapture of Petit Goave a certain Sous-Lieutenant de Vaisseau Dred showed notable bravoure both in the intial naval battle to enter into le port. The Sous-Lieutenant de Vaisseau in question displayed expert command skills keeping the cannon crews on his deck firing with speed and precission. Then, tasked with going on shore, leading one of the assault parties, Dred lead a masterful assault, capturing the armoury. For these actions I hope you would consider bestowing a promotion to a full Lieutenant de Vaisseau.
As ever at your service,
Henri Le Roux, l’intendant de la Nouvelle-France
Vive le Roi
Thank you, Henri, for sharing with me the courage on display across Nouvelle-France! After careful consideration, I accept your proposal. Congratulations to Lieutenant Nault and full Lieutenant de Vaisseau Dred for your promotions on the French Discord!
To all of France, I beam with pride at our accomplishments! Together, our strong play across oceans and land masses has proven its worth as we rejoice in our second week atop the leaderboards! It is your commitment to the game and our strategy that has allowed our cup to overflow with victory. I raise a glass to all who took part in the first Bonus Event – one of our own, shantyman Danny Perkins, secured us a valuable asset for this week’s strategy while taking home a TimberandSail.com Dutch-style house (from our victory in Charleston, no doubt). Let us continue our winning ways in the weeks ahead.
ANOTHER SHANTY FROM DEAR DANNY PERKINS: The Inexperienced Commander’s Song.m4a
We continue to have foes on the battlefield. The Dutch and English fail to salute The One True Church, continuing a failed alliance while watching our alliance with the Spanish reign supreme. After seeing the Dutch’s remarks last week, we had no choice but to attack swiftly. If the Dutch want a ceasefire, they will have to send us some sort of tribute or cede Boston or Port Royal back to The Crown. As for the English, if they want us to point cannons elsewhere, all they need to do is break their trade alliance with the Dutch. After all, you’ve exchanged brawls with each other over the past few weeks anyway. Is your alliance truly worth a humiliating defeat? I assure you, there is better bread and wine with an alliance formed elsewhere.
Commander Jacky Häuser and Captain William J Davis’ forces in action at Port Royal. The Dutch were victorious, but I doubt their win was as cool as these two games! Port Royal is such an important territory for us. So important, I’ve heard there’s a game named after it!
Back to French men-at-arms. This is a huge week for us. We have an extra advantage this round, and our treasure galleons are so full they need reinforced hulls to keep from going under. Organization and a will for the glory to come is key, which is why any player who logs either a 4pt game or 4 games this week on the #french-strategy-planning Discord will be in the running for a pouch of Blood & Pigment fortune coins. One of the best ways to rack up points this week is to partake in this week’s Leader Of Men event. If you make that a game against a new player, not only will it add to your submission’s point total, it will put you in the running for Pierre Lemoyne D’Iberville. This model looks great on B&P and PR tables (or overlooking an O&I board), and will be awarded at the end of the campaign to the French player who logs the most teaching games. Also, next week we will hold another Stone Temple Studios terrain drawing, so please send in your Battle Reports to kylearpke@yahoo.com or send TheKarp a DM on Discord.
While we should take time to congratulate ourselves for another solid week, this week’s battle report is a reminder of horrors. From the New York settlement on Amity Island comes a message that had my jaws agape in fear. I’m sending word to the mayor to keep New York’s beaches closed (to swimmers and the English):
Gouverneur Arpke,
I have been on many battlefields, but nothing like our recent effort. A levy broke and flooded the surrounding area. The company arrived at daybreak to recover whatever materials we could. I ordered the men to pick up the pace, but then the vile English arrived! Immediately, hostilities erupted! The fighting was intense, and blood flowed on both sides. Several of the crew saw fins moving through the water in the low light. That’s when the men’s fear of sharks was confirmed. They came from all directions, lashing out with razor-sharp teeth and bone-crunching jaws. Men on both sides were pulled under the water or shredded as the sharks shook them like rag dolls. Of course we had to defend ourselves against the beasts, but that just added more blood to the waters. The sharks were driven mad, and they attacked both men and wounded sharks alike. Soon, the water was just a red rolling froth. Having secured a couple of valuable crates of material, I ordered the surviving members of the company to withdraw.
If we only had to fight the English we could have carried the day, but having to fight a vicious killer that you may or may not see coming was too much to ask. I will take some solace in believing more of the English parrished than my French brethren did. While it can be said this endeavor was a success, I fear it will be some time before I sleep through the night without hearing the snapping of bones and the screams of men being eaten alive.
Respectfully,
Captain Jacques Lemere
The Netherlands – Week 5 Commander Update
Landgenoten,
The pressures on our mighty trade empire continue, but we hold our own.
As expected, the French continue their shady, slimey, double talk… expecting us to lay down arms and crawl into bed with their corrupt church and inbred king! All the while looking at out possessions enviously!
But we know better! We know where the real might lay. Not with the pompous, overly self-important French! But with our sons… and people who successfully resisted the mighty Spanish Empire for 100 years, before challenging the very power structure of Europe!
The French would love nothing more than to secure one more flank as they seek global dominion.
To this I say…. “WE WOULD RATHER DIE, BURN EVERY CITY TO ASHES, SINK ALL OF OUR MERCHANT FLEETS, AND FORFEIT ANY AND ALL FUTURES TO SEE THE FRENCH FAIL!”
No peace can be had with a nation that willingly enjoys linberger cheese and snails!
To every other nation… if ever there is a time to strike the French, now is it! We will tie down their forces so you can nibble at the soft offerings! DO NOT PLAY THEIR GAME!
Kapers and all men who wish to see a strong and steadfast nation, prepare for battle and orders!
- Matthew “Salty” Doerr
Commander of the Dutch West Indies
The Native Americans – Week x Commander Update
«As individual fingers we can easily be broken, but all together we make a mighty fist» – Sitting Bull
Braces of Turtle Island, we pushed hard against the invaders and regained some of what is ours. We must see this fight to the finish and restore the lands to the way they once were.
While we slipped a bit in the standings, we did regains some important territories. I will point out we are still within striking range so stay on point and stay strong.
While the Spanish pushed a small warband of Caribs out of Cartagena, the trees acknowledge the brave defense of our home lands in Apalachee.
The wind acknowledges the braves who fought well and chased the invaders from Costa De Mosquitos.
The earth acknowledges the warriors and our friends, the Brandenburg Privateers, for their sacrifices to remove the invaders from Santo Domingo – We appreciate the assistance in removing that blight from the lands.
Nice recovery this week guys, I really appreciate the efforts put in. We are just past the halfway mark and are still well with in striking distance.
This weeks prize is a unit of Young Braves out of the North Eastern Woodland Tribes box, some beautiful models donated by Firelock – and the winner of this prized unit is Charles Rodgers.
Braves of turtle island – Stay united, we will win this war.
The Pirates – Week 5 Commander Update
Avast! How goes your gaming action this past week?
Okay, some statistical data…to date our faction has logged in 177 games played…wow that’s amazing! This has given us a total of 675 points…still holding strong at third behind the Dutch and English. I’m sure Captain Wray will provide some insights on strategies to get us closer to first place. We’re at the half way point in the campaign…time is flying. Time to dial up your game play and points earned. I see the Port Royal Jamaican Pirates are still holding the lead for the most popular faction played with a close second tied with the Oak & Iron Pirates and Blood & Plunder Golden Age Pirates. What is your favorite group to play within the Pirate Faction?
Our top three Pirate point leaders were, Christopher Regan, Greg Flynn and a new arrival at the top is Rick Smith! Awesome work…game play by the top three, but also all the other Pirate Captains out there getting their games in. I know this past week may have been a long one for most, and celebrating our countries’ American Independence can absorb a lot of our time celebrating, but you were able to still get a game or two in. I find myself on Sunday already planning when I can get a game or two in for the upcoming week. It helps if you have game space where you can leave stuff up on the table or out to set up the next adventure.
Where do you play your games at? I notice a lot of game pictures had games being played on the “Table Top Simulator”. It would appear this platform has made a resurgence compared the previous few years. I know after Covid, this was a BIG thing. My garage has been converted to host games small and large…even with two game areas to use. This is where I host my annual BIG B-Day Pirate game in the fall.
This past week’s objective for the Blood & Plunder was “Dangerous Waters” in which you had to place 3+ shoals or play the “Fickle Sea” scenario. I ended up playing two games with the shoals. It’s wasn’t much of a challenge with Barks floating around them fairly easy. For O&I was also a “Dangerous Waters” with 5 or more pieces of terrain on the board. Finally for Port Royal, was also a “Dangerous Waters” with beast and flooded board. For all you Port Royal players, how did you fare for re-creating that environment? I hope to start next week with Port Royal. Let us know in the Discord channel.
Alright, let’s chat about “Special Mission” objective added two weeks ago. This past Sunday was the deadline…did you get a game in to meet the objectives of this challenge?
For this week’s Objective in game play is getting our best leaders out on the table. This is an opportune time to break out those “Raise the Black” captains!
Keep those lines of communication open and flowing as our Captain Rum Runner Wray, post updates and additional information in the Discord Pirate channel. This is a very active channel which discusses strategy and voting for raids…so make you vote count for the next raid!
Finally, get your games in, raise the Black and most of all…have fun!
Update from Rum Runner Wray:
We have a ton of Prizes we are mailing out for player participation up to this point!
- Fabian Koenen and Corey Graff won the Medium Terrain Bundles
- Graham Lyon won the Small Terrain Bundle
- Mitch Lenker, Minigamermike, ScarlitWidow, and Christopher Regan won Silver Laden Donkeys
If you see your name above, make sure you get me your mailing address! We hope to mail by the end of this week.
For the Allied Reinforcements – Christopher Regan won the Pnesies, Risk Smith won the Young Braves, Jonathan Hernandez won the Braves, and Shaun Sands won the Marineros. Expect an email asking for your address in the next couple days.
As far as a political update goes – We paid the dutch the visit we owed them – with help from our Danish Privateers, who kindly handed over Bonaire on a Silver Platter. As Kraken Killer Said above – Keep an Eye on the Discord – drop your Anchor. This week we are perfecting our Drink Recipes for our upcoming Objective!
Unaligned Week 5 Commander Update
Fellow Unaligned Captains!
Firstly, I would like to congratulate you all on a very accomplished week. Of all of our submissions this week, only 1 was not part of a successful attack. Perhaps the key to a nation’s success is in fact to open the war chest and hire mercenaries or offer letters of marque to available privateers.
If you are an Unaligned captain looking for direction or letters of marque but don’t have Discord, feel free to reach out via this email or find me on Facebook, so that you can work together with the rest of the Unaligned crew to coordinate our small fleets and forces.
This week I received a letter, recording the events of Brandeburg Privateers led by our very own Captain Marts (Chuck-csr556)
“It was a blinding, hot, and windy day when I, Captain Marts, was sailing to attack Santo Domingo with a group of like minded captains. To my left was a Brigantine and to my right, a Bermuda Sloop. I sailed in the middle of the formation with my balandra, Le Stinky Baguette, flying the colors of Brandenburg large and proud.
A short time away from Santo Domingo, we met action with three ships. As we sailed towards each other, One of our ships was caught upon shoals and continued to flounder upon the accursed shoals while the fighting was going on. You could hear the captain’s curses upon the waves for miles, I’m certain. I grimaced at that turn of events, its captain decided to fire upon the enemy, causing little to no damage and losing the cover of our false colors. I managed to sail around the shoals and continue towards the enemy ships.
Unfortunately for the enemy, while they tried to maneuver around the shoals it allowed me to successfully grapple the first of their ships and have my Enter Ploeg move onto their decks. After throwing grenades and withering pistol fire, the lower deck of the sloop was soon cleared of enemies. Withstanding withering fire from another ship, my men managed to grapple the third enemy ship though they quickly cut the ropes, and we couldn’t make it to the deck. The second ship’s men then charged and wiped out the Zeelieden and forced my captain to strike colors. The Enter Ploeg managed to jump ship and wait for my allies to pick us up after the battle.
In all, my men managed to fight bravely and withstand many hardships during this fight. We managed to bloody the enemy’s nose, though for Brandenburg, it was a pyrrhic victory, we managed to obtain a replacement sloop but we will need more men to man it. I hope our distraction was enough to allow our Native American allies to capture Santo Domingo.”
And while the Brandenburg Privateers were engaged upon the seas, other forces were able to assist the Natives on land.
(Charles Sherrange)
Continue the excellent coordination this week as we sail for prizes and fame!
– Unaligned Commander
RhiBranyHud, Josiah Huss
Numbers and Stats
Let’s look at some numbers on games played, nations and factions represented and player leaders.
Nation Report
Who’s winning? The French team is ahead this week! Check out the campaign map update for a rundown of the events on the competitive map.
Faction Report
Let’s first look at the numbers for each of the three games included in this campaign. Here are the umbers as of 7/9 when were at 1,201 games logged.
- Blood & Plunder – 788
- Port Royal – 296
- Oak & Iron 117
There is a bit of margin for error here as sometimes people fill out their entry forms incorrectly, but that should be pretty close to correct.
We make it a goal each year to try to play all the factions available for these games. We’re already getting close! Here are the Blood & Plunder factions that have yet to be used for this campaign:
- Los Corsarios de Pardal (Spanish)
- Iberville’s Expeditionary Force (French)
- King Philip’s Alliance, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, & Southeastern Woodland Tribes (FotF) for the Natives
All Dutch, Minor Powers, and English factions have been used at least once at this point.
Which factions are the most popular? We’re 5 weeks into the campaign so these numbers mean a little more now. These numbers are always a little wonky since they are weighted by how many players play for each nation and how many factions that nation has available.
Most Used Factions
Here are the most used Blood & Plunder factions in each nation:
- Spanish Militia (20)
- British Royal Navy (27)
- French Buccaneers (49)
- Dutch Caribbean Militia (30)
- Kalinago (14)
- Golden Age Pirates (27)
- Brandenburg Privateers (15)
For Oak & Iron, the Pirates are leading the way.
- Pirates (30)
- English (24)
- French (20)
- Spanish (17)
- Dutch (16)
Port Royal has been getting huge numbers!
- English Forces of the Crown (58)
- French Buccaneers (56)
- Dutch Kapers (51)
- Jamaican Pirates (35)
- Spanish Guarda Costas (29)
- Natives Carib Raiders (21)
- Unaligned Maroons (4)
Other Entertaining Stats
Here are a couple more random data points from the campaign so far.
Of the 1,200 games logged so far, just over half have been logged at a game store or convention.
Most people have been participating in the weekly objectives with 963 out of 1,201 indicating they accomplished the goal.
You have all introduced some great games to a lot of new players! More than 300 entries indicate they helped teach a brand new player!
Week 5 Player Report for Oak & Iron
Oak & Iron might be a smaller scale but it’s an important part of this campaign! There were over 20 Oak & Iron games logged, including the Spanish, Dutch, French, and Pirate factions most notably.
Week 5 Objective – OBJECTIVES ACCOMPLISHED – Dangerous WAters
There were a lot of shoals on the tables this week! Check out these sea games, featuring shoal obstacles.
Week 5 Player Report for Port Royal Gator
This week we had GATORS! The objective for the week put critters on the board and there were some entertaining shots!
The objective for the week for Port Royal was to use a flooded board, so we saw a lot of terrain over water this week!
Week 5 Oak & Iron Objective – Dangerous Waters
Oak & Iron players were challenged to get at least 5 pieces of terrain on their boards this week. Look at some of those 3D terrain pieces people have made!
Week 6 Objective – Leaders of Men
This week the objective is to use a Commander that costs 21+ points. This is a good chance to pull out the more expensive historical or even “Legendary” commanders that don’t see as much play.
A great way to enjoy this objective this week is playing “The Wanted Man” Scenario from the Raie the Black expansion. It puts your commander in the center of the action. And it has a scenario option where you can take any legal Commander for your force without paying the cost!
For Oak & Iron, you should use a Admiral of level 2 or above, and Port Royal Commanders gain the Legend Archetype rules this week.
Epic Game Spotlight
Check out this epic looking game from Mark Vernon. The British Royal Navy landing on the beaches and assauting a fort. Too cool not to share all these pics with everyone.
Great board, setup, and drama on the beaches there.
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
You guys are taking some great pics! The best picture of the week recognition goes out to Ret Talbot, who is really knocking it out of the park. Check out this shot of the master gunner touching off a field gun!
Here are some more of the runner up entries for best photo this week:
Ret has won a fine reproduction 8 reale fortune coin.
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 set of our national Activated Markers from the Blood & Pigment shop This week’s winner is Anne Sheaffer!
Looks like her Spanish force got in a real scrum this week in this game of Port Royal!
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 Justin Ripley!
Justin has been playing for the English this year, making some awesome looking boards on Tabletop Simulator!
Second Random Prize of the Week 5
In addition to our recurring prizes each week, we have a unique prize for each week. This week we’re giving away a small bag of scatter terrain from Stone Temple studios.
This week’s prize goes out to Howard Hagan, playing for the Dutch this year!
Week 6 trivia!
Once again, we have a Trivia Contest! make sure you put your answer in the comments of your game entry! This week’s trivia pulls from the same article by Benerson Little, which you can find here.
Question: What year was the dinner plate from that showed a picture of a galleon inspired by Howard Pyle’s art?
Benerson Little is one of the leading authorities on pirate history, and he has been a big part of making Firelock’s games historically faithful. He has written a bunch of great books and keeps up an enjoyable blog. At the end of the week we will be giving away Little’s The Buccaneer’s Realm, one of his best (and hardest to find) books on some of the great buccaneer campaigns of the late 1600’s.
Final Thoughts on Summer of Plunder Week 5
We’re just a little more than halfway through the campaign. We hope everyone is having a good time! We saw some really great pictures this week, and I hope that continues next week. Get some pics of those high powered commanders on the field!
We have another $400 worth of prizes to announce from Firelock Games, so keep your eyes peeled for that! A huge thanks to Firelock Games for all the prize support they have pledged this year.
Quick word of warning on the Entry From: make sure you’re selecting the correction faction when you enter a game. All the different factions for all three games are the dropdown menu for each nation, but some of them have similar names. The Port Royal French Buccaneers faction is labeled (Port Royal) while the Blood & Plunder version is simply “French Buccaneers.” Not a big deal, but it messes up stats, and throws off prize winning chances at the end of the campaign for the various game systems. We’ve been correcting issues as we see them, but just be aware and careful! 🙂
Happy plundering!