Blood and Plunder is one of the only 28mm Skirmish games I know of that features naval combat as both a fun game mechanic and selling point. If you are looking to go to sea, you will need sailors in your Force List for various tasks from manning artillery, making repairs, and adjusting your sails. These units are not only essential for any serious seafaring list (unless you’re a mad lad like Josh Shivak and take a Spanish Mission Garrison out to sea!). We will examine every sailor unit currently in the game, as well as their roles and how to best take advantage of their unique rules. So tie your sashes, remove those shoes, and get ready to set the t’gallants as we explore the many Sailors of Blood and Plunder!
Sailors and Expert Sailors
Every unit listed in this article will either have the Sailors or Expert Sailors Special Rules. These rules are related to actions like Change Sail Setting or Advanced Maneuvers. Under normal circumstances, the target number for both of these Tests are a 7+. Both Sailors and Expert Sailors reduce this target number significantly. This allows these units to do things like reducing the ship’s speed, Tacking, or Box Hauling much easier than units without these rules. This is important, because the last thing you need is to fail a test at a critical moment!
The “National Sailors”
The sailors in this category are the “standard” 4 point models found within each nation. While they all have similar rules, each one has its own unique flavor, and is better suited for different tasks that fall within each nationality’s favor. They are all armed with Pistols and Standard Melee Weapons, are at the Trained experience level, and all boast similar options. All can take grenades, may drop their pistols for -1 point per model, replace their pistols with a blunderbuss, replace their pistols for lances, replace their pistols for some type of musket for +4 points, or replace their pistols for brace of pistols for +4 points. The Pirates have similar options, and differences will be covered in their respective section.
Sea Dogs
Sea Dogs are the workhorse of any English/British player. Following the English/British national flavor, they have decent stats and are a “Jack of all Trades” unit. In the core rulebook, they were the only unit with the Expert Artillery Crew Special Rule, which allows them to reload Artillery faster than their non-expert counterparts. Sea Dogs, in my opinion, are the best defensive sailor. They boast a 6 Fight Save (this will drop to a 5 on most ships) and the Brawlers Special Rule activates in either offensive or defensive situations. While they may not his quite as hard as their counterparts on a charge, they are a royal pain to dislodge from a deck without some really good dice rolling! Their only real weakness is that they aren’t a great candidate for muskets as they lack any Special Rules for their muskets.
Marineros
Marineros may seem a bit off-putting at first due to the big, fat Poorly Equipped rule under their entry, but they are still a solid choice for ship utility! First off, Poorly Equipped only activates if they shoot with Small Arms, so Artillery (as of Errata 1.4) is unaffected by it! Marineros really shine on the charge, as that 5 Fight with pistols is nothing to scoff at. However, if they charge a unit that has more Fatigue than they do, that Fight value drops to a 4! This applies to any Shoot or Fight actions taken in defense as well, but you usually won’t be charged by an enemy unit that has more Fatigue than you do. If you aren’t using them for boarding or artillery, they make a solid candidate for some muskets, as Ruthless with make them just as good as European Sailors with Muskets! Some players may be tempted to pair them with a Sharpshooter Fighting Man, but Poorly Equipped hampers this so its best to be avoided.
Marins
Marins are most at home on the attack, and are (in my opinion) the best sailor unit if you’re looking to board. Hard Chargers will drop their Fight value from a 5 to a 4 when charging, and pairs very well will the Brace of Pistols or Lance upgrades. Marins also trade out Pistols for Buccaneer Guns instead of Firelock Muskets, giving them an extra four inches of range to reach out and touch the enemy with. While the French are typically applauded for having some of the best shooting units in the entire game, Marins will do a great job of keeping those units from being engaged in melee. The enemy will usually need to get through the Marins before charging that juicy unit of Boucaniers, which is no easy task.
Zeelieden
First introduced in No Peace Beyond the Line, I believe Zeelieden are the best all-around Sailor unit currently in the game. Boasting both Expert Sailors and Expert Artillery Crew, the Zeeliden are great at reloading and firing cannons quickly and can handle your Advanced Maneuver needs with relative ease. Like Sea Dogs, their 6 Fight Save makes them hard to drive from a deck, and having Hard Chargers makes them great for boarding as well. They are a great candidate for Brace of Pistols or Lances, but aren’t ideal for Muskets.
European Sailors
European Sailors are right below Sea Dogs for being an excellent defensive unit, and simultaneously take the prize for being the best candidate for swapping pistols for muskets. Battle Hardened has them roll one less dice on a Resolve test in melee, which means they are less prone to becoming Shaken, so if they are plugging away with muskets and are charged, there’s a good chance they will stay put and tie up the enemy unit in melee. Their 6 Shoot skill pairs really well with muskets, and are a solid candidate for the Sharpshooter Fighting Man.
Pirates
Pirates are one of two Sailor units found under the newly created Pirate Nationality found in the Raise the Black expansion. These rowdy scumbags boast militia level stats with heavily armed swagger. Pirates can pack the most grenades of any of the standard sailor units, come with Brace of Pistols as standard kit, and can Swap those Pistols for a Buccaneer Gun and the Ball and Shot Special Rule for no additional cost. They are most at-home on the charge, where War Cry will make the unlucky target roll an additional die of Fatigue on the Resolve test caused by said charge. All of this goodness does come at a cost though. Their 7 Fight is the weakest of all their counterparts, as is their Resolve value of 6. While this is considered “below average”, in practice it is very swingy. Sometimes the pirates are die-hard fanatics who will endure all hardships to claim their loot. Other times, they will need some major Fatigue management at the slightest hint of danger.
The Elite Sailors
Most of these units were introduced in Raise the Black, and represent an evolution of type of men found on ships. While the 4 point sailors are considered “standard”, the sailors in this list typically boast a better statline, better standard equipment, and often perform the same tasks as their 4pt counterparts a little more efficiently. These units can be seen as “upgraded” versions of the previous lists’ units. Most of them start out as Veterans but can be dropped to Trained for -1 point per model, and can take muskets (and add sidearm pistols if equipped with muskets), grenades, plug bayonets, and blunderbusses. A major boon to taking these units is that every single one comes with Expert Sailors, and for some Nationalities this is the only way to get the rule without a specific faction or Fighting Man.
Able Seamen
Able Seamen are the most stubborn of all the sailor units in the game. Boasting the same 6 Fight Save as Sea Dogs, a 6 Shoot Save, and a whopping Resolve of 4, Able Seamen are hard to kill and hard to shake. They can handle all the same roles Sea Dogs can, but are usually wasted on cannons due to their high point cost. The best use for Able Seamen is as a boarding party or to help soak up fire for another friendly unt on the same deck.
Vizcainos
Vizcainos are the the meanest naval unit a Spanish player has at their disposal. They take everything that was great about Marineros and dial it up to 11! While they don’t have the same 4 Resolve as Able Seamen, they will usually hit harder on the charge and are better shots on muskets thanks to Ruthless! As someone who routinely plays against Spanish lists, there is nothing more terrifying than to have a unit of Vizcainos board your ship and attack a unit on the brink of becoming Shaken. Chances are when the Vizcainos finish their work, that unit will either be no longer effective or attempting to run away in terror.
Vizcainos painted by Garrett Swader
Marins Basque
Marins Basque are the most unique of the elite sailors. They are the only ones that gained an extra rule to set them apart! In true French fashion, the Marins Basque come with Firelock Muskets and the Marksman Special Rule, making them ideal for a ranged unit at sea. This gives them some fantastic utility, as they can not only lay down some serious lead, but can also handle any Advanced Maneuvers with relative ease. If Musketry isn’t your thing, swapping the muskets for Brace of Pistols makes them one of the meanest boarders the French have access to.
Enter Ploeg
Enter Ploeg were the very first of the elite sailors introduced to the game. They were released with the No Peace Beyond the Line expansion, and were the kings of the boarding party until Raise the Black gave other nations access to similar units. Back in the No Peace days, they were giving Forlorn hope and Les Enfant Perdue a run for their money, being a 6pt veteran unit that can take Firepots and blunderbusses for free. Post Raise the Black, however, and they are hampered by their older design. They cannot be dropped down to trained, and have very little in the way of equipment options. While they are still a unit to be feared, they are a product of their time and lack the versatility the other nations’ elite sailors have. Don’t be dissuaded though, for only a fool underestimates the charge of the Enter Ploeg.
Their 4 Resolve is top-tier, only matched by the Able Seamen and their 6 Shoot skill makes them the best option for using a Blunderbuss or Pistol as a ranged weapon when compared with the other Elite Sailors.
Roundsmen
Not to be left out, the Pirate nation also gains an elite sailor in the form of the Roundsmen. They not only make a solid command unit, but offer much better stats than their 3-point counterparts. Unlike the other elite sailors, Roundsmen can have both muskets (in the form of Buccaneer Guns) and Brace of Pistols. They can be more heavily armed, but will cost you a premium at 7pts per model. Their only main drawback is the lack of ability to be downgraded to trained, meaning as a pirate player, you’re always paying a premium while your opponents will not. The War Cry Special Rule will help them on the charge, and they are best used in an offensive role as they can hit like a truck.
Specialized Sailors
These units don’t fit nicely into the previous categories, and are often meant to take on a different role, but have either the Sailors or Expert Sailors Special Rules as a utility.
Jamaican Privateers
Jamaican Privateers are arguably one of the best 4pt models one can take in a sea game. While their stats look humble, the utility is endless! Having both a Firelock Musket and a sidearm Pistol makes them good for shooting and good for a charge if they need to support another unit, as well as having a defensive fire always at the ready. They have many options for customization depending on the strategy you are planning, and Expert Sailors means they can handle any rigging work you may need. The real savings is if you choose to drop the unit to Inexperienced, you retain all their fantastic stats and equipment while being able to improve or dial in your force elsewhere.
Freebooters
Freebooters are an expensive but solid musket unit. While having Sailors is great at sea, more often than not these guys should be focusing on targeting problem units with accurate musket fire. Having a sidearm pistol also adds a similar level of utility similar to the Jamaican Privateers (I consider the Jamaicans “baby Freebooters”) so they can be used at a range or up close for a charge or defensive fire. Like the other English/British units mentioned here, that 6 Fight save makes them a pain to clear out without tons of hits, so they can be a good “hold this deck at all costs” unit while you muster someone else to counter charge.
Veteran Freebooters
Veteran Freebooters are a curious unit. Coming in at a whopping 8 points with essentially the same role as Freebooters is a hard sell. The extra 2 points gets you a Veteran Model with a 6 Shoot Save and Plug Bayonets, but no unit options. In larger games, having a unit of Veteran Freebooters with a commander is a great option, as they can essentially operate fully with their own actions while the commander gives command points to other units, but outside of that situation they rarely show up due to the cost. Unfortunately that cost also means any casualty suffered is especially painful, especially if its a 3pt militia model that did the deed. All in all while expensive, they will usually perform as needed and are usually fun to bring if you’re planning on playing a more elite list.
Marineros Piqueros
If you think weapons like pistols and muskets are for lilly-livered Frenchmen and British dogs, than the Marineros Piqueros are the unit for you! These lance-wielding psychos come in with an ever-rare 6 Shoot Save, a 5 Fight, and Ruthless. This makes them excellent on the offense and great for defense. if they aren’t skewering your foes or defensively poking any would-be boarders, they can run your rigging until the time is right.
Corsarios
Corsarios are the Spanish equivalent to the English Freebooters and French Filibusters and are meant to be a unit that can fight and shoot effectively. While Ruthless technically helps with both, they lack Fast Reload in order to match their counterpart’s rate of fire and Swordsmen doesn’t hold the same water as Brace of Pistols or even a Sidearm Pistol goes. They are great if your opponent has stripped all their sailors of pistols to man cannons, but if your opponent has a surplus of units with loaded pistols or Brace of Pistols its going to be an uphill battle. They can be a little more offensive by taking Plug Bayonets, but they are still outclassed by the English and French’s equivalent units.
Flibustiers
If Freebooters are the sharpshooters of the English, the Filibustiers are boarding maniacs of the French! They can keep up a high rate of fire with Fast Reload and their 6 Shoot means they are great for ranged support as you close in for the kill. Not only are they great at firing their muskets, but each Filibustier also had a Brace of Pistols, which allows them to really take advantage of their 5 Fight score! All of these things packaged alongside Sailors adds to their versatility and value. Their only weakness is that their 7 Fight Save makes them a bit fragile, but they should be first on the charge anyway and they can hold their own in any scrap! Plug Bayonets are available to them, but brace of Pistols almost makes this kind of a waste unless you have 4 points left to spare.
Later Flibustiers
Later Flibustiers represent the decline of the buccaneer post-1700, and their stats reflect that. They come with the same kit as Flibustiers, but with worse Resolve and a worse Fight skil. Additionally, they no longer have Fast Reload, making them less effective. While costing 5 points makes these gritty sailors a good value, that 6 Resolves makes them behave like the Pirates, either maintaining a constant resilience or tucking tail and running. Despite their flaws, they are a solid backbone for 18th Century lists and continue to offer what their older counterparts offer: versatility.
Kapers
Kapers are currently in a class all their own, being a mix of sailor/soldier. They have 17th Century soldier stats, but are geared more for sea with Expert Sailors and Artillery Crew. Their 6 Shoot makes them just as good as Flibustiers and Corsarios, and Brawlers gives them a nice bonus in melee. The only rule that doesn’t see much use is Artillery Crew, as a 5pt model for cannons isn’t ideal at sea except in very specific circumstances. However, if you need some musket support and Expert Sailors and don’t want to pay a premium for it, Kapers will fill that role nicely.
While they don’t have many weapons options as published in No Peace Beyond the LIne, rumor has it they should receive some new weapons options soon! Their ability to wield Blunderbusses with a 6 Shoot skill is rather rare, making them one of the best Blunderbuss units in the game,
Pressed Men
Pressed Men are more on an honorable mention, as they are only really good for one thing: Running Repairs or Change Sail Settings on the cheap. At 2 points a piece they can fill that role well, but they will tip over in combat faster than a buccaneer who’s drunk too much Spanish wine. If you’re looking for a cheap unit to give you an additional Initiative card while running the rigging, Pressed Men are great for that. If you’re looking to surprise your opponent, sending a 12-man blob of these guys screaming over the rails to soften up a unit for a charge works (sometimes) as well. You either weaken the target unit or have less pressed men, which is a win-win!
Conclusion
Blood and Plunder is full of wonderful nautical units to fit any play style one can hope for. Regardless of the nation and faction you choose to play at sea, there will always be opportunities to try something new and work on playing with units outside of your comfort zone. From the stoic Able Seamen to the scummiest Pirate, every unit helps create the depth and flavor we all love from Blood and Plunder!