by Dan Carlson
With Firelock Games’ latest Kickstarter A Decade of Plunder, launching, there has been some buzz around what could possibly be in the Rise of the Buccaneer: Jamaica Expansion. Well, I have been authorized to spoil a faction as well as a few of the new sculpts that I received in advance. Since I tend to play Unaligned, Pirates and the Dutch, I have chosen to talk about what is probably going to be my new favorite faction, the Boekaniers!
Disclaimer: This is a Preview and this Faction is subject to change
Boekaniers, What Are They?
The Boekaniers are a Dutch flavored version of Brethren of the Coast. They represent a cobbled together crew of Dutch, English, and French sailors aimed at applying the Caribbean Trade to any ships that happen to come across their path!
- This Force must contain at least 2 units that are not Dutch.
- This Force adds +2 to its roll when determining the attacker in a scenario.
- If this Force is the Defender, once per game, this force’s controlling player may discard all the Activation Cards in their hand and replace them with the same number without spending a Fortune Point.
- If this Force is the Attacker in an amphibious or sea scenario, it may fly false colors to deceive the opposing force. Roll a d10 at the start of each turn. On a 7+ the ruse is discovered and has no effect so no further rolls are made. Otherwise, no unit in this Force may be attacked by any enemy units this turn unless a unit in this Force attacks first, or is within 12” of an enemy unit.
This sea faction is unique in that it will always have some kind of active Faction Rule regardless if they are the Attacker or the Defender. The +2 to be the Attacker will increase the likelihood of False Colors, but if they are forced into a Defender roll they get the free mulligan common to all Buccaneering Factions. If you are a Dutch player, you will want to add some English and French to your collection, as at least 2 of your units must not be Dutch units! While this can seem like a bummer, it forces players to branch out and try different units. I find this to be a positive rule as most of the Dutch Factions at Sea only ever get Zeelieden, Kapers, and European Sailors as Core units. This will force you to list-build differently and possibly try out some units you’ve never used!
Core Units
- Zeelieden
- Enter Ploeg
- Kapers
- European Sailors (Unaligned)
- Freebooters (English)
- Sea Dogs (English)
Support Units
- Jewish Militia (Unaligned)
- Flibustiers (French)
- Boucaniers (French)
The Unit selection for the Boekaniers is not quite as wide as Brethren of the Coast, but it zooms in specifically on Dutch and English Core units with French Support Units. Sea Dogs can man the cannons, making use of their Expert Artillery Crew Special Rule, freeing up the Zeelieden to use Expert Sailors for Advanced Maneuvers. For those looking to run Small Arms and Boarding Lists, Sea Dogs and European Sailors make for a great Unit with staying power with Battle Hardened (for the European Sailors) and the Sea Dog’s 6 Fight Save (5+ in Hard Cover!). Freebooters, Kapers, and European Sailors can provide excellent musket units, with Freebooters being slightly more specialized for the role. All three units have a Shoot Skill of 6, with Freebooters having the Marksman Special Rule.
The Support Unit options provide more flair to this faction by offering three great units. For those looking to really lay down the most accurate musket fire in the game, the Boucaniers will happily oblige. If you want a a unit with more versatility, the Filibusters can provide long-range fire support backed up by a Fight Skill of 5 and Brace of Pistols. Last, but certainly not Least, the Jewish Militia are an all-around great unit. Their 7/7 Shoot (7/6 in Hard cover!) can help provide mid-range musketry, their 6/6 Fight makes them competent in melee, and both the Tough Special Rule and their 5 Resolve means they are great at tying up enemy units in melee, allowing your harder hitting units to charge in without consequence.
Command Options:
- Any Dutch Standard Commander
- Jelles de Lecat
- Edward Mansvelt
- David Martien
- Abraham Blauvelt
- Roc Brasiliano
- Diego the Mulatto
The Boekaniers have a solid roster of Historical Commanders, with one Legendary Commander in Jelles de Lecat. Edward Mansvelt is great for larger point games with a great Command Range and Fortune shenanigan’s. David Martien acts as a Tough boarding commander. Abraham Blauvelt provides movement options on land. Roc Brasiliano brings more of a piratical flaire, and Diego the Mulatto is a great choice for fighting Spanish Lists.
Force Special Rules:
- Landed Raiders: If this force controls no size 2+ ships, any unit armed with Lances gains the Drilled Pikemen Special Rule.
- English Commission: This Force may not include any French units and Landsmen Privateers are added as a Core Unit choice.
- French Commission: Freebooters and Seadogs become support and Flibustiers & Boucaniers become Core Units.
The Force Special Rules provide flavor for those who have more English and/or French Models than Dutch. English Commission adds the new Privateer Landsman unit but bars any French units from being taken (Typical English things). French Commission swaps Sea Dogs and Freebooters for Filibustiers and Boucaniers. This is great for those running Musketry Heavy Lists and pairing Dutch Excellence with French Units’ Ride or Die attitudes. Finally, Landed Raiders gives any unit armed with Lances the Drilled Pikemen Special Rule. This is great for bringing the Boekaniers on land on ay capacity.
Wave 2 Zeelieden Models
The new Zeelieden sculpts really hammer home the Dutch aesthetic, helping a model that already stood out stand out even more! They maintain the dynamic nature f the sculpt, while making sure they will blend in with the older sculpts.
My personal favorite pose out of the new lineup is the one in the upper left. It really reminds me of a wood engraving of Peter the Great dressed as a Dutch Sailor during his Grand Embassy! The resemblance is uncanny!
In true Dan fashion, I chose to paint up the new sculpts in Russian colors from the Great Northern War. They were a pleasure to paint, and took my Army Painter Speed Paints nicely. For those who want to match the art from the older models, painting stripes on their pants should be easy as the detail of the pants makes a great reference point for staying in the lines!
Wave 2 Kapers Models
With Kapers getting a huge boost in unsefullness with the recent Errata, its only fitting that they also got four new sculpts! Firelock really hit a home run with these new minis, once again maintaining the aesthetic while adding dynamic new poses. Adding 4 of these models to an existing unit of the original sculpts adds some much welcome diversity!
The Kaper holding his knife in a fighting grip is my favorite out of the new sculpts. The ferocity and “battle ready” nature of the pose makes him look like he is just begging to fire his musket and engage the enemy in glorious hand to hand combat! He is not only a fantastic model for Plunder, but will make a great character model for Port Royal as well!
Final Thoughts
While this expansion is primarily focusing on England and Spain’s designs on Jamaica, the Boekaniers faction is a welcome addition to the Unaligned. The units are familiar, but the Faction rules make them stand out amongst other buccaneering factions.