We have come to the last week of the 2026 Campaign! Summer of Plunder is wrapping up and we have the final map results for you. The Spanish/French/Native alliance took the lead early in the campaign. Let’s see if the English/Pirates/Dutch were able to pull ahead at the very end!
OK, that was long enough! NO! They did not! The pro-Bourbon alliance was able to squeak out a close win while the British alliance continuously sharpened their tactics until the end, and nearly took the lead.
Updated Campaign Map – End of Week 9 of Summer of Plunder 2026
Here is the new updated map after all actions were accounted for. While the British alliance made solid gains, the French alliance managed to deny them any domination bonuses while picking one up themselves. Great play from both teams.
Final Outcomes of the Campaign Map for Week 9 of Summer of Plunder 2026
A bombastic conclusion to the Summer of Plunder as Battles raged over capitals in North and South.
NE – New England & New France
The Anti-Bourbon Alliance was aggressive this week in the Northern theatre, committing 16 of their 34 points to the theatre. The campaign’s defining struggle continued this week as Quebec once again stood at the center of the war, in addition to all members committing to a smaller assault on Fort Detroit.
In Quebec –British regulars led the assault, marching relentlessly against the battered fortress while Dutch artillery pounded the city’s ancient walls with disciplined precision. Pirate captains landed daring raiding parties along the riverbanks, hoping to exploit any weakness the bombardment created. Opposing them, French regulars anchored the defense from the city’s fortifications, Spanish reinforcements rushed to plug breaches wherever the fighting grew fiercest, and Native warriors harassed the attackers from the surrounding forests, disrupting supply lines and striking at exposed flanks before melting back into the wilderness….
Fort Detroit, long quiet on the western frontier, saw surprisingly little resistance as Dutch and Pirate forces led a swift assault on the isolated outpost, supported by British supply and coin. The small garrison was completely outnumbered and outmaneuvered. Within hours the fort had fallen into British Alliance hands, gaining a critical piece of the frontier with remarkably little cost.
The French-Native-Spanish Alliance placed 15 of their 34 troops into the Northern theatre – all aimed at maintaining control of Quebec.
in Quebec – for hours, cannon smoke cloaked the city as assault followed assault. Each breach was met with fresh Bourbon resolve. French officers rallied wavering lines, Spanish troops counterattacked with bayonet and steel, and Native warriors turned every advance beyond the walls into a costly struggle. When the guns finally fell silent, the Fleur-de-lis still flew over Quebec, and the Bourbon Alliance had earned another hard-fought victory in what has become the defining siege of this Summer of Plunder.
Though the Bourbon Alliance lost Fort Detroit this week – they managed to continue to hold Quebec, and dominate the Northern Theatre, earning 28 points this week. The British Alliance with its new additional territory, earned 15 points in the region.
NOTE: there wa one error in the Week 8 map, listing significantly less French troops on Quebec than should have been there. The write up was correct but the map was not. It was noticed near the end of the week. Unlikely it changed a lot, but it was an error and we apologize.
Caribbean
The French-Spanish-Native Alliance was less defensively minded in the Caribbean this week – and put 19 of their 34 points to the theatre.
The Spanish struck swiftly against Santiago de Cuba, driving out the small occupying force and restoring Bourbon control over the strategic harbor. The victory reestablished an important foothold in the eastern Caribbean and demonstrated that, despite mounting pressure elsewhere, the Spanish were far from finished. Further east, Native warriors launched a determined assault on Antigua, overrunning the island after fierce resistance from its defenders. The capture of the port provides the Bourbon Alliance additional valuable territory. Spanish and Native forces also united in the attack on Montserat, where a coordinated landing quickly overwhelmed the garrison – with local populace celebrating the long awaited return to French governance.
Not every Bourbon offensive met with success, however. Dutch defenders at Laguna de Términos stood firm against repeated French attacks, repelling the assault and maintaining control of the valuable trading port. Though overshadowed by the larger battles elsewhere, the successful defense was a much needed victory for the Anti-Bourbon alliance in the Caribbean.
The British Alliance put its remaining 16 points to the Caribbean – concentrating on two territories Havana, and Cape Canaveral.
The fighting from last week continued at Havana which proved to be one of the largest engagements of the campaign. For hours, British cannon pounded the harbor while Dutch marines fought street by street through the city’s outer defenses. Pirate vessels circled just offshore, cutting off escape and watching the bombardment reduce much of the waterfront to ruins….
Meanwhile – Cape Canaveral fell victim to a coordinated raid by British, Dutch, and Pirate forces, who descended upon the lightly defended settlement with remarkable speed. English militia secured the approaches while the ruthless Dutch Vrije Compagnie swept through the harbor, allowing Buccaneers to loot warehouses and put the settlement to the torch before the defenders could organize a meaningful response. Though the Alliance made no attempt to occupy the region, the burning port and columns of smoke visible for miles sent a clear message that no corner of the campaign is beyond their reach.
As the siege of Havana reached its climax, Spanish reinforcements sailed in from Puerto Rico, slipping into the harbor under the protection of the city’s formidable coastal batteries. There they joined weary French regulars, who had borne the brunt of the fighting and fought stubbornly to hold every street, bastion, and gun emplacement against the relentless Allied assault. Though the fresh Spanish troops stiffened the defense and prolonged the struggle, the combined weight of the British, Dutch, and Pirate offensive ultimately proved too great, and the city’s exhausted defenders were finally forced to yield.
Flames consumed portions of the harbor district, Dutch and Pirate crews watched from their ships while exhausted British troops secured the city. As smoke drifted over the shattered battlements and the Cross of Burgundy fell from the city, the British, Dutch, and Pirates claimed a victory whose symbolic weight far exceeded its point value. Regardless of any score at the end of the campaign – Havana’s fall ensured the Anti-Bourbon Alliance would write the final memorable chapter of the war.
For the final week in the Caribbean – the French Alliance was able to take x territories, earning 12 points from the theatre, and denying the British Alliance their domination bonus they had held for multiple weeks. The British Alliance made up the loss of Santiago de Cuba, Monteserat, Antigua , and the domination bonus with their capture of Havana – earning 31 points from the theatre.
Sea – Lanes
This final week of the campaign saw a different implementation of the mechanics for the Oak and Iron elements, with Navies fighting for points rather than bonuses for the next week.
The Bay of Saint Lawrence saw violence as the French and British fleets clashed for control of the vital northern waters. French warships maneuvered aggressively among the cold currents and rocky shores, unleashing devastating broadsides that shattered the British formation and forced the enemy fleet to withdraw. With the smoke clearing over the bay, the French Navy emerged victorious, securing a crucial naval advantage and protecting the lifeline between France and its northern colonies.
With their victory at sea, French captains continued to focus their efforts on protecting the vital northern ports, ensuring Quebec and the surrounding territories remained supplied and reinforced. Meanwhile, the British Navy shifted its attention southward, concentrating on the Caribbean Trade Routes in an attempt to disrupt Bourbon commerce and support their ongoing operations throughout the islands.
French Fleet actions in the Northeast earned their alliance 6 points this week, meanwhile British Navies earned their Alliance 6 points in the Caribbean.
Campaign Victory Points for Week 9
In the final week of the campaign, the British-Pirate-Dutch alliance was able to see success in their strategies, and gain ground on their opponents. They earned 52 points this week, for a total of 371 points to end the campaign.
The French-Spanish-Native alliance had managed to maintain a (slipping) lead throughout the campaign, earning 46 points in this final week, to the tune of 391 points at the end of the campaign, making them the victors of the 2026 Summer of Plunder!
Congratulations to both teams for their accomplishments, camaraderie, and spirit.
Details of Team & Commander Votes
If you’re interested in how all the votes played out, here’s the data from this week’s 200 logged games.
- The French once again concentrated on defending Quebec, while reinforcing Havana and Laguna de Términos.
- The Spanish split their efforts between Quebec, Montserat, Santiago de Cuba, Jamaica, and Antigua, attempting to stabilize the entire Caribbean front.
- The Natives reinforced Quebec, while committing additional warriors to Montserat, Antigua, and Santiago de Cuba.
- The French Minor Powers once again committed their support to Quebec.
- The British focused primarily on the assault against Havana, while continuing pressure on Quebec, Fort Detroit, and Cape Canaveral.
- The Dutch mirrored British strategy, concentrating on Havana and Quebec, while supporting operations at Fort Detroit and Cape Canaveral.
- The Pirates divided their strength between the sieges of Havana and Quebec, while launching an aggressive expedition toward Cape Canaveral and supporting the fighting around Fort Detroit.
- The British Minor Powers committed their support to the assault on Havana.
Above, you can see each of the locations voted highest by each national team. After weeks of campaigning, both alliances have settled into two defining sieges—Quebec in the North and Havana in the Caribbean.
Here we see the Commander and Admiral Actions with clever actions from both Alliances– The French Admiral ferried troops from Puerto Rico to the aid of Havana, almost stopping the assault. The British Alliance was able to knock off Cape Canaveral, as well as secure Havana, through efficient use of their Command points.
And you can see the starting control of each location, the armies sent out from each alliance, and the control results in the tables above.
Oak & Iron Sea Routes
The Oak & Iron games in this campaign have had a significant impact this Summer of Plunder, and led to some interesting events on the grand campaign. This final week, with no week 10 of the map, we chose to have control of Sea-Lanes earn each victory points for their alliance – 2 points per sea-lane with an additional 2 points for controlling both sea-lanes in a theatre.
This week, the French Navies entirely focused their attention to the Northeast, fighting off a small British fleet in the Bay of St. Lawrence, while the British forces primarily focused on the Caribbean. Both Alliances managed to control 2 sea-lanes and their respective theatres, earning each team 6 points.
Final Notes from Daniel W
It has been a pleasure helping with the Summer of Plunder, working with the awesome Blood and Pigment team, and interacting with the possibly the coolest and friendlies wargaming communities around – thank you all – Daniel Wray
Final Thoughts for Week 9 Summer of Plunder 2026
History has changed and the French alliance has won Queen Anne’s War! I’m sure they will be sending their French and Native allies many rich gifts for their considerable help in both tactics and men. Handel will write a Lamentation for the Treaty of Utrecht instead of a Te Deum!
Well done to all players, leaders and tacticians in this year’s campaign! This year’s campaign system was a large departure from what we have done before. I hope people enjoyed the contest for the new world at some level while you sailed through this year’s Summer of Plunder. As always, we’re pondering how we can make it better, so watch for a post-campaign survey later this month. We welcome your feedback as we try to make this fun and interactive for the community.
This concludes the map updates for this year’s campaign. Within the next day or two, you can expect the final update to drop, including final messages from the commanders, and a lot of prize winners here at the end of the campaign.
Thanks for another great Summer of Plunder!