Few characters on the stage of history grip the imagination the way a pirate does. To their enemies they are cruel, they are rapacious, and they are capricious. No trick is to low for them; they defy the very conventions of proper society. They are the
Hostes Humani Generis—the common enemy of mankind.
But they are more than inhuman monsters. They are wry and sardonic, full of gallows humor, and all too well aware that their end is likely to be swift and violent. Their offi cers are charismatic. They have a code of honor among themselves, caring even for their lamed and wounded, dividing their spoils equitably before a council of all hands. Often as not they are driven to piracy by the cruelties of the world.
Under the Black Flag is a supplement to the game
Gloire: Swashbuckling Adventure in the Age
of Kings. You will need the rules in that book in order to use this book to its full potential. Pirates are classical swashbucklers, whether on the screen or in print, and this book treats their world in the romantic tradition of fi ction rather than from a strictly historical perspective. Boarding parties swarm aboard a man-of-war, treasure parties bury gold under a full moon on uncharted islands, heroes slide down sails by slicing them with their daggers, buccaneers besiege stockades defended by desperate garrisons, and mooncussers scuttle about the fl otsam on a fatal reef.
These rules are designed to let players play games with only a handful of figures and require only a small space to play. As with
Gloire, the intention is to follow the progression of a handful of characters, though players will be pleased to find provision to allow for the advancement of minor characters as well.
So, turn your back on the world of law and order and pledge your word to the Articles!
What is needed to play?
A few D10 dice, a few minis per player, a ruler and about 2' x 2' of space. Add some buildings and terrain to make it interesting. The rules can handle multiple player games.
