Organized by the associations "STRATEJEUX" and "THE LANCERS OF THE Garonne", occurs a large gathering of players Floirac, near Bordeaux (33), the Last weekend, the theme of pirates of the Caribbean. The excess! Some figures:
Forty male and female players over 2 days! Embodying the Spaniards, pirates, privateers, buccaneers, French, English or native (Carib Indian cannibals, wild beasts ...) within a large multipurpose room, brand new and very comfortable. When I say "embody" it is "incarnate" because most players were wearing (or reconstructions of costumes disguises cared!)
128 m2 of tables! Yes, I mean 128 m2, covered with decorations, sea, islands, rocks, beaches, cities and forts (Ok, yes, there are mostly from the sea, but here can boast of having played on such a surface? (besides football?)).
26 ships and countless boats, Made, armed and equipped by each player.
Fortified fortresses, towns, hundreds of figures! painted with love (and brush) by the protagonists.
Participants from the 4 corners of the hexagon ! (Sic): In addition to the pool of Brittany (9 players came in 3 cars, with decorations, figurines, weapons and luggage), there were Sticks, came by plane, of Perigord and many natives (cannibals sure bin !)
3 rules on the table! For the naval , a local rule "From turtles to Trafalgar" which I will refer later to the land and "Argad" on one side, (The famous Franco-Breton rule, well known to very few people) and other, non-equally famous "LOTH" that I will not.
An extraordinary welcome! 120 000 L of booze, eat!
That ... is not true at all, but to complete those already drooling to have been there. That said, we were generously to drink they call a syrup known locally as "Bordeaux" (great name as the original, when you are in Bordeaux). It has a nice color they call "maroon" (When I told you that they are original!)
Women galore! That's not true ... Admittedly, it was as essentially masculine atmosphere, with a few young-apprentice-navigation-formidable.
So much for the place settings, now let's get serious.
Map:
It was not inspired cards epochs of the Caribbean Sea. Some players had more information than others and clues about the treasure hunt.
Part!
It took place over two days, punctuated by the sounds of horns, chanting changes Naval turn.
I'll be hard pressed to describe what happened at any time at different places in the table but I will try to tell you some epic moments or tasty (with all faults that relate to what has not seen himself and omissions and interpretations that go with it).
For a more detailed description of what I experienced personally see the record of Captain in the other message later in the blog.
plans of each other (Or at least what I've seen ^ ^):
For French, the set was fairly simple tactic: Facing the English, preserving the pirates and Spaniards.
The English had clearly planned to rally the pirates and refuel their mark before returning, this strong support to the center of the map.
I do not know what the tactics planned by the English. It seemed very passive at the start (wait?) And had mostly evacuated heart serenely "convoy of gold" to Spain.
The first action was French, with few landings on the islands most close to its colony. All were hostile, and while some were easily conquered, others necessitated reinforcements. Meanwhile, the English negotiated quietly and peacefully annexed the Buccaneers' camp was adjacent to it while searching the English, their agreement with the camp of pirates in search of clues (treasure hunt ).
In contrast to the map, the pirate-British coalition, was long: As soon as the formidable coalition fleet gathered imploded. Indeed, a dissenting member of the pirates, has suddenly turned his jacket and opened fire on the nearest English, setting fire to the powder (literally and figuratively! The English ship exploded and the vengeance of the Britons was not made to wait!). British soldiers who inspected the camp of the pirates began immediately fire to the village, destroying it completely.
If the first shot was the figure of a native, killed by a French, the battle between pirates and English in this first phase of the game was the bloodiest. From my side (French) could not hope for more good start. Not only the English had lost one of their ship but in addition they fighting against their former allies now! Moreover, they abandoned their colony, were detained in the fight against hackers and suffering from headwinds. to return to defend it.
The French were not slow to pray and tried to exploit the flaw in rushing on the British colony. Unfortunately for us, a pirate, "The Skeletor," we might instead call the "vane" because he changed sides as often as the wind changed (ie every 3 rounds of play) has thwarted the invasion. The English city has also been subject to war and looting during the two days of play, without at any time, English fleet does anything to preserve or defend.
Despite his caution, the English governor is the victim of a monumental bluff, tempted by one of hacker player.
I summarize. The governor waited three English galleons to repatriate his gold. Appear successively three ships flying the English flag in the port. The first proposes to win the gold and the governor's daughter in Spain that the governor agrees with gratitude. Only after the party, one of English captains wondered whether that was the intruder who was left with the gold and the girl.
Including his monumental error, the Governor sent his messenger faster through the jungle to try to prevent his French counterpart to the English fleet that catches and retrieves her child.
The fate of the unfortunate, however, was sealed. the messenger, riding at full speed towards the French camp was the victim of a cheetah and died en route. The governor's daughter, meanwhile, was outraged and slaughtered (but I'm not on the formal agenda of the two facts) before the sinking of the pirate galleon, sunk by the Anglo-English fleet .
At this point in the game, all players seemed leagued against the French. Spain had bought the English so they escorted the convoy of gold and all these people would pass before the French colony.
There was a tragic last act for the English governor. Party in pursuit of villains who had kidnapped his daughter, he embarked on board a small caravel unarmed. Unfortunately, i fell on the "Skeletor" who, not content to sink down, was determined to run the castaways in their lifeboat, throwing himself on the reefs to carry that last infamy. Yet he knew he had a hostage brand to its range.
Rules:
"From Turtle Island at Trafalgar" is a rule of their own ship (and God knows that Bordeaux wines made good). The rule is very simple to master. Each ship has a small card that gives it its maximum distance of movement based his pace wind.
It takes no account of the caliber of the guns, just their number and measuring the distance of fire (a gun is up to 2m).
Depending on the circumstances, we can aim for the hull or the mature and apply the results of a table taking into account: the type of projectile (bullet, shrapnel, shot twice, and even red ball (very dangerous for its user as)), the scope, quality of the crew (the English are elite, the French veterans ...) the positions of ships (the fire is more devastating in a row).
The first broadside, charged outside the bustle of the battle is more effective than the following.
short, nothing very innovative on this side there is more originality in the rules of movement. Very simple, they can program the various actions of the round ahead by a few cards wisely selected (turns, straight-line motion, but also the anchor, shoot, tackle, maps and even bluff, intended to mislead the enemy by mistake about his intentions). Thus, the opponents can not adjust their actions according to what you do and should be confined to apply what they have planned. The movement is made step by step, card after card, and shooting is resolved in as timely if it was properly programmed.
The system is so simple that I could explain to a newcomer on Sunday and managed to make a beautiful course with the basics rules that I had sent him.
Collisions are in various stages: launched grappling hooks, attempted to repel them and then investing the target, and combat. Elite troops are formidable in these battles.
random events can influence the outcome of the fighting (fire, rudder torn, injured captain ...) and adding excitement to the game
The ground fighting have been played with two different rules: "Argad" a side, fluid, fast and intuitive and expeditious "LOTH" on the other, longer and more static.
Towers land and sea were not correlated, and it could take place land for several laps on sea
Most of this weekend of madness!
First a warm welcome and flawless stewardship to the height, the ability to sleep there (and even at the hotel for those who arrived during the night). a tremendous job performed by Philippe Pauzat, to transmit and share information, for weeks before the event. On the weekend, it was shown for ubiquitous information and resolve the inevitable disputes over the rules.
Everyone had fun, the sets were amazing, the atmosphere, good child. The vessels sunk were returning later in another corner so that eliminated players, do not stay long.
I left with happy memories and our group of Bretons to gold and have the urge to reproduce such an event.
Now, less ... Some critics, I hope that constructive:
As you can imagine, such a plateau and many players causes delays for some, when something happens on the other side and that one is not affected. For that, I do not see a solution. Perhaps more referees or old users of the rule could save some time but I'm not sure.
Another difficulty came from separate tables. It was sometimes difficult to move from one table to another and more calculating ranges. Difficult to remedy this, besides playing on the floor ... but is now excluded, our advanced age (especially regarding the maneuvering ground much longer and detailed).
The main concerns which we faced (I speak for the 9 Brittany) is the "volatility" of players!
We were all dismayed by the permanent camp reversals of some no one can discern any logic behind and a "to extremism" fairly widespread.
We sometimes had the impression that the formal rule concerning nationality was:
" I am of a different nationality from that of the boat that is in my corner and my shooting range and therefore I shot .
That is, I pulled the one next to me, no matter what has been agreed the previous round. But this inconsistency has also shown its limitations person daring to trust others, apart from knowing players property and the same nation (it was a great strength of the French side, where he does that there was treason, premeditated. It had been suspected by us, but we would not have fired first.
I quote you some personal examples or observed here and there that we have asked many questions.
Why the "Black Pearl" he shot at the English with whom he worked, then his strong and his village was in the hands of these same English?
And why those same enemies rejoin friends 2 laps later after struggling against each other?
Why "Skeletor" (again? ^ ^) Sank the shipwrecked Spaniards, including the governor himself rather than to collect and possibly
the ransom ?
In all these situations, follows a lack of overall coherence or everyone does what he wants, regardless of the interests of his camp. It's probably a choice and over-representation displayed as pirates, is probably a reflection of this need freedom.
For "to extremism" , I wondered if it was a kind of race tonnage sunk (victory points listed at the end?) Or if some of the fun is summarized to: "Make the most damage possible, regardless
matter who and how.". Without doubt this is it related to our habit of the pageant, where we try to keep as close as possible to the reality of human behavior that we try to imagine and simulate at best. Some examples, again: When
French landing in English, the villagers have attacked the newly arrived soldiers to try to make their losses and slow their progression.
(FYI, the same situation, in French, had the following effect: Civilians have fled to take refuge in the fort while the militia was gathering
slowly and painfully ). Amazing also to see the English colony to engage with its enemies during the 2 days the party without any English vessel of cares.
We saw the same ships sacrifice themselves to hurt others!
A ship 1st class English, and discussed in flames, the fire was deliberately ignored to try to bring a boat of rank 3 French in the wreck! Fortunately the rules
planned surrender of the survivors, had a ratio of 3 cons 1, otherwise, the English would fight to the last. a English vessel was scuttled in trouble with his crew rather than fall into the hands of enemies who had manhandled. It would have been pirates risking the rope, I say no ... but prisoners of war?
It is likely that it is free and immediate recurrence of his ship to another place in the table in case of destruction, which leads to such behavior. Why continue to struggle with a damaged boat, so that is by running, we will have a new, complete with a crew, in a better situation?
I am personally very proud to have brought my wreck to port the first night (although I spent 3 laps behind repair) and equally proud to have rallied to defend the port on the second day, with my few survivors.
The quest for treasure
I was hoping to have to solve puzzles twisted, which would have forced him to try to run my intelligence, but unfortunately I have no crossover nor me 'm having no contact. I was quite disappointed that I did not even know if it was difficult to resolve if this was solved by someone, and if the treasure was found and eaten (chocolate coins!)
Here In total, despite these "inconsistencies" individual or collective, I had a great time and I can not wait replay. I left with happy memories and I continue to hover at D +3! ^ ^
Ah yes, too! A final criticism! Is what you could bring Bordeaux to Brittany next time? It's really too far. ^ ^
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