Chinese Pirates

[TJSKI]

Guys,

I have a few questions about Chinese Pirates on the tabletop. I'm
writting (or should that be wrote now) a set of rules that will be comming out that cover the Golden Age of piracy (1700 - 1730). But the publisher would like to captalize on the Pirates of the Caribbean movie comming out & would like me to add in a note about Chinese pirates, even though there
wasn't many of them sailing in the caribbean waters.

I have found historical refrences about Chinese pirates, but I'm
struggling to come up with good rules that would set them apart from
western pirates. Now I know this all sounds pretty vague, but the
rules I'm working on are based on a certain Old West game that has 4
books out for it now.

So would people like to see rules diffrences for Chinese Pirates over
western counter-parts or do you think that a Pirate is just a Pirate
reguardless of where he's from?

Thanks

Tim Kulinski

[Westfalia Chris]

If your rules allow for it, why not add some exotic weaponry, such as poleblades, chinese executioner´s swords, and the like, as well as maybe martial arts...

... depends upon whether the rules are supposed to be "pulpy" or "historical".

[fastolfrus]

I don't think close combat weapons would give enough of a difference - swords, cutlasses, boarding axes, boarding pikes etc are all very similar really, regardless of origin.
But some of the more exotic weaponry used by Chinese historical forces might be interesting - the Caribbean chaps get grenades, but the Chinese ones could also get smoke grenades, "stink pots" (chemical grenades), rockets (how about rocket propelled grapnels ?), and multishot/repeating crossbows.

[TJSKI]

If your rules allow for it, why not add some exotic weaponry, such as poleblades, chinese executioner´s swords, and the like, as well as maybe martial arts...

... depends upon whether the rules are supposed to be "pulpy" or "historical".

Chris,

Well the rules have a "Hollywood historical" sort of feel to them. Meaning they are set in a Historical period but allow you the gamer to write the story and chart your experiance, much like the "Other" Legend books that are out there.

Looking at the model from "Other" legend books, I was going the route of the Native American catagories that allowed certain types of tribes to have certain skills. Then a "Tong" posse came out & it used the weapons as the special feel for their "Outlaw" list.

What I was thinking was having the Chinese being able to fight better & move better with skill sets that are already developed. But I'm not happy with that.

I guess the bottom line is if Chinese Pirates should be included in a book that sets itself up for the caribbean area.

Tim K

[Plynkes]

I guess the bottom line is if Chinese Pirates should be included in a book that sets itself up for the caribbean area.

Not in an historical setting they shouldn't. But if it's "Hollywood Historical" then all bets are off. Do whatever is cool.

[Hammers]

As I understand it "Chinese pirates" refers to, in a real historical context that is, the piracy in the South China Sea and involves the islands there. esp. the Philippines, Tawain, Borneo, Sumatra and the Malayan peninsula.

The pirates were a mishmash of ethnic chinese, arabs, iban, dayaks (sarawaks) and Borneo headhunters.

Wikipedia has this to say about the origin of chinse pirates:

The South China Sea was a haven for pirates, who were based in Taiwan.

Piracy in South East Asia began with the retreating Mongol Yuan fleet after the betrayal by their Sri Vijayan allies in the war with Majapahit. Marooned navy officers, consisting mostly of south China Cantonese and Hokkien tribesmen, set up their small gangs near river estuaries, mainly to protect themselves. They recruited locals as common foot-soldiers known as 'lang' (lanun) to set up their fortresses. They survived by utilising their well trained pugilists, as well as marine and navigation skills, mostly along Sumatran and Javanese estuaries. Their strength and ferocity coincided with the impending trade growth of the maritime silk and spice routes.

For good pulp/Holywood inspiration I suggest you read "Flashman's Lady" which is an as entertaining read as you can get.

[warrenpeace]

I don't really agree with Chinese pirates generally having a better ability to move and fight.  However, any sort of heros or characters with special martial arts training should have their special talents.

Seems to me that the Golden Age of Piracy, from a Western perspective, was from about 1660 through about 1730.  But anything from about 1500 to 1800 could be covered in your rules.

If you're going to include Chinese, you might as well include Arabs and Indians and everybody else, a sort of "Wide World of Pirates."  After all, if the third "Pirates of the Carribean" movie includes Chinese, then perhaps the fourth one will include Arab or North African pirates.