Avast! Seeking "Absurdly" Simple Pirate Rules, please.

[FifteensAway]

Okay, here's the gig: 15 mm, figures based three to a base, focus to be on land action but not entirely eliminating ships (especially landing actions - I have plenty of ships and a plethora of boats).  For those familiar with Fistful of Seaman that is part of my inspiration as is my own Pirates of The Carobbean Sea extravaganza.  Very large numbers of figures in total (more than one thousand, perhaps - available at least and already painted and based).

I've finally ordered up the Stone Mountain Vauban fortress I've been drooling over for a very, very long time and will be using it as a focal point.  I'm also expanding my pirate town which may or may not be a pirate town this go round, might just be "the port".  There will be an expanded native presence (needs some prep and painting for these figures but already on hand).

The basic game will be either a pirate raid on the port and/or the fortress or the 'government' forces raiding the pirate stronghold - or maybe both, in sequence not at the same time!  And whatever my fractured imagination tosses into the boiling pot - which might also be cooking the native's long pig lunch.  This will be a one game master game with at most a dozen players and probably hold it to six or eight.

So, what I am after are dead simple rules for movement, firing, melee, morale, (maybe command?).  They need to fit on the front and back of a standard 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper (US standard).  If the rules are really cool, I'm okay to cover two sheets of paper instead of one.  I want the players focused on the table action, not the rules.  And rules lawyers hate such simple rules because it gives them nothing to lawyer about (mostly).

Anyone know of such rules?  And especially cool if they are free and posted to the web for quick download (credit will be granted though reserving the right to modify as needed).

Oi, that's a lot of parentheticals up there.  And, yes, I know about Peter Pig's Pieces of Eight and own the rules and might adapt some elements but that is not what I'm after. 

[SteveBurt]

I was going to suggest 'Pieces of Eight' until I got to your last line!

Can't think offhand of anything which fits the bill.

[swiftnick]

I am thinking Legends of the High seas fits the bill. you only need to give each player the cheat sheet. Almost everyone is aware of the mechanics. Just treat each stand as a figure.

[Wingnut]

!5's
I sent you a message about "FFOS"




Wingnut

[Golgotha]

Been looking for similar - what about a simplified version of Song of Drums and Shakos and or Sharpe Practice? A deck of cards would help with control of the game and random events.

[rumacara]

Golgotha you have a version for pirates fom Ganesha Games using the same mechanism as SDS called Flashing Steel.

[Slorm]

What aout this?
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/20350/blood-swashthunder-plunder

 I have played GASLIGHT and i love it.

 I think that it could be useful

[Froggy the Great]

And One for All! by Eureka Miniatures - absurdly simple and a whole lot of fun.

http://eurekamin.com.au/andoneforall.php

[coggon]

!5's
I sent you a message about "FFOS"




Wingnut

Can't recommend FFOS highly enough!  Simple but elegant.

[FifteensAway]

Thanks for all the replies so far - and a reminder.  We are talking about a game with north of one thousand figures possible, though based 3 to a base.  So, over 300 bases of figures.  One to one skirmish games might be a challenge to handle that sort of quantity.  Though, certainly, the idea of treat each base 'like a figure' is fine.

Keep those ideas coming.  (And, Scott, give me a week or two before expecting a solid response)

[Wingnut]

!5's
Take your time. Your inquiry set me in motion to compose the Rules for the actual convention game we host, economy, politics, event cards. Once I'm done I hope to make Solo play rules.


Wingnut